Melissa Joskow / Media Matters

Update (6/28/19): This piece has been updated to include reactions to abortion-related comments during the July 27 debate.

After moderators asked about abortion during the first 2020 Democratic primary election debate, right-wing and anti-abortion media demonstrated their commitment to the inaccurate talking point that candidates’ support for abortion access is “extreme.”

During the June 26 debate, moderators asked several questions about abortion. Moderator Lester Holt initially asked former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro if he would “support some version of a government health care option” that would “cover abortion.” In addition, Holt asked Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) whether she would support “any limits on abortion.” Though not substantial, these questions are a slight improvement over the 2016 election cycle, when moderators often either failed to ask candidates about their positions on abortion or explicitly framed the abortion discussion around inaccurate right-wing talking points.

Going forward, moderators can and should do more to ask the candidates specific and nuanced questions about abortion. However, even if they do, right-wing media’s response will seemingly remain the same: alleging that in their support for abortion rights, candidates are out of touch with voters, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Conservatives have already demonstrated that anti-abortion misinformation will be a core part of their messaging strategy in 2020. Since the beginning of the year, right-wing and anti-abortion media have been promoting the allegation that support for abortion access is “extreme” -- whether in discussing candidates’ positions or state laws attempting to codify or expand abortion rights.

Right-wing and anti-abortion media reactions to the first Democratic debate were not much different. Here are some of the predictable attacks launched by right-wing media:

1) Repeating the allegation that Democrats are “extreme” for supporting abortion access

The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway:

They are competing with each other to see who can be the most radical in support of killing unborn children. (NeverTrump hardest hit.) — Mollie (@MZHemingway) June 27, 2019

Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen:

If you're pro-choice but don't believe in taxpayer-funded abortion on demand up until the moment of birth, the Democratic Party is not for you. https://t.co/YMFoz26zUI — Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) June 27, 2019

Anti-abortion group Priests for Life’s Bryan Kemper:

No @ewarren it’s been far to long that Planned Parenthood has been in bed with the Democratic Party to ensure they can be funded by gov to murder babies via #abortion #demdebate #DemocraticDebate — Bryan Kemper 🇺🇸 (@BryanKemper) June 27, 2019

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh:

Beto noticed that he was losing the crowd so he threw in a quick applause line about killing babies. That’s the modern Democratic Party for you. #DemocraticDebate — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 27, 2019

Anti-abortion organization Students for Life of America (SFLA):

Happening now: Democrat candidates fighting over who wants to kill babies via abortion the most #demdebate #democraticdebate — Students for Life (@StudentsforLife) June 27, 2019

The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro:

Democrats now in an abortion auction. First person to endorse post-birth infanticide wins. — Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 27, 2019

Anti-abortion organization Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List):

This #DemDebate is hard to watch. It’s a race to the bottom of which candidate is the most extreme & out of touch on forcing taxpayers to pay for painful late-term abortions. Because here’s the thing: even a majority of #prochoice Americans believe late abortions are NOT OK. — Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) June 27, 2019

A Twitter account managed by President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign team:

Elizabeth Warren could not name any limits she supports on abortion. She doesn’t even draw the line at fully formed, healthy, viable babies. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/ZNx1kIwQM0 — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 27, 2019

2) Attacking Warren for allegedly avoiding an abortion question -- a common right-wing media claim about candidates’ abortion-related comments

National Review’s John McCormack:

Warren asked if she supports “any limits on abortion.” She dodges. Lester Holt moves on. — John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) June 27, 2019

The Washington Free Beacon alleged that Warren “did not directly answer a question at Wednesday night's Democratic primary debate about whether she'd support any abortion restrictions.”

The Daily Wire’s Ryan Saavedra:

Democrat Elizabeth Warren refuses to answer whether she will have the government go door-to-door and confiscate semi-auto firearms from law-abiding Americans pic.twitter.com/2IJARshULi — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 27, 2019

SFLA:

3) Attacking Castro for his answers about reproductive justice and trans-inclusive abortion care

Mollie Hemingway:

Julian Castro says he supports abortion for women who identify as men as well. Audience cheers. This bloody abortion fest is off the rails. Expect media reaction to be muted, however, since they are radical partisans on the issue. — Mollie (@MZHemingway) June 27, 2019

SBA List:

When @JulianCastro talks about “reproductive justice,” what he's actually talking about is injustice committed against innocent unborn children#DemDebate #ProLife — Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) June 27, 2019

