Kamala Harris continues to hammer abortion as a campaign issue less than two weeks before Election Day. For the Vice President, that means abortion with no restrictions and – according to her sitdown with NBC News earlier this week – with no religious conscience protections either. And that means in a Harris administration – with congressional support – doctors, nurses and pharmacists would be forced by law to advance or conduct abortions without regard for their moral beliefs.
“I don’t think we should be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body,” Harris told NBC anchor Hallie Jackson.
Harris has said she would work to restore the national protections for abortion that were struck down in 2022 when the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health returned control of abortion to the states. She as stated she would even support ending the filibuster, one of Congress’ few legislative tools available to the minority party, to get that done.
Restoring Roe v. Wade is nothing but campaign code for Democrats, Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr. said on Washington Watch Wednesday.
What Democrats really want
The Democrats actually want much more. They want abortion until the time of birth – the time that a fully formed living child is exiting the womb, Mohler, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president, told show host Tony Perkins. They want abortion with no restrictions at any point in the pregnancy, and they want taxpayers to fund it.
“Over a period of time in a presidential campaign, certain truths get clarified. It’s not surprising how radical Kamala Harris’ position on abortion is. They don’t actually want to put Roe back into effect. What Kamala Harris wants is unrestricted abortion in all 50 states now, period,” Mohler said.
In 1973 the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade presented Americans with the legal backing for nationwide abortion. Abortion is never mentioned in the Constitution and is not a constitutional right. But the free exercise of religion is guaranteed in the First Amendment.
Harris’ comments this week indicate she’s willing to trample on the Constitution to get what she wants, ignoring the faith rights of Christians and forcing conscientious objectors to commit or become complicit in the killing of a child.
“That’s what really came out," Mohler argued. "When you claim that something is a fundamental right, you mean that it is so fundamental that it’s pre-constitutional and it’s basically privileged above other rights. Religious liberty is not a concession – it's a constitutional right.”
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Democrats have sought to have abortion protections written into state constitutions through the ballot initiative process. Abortion will be on the ballot in 10 states on Nov. 5, and only in Florida – where a 60% supermajority is required – is more than a simple majority required to pass the amendment.
The NBC interview illustrated Harris’ passion for the subject matter.
“You really see how sold out to the abortion issue she is, and by the way, she has never ever acknowledged any restriction on abortion up until the moment of birth in which she would not advocate for abortion, which is the death of the unborn child,” the seminary president said.
Republicans won’t address abortion
Mohler contends traditional media has been “complicit” in Harris’ pursuit by allowing her to avoid specifics on the topic. For example, abortion at any point in the procedure is rarely if ever discussed – but he says the idea that Democrats only want to reverse the Supreme Court decision is one of those generalities that is discussed.
While media often carries the banner for Harris, conservatives have no opposing voice in the Republican Party, Mohler said.
“I share that deep concern and frankly a bit of outrage with the Republican ticket, and that starts at the top with former President Donald Trump, who I believe has sent such mixed signals on the abortion issue, [he] clearly doesn’t want to touch it.”
Trump has said he needs to be elected to give abortion his full attention. Mohler calls that a “strategic retreat” on the issue.
“When we’re talking about religious liberty [or] human dignity, we’re talking about free political issues. We’re not talking about rights that a government gives; we’re talking about free existing rights that a government respects. They’re far more fundamental. I’m old enough that I remember when the Republican Party was very confused on this issue in the 1970s,” Mohler said.
A Gallup poll released earlier this month shows the economy as the election’s No. 1 issue. Fifty-two percent of voters considered it extremely important. The state of democracy in the U.S. is second at 49% followed by terrorism/national security and Supreme Court justice picks both at 45 and immigration at 41.
But abortion, a major talking point for Democrats, is farther down the list at No. 9, considered extremely important by 37% of respondents.
Only one choice for pro-life voters
Mohler doesn’t hide his disappointment in the weakened abortion stance by Republicans. But Trump, he points out, has repeatedly expressed his confidence in the 2022 decision – one reached with three of his own appointees – to return legislation of abortion to the states.
That said, the Southern Baptist seminary head does see a very easy choice in this presidential election.
“I think we’re in for a long battle with this, but there’s only one party with which we can even have this argument," he said. "There’s only one party that recognizes the cause of life as a significant cause. There’s only one party that recognizes the sanctity of life as a pre-political reality.
"There’s no question for me as to which side of the divide I’m on. I just have to win battles within my side of the divide,” he concluded.
