As conservatives debate the merits and demerits of Donald Trump endorsing a federalist policy on abortion, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show temp host Michael Kosta lamented that such a debate exists because, for them, even a moderate position on abortion is still extremist.
Trump’s abortion policy announcement coincided with news from the Arizona Supreme Court that ruled that an 1864 abortion law can be enforced. This did not sit well with Kosta. Amidst booing from the audience, Kosta agreed, “Yeah, this is crazy! Boo! Boo! This is crazy! Is Arizona really using an abortion law from the 1860s? Back then, there wasn't even a test to become a doctor. It was just a gross guy saying, "I love looking at scabs. I want to be a doctor."
The show built on irony missed the irony of Kosta’s proposal that all laws be periodically subject to review, “and it’s not just abortion. We shouldn't be using any Civil War law. At least every hundred years, we should just do a review of all the laws, you know, ‘Guys, we still against murder? All right, great, moving on. All post offices have mandatory horse ties? No? Scrap that one, okay.’"
Kosta then shifted to Trump, and after playing a series of clips of the media reporting on his stance as well as Trump supporting IVF, he attacked Trump’s federalist position, “Donald Trump now says the states should choose their own abortion laws, although, I don't know why that's considered a moderate position. ‘As a reasonable man, I think only some women should be forced to give birth against their will, depending on which state they live in. It's called common sense.’"
Over at ABC, Kimmel incorrectly believed there was a contradiction between Trump appointing three of the justices that overturned Roe v. Wade and leaving the issue to the states, “Trump appointed three of those judges to the Supreme Court, which led to overturning Roe v. Wade. But now, he's saying he's not for a federal law against abortion. He thinks the decision should be left to the states. Trump believes that every woman should have the right to drive 600 miles for health care.”
Kimmel then touched on the criticism Trump has gotten from pro-lifers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham and former Vice President Mike Pence, but Kimmel didn’t think the criticism was real. He thought it was all part of some elaborate plan to make Trump more acceptable to pro-abortion Republicans “But with Lindsey Graham, this is a game they're playing because 7 out of 10 Americans believe women should have the right to choose and Republicans are losing elections on this so, Trump is gonna be the good guy or bad guy depending on which side you're on. And then Lindsay will be on the other side, fitting hissy, saying Trump is too lenient to calm the pro-choice Republicans down. It's like wrestling, but with guys who, if you saw them in their underpants, you'd throw up.”
Kimmel then turned to Arizona, “Meanwhile, the Arizona Supreme Court today ruled that the state has to follow a law from 1864 that makes getting an abortion a criminal offense with a sentence of two to five years. Isn't that great? We're playing by the 1864 rules now.”
No, performing an abortion could get you sent to jail, not getting one. So, much for Kimmel the Fact-Checker.
Here are transcripts for the April 9 shows:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
4/9/2024
11:40 PM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: Trump appointed three of those judges to the Supreme Court, which led to overturning Roe v. Wade. But now, he's saying he's not for a federal law against abortion. He thinks the decision should be left to the states. Trump believes that every woman should have the right to drive 600 miles for health care and this is now upsetting a lot of his supporters, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who said Trump's making a mistake and that's not the kind of thing Trump likes to hear. From his pals. So, he lashed out, he wrote "I blame myself for Lindsey Graham, because the only reason he won in the great state of South Carolina is because I endorsed him!" And then he got it from his former vice poodle, too. Mike Pence wrote, "Trump's retreat on the right to life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him."
Trump did not respond to that. I think he's scared of Mike Pence. He never responds to-- I think Mike Pence must know too much is what’s happening there. But with Lindsey Graham, this is a game they're playing because 7 out of 10 Americans believe women should have the right to choose and Republicans are losing elections on this so, Trump is gonna be the good guy or bad guy depending on which side you're on.
And then Lindsay will be on the other side, fitting hissy, saying Trump is too lenient to calm the pro-choice Republicans down. It's like wrestling, but with guys who, if you saw them in their underpants, you'd throw up. Meanwhile, the Arizona Supreme Court today ruled that the state has to follow a law from 1864 that makes getting an abortion a criminal offense with a sentence of two to five years. Isn't that great? We're playing by the 1864 rules now.
***
Comedy Central The Daily Show
4/9/2024
11:11 PM ET
MICHAEL KOSTA: Yeah, this is crazy! Boo! Boo! This is crazy! Is Arizona really using an abortion law from the 1860s? Back then, there wasn't even a test to become a doctor. It was just a gross guy saying, "I love looking at scabs. I want to be a doctor." It's like—and it’s not just abortion. We shouldn't be using any Civil War law. At least every hundred years, we should just do a review of all the laws, you know, "Guys, we still against murder? All right, great, moving on. All post offices have mandatory horse ties? No? Scrap that one, okay." But this is the kind of thing women have been facing ever since Roe v. Wade was killed by the Supreme Court and while many Republicans would like the whole country to look like Arizona, Donald Trump, the guy who appointed those Supreme Court justices, is now trying to position himself as a moderate on abortion.
LESTER HOLT: Now to the race for the White House. After months of questions, former President Donald Trump today revealing his position on abortion, declining to call for a national ban, saying he would leave it up to the states.
DONALD TRUMP: The states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land, in this case, the law of the state. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people.
JONATHAN LEMIRE: Elsewhere in the video, Trump expressed support for IVF and abortion exceptions for rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk.
TRUMP: I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby.
KOSTA: Did he just say "Precious baby" sarcastically? "Congrats on your bundle of joy." Also, not the main point here but that's more spray tan than usual, right? Your first thought when you see someone's face should never be "Is that cake?"
But more importantly, yes, Donald Trump now says the states should choose their own abortion laws, although, I don't know why that's considered a moderate position. "As a reasonable man, I think only some women should be forced to give birth against their will, depending on which state they live in. It's called common sense." Honestly, I'm just shocked Trump came out in support of IVF. I expected him to be like [TRUMP IMPRESSION] "If your loser husband can't get it done, give me a call. I'll be in and out, two minutes."
