‘Republicans in the Caucus Are Very Upset’: Lindsey Graham’s Former Senate Colleague Says His Abortion Bill Puts GOP in a Tough Spot
Former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) stepped in it on Tuesday by unveiling a bill that would ban abortion in the United States after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The bill includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and the health of the woman. It would allow stricter state laws on the books to remain in effect.
Some Republicans fear Graham’s timing is poor, considering midterm elections are less than two months away. Appearing on Tuesday’s The ReidOut, McCaskill said the bill places vulnerable Republicans in a tough position.
“It’s clear that Republicans have gotten the memo that even the media hasn’t quite gotten yet, that this is a mobilizing issue, a foundational issue for women,” Joy Reid stated. “What do you make of this as just a political move?”
“Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey,” McCaskill replied. “I think what Lindsey thought he was doing was somehow shifting the debate over trying to make Democrats look extreme.”
Instead, the former senator explained, Republicans, do not want abortion to be a widely discussed issue going into the midterms.
“Republicans in the caucus are very upset with him,” McCaskill stated. “They want this topic to go away. They do not want it to be elevated. So what does he do? He not only introduces a bill, he puts in the bill that everything these states have done – like my state, making doctors have to choose between prison and the health of their patient, making children who have been victimized by an uncle or somebody’s boyfriend and been raped – that they are forced to carry that child to term. All of that gets to stay. This bill lets all of the really extreme stuff stay in place.”
McCaskill concluded, “I would just say – and I think it’s really important for us to say this over and over again – we can talk about this being an important issue. But the only way we make it an important issue is if all of us find five people tomorrow that aren’t registered to vote and get them registered.”
Watch above via MSNBC
