Why, O Why, Is Lindsay Doing This?

If Graham's bill is as advertised, we should be clear that this is actually a blue state abortion ban. The vast majority of red states already have bans stricter than this one. So the point here is really only to overrule the laws of blue states that protect abortion rights. https://t.co/MwyNChBTuI

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 13, 2022

News: @LindseyGrahamSC will introduce a national abortion ban in the Senate tomorrow.

Unless something really unexpected has happened, this will be a 15-week ban. Very interesting that it’s being cast as a “late term abortions act” 👀 pic.twitter.com/WMUVO3ys8l

— Caroline Kitchener (@CAKitchener) September 13, 2022

Republicans first step was admitting they had a political problem with abortion. Now, instead of ignoring it, they're scrambling to address it

A behind-the-scenes look at the polling & messaging

w/@jonallendc & @akarl_smith https://t.co/NdYNbIdDmp

— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) September 13, 2022

On the campaign trail, Republicans have started to coalesce around a 15-week ban — which polling suggests could draw more public support. A July survey from the Public Religion Research Institute found that 52% of Americans, but just 21% of Republicans, opposed legislation that would bar abortions after 15 weeks. Legislation that would ban abortions earlier than 15 weeks was opposed by a significantly larger proportion of Republicans and the overall electorate.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will introduce abortion-related legislation on Tuesday, according to his office. It's expected to call for a 15-week ban nationwide, with exceptions for rape, incest and safeguarding the life of the mother, three sources said. That will give candidates a more popular position to point to when they are pressed about the issue, the sources said. Graham’s office declined to comment on the legislation, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

Well, except:

While voters are splintered over whether abortion should be restricted and under what circumstances, they are mostly united in their view that the procedure should be legal in some cases, according to pollsters and operatives across the political spectrum. Just 9% of battleground state voters back a complete ban on abortion without exceptions, according to WPA. 

And:

At the same time, the percentage of Americans who say abortion will be very important to their midterm votes rose from 43% to 56% from March to August, according to Pew Research, a change driven by Democrats motivated by the issue.

Besides the devil being in the details:  will the 15 week nationwide ban allow for medical procedures to save the life of the mother?  Or are we going to be stuck in that gray area where "life of the mother" is what will you will be tried for in criminal court, which a jury of boobs deciding if your medical opinion was sound?  I still think that's where the whole question founders.

 

new Democratic campaign ad just dropped https://t.co/vK89L54jAL

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 13, 2022

I still don't understand. Except now nobody in the GOP wants to campaign with Trump OR Lindsay.  This may get a few GOP voters out; but I don't see it saving Oz or Walker or Vance in their races.

These guys are political geniuses!