On Saturday afternoon, MSNBC weekend host Alex Witt displayed the liberal new network's pro-abortion activism by gushing over teenage abortion rights advocate Paxton Smith, who gave a valedictory speech a few months ago that was hyped by the left.
Witt even had Smith -- now at University of Texas student -- on her show to complain about the new Texas heartbeat law, allowing her to charge that the state's Republican governor, Greg Abbott, will have "blood on his hands" because of it. The MSNBC host began the segment by playing a clip of Smith's speech claiming that there is a "war" on women's rights, and, after bringing her on board, noted that she has continued to be an activist and plugged her book on the subject.
Like a fangirl, Witt oozed with enthusiasm: "I'm very excited to welcome Paxton Smith to the show right now. I'm also going to say I'm sure that the University of Texas at Austin is very excited to have you as a student there. You're going to do a lot -- I'm sure you're going to bring a lot to that campus."
In her follow-ups, the MSNBC host asked what message Smith would have for Governor Abbott, leading her to declare:
He has either chosen to ignore or does not know that thousands of people ended up in emergency rooms before Roe v. Wade. They died before Roe v. Wade -- they suffered lifelong injuries before Roe v. Wade -- and he has either chosen to ignore or does not know that his actions have led to bringing that back to reality. And I hope that he is comfortable with the blood that is going to be on his hands.
After Smith accused Governor Abbott of violating the Constitution, and pledged that she would continue to be an activist, Witt wrapped up the segment by again by lavishing praise on her liberal guest: "Can I just suggest you should be on the debate team? You're a wonderful speaker. So you are very welcome. And I'm grateful for young people like you in the next generation that are picking up these banners and very valiantly carrying them."
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Complete transcript follows. Click "expand" to read more.
MSNBC's Alex Witt Reports
September 4, 2021
2:21 p.m. Eastern
ALEX WITT: Well, there's one Texan who is waging a battle against the new law. It is high school valedictorian Paxton Smith. Now, you're going to recall back in June Paxton ditched a script that was approved by the school administrators and instead used her commencement speech to call out state officials. Take a listen.
PAXTON SMITH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENT: (from her June 2021 high school valedictory speech): I am terrified that if my contraceptives fail, I am terrified that if I am raped, then my hopes and aspirations and dreams and efforts for my future will no longer matter. (editing clip) I cannot give up this platform to promote complacency and peace when there is a war on my body and a war on my rights, a war on the rights of your mothers, a war on the rights of your sisters, a war on the rights of your daughters. We cannot stay silent.
WITT: Wow. Paxton's brave stand got global attention. She has gone on to write a new book, A War on My Body, and I'm very excited to welcome Paxton Smith to the show right now. I'm also going to say I'm sure that the University of Texas at Austin is very excited to have you as a student there. You're going to do a lot -- I'm sure you're going to bring a lot to that campus. But let's start, Paxton, by asking you your reaction to this week's news in Texas. What were your thinking?
SMITH: It's incredibly upsetting, and it's very hard to believe that something like this could happen in America. Some of the principles of this nation that have been drilled into me since I was 5 years old is that this nation values freedom and liberty, but my state has gone against those principles and has taken away a basic human right from half of its population.
WITT: So that's your state, but how concerned are you about the precedent being set here -- not just for Texas but for other states across this country?
SMITH: It is very frightening. Texas has not been the first state to try to ban abortions, but it is one of the first where it managed to go through. And other states who are trying to ban abortions and who are trying to stop abortions in our state could take after the success that Texas has had. And that really worries me for the state of our country, that other states are probably going to try and do the same thing.
WITT: So what do you want to say to Governor Abbott? What do you want to say to the Supreme Court in this fight for a ruling?
SMITH: If I had something to say to Greg Abbott, it would be that he has either chosen to ignore or does not know that by banning abortions, he's only getting rid of safe abortions. He has either chosen to ignore or does not know that thousands of people ended up in emergency rooms before Roe v. Wade. They died before Roe v. Wade -- they suffered lifelong injuries before Roe v. Wade -- and he has either chosen to ignore or does not know that his actions have led to bringing that back to reality. And I hope that he is comfortable with the blood that is going to be on his hands.
WITT: Anything to the Supreme Court as well, though that was very eloquently said and I think you could translate to the Supreme Court those five justices that voted the way they did this week as well.
SMITH: Yes. I mean, banning abortion before fetal viability goes directly against the Constitution, and I wish that the Supreme Court would uphold the Constitution and the constitutional rights that are guaranteed to the state citizens.
WITT: So, Paxton, I mentioned that you are attending now the University of Texas at Austin. Do you plan to keep up your activism in college?
SMITH: I do.
WITT: I think that's a really good thing. Can I just suggest you should be on the debate team? You're a wonderful speaker.
SMITH: Thank you.
WITT: So you are very welcome. And I'm grateful for young people like you in the next generation that are picking up these banners and very valiantly carrying them. Thank you for your time as well on that. Paxton Smith, best of luck.
