An ad from a Democratic political action committee (PAC) uses fear tactics (and an absence of actual reality) as a means of terrifying voters into electing pro-abortion candidates. Despite the emotional impact of the ad, it is little more than propaganda.
In the ad produced by Progress Action Fund, a woman writhes on the floor in pain while her partner, frantic, is on the phone next to her. Both are noticeably young. “Doctor Davis, what do I do?” he asks desperately, to which the doctor gravely answers, “John, she needs an abortion, or she’s going to die from the pregnancy.”
At this point, an older, balding man appears in the same room. “Sorry,” he says sternly, snatching the phone out of the man’s hand. “That’s not happening.” The man, looking shocked, asks, “What are you doing? Who are you?”
“I’m your Republican congressman,” he answers. “Now that we’re in charge, we banned abortion. No exceptions.” As he speaks, the woman cries out in pain again. “You can’t do this! She’s dying!” the woman