Kamala Harris to Focus on Abortion Rights in Key Georgia Speech \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a major speech on abortion rights in Georgia, where the state’s six-week abortion ban has resulted in women’s deaths, as highlighted in recent reports. Harris will meet with the family of one of the victims and emphasize the dangers posed by restrictive abortion laws. Her speech comes as early voting begins in key states, and abortion remains a central issue for many voters, especially women.
Kamala Harris on Abortion Rights: Quick Looks
- Georgia Visit: Vice President Harris will give a speech on abortion rights in Georgia, where two women died due to delays in medical care related to the state’s six-week abortion ban.
- Recent Deaths: A ProPublica report revealed two Georgia women died after complications from taking abortion pills, sparking outrage and intensifying the abortion debate.
- Campaign Focus: Harris is focusing on reproductive rights as early voting begins, aiming to galvanize Democratic voters while highlighting the dangers of abortion restrictions.
- Voter Impact: A recent AP-NORC poll shows abortion is a critical issue for voters, particularly women, with more trusting Harris than Trump to handle abortion policies.
- Harris Blames Trump: Harris criticized Donald Trump for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, stating that the women’s deaths in Georgia reflect the consequences of restrictive abortion laws.
Deep Look:
For the first time since becoming the top Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a pivotal speech focused entirely on abortion rights. Her visit to Georgia comes at a crucial moment, as recent reports have exposed the devastating impact of the state’s six-week abortion ban, which has been linked to the deaths of two women. Harris, a longtime advocate for reproductive rights, will address these issues directly, aiming to raise awareness and push for action in the fight for women’s healthcare access.
Harris’ speech follows an investigative report from ProPublica, which revealed that two women in Georgia died after facing delayed or inadequate medical care while seeking abortions. One of the victims, Amber Thurman, died after waiting more than 20 hours at a hospital for a routine procedure to remove tissue following her abortion, even as she developed life-threatening sepsis. The other woman reportedly hesitated to seek help after taking abortion pills and died with a lethal combination of painkillers in her system. These stories have underscored the dangers of restrictive abortion laws, particularly in states like Georgia, which has one of the most stringent bans in the country.
During a livestreamed campaign event on Thursday hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Harris heard directly from Shanette Williams, the mother of Amber Thurman. Fighting back tears, Williams said that her daughter’s death was preventable and that people needed to understand she “was not a statistic. She was loved.” Harris offered her condolences, expressing admiration for the family’s courage and noting that Amber’s tragic story is, sadly, not unique. “This story is a story that is, sadly, not the only story of what has been happening since these bans have taken place,” Harris said.
Harris’ visit to Georgia comes at a time when many pregnant women across the U.S. are facing delayed care or being turned away from hospitals amid medical emergencies—a direct result of abortion restrictions in various states. This trend was highlighted earlier this year when an Associated Press analysis found a spike in medical violations and delays, particularly in states with abortion bans like Texas, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Harris as a Leader on Reproductive Rights
Harris has long been a vocal advocate for reproductive health, especially Black maternal health, and she has taken a leading role in the administration’s stance on abortion rights. She became the highest-ranking U.S. official to publicly visit an abortion clinic, and during her time as vice president, she spearheaded efforts to defend abortion access in states with restrictive laws. Since taking over the top of the Democratic ticket, Harris has broadened her campaign’s focus, but reproductive rights remain a central issue.
As in-person early voting began in Virginia, South Dakota, and Minnesota on Friday, Harris’ campaign is emphasizing abortion rights as a key motivator for Democratic voters. Recent polling by the AP-NORC Center found that abortion remains one of the most critical issues for about half of voters, with women prioritizing it more than men. About 6 in 10 women voters say abortion policy is one of the most important issues in the upcoming election, compared to only 4 in 10 men.
This gender divide also extends to how voters view the candidates’ ability to handle abortion. About 6 in 10 women voters trust Harris more than Donald Trump on abortion issues, while only 2 in 10 trust Trump. Among male voters, about half trust Harris more, while one-third favor Trump. These figures highlight the potential impact of Harris’ stance on reproductive rights as the campaign continues.
Trump’s Role in Roe’s Overturning
Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, continues to claim credit for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade by appointing three conservative justices to the Supreme Court. Those justices were key to the Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which removed the constitutional right to abortion. While Trump has praised the Court’s ruling, he has remained ambiguous about whether he would support a national abortion ban, repeatedly stating that the issue should be left up to the states.
During a presidential debate earlier in September, Trump leaned on his standard response to abortion questions, avoiding a direct commitment to a national ban. However, Harris has been forceful in her opposition, warning that state-level abortion bans like Georgia’s are already having deadly consequences for women. In a campaign statement, Harris said, “This is exactly what we feared when Roe was struck down,” referring to the preventable deaths of women like Amber Thurman in states with harsh abortion restrictions.
The Ongoing Debate Around Abortion Pills
The deaths of the two Georgia women have intensified the debate around medication abortions, which involve a two-drug regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol that has been deemed safe by the FDA for ending pregnancies up to 10 weeks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA removed the requirement for an in-person visit to access the drugs, which can now be ordered online.
However, anti-abortion advocates, including Christina Francis, a Fort Wayne, Indiana OB-GYN, argue that these pills pose a danger when taken without proper medical supervision. They have been pushing for tighter restrictions on the availability of abortion pills, and their efforts reached the Supreme Court earlier this year in a failed attempt to limit access to the drugs.
Despite the concerns raised by anti-abortion advocates, complications from medication abortions remain rare. Surgical intervention is required in only about 2.6% of cases. Still, Harris and reproductive rights advocates argue that restrictive laws like Georgia’s six-week ban create confusion and fear among medical providers, making it harder for women to receive timely and appropriate care.
Harris Blames Trump for Restrictive Abortion Laws
Harris has been clear in placing the blame for the current state of abortion rights on Trump, stating that the restrictive laws causing harm today are a direct result of his actions. In contrast, Trump continues to avoid making definitive statements about whether he would sign or veto a national abortion ban if he were reelected.
Following her speech in Georgia, Harris is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Wisconsin, another battleground state where abortion rights are expected to be a critical issue for voters. Meanwhile, Trump has no public events planned for Friday, though he remains active on his Truth Social platform, continuing to tout his role in shaping the conservative majority that overturned Roe v. Wade.
