WATCH: VP Kamala Harris Torpedoes Republican Abortion Talking Points and BS ‘Exceptions’ For Rape

Vice President Kamala Harris torpedoed several Republican talking points on abortion, including the idea that laws with “exceptions” make it ok to take away reproductive rights.

The VP has taken a leading role in pushing for reproductive rights in the aftermath of the Supreme Court effectively overturning Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs v. Jackson decision. On Tuesday, Harris led a discussion on the issue at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico that included a strong rallying cry for abortion rights proponents.

Later in the program, though, VP Harris took on a few of the notions that gullible media outlets have allowed Republicans to push. She slammed laws that contain no exceptions, but also pointed out that those which do — including the national ban proposed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham — contain highly conditional exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and risk to the life of the mother.

Harris also pointed out differences in measuring length of pregnancy, which Republicans seize on to promote the false talking point that Democrats don’t believe in any limits at all because they won’t name a specific time limit. Roe v. Wade set a standard of “viability,” not a specified time limit:

But people are scared. And, I mean, think about this: Among the laws that are being proposed and passed include laws that make no exception for rape or incest. Now, again, you asked earlier why and how I come at this. I spent a majority of my career as a prosecutor and the majority of that time focused on crimes against women and children. I specialized in child sexual assault cases.

The idea, again, that a so-called leader would pass a law that would prohibit someone who has survived such an extreme act of violence and violation, and a violation of the — the autonomy of her body, and then to pass a law saying, in addition, you cannot make choices about your body — it’s immoral. It’s immoral. And so — or they’re passing laws that say, “Well, there will be an exception if you report it to the police.” That’s her decision whether she reports it to the police, not their decision. (Applause.)
It really is outrageous. And so people are scared. There’s a huge amount of confusion. In fact, I brought props, so — (laughter) — I only have two.

Okay. Here’s a map of the United States. And each color represents a different state with a different set of laws. And so — I don’t have the list in front of me, but what you’ll know is that some of these are state- — some of the colors are the states where there is no exception for rape or incest. Some there is an exception only if you report it to the police. Some is I think there’s a, like, the various week bans and up to 22. Some bans start at fertilization, right?

This is a map of the United States right now in terms of the different laws that are at play. Confusion. And the thing we know about an environment where there’s confusion is that it is ripe, then, for misinformation and disinformation and predatory behaviors. Right? (Applause.)

And so part of the challenge here is not only to focus on how we can change this through the various ways that will be about litigation, but, frankly, have to be about legislation, which means elections. But there’s also the work that we have to do right now, and I know this is an auditorium full of leaders, to use your social networks, to use your bully pulpit, to use the standing that you have among your friends and your community to keep and constantly focusing and iterating and reiterating the facts, because there’s so much misinformation out there and confusion.

And the other issue that is present here is the judgment that is coming along with this. Like that — that’s thick on this issue. Let’s be clear about that. And it’s an age-old issue, which is judgment that is attached to the issue of women’s sexuality.

Watch above via The White House.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.