John—
Right now, under scrutiny for the disastrous mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing dismal polling, the Trump campaign is doing everything it can to try to shore up support.1
In this case, deploying Vice President Mike Pence to Wisconsin to lie about abortion.2
Pence, who has notoriously expressed his desire to “see Roe v. Wade consigned to the ash heap of history,” has been a leader in the Radical Right’s campaign against reproductive freedom since he was first elected to office. And it’s clear he’s not above making false statements to further their anti-choice agenda.
And this isn’t the first time the Trump campaign has lied about abortion to stir up their radical base. It’s part of a long-standing disinformation campaign that they think will propel them to victory in 2020.
Disinformation could turn the tide of this election, John. Here at NARAL Pro-Choice America, we’re dedicated to calling out anti-choice disinformation whenever it crops up, educating voters to spot disinformation online, and promoting policy that puts our health and safety over ideology. Contribute $15 to help us keep up this vital work and win in 2020 →
Trump and Pence regularly rely on using inflammatory language about abortion that’s intended to intimidate and shame doctors and people who seek abortion care, while spreading disinformation that misleads voters and panders to anti-choice extremists.
On the debate stage in 2016, Trump pushed disinformation about abortion later in pregnancy, the individuals who need that kind of abortion care, and the doctors who counsel and provide services for those individuals in need of it.3
In April 2019 at a campaign rally, Trump’s falsehoods took an even more extreme and inflammatory tone, intentionally ratcheting up his rhetoric to further mislead and provoke his base.4 He repeated similar untrue statements in March of this year.5
These statements are blatantly false. But they betray two things: one, the Trump campaign is nervous about their tanking poll numbers. Two, they see a way to bolster those numbers by riling up their base and turning them out to vote by lying about abortion.
Our efforts to kick Trump and Pence out of the White House in 2020 could hinge on our ability to stop the spread of the disinformation the Radical Right is pushing. So we need to know: Are you with us, John?
Support our campaign to call anti-choice disinformation wherever it crops up and help educate voters to spot disinformation. Contribute $15 to help us keep up this vital work and win in 2020 →
—NARAL HQ
With the support of people like you, we can make sure that freedom is for every body.
Sources:
- Biden opens up a 15-point lead over Trump in new national poll, CNN, Jul. 16, 2020.
- Mike Pence Tells Wisconsin Voters Biden Supports Late-Term Abortions, Newsweek, Jul. 18, 2020.
- Clinton condemns Trump's abortion 'scare rhetoric' in debate question, The Guardian, Oct. 19, 2016.
- Trump’s Lies About Abortion Keep Getting More Disturbing, The Cut, Apr. 29, 2019
- Mike Pence Tells Wisconsin Voters Biden Supports Late-Term Abortions, Newsweek, Jul. 18, 2020.
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