NBC News reporter Dasha Burns came to the defense of the Democratic Party after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis accused some Democrats of supporting "infanticide."
In an interview with DeSantis, Burns questioned whether he would veto legislation that bans abortion nationwide, aiming to challenge his stance on whether abortion is a states' rights issue.
DeSantis responded, "We will be a pro-life president and we will support pro-life policies." He went on to express his concern about the left's desire to override pro-life protections and allow abortions up until the moment of birth, which he referred to as "infanticide."
Burns interjected to dispute DeSantis' claims, stating, "I've gotta push back on you on that because that's a misrepresentation of what's happening. I mean, 1.3% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or higher [sic]. There's no evidence of Democrats pushing for abortions up until"
DeSantis interrupted, asserting, "But their view is that all the way up until that, there should not be any legal protections."
Burns countered, "There is no indication of Democrats pushing for that."
While it is true that abortions rarely occur beyond fetal viability, Burns' assertion that "there is no evidence" of Democrats supporting abortion beyond viability is not accurate. Democratic politician Tim Ryan, for example, refused to endorse restrictions on abortion, stating, "You got to leave it up to the woman." While Ryan's stance does not represent all Democrats, it is a common talking point within the party, as many Democrats are hesitant to specify at what point abortion should be illegal, fearing it may be seen as restricting women's rights.
Furthermore, the Democratic Party has recently pushed for the passage of the Women's Health Reproduction Act. This legislation would allow women to have abortions before fetal viability for any reason and would permit doctors to perform abortions beyond viability if they believe it poses a risk to the pregnant patient's life or health.
The bill does not provide a clear definition of "health," leaving room for the possibility of late-term abortions based on the mother's mental or social well-being.
The Women's Health Reproduction Act was reintroduced to Congress in March, indicating ongoing support within the Democratic Party for expanded access to abortion.
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