Sean Hannity's Gaslighting Post-Election Abortion Claim Doesn't Fool Onlookers
In the face of resounding victories for abortion rights in Tuesday’s elections, Sean Hannity quickly started rewriting facts for Fox News viewers.
“Democrats are trying to scare women into thinking Republicans don’t want abortion legal under any circumstances,” the host said Tuesday night.
As many commenters pointed out on social media, the main reason for that perception is probably because it’s true in many cases.
Since the majority-conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, ending federal protections for abortion, Republicans in nearly two dozen states have moved to ban or heavily restrict access to abortions.
Former President Donald Trump, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, had pledged in 2016 to appoint justices to the court that would overturn the landmark abortion case. He did.
In Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia, abortion is now banned in almost all circumstances.
In Georgia and South Carolina, abortion is banned after six weeks of pregnancy. Other states have bans after 12, 15 or 18 weeks.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), who Republicans just unanimously elected House speaker, has a long anti-abortion record, and co-sponsored a bill in 2021 that would have nationally prohibited abortion past about six weeks of pregnancy, when many women don’t even know they’re pregnant yet.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity: “Democrats are trying to scare women into thinking Republicans don’t want abortion legal under any circumstances.” pic.twitter.com/VDc7xcJWqe
— The Recount (@therecount) November 8, 2023
Hannity said he considers himself “pro-life,” but acquiesced “that’s not where the country is,” and insisted that, based on his recent interview with Johnson, the issue would be left up to the states.
Fox News contributor Charlie Hurt followed up Hannity’s remarks with a deluge of misinformation, misleadingly claiming that Democrats support abortion up to the point of birth and “possibly beyond.” This is a frequent misrepresentation made by Republicans about abortions in the later stages of pregnancy, which are exceptionally rare and usually occur due to medical reasons or fetal anomalies.
Hannity’s remark got a swift fact-check from commentators online, including former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who pointed out the law in her state:
Well that is the law in Missouri right now. https://t.co/DQEzaoaHxo
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) November 8, 2023
See some of the other reactions below.
https://t.co/Bbbf2lr8kApic.twitter.com/8KhqG3Ywot
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 8, 2023
The highest-ranking Republican in the land, Speaker Mike Johnson, has co-sponsored federal legislation to make abortion illegal across the nation, in all circumstances. https://t.co/2J10AqvbSu
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 8, 2023
Wait until Hannity finds out who won the House speaker's race! https://t.co/RAQQvPKQ8F
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) November 8, 2023
Hannity is furious that Democrats keep quoting Republicans verbatim. https://t.co/eoYTG15NZW
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) November 8, 2023
Primarily because republicans don’t want abortion legal under any circumstances https://t.co/D0k6knlY7h
— Angry Staffer 🌻 (@Angry_Staffer) November 8, 2023
Maybe because they keep saying they are. https://t.co/r3V38Rew7p
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) November 8, 2023
We have women flying to Colorado for an abortion mid-miscarriage from Texas so they don't die from sepsis so yes, this is correct except for the scare part https://t.co/9rZ1Ac0Tiu
— Laura Chapin (@LauraChapin) November 8, 2023
Maybe they should stop saying it out loud and passing laws to make it that way in states like ours? 🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/DcjrMtVqVk
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) November 8, 2023
Yes, unfortunately for Hannity and Republican politicians, women remain in full possession of their eyes, ears, and the capacity for deductive reasoning. https://t.co/jlkRCbo6Yo
— Cannie Oakley: Local Cryptid (@Staceballs) November 8, 2023
“Let’s turn to my next guest, the new House Speaker, for more on this.” https://t.co/dhxzYX3STc
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) November 8, 2023
„Democrats are telling voters what our goal is and now people won’t vote for us“ https://t.co/wwRf1A5Uto
— Annika Brockschmidt (@ardenthistorian) November 8, 2023
We’re all looking for the guy who did this, Sean! https://t.co/CMUqFS3fMqpic.twitter.com/IHtgNgbDU0
— Dark Brandon (@VoteDarkBrandon) November 8, 2023
Not sure I have ever seen someone move the goal posts like this before https://t.co/ZiedX7nVZG
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) November 8, 2023