by Lawrence O'Donnell
MSNBC
May 5, 2022
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell details the years of lying and hypocrisy from Republicans and Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justices on abortion rights.
WELL, I'VE NEVER BEEN REALLY
ENRAGED BY A SUPREME COURT
DECISION.
I HAVE DISAGREED WITH THE SUPREME
COURT I'VE STRONGLY DISAGREED
WITH THE SUPREME COURT I HAVE
BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY SUPREME
COURT DECISIONS.
BUT MOST OF THE TIME, I
UNDERSTOOD THE LEGAL REASONING
ON EACH SIDE AND BELIEVED THE
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WAS
LEGITIMATE, MOST OF THE TIME.
BUT NOT UNTIL THIS WEEK HAVE I
EVER FELT WHAT IT IS LIKE TO
HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
REVOKED FROM ALL OF US, AND IT
IS, FIRST OF ALL A FEELING.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE ANALYSIS
OF THE DECISION, WE FEEL THE
PAIN OF THE DECISION.
AND THE AGONIES THAT THE
SUPREME COURT DECISION IS GOING
TO INFLICT.
AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE A WORD WITH
THE MEN OF AMERICA, HERE.
THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
THAT BELONGS TO ALL OF US, THAT
BENEFITS ALL OF US.
WE HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
TO THESE SERVICES TO HELP PROVIDE
THESE SERVICES FOR OUR
DAUGHTERS FOR OUR
GRANDDAUGHTERS FOR OUR SISTERS
FOR OUR WIVES FOR GIRLFRIENDS WE
HAVE THAT WE MEN HAVE THAT
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE BEING ROBBED
OF A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOME OF US TO
MUTE THE RAGE THAT THAT THEFT
DESERVES.
>> [SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, (D) NEW YORK] I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO
AMERICA'S MEN FOR ONE MINUTE.
IMAGINE YOU DO NOT HAVE
AUTHORITY OVER YOUR OWN BODY
FOR TEN MONTHS.
IMAGINE IF THAT DECISION-MAKING
WOULD NOT BE TAKEN AWAY EVEN IF
YOU WOULD DIE IN CHILDBIRTH.
EVEN IF YOU COULDN'T DECIDE
WHO YOU ARE HAVING CHILDREN
WITH, EVEN IF YOU
COULDN'T DECIDE WHEN YOU ARE
HAVING THAT CHILD.
I DON'T THINK A MAN IN AMERICA
COULD ACTUALLY IMAGINE NOT
HAVING CONTROL OF HIS BODY, HIS
BODILY FUNCTIONS, WHAT HAPPENS
TO HIM, AND WHAT LIFE WOULD BE
LIKE FOR TEN MONTHS.
IT IS AN OUTRAGE THAT WE HAVE
FIVE JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME
COURT WHO LIED, WHO LIED, IN THEIR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, IN ORDER
TO BE CONFIRMED.
>> REMEMBER, IT IS MEN WHO
CREATE PREGNANCIES.
WE CREATE PREGNANCIES THROUGH
LOVE, THROUGH LUST, THROUGH
IMPATIENCE, SOMETIMES,
IMPULSIVELY.
WE CREATE PREGNANCIES THROUGH
ASSAULT, WE CREATE PREGNANCIES
THROUGH RAPE.
AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PREGNANCIES
IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A MAN.
AND THE SUPREME COURT BELIEVES,
NOW, THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE
PREGNANCIES, EVERY ONE OF THEM,
SHOULD RESULT IN A BIRTH.
THE SUPREME COURT WANTS TO BE
THE CHAMPION OF RAPE DADS.
IT WANTS TO CREATE A CLASS OF
RAPE DADS IN AMERICA.
BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT IS SAYING
THAT THERE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY
NO EXCEPTION TO BANNING ALL
ABORTION IN AMERICA.
NO EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE, NO
EXCEPTIONS FOR INCEST.
SUPREME COURT WANTS TO CREATE
THIS NEW CLASS OF DADS.
