On Their Heels?
No one really knows how the politics of abortion will play out in the brave new world of Dobbs. Not in the midterms. Certainly not long term. But early signs point to some GOP squeamishness about the impact of the Supreme Court decision on their midterm prospects.
The GOP defensiveness manifests itself in three ways:
1. Downplaying the impact of Dobbs
2. Not making Dobbs the centerpiece of their midterm campaigns
WaPo: Republicans tread carefully
3. Loser vibes
Federalist: How To Win The Debate On Abortion In 12 Clear Counterpoints
Go Deeper
Linda Greenhouse: Requiem for the Supreme Court
Heather Cox Richardson: Dobbs defenders insist it does not outlaw abortion
Some Historical Perspective
About Those Exceptions
Politico: In states that allow abortion for rape and incest, finding a doctor may prove impossible
Protests All Weekend
CNN: Tear gas used to disperse protesters outside Arizona Capitol
The Cut: Truck driver ran into pro-choice protesters in Iowa
The Latest Polling
CBS has the first major poll since Dobbs:
Providence Punch
TPM: GOP Candidate Drops Out After Alleged Assault On Dem Rival At Abortion Rights Rally
Oops
TPM: GOP Rep Draws Backlash After Praising Overturn Of Roe As ‘Victory Of White Life’
Must Reads
Jeff Sharlet for Vanity Fair: January 6 Was Only The Beginning
Ron Brownstein for The Atlantic: America Is Growing Apart, Possibly for Good
Rick Hasen for NYT: No One Is Above the Law, and That Starts With Donald Trump
Paying The Price For Stepping Out Of Line
House GOPers who showed a glimmer of anti-Trump spine face serious blowback in their re-election campaigns. But it’s probably not the defining vote you’re thinking about! The WaPo with a good little story on the GOP members who voted for a Jan. 6 commission and are now paying the price. Remember: The Jan. 6 commission never came to be and instead Nancy Pelosi created the select committee that Kevin McCarthy boycotted.
Welcome To The Party, NYT!
The paper of record discovers the The Strange Tale of Tina Peters
If You’ve Lost Kilmeade …
The Fox and Friends host says Trump was “unhinged” and angry between Election Day and Jan. 6: “So I think how you lose in life defines who you are, and even if there are things that bother you, welcome to the world.”
Rudy Assaulted?
The NYT headline captures the absurdist quality to this weekend’s kerfuffle: Rudy Giuliani Smacked on Back While Campaigning on Staten Island
The NYPost goes all Zapruder with the surveillance video.
McConnell’s Calculation
President Biden signed the most significant gun control in a generation Saturday. How did Mitch McConnell get on board with such a thing? Partially by defining the bill as a solution not for gun violence but for mental health and school safety. But it’s a bit more complicated:
Making The Rounds
From Sarah Huckabee Sanders victory speech last month:
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