Judy: Last week's report that
the supreme court plans to
overturn roe V. Wade put one of
the country's most divisive
political issues back on center
stage. Abortion is suddenly
again a dominant issue in
congress, in state houses and on
the campaign trail.
Joining me to assess the
political fallout of this and
more are Amy Walter of the cook
political report with Amy
Walter, and Tamara Keith of NPR.
Hello to both of you.
Welcome to the newshour.
Politics Monday and as you
heard, there is a lot to talk
about.
The bombshell leak is having
repercussions.
We are seeing fallout.
You are seeing movement in some
states like Louisiana.
They have moved towards more
restrictions.
We are seeing states that want
to preserve abortion moving to
codify.
What does it out -- add up to?
.
>> Michigan's governor says they
can't wait for congress to do
something, and they can't wait
for congress to do something
because congress isn't going to
do something.
There are a number of states
where there are ballot measures
circulated or constitutional
amendments.
Some of those would expand
abortion access or put in the
constitution that it is a right
to have reproductive rights.
Others would restrict abortion
access.
What you are going to see if
this becomes official is what
you saw in the past, which is a
real patchwork, where some
states will become havens for
people seeking reproductive
services and other states become
no go Zones.
Judy: It gets more complicated
in states with divided
governments.
>> That is why governor Whitmer
in Michigan said we won't get
anything done with the
legislator -- the legislature,
it is Republicans ocean the
attorney general are suing the
state, arguing within the contra
dish -- the constitution there
is a right to privacy.
I think we will see that in
other states with democratic
governors, Republican
legislators.
We are also seeing attorneys
general saying in many states
that have these trigger laws,
going back to the previous law
before roe V. Wade that outlawed
abortion, we aren't going to
force it.
I think that will be another
battleground.
Maybe prosecutors in counties or
areas, may be in a red state, a
blue area that says we aren't
going to prosecute or a blue
area where you have a very
committed person who is a county
commissioner or county
prosecutor that decides they are
going to try to do something
more.
This battle is not just between
the states.
It is likely within the states
as well.
Judy: At patchwork across the
country.
In the meantime in Washington,
at the federal level, you are
seeing those who support
abortion rights moving the house
and the senate, where they face
a tough set of rules.
>> There is this thing, a
filibuster.
It is insurmountable in the
senate for Democrats.
They don't have the votes.
It is unclear they agree on the
past -- the path forward, yet
they are going to try to take a
vote, leader Schumer will bring
it up.
They have to show they are
trying.
They have to show they are doing
something, even though the
results are unlikely to satisfy
just about anyone.
A lot of challenges immigrants
face in the midterm is they are
frustration -- there is
frustration the Democrats
haven't accomplished.
Democrats say elect us and we
can preserve this or do this.
There are limits to that.
And frustration among voters.
>> We have seen and heard I
think what some people didn't
expect, the senate majority
leader -- minority leader Mitch
Mcconnell saying if this leaked
opinion became the final
opinion, legislative bodies, not
only at the state level but the
federal level, certainly could
legislate in that area,
suggesting it sounds like that
he is thinking about a federal
rule against abortion.
>> This goes to your point,
Democrats can argue maybe we
can't go on the offensive but we
can be there on defense.
The reason to keep Democrats in
office is to ensure Republicans
don't get 60 votes, that they
will never be able to reach a
point where they can push
through more restrict federal
laws.
>> This is not what people
expected.
>> It is surprising because he
is giving a great talking point
to Democrats who are headed into
a challenging year.
He is giving them something to
talk about.
What is fascinating about it is,
Macconnell is very restrained.
They spent all of last week
saying we aren't going to talk
about this, we will talk about
the leak.
It is remarkable to see them go
in this direction.
Judy: Meanwhile, we are talking
about what voters will be voting
on when the midterms happen this
year.
Amy, we are hearing from the
white house that tomorrow,
president Biden will roll out I
guess you could say a new
message, a new argument for why
his approach to the economy is
better than the other guys.
He won't use the word trump but
speak about ultra aga
Republicans.
What does this gain them?
>> Democrats need to make this
election not a referendum on the
economy or opinions about the
current president.
They would like to make it a
choice.
Do you want to elect Republican
fill in the blank candidate who
supports as Mitch Mcconnell
noted, the federal ban?
Do you support Republicans like
fill-in the blank, who did not
support the January 6
investigation?
Keeping the focus on the more
extreme, the places where
Republicans are really
uncomfortable, and off the
places Republicans would like to
talk more about, which of course
is the economy and inflation.
Judy: Trying to draw a sharper
contrast.
>> The ultra Maga idea is
targeted at independent voters.
Democrats think all Republicans
are bad.
Independent voters don't think
all Republicans are bad.
This is a way for the president,
who has had this bipartisan
image he has fostered that he
believes in, it allows him to
say, not all Republicans are
bad.
It is just the ultra Maga
Republicans that are a problem.
They are trying to draw a
contrast because they don't want
to simply talk about the economy
and sort of seed the economy to
Republicans, who in polls over
time, the public feels the
Republicans are better on the
They want to say the president,
Democrats are better on the
economy because of this.
Judy: When you see something
like this, you know the white
house has spent time researching
it.
They have been looking at what
arguments might play well.
>> To say you might not like the
direction we are going in at
this moment, but the good things
we have done, that is what you
will hear from Democrats.
As one strategist said to me,
things not -- may not be going
great right now but these
Republicans are extreme.
It is even more dangerous to put
them in office.
Any party that is in charge of
all three branches, that is a
common message they make when
things are going well for them,
but voters are much more attuned
to paying attention to what is
scary for them right now and
what could be scary for them in
the future.
Democrats hope voters remember
what it was like on January 6.
This wasn't hypothetical.
Judy: The abortion ruling in the
weeks ahead --
>> It is real.
>> This is an indication they
know the economy will be a big
deal, that inflation will be a
big deal and they need a message
on that.
Judy: Amy Walter and Tamra
Keith, thank you both.