THE RAPE VICTIMS WILL HAVE TO
SUFFER, AND THE SUPREME COURT
IS HOPING WHAT, THAT WHEN THESE
RAPISTS GET OUT OF PRISON, IF
THEY EVER GO TO PRISON, THAT THEY
WILL THEN RECONCILE WITH THE
CHILDREN, THE GIRLS THEY
HAVE RAPED.
THAT IS THE FUTURE THAT THIS SUPREME
COURT IS IMAGINING?
FILLING THIS COUNTRY WITH RAPE
DADS?
THEY LIED.
THAT ACCUSATION HAS NEVER BEEN
MADE WITH BY A UNITED STATES
SENATOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE, IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT.
SENATOR GILLIBRAND WAS JUST
SAYING THAT FIVE MEMBERS OF THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT LIED
THEIR WAY ONTO THE SUPREME
COURT.
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SAID BEFORE
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
AND THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES.
THE DAY AFTER ROE V. WADE WAS
DECIDED BY THE SUPREME COURT IN
1973, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT
RICHARD NIXON TOLD WHITE HOUSE
COUNSEL CHUCK COLSON WHAT HE
REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT ABORTION.
>> [PRES. NIXON] ... I MEAN THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN ABORTIONS ARE NECESSARY. I KNOW THAT.
YOU KNOW [UNCLEAR] YOU HAVE A BLACK AND A WHITE.
[CHARLES COLSON]: OR RAPE.
[PRES. NIXON]: OR RAPE.
THAT IS REAL REPUBLICAN TALK
ABOUT ABORTION.
A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT PRIVATELY SAYING
"OF COURSE YOU SHOULD HAVE
ABORTION IN CASES OF RAPE, AND
OF COURSE YOU SHOULD HAVE
ABORTION IN THE CASE OF A
PREGNANCY INVOLVING SEX BETWEEN
A BLACK PERSON AND A WHITE
PERSON."
THAT'S THE KIND OF ABORTION
PRESIDENT NIXON THOUGHT
WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
THAT WAS HIS WORD: "NECESSARY."
REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON HAVE
SPENT DECADES LYING ABOUT MORE
THINGS THAN THEY CAN KEEP TRACK
OF.
REMEMBER THAT THEY LIE ABOUT
TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH,
INCREASING REVENUE TO THE
TREASURY.
THEY'VE ALWAYS LIED ABOUT THAT,
NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT HAS BEEN
PROVEN TO BE A LIE.
AND NOW THEY'VE GONE ALL THE
WAY TO LYING ABOUT WHO WON THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
WHAT COULD EVER STOP THEM FROM
LYING ABOUT ABORTION?
LYING ABOUT WHAT THEY REALLY
THINK ABOUT ABORTION?
I FOR ONE BELIEVE THAT EVERY
REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE WHO FAVORS
BANNING ALL ABORTIONS, IS AN
ABJECT LIAR.
THEY ARE ALL A VERSION OF
RICHARD NIXON.
THERE IS NOT A SINGLE
REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE WHO WOULD FORCE A
DAUGHTER OR A GRANDDAUGHTER WHO
WAS RAPED TO HAVE THAT BABY.
THERE IS NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF
THE UNITED STATES SENATE WHO
WOULD FORCE A DAUGHTER OR A
GRANDDAUGHTER WHO WAS
IMPREGNATED BY HER HIGH SCHOOL
BOYFRIEND TO HAVE THAT BABY.
THEY ALL BELIEVE IN AN
EXCEPTION FOR RAPE OR INCEST
FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
THERE IS NO REPUBLICAN SENATOR
WITH A 13-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER OR
GRANDDAUGHTER WHO WOULD FORCE
THAT GIRL TO HAVE A CHILD.
BUT THEY INSIST, THEY INSIST
THAT ANY 13-YEAR OLD GIRL IN
MISSISSIPPI OR TEXAS, OR MANY
OTHER STATES WHO CANNOT AFFORD
TO TRAVEL, MUST HAVE A BABY AT
AGE 13, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT
AFFORD TO TRAVEL.
THE SUPREME COURT ONLY HAS THE
POWER TO DENY ABORTION SERVICES
TO WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO CANNOT
AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO A SAFE
HAVEN STATE LIKE CALIFORNIA OR
ILLINOIS OR NEW YORK.
