Eric Boehlert: Afghan obsession -- how the press missed the Texas abortion story

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://pressrun.media/p/afghan-obsession-how-the-press-missed

Wednesday morning’s Politico Playbook, the AM round-up of Beltway news, led off with a “BREAKING NEWS” update: “The Supreme Court allowed a controversial Texas law banning abortion after six weeks to go into effect just months before it hears a more direct challenge to Roe v. Wade this fall.”

“Controversial” is putting it mildly. The Texas law, passed in May, bans all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is well before most women even know they are pregnant. The Supreme Court on Tuesday night, without comment, refused to block the bill from becoming law, despite the fact it runs counter to Court precedents, which prohibit states from banning abortion prior to fetal viability, usually between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. If the Texas law remains, it would block the vast majority of abortion patients from obtaining services in the state.

In short, the law represents a legal and political earthquake, as Republicans march closer toward overturning Roe v. Wade. Yet loyal Politico readers were excused Wednesday morning if they were caught unaware, because in the weeks leading up to its midnight trigger, Politico didn’t publish a single stand-alone article about the historic GOP attempt to deny women choice. That, according to a search of Politico’s online archives. (The site then published three articles on the topic yesterday.)

Politico wasn’t alone. Across the national media spectrum, outlets in the last 24 hours scrambled to play catch-up with the story, which could alter nearly fifty years of choice in America. The stunning lack of coverage plays into the hands of conservatives who likely don’t want a loud debate about overturning Roe v. Wade, since a clear majority of Americans support the right to choose.

*snip*