Staff Reports
Ana Navarro, CNN’s senior political correspondent, recently took a detour into the realm of bizarre commentary by insinuating that former President Donald Trump would be “pregnant” with the “consequences” of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This peculiar turn of phrase emerged during a discussion about Florida’s upcoming vote on a six-week abortion ban, where Navarro attempted to connect Trump to the fallout of the Dobbs decision. It’s almost as if Democrats are forgetting who actually has the power to legislate on these matters.
While conversing with anchor Brianna Keilar, Navarro urged viewers to see the upcoming ballot initiative in Florida as more than just a local issue; it’s also a chance to loom Trump’s influence over the outcome. She alleged that the horror stories attributed to the Dobbs decision could be firmly laid at Trump’s doorstep because he appointed the justices who made it happen. Clearly, the Democrats are sharpening their blades—and by “blades,” one can only assume they mean clever framing and scaremongering.
“Donald Trump is pregnant with the consequences of Dobbs, and he is going to have to carry it to term” @ananavarro on CNN #RoevemberIsComing #RoeYourVote pic.twitter.com/ryZ74Wg5qk
— David 🌴🥥 (@SoWhat_WhoCares) September 3, 2024
With the midterm elections approaching, the Democratic party seems to be banking everything on abortion as a winning issue against Trump. They may forget that Trump has established himself as a centrist on abortion, which makes them vulnerable when they cling to a message that centers around a supposed loss of rights. The reality is that Trump’s appointment of justices is more about returning the power to the states than taking rights away, an idea that clearly escapes Navarro and her cohorts.
The comedic aspects are hard to ignore—Navarro’s insistence that Trump is trying to play both sides of the abortion debate is a classic toss-up for late-night comedians. But what she’s truly doing is mischaracterizing Trump’s position to milk votes from women who might be concerned about the economy, which is frankly where the Democrats are losing ground. Kamala Harris may be flailing under attack from Trump on economic and foreign policy fronts, but the Democrats seem blissfully unaware that their fixation on abortion isn’t going to magically fix gas prices or bolster the economy.
It’s clear to see that Trump benefits from sticking to issues where he shines, like the economy, instead of getting dragged into the moral quagmire of the abortion debate. Conservative voters are already in his camp, and they’re not swayed by the narrative that suggests a need for federal intervention. Meanwhile, swing state voters care more about their wallets than moral outrage over abortion, which is a point that Navarro’s rhetoric tries to sidestep.
As for Florida—where Trump’s influences loom large—the result of the vote on the six-week ban could be a bellwether for other swing states. If it swings left, it may signal dire consequences ahead for Trump and his campaign strategy. But if Floridians back the ban, it’s a cue for Trump to ramp up his focus on economic and foreign policy in the lead-up to November. Democrats can keep throwing spaghetti at the wall, but the “abortion as a campaign tool” tactic has been tried before and often lands flat, especially in light of pressing economic concerns that everyday Americans face.