OR TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY, WHEN
THE REPUBLICANS TAKE OVER CONGRESS
AND ALLOW ABORTION IN THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY.
OR, WHEN THE SUPREME COURT
DECIDES THAT EVERY FETUS HAS THE
FULL RIGHTS OF PERSONHOOD, AND
THEREFORE ABORTION IS MURDER IN
ALL 50 STATES.
THEN, THE TRAVEL WILL BE MORE
EXPENSIVE.
CANADA WILL BE THE CLOSEST
OPTION.
AND STILL, NO DAUGHTER OR
GRANDDAUGHTER OF ANY REPUBLICAN
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE
WILL EVER, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE,
EVER BE DENIED ABORTION
SERVICES, BECAUSE OF THE LAW OF
THIS LAND.
THEY WILL BUY THEIR WAY OUT OF
THAT FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS OR THEIR
GRANDDAUGHTERS.
JOHN MCCAIN RAN INTO TROUBLE
TALKING ABOUT ABORTION, THE
FIRST TIME HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT
IN 2000.
IT DERAILED HIS CAMPAIGN, WHICH
WAS GOING VERY WELL AT THE
TIME.
ALISON MITCHELL THE NEW YORK
TIMES REPORTED ON JANUARY 27TH
2000, UNDER THE HEADLINE,
"THE QUESTION OF ABORTION DOGS
MCCAIN.
QUOTE, STRUGGLING TO ANSWER A
HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION, SENATOR
JOHN MCCAIN SAID TODAY THAT IF
HIS TEENAGE DAUGHTER BECAME
PREGNANT, SHE WOULD HAVE THE
FINAL DECISION ON WHETHER TO
HAVE AN ABORTION.
HE THEN BACKTRACKED AND SAID,
IT WOULD BE A FAMILY DECISION.
MR. MCCAIN SAID, "I WOULD
DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH CINDY
AND MEGAN, AND THIS WOULD
BE A PRIVATE DECISION THAT WE
WOULD SHARE WITHIN OUR FAMILY.
OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE
HER TO KNOW THAT THAT BABY WOULD BE
BROUGHT UP IN A WARM LOVING
FAMILY.
THE FINAL DECISION WOULD BE
MADE BY MEGHAN, WITH OUR ADVICE
AND COUNSEL, AND I THINK THAT'S
SUCH A PRIVATE MANNER.
MR. MCCAIN, WHO HAS SAID
REPEATEDLY THAT HE IS MORALLY
OPPOSED TO ABORTION, WAS THEN
ASKED WHETHER HE HAD JUST
ARTICULATED THE POSITION OF
THE ABORTION RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
WHICH ARGUES THAT THE PROCEDURE
SHOULD NOT BE OUTLAWED BUT LEFT
UP TO INDIVIDUAL WOMEN.
MR. MCCAIN BECAME VISIBLY
IRRITATED.
"I DON'T THINK IT'S THE CHOICE
POSITION TO SAY THAT MY
DAUGHTER AND MY WIFE AND I WILL
DISCUSS SOMETHING, THAT IS A
FAMILY MATTER, THAT WE HAVE TO
DECIDE," HE SAID.
A SHORT TIME LATER, MR. MCCAIN
TELEPHONED REPORTERS AND SAID,
"I MISSPOKE.
WHATI BELIEVED I WAS SAYING,
AND INTENDED TO SAY, IS THAT THIS IS
A FAMILY DECISION.
THE FAMILY DECISION WILL BE
MADE BY THE FAMILY, NOT BY
MEGHAN ALONE."
THEY ARE ALL PRO-CHOICE.
THERE IS NO FAMILY DECISION TO
BE MADE IF THERE IS NO CHOICE.
JOHN MCCAIN WAS DESCRIBING
EXACTLY WHAT' SHOULD HAPPEN IN
A LOVING FAMILY WHEN A TEENAGE
DAUGHTER BECOMES PREGNANT.
