‘Absurd!’ MSNBC Analysts Roast Republicans Trying to Rebrand As ‘Pro-Baby’ On Anti-Abortion Rights

MSNBC analysts Susan Del Percio and Victoria DeFrancesco Soto roasted Republicans who are trying to rebrand their opposition to abortion rights as something more like “pro-baby” than “pro-life.”

According to exclusive new reporting from NBC News, Senate Republicans are workshopping a new way to describe their stance as “pro-life” has failed to resonate — with one suggesting “pro-baby” as a jumping-off point. The abortion issue is largely credited for the 2022 midterm rout that saw an expected red wave dry up into a narrow House majority and a slim Democratic majority in the Senate in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson — which effectively overturned Roe v. Wade.

On Tuesday’s edition of MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, guest host Ryan Nobles asked DelPercio and DeFrancesco Soto if they believe the idea will work — they do not:

RYAN NOBLES: News reporting actually from Julie, who you just heard from on our Capitol Hill team. And it’s about Senate Republicans trying to stop this losing streak at the ballot box linked to the issue of abortion by trying to shift away from the phrase “pro-life,” even considering what they’re calling “pro-baby” policies. Is it realistic to think that you could get every Republican lawmaker behind that concept and make that the talking point?

SUSAN DEL PERCIO: Uh, no. Simply put, it’s not. And you’ll have the very, very conservative from conservative districts that for know they know that they’re going to win. Day in, day out, they are going to keep that pro-life position and say pro-life.

The idea of trying to rebrand it right now is absurd! They cannot do it. They know they’re in trouble. And instead of having trying to rebrand, they should really try and figure out how each candidate can come out on the issue, even if it’s not for a total ban and it’s 15 weeks. I’m not saying it’s right, but they’ve got to do something because otherwise women are going to come to the polls in droves. I mean, men, too. But this issue is going to be bigger than Joe Biden or Donald Trump, should he be the nominee.

RYAN NOBLES: Victoria, can it possibly work?

VICTORIA DEFRANCESCO SOTO: So let me take a step back and put on my political psychologist hat. And when I saw this news, it it was puzzling because traditionally, Republicans are the ones that are so good at branding. I mean, think of your Frank Luntzes. They just know how to package ideas and policies that might be distasteful, doing it in a way that connects with the public. And now what we’re seeing is that the branding is just no longer working and they’re starting to question themselves. So when a branding machine as powerful as that of the GOP is failing, it’s about substance. They’re going to have to do something about the policy. Tweaking the name isn’t going to do it.

Watch above via MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports.