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In one of The most powerful speech of the election cycle so farFormer first lady Michelle Obama laid out the implications of rolling back abortion care in some of the clearest terms Democrats still use.
In remarks he made Saturday in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Obama said:
To the men who love us, let me just try to paint a picture of what it would look like if America, the richest country on earth, withdrew basic care from its women and how that would affect every single woman in your life.
Your girlfriend could be in legal jeopardy if she needs the pill from out of state or abroad, or has to travel across state lines because a local clinic is closed.
Your wife and mother may be at risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they do not have access to regular gynecological care.
Your daughter may be afraid to call the doctor if she has unexpected pregnancy bleeding.
Your niece may miscarry in her bathtub after the hospital turns her away.
It will not only affect women. This will affect you and your sons.
Obama’s approach stands out for its clear focus on the humanitarian consequences of abortion restrictions. It’s a framing also used by Vice President Kamala Harris, who talks about the concrete impact of the reversal Ro and state abortion bans During the September Debate And earlier this year at an event with Oprah Winfrey.
Their views mark a stark contrast to President Joe Biden, who has struggled to talk about abortion for years and has recently become a vocal champion of the issue. Even in the State of the Union Address Earlier this year, Biden chose not to use the word “abortion” and instead spoke more broadly about “reproductive freedom.”
Obama’s speech comes as the party tries to close the gender gap in this election, with Harris seeing much stronger support from women while Trump has a large lead among men. In particular, the right to abortion is protected Motivational issues for women — including swing voters — this year and during the 2022 midterms.
Obama acknowledged in his speech that men may be disillusioned with the slow pace of change and the current state of politics. His comments, however, are also relevant to those who seek to underscore the consequences of abortion policy.
“If we don’t do this election properly, your wife, your daughter, your mother, we as women will become collateral damage to your anger,” he said.
Reproductive rights are a key issue for some swing voters
In 2022, reproductive rights were central Democratic victory including the swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. In Michigan, Democrats overturned control of the state legislature for the first time in years as they fought to protect abortion rights in the state constitution. And in Pennsylvania, the party also flipped a Senate seat and maintained control of the governor’s mansion as then-candidates John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro emphasized their support. Ro.
A August 2024 New York Times/Sienna Poll It found that abortion remains a top issue for many voters, with 27 percent of Democrats in swing states saying it is their top issue, and 12 percent of independents saying the same. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey Those conducted in September and October also found that a majority of female voters — 58 percent — believe Harris would do a better job on abortion policy than Trump.
D The Harris campaign told Politico As of mid-October it thinks it still has room to grow among women under 40 and women without a college degree. In the waning days of the election, the campaign — as Obama’s speech indicated — tried to shore up his support among men.
For voters who may be less engaged or still on the fence, abortion access represents an issue area where it’s easy to draw stark contrasts between the candidates.
Trump has bragged about appointing overturned judges RoAnd Harris insisted he wants to try to restore those protections In his speech this weekend, Obama tried to make the results as clear as possible for the men and women still weighing their decisions.
“The last voters who need to be mobilized are very poorly informed, and the issue of abortion is very clear,” said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. previously told Time.