JOHN MCCAIN LOST THE REPUBLICAN
NOMINATION TO GEORGE W. BUSH,
BECAUSE GEORGE W. BUSH GOT TO
HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
HE GOT TO CLAIM THAT HE WAS IN
FAVOR OF BANNING ALL ABORTIONS,
WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE AND
INCEST, AND LIFE OF THE MOTHER,
BUT THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
THAT HE RAN ON CALLED FOR BANNING
ALL ABORTIONS.
>> [JOHN MCCAIN] THE POSITION, IS YOU BELIEVE
THERE'S AN EXEMPTION FOR RAPE,
INCEST, AND LIFE OF THE MOTHER.
BUT YOU WANT THE PLATFORM THAT
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LEADING
TO HAVE NO EXCEPTIONS.
>> [GEORGE BUSH] I WILL, I WILL. THE PLATFORM TALKS ABOUT --
IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT WHAT
SPECIFICALLY SHOULD BE IN THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
PLEASE LET ME FINISH, LET ME FINISH.
THE PLATFORM SPEAKS ABOUT A
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT,
IT DOESN'T REFER TO HOW THAT
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OUGHT
TO BE DEFINED.
>> [JOHN MCCAIN] READ THE PLATFORM, IT HAS NO
EXCEPTIONS.
>> [GEORGE BUSH] JOHN, I THINK WE NEED TO
KEEP THE PLATFORM THE WAY IT
IS. THIS IS A PRO-LIFE
PARTY.
MAY I FINISH PLEASE?
MAY I FINISH PLEASE? PLEASE.
WE NEED TO BE A PRO-LIFE PARTY.
WE NEED TO SAY, LIFE IS
PRECIOUS, AND THAT IS WHAT OUR
PLATFORM REFERS TO, AND THAT'S
WHY WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THE
SAME.
>> AND THAT MAN MADE SAMUEL
ALITO A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.
HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ALL ABORTIONS
SHOULD BE BANNED, BUT HE
APPOINTED A SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE WHO BELIEVES EXACTLY
THAT, AND HAS WRITTEN A DRAFT
OPINION THAT WILL BAN ALL
ABORTIONS IN MANY STATES
IMMEDIATELY, AND POSSIBLY LEAD
EVENTUALLY TO A SUPREME COURT
IMPOSED BAN ON ALL ABORTIONS IN
ALL STATES.
DONALD TRUMP APPOINTED THREE OF
THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL EDUCATED
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WHO ARE
VOTING TO REVOKE A
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
DONALD TRUMP WAS A BIG FAN OF
THAT RIGHT BEFORE HE BECAME A
REPUBLICAN POLITICAN IN 2004, ON
HOWARD STERN'S RADIO SHOW.
DONALD TRUMP SAID, "I HAVE A
GREAT LITTLE DAUGHTER TIFFANY,
BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME IT WAS LIKE EXCUSE
ME, WHAT HAPPENED?
AND THEN I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO
ABOUT THIS --
SHE [MARLA MAPLES] SAID, "ARE YOU SERIOUS, IT'S THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL DAY OF OUR LIVES."
I SAID, OH GREAT.
HOWARD STERN THEN SAID, WHAT DO YOU
MEAN WE?
DONALD TRUMP THEN SAID, DO YOU WANT
TO GET MARRIED?
>> SO, WHEN DONALD TRUMP'S
GIRLFRIEND TOLD HIM THAT SHE WAS
PREGNANT, HE SAID EXCUSE ME
WHAT HAPPENED, AND THEN HE SAID
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT
THIS?
HIS GIRLFRIEND KNEW THAT HE WAS
ASKING ABOUT HAVING AN ABORTION,
TO WHICH SHE THEN SAID, ARE YOU
SERIOUS?
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT
ANYONE NAMED TRUMP, OR ANYONE
RELATED TO DONALD TRUMP WILL
ALWAYS HAVE ABORTION RIGHTS AND
A PRIVATE PLANE IF NECESSARY
IN ORDER TO EXERCISE THOSE
PRIVATE RIGHTS.
