Playing Both Sides

Trump is trying to have it both ways on abortion and it just might work. Also more good polling news for Biden ... and a fantastic musical interlude.

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Damn

This picture from Kendall Rust of an airplane passing through yesterday’s solar eclipse is extraordinary.

New York Times

Sen. Jeanne Sheehan via Twitter

Abortion Politics

White House

Donald Trump put out a video statement yesterday seeking to defang the abortion issue heading into the Fall campaign.

In his four-minute video statement on Monday, Mr. Trump said that states and their voters should decide abortion policies for themselves, in language that sounded like a free-for-all to the staunchest abortion opponents. He backed access to fertility treatments such as I.V.F., and supported exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother.

His remarks were low on specifics. Mr. Trump skirted the question of whether he would back a federal abortion ban if legislation came to him as president. He did not say whether he supported state bans that did not provide those exceptions, or whether he would vote for a measure enshrining abortion rights in his home state of Florida. And he did not address the experiences of women who have faced impossible choices and medical crises in states where the procedure is now banned.

“You must follow your heart, or in many cases, your religion or your faith,” he said. “Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself.”

I actually think this is a savvy strategy He’s assuming that his anti-abortion supporters will vote for him no matter what he says about the issue — and I suspect he’s correct. Most will either ignore the statement or assume that he’s lying to get elected (which is, in general, usually a solid assumption with Trump).

It’s also quite possible that for on-the-fence voters, Trump’s statement might be enough to convince them that casting a ballot for the former president will not mean a national rollback of abortion rights. I doubt things play out the way if he’s elected, but never underestimate the ability of the electorate to rationalize their voting decisions through self-deception.

Here’s the problem for Trump.

First, he continues to say that he is proud to take responsibility for Roe v. Wade being overturned. I assume this is Turmp’s vanity at work — he wants credit from his supporters for the role he played in ending federal protections for abortion. Suffice it to say, this is stupid politics and no semi-competent politician would keep saying this. Statements like “I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of Roe v. Wade” could very easily counteract whatever benefit he might get from trying to take a less extreme position.

The second problem, however, is outside his control.