TheBlaze’s Jason Howerton:

It's actually quite amazing to watch the Dem candidates try to out-virtue signal each other on this stage. #DemDebate “Reproductive justice” even made an appearance! — Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) June 27, 2019

Fox News’ Todd Starnes:

Julian Castro says a transgender person has the right to have an abortion. Wait. What? #DemDebate #Biology101 — toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) June 27, 2019

Right-wing and anti-abortion media also exploited the opportunity of the debate to use anti-trans language of “biological men” to misgender and demean trans folks. Following a comment from Castro about trans-inclusive abortion care (during which, many advocates noted, he misspoke or used inaccurate terminology), The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh tweeted, “Never forget that a Democratic politician on a national stage claimed that biological men can get pregnant.” And LifeNews.com's headline stated, “Julian Castro says biological men have the right to kill babies in abortion too.” The Gateway Pundit wrote, “Democrat candidate Julian Castro says biological men must be granted abortion rights.” BlazeTV’s Allie Beth Stuckey said, “People are saying Castro stood out the most last night. I didn’t see that at all. Maybe it happened after he said biological men could get pregnant and I turned the TV off.”

During the second Democratic debate held on July 27, right-wing media and anti-abortion advocates continued to criticize candidates’ answers about abortion and similarly argued that candidates expressing support for abortion were “extreme.”

Moderators during the second debate asked only one abortion-related question (with a follow-up question restating the initial premise). Moderator Rachel Maddow asked Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) what he would do as president if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Sanders discussed nominating judges who “will defend Roe” and additionally argued that his healthcare plan would ensure abortion access regardless of patients’ income. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also addressed the question and explained the harms of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts government funding of abortion services. Here are some of the additional attacks from right-wing media and anti-abortion advocates in response to these abortion-related comments from the debate:

4) Attacking Sanders’ comments about the Supreme Court and characterizing his healthcare plan as “extreme” for ensuring abortion access

Anti-abortion organization National Right to Life:

1. Require government funding of abortion without limitation and would likely 2. Require unwilling hospitals and doctors to perform abortion procedures — National Right to Life (@nrlc) June 28, 2019

The Daily Wire’s Ryan Saavedra:

Socialist Bernie Sanders says his government-run health care plan “guarantees” taxpayer-funded abortions pic.twitter.com/pM8cTcZuWx — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 28, 2019

SBA List:

Bad move, Bernie. 55% of voters polled oppose using federal tax dollars to pay for #abortions under Medicaid (40% strongly oppose). https://t.co/FfYJtrUI0x https://t.co/1jq1NmgwFj — Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) June 28, 2019

The Rubin Report’s Dave Rubin:

Abortion is literally the only thing Bernie doesn’t think the government is good for. Maybe he should look into taxing fetuses? — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) June 28, 2019

LifeNews.com:

Bernie Sanders admits his Medicare for All plan would force EVERY American to fund abortions. It would. And that's a major reason why he is TOTALLY disqualified to be president.https://t.co/iEQlH7vI64pic.twitter.com/NlwENy6Mca — LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) June 28, 2019

SFLA:

During the 2nd #DemDebate, Bernie Sanders did not mince words on his position of abortion. Are we surprised? No. Are we disgusted? Yes. pic.twitter.com/rYdibNW3aN — Students for Life (@StudentsforLife) June 28, 2019

5) Berating Gillibrand for speaking to “America’s women” about abortion and current threats to abortion access

Townhall’s Guy Benson:

Gillibrand speaking to women in America about abortion. Most of those women disagree with her radical position. — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) June 28, 2019

SBA List’s Mallory Quigley:

I'm a woman and I'm trying to overturn Roe v Wade. Guess @SenGillibrand is not speaking to me. #DemDebate — mallory quigley (@mallorytq) June 28, 2019

Abby Johnson, president of the anti-abortion organization And Then There Were None:

Just an FYI, @SenGillibrand. I am a woman who is profoundly against abortion. Stop pretending to speak for me or any other women. You don’t. Your immorality is your own. — Abby Johnson (@AbbyJohnson) June 28, 2019

SBA List:

. @SenGillibrand touts her pro-abortion bonafides in her final statement Just like @marjoriesba says this primary is like an extreme pro-abortion edition of The Bachelor with everyone vying for a rose. #DemDebate2 — Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) June 28, 2019

Additional research by Chenay Arberry and Maddy Webb