ONE OF THE MOST SANCTIMONIOUS
PROSECUTORS OF PRESIDENT
CLINTON IN HIS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL,
WAS CONGRESSMAN ROBERT BARR OF
GEORGIA.
ROB BARR WAS ON HIS THIRD WIFE
BY THE TIME HE WAS STANDING IN
JUDGMENT OF BILL CLINTON, BOB BARR'S
SECOND WIFE RELEASED AN
AFFIDAVIT THE YEAR AFTER THE
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, SAYING THAT BOB BARR PAID
FOR HER TO HAVE AN ABORTION IN
1983, AFTER THEY ALREADY HAD
TWO CHILDREN.
SHE SAID THAT CONGRESSMAN BARR
DROVE HER TO THE ABORTION CLINIC,
AND PICKED HER UP TO BRING HER
HOME.
AND THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK
THAT THERE AREN'T MORE
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE
AND SENATE WHO HAVE PAID FOR
ABORTION SERVICES FOR THEIR
WIVES, FOR WOMEN WHO THEY WERE
HAVING AFFAIRS WITH, FOR
THEIR DAUGHTERS, FOR THEIR
GRANDDAUGHTERS.
TO FORCE A RAPED 13-YEAR-OLD
GIRL, TO FORCE A RAPED
12-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO HAVE A BABY.
TO FORCE A RAPED CHILD TO
GIVE BIRTH TO A CHILD.
TO FORCE HER TO DO THAT IS
BARBARIC.
AND EVERY REPUBLICAN SENATOR
KNOWS THAT.
ON PAGE 66 OF HIS DRAFT OPINION,
SAMUEL ALITO SAYS THAT ABORTION
IS BARBARIC.
HE APPROVINGLY QUOTES THE
MISSISSIPPI LAW AT ISSUE IN
THE CASE, CALLING ABORTION,
QUOTE, A BARBARIC PRACTICE.
THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE WANTS
TO FORCE RAPED CHILDREN IN
MISSISSIPPI TO HAVE CHILDREN.
SAMUEL ALITO HOLDS TO HIS
TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC OPINION
THAT ABORTION IS MURDER, BUT
JUDGES DON'T LIKE TO MAKE
PRONOUNCEMENTS LIKE THAT
THEMSELVES IF THEY CAN FIND
SOMEONE ELSE TO QUOTE.
SAYING WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.
SO SAMUEL ALITO DOES THAT ON
PAGE 17 OF HIS DRAFT OPINION,
WHERE HE QUOTES SIR
EDWARD COOK'S SAYING IN 17TH-CENTURY
ENGLAND THAT ABORTION IS
MURDER.
BUT EVEN SIR EDWARD COOK,
SOUNDS LIKE A ROE V. WADE
SUPPORTER, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T
BELIEVE ABORTION IS MURDER
UNTIL THE FETUS CAN BE FELT TO
BE MOVING INSIDE THE WOMB.
AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT SIR
EDWARD COOK WAS THINKING ABOUT
WHERE THE LINE SHOULD BE DRAWN
ON LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ABORTION,
HE WAS ALSO REWRITING
ENGLAND'S LAWS AGAINST
WITCHCRAFT, TO STRENGTHEN THOSE
LAWS IN 1604, TO PROVIDE A
DEATH PENALTY FOR WITCHES WHO,
QUOTE, INVOKE EVIL SPIRITS.
SAMUEL ALITO IS ASKING THE
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES TO TAKE MORAL GUIDANCE
FROM A MAN WHO BELIEVED IN
WITCHES, AND BELIEVED IN
PUTTING THEM TO DEATH.
JUST AS WE DID IN THIS COUNTRY
THROUGHOUT THE 17TH CENTURY, AN
ERA THAT SAMUEL ALITO REVERES
IN OUR LEGAL HISTORY.
SAMUEL ALITO AND HIS CLERKS
PLAY AMATEUR HISTORIAN IN THEIR
DRAFT OPINION, AND THEIR
SCHOLARSHIP IS SHABBY, IT IS
BIASED, AND IN THE CASE OF
EDWARD COOK, IT IS DERANGED.
THE LIES OF SAMUEL ALITO DID NOT STOP
IN HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING.