Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trumps Distances Himself From Alabama Bill But Reiterates Anti-Abortion Stance As Republicans Ready For 2020
The Associated Press: Trump Tells Anti-Abortion Activists To Stay United For 2020
With Alabama's restrictive new abortion law stirring divisions on the right, President Donald Trump implored anti-abortion activists to stay united heading into the 2020 election even as he laid out where his personal views differ from the legislation. In a series of tweets posted just before midnight Saturday, Trump said gains by anti-abortion activists will "rapidly disappear" if, as he put it, "we are foolish and do not stay UNITED as one." (Superville, 5/19)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Signals GOP Discord On State Abortion Laws
The message from the president is an unexpected turn in a fight that has remained largely focused on incremental changes since the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision made access to abortion a constitutional right. Other Republicans besides Mr. Trump, including Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), are warning that Republicans need to avoid what they call the extreme policies advocated by the party’s antiabortion-rights wing that could fragment support, particularly among more moderate and suburban voters, for GOP candidates in next year’s elections. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was also critical of the measure, both on policy and on legal rounds. (Rubin, 5/19)
Politico: ‘Strongly Pro-Life’ Trump Tweets On Abortion
“As most people know, and for those who would like to know, I am strongly Pro-Life, with the three exceptions — Rape, Incest and protecting the Life of the mother — the same position taken by Ronald Reagan,” the president wrote on Twitter. ... Trump’s statement about Reagan doesn’t precisely capture Reagan’s position on abortion. At the start of his term of governor in California in 1967, Reagan signed legislation that liberalized abortion laws. He subsequently became stridently anti-abortion though, as Trump pointed out, he said he would allow limited exceptions. (Cohen, 5/19)
The Washington Post: Trump, Republicans Distance Themselves From Alabama Abortion Law
By injecting himself into the debate over a new crop of strict antiabortion statutes, in Alabama and several other states, the president heightened the divisions emerging with the Republican Party over how far abortion opponents should go. The sudden spate of state laws — and Trump’s weekend reaction — has ratcheted up the prominence of the issue of reproductive rights in the 2020 presidential campaign. (Goldstein and Kim, 5/19)
Bloomberg: Trump Suggests New Alabama Abortion Restrictions Go Too Far
Under the law, which is expected to be challenged, doctors who perform abortions in the state could be charged with a felony and face as much as 99 years in prison. The Alabama measure, and fresh efforts to restrict abortions in Missouri, Georgia, Ohio and other states this year, has energized the pro-choice movement. At the same time, Democratically controlled states including New York and Rhode Island have passed or are considering measures to protect the right to abortion. (Krasny, 5/19)
Politico: Romney Says He Doesn't Support Alabama Abortion Law
Sen. Mitt Romney on Sunday said he doesn't support a recently enacted law prohibiting nearly all abortions at any point during pregnancy in Alabama. "I don't support the Alabama law," the Utah Republican and 2012 GOP nominee for president told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." "I believe that there ought to be exceptions. I'm pro-life, but there ought to be exceptions for rape and incest and where the life of the mother is at risk." (Beavers, 5/19)
The New York Times: Abortion Fight Or Strong Economy? For G.O.P., Cultural Issues Undercut 2020 Message
The unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, companies are adding jobs and the gross domestic product grew by 3.2 percent in the first quarter, undercutting predictions of a coming recession. Yet for all that political upside, Republicans demonstrated repeatedly last week that they were not positioning themselves to wage the 2020 election over the strength of the economy. President Trump and his top advisers sent mixed signals about a possible war with Iran. Mr. Trump outlined a hard-line immigration proposal that had little chance of passing, but refocused attention on the most incendiary issue of his presidency. (Martin and Burns, 5/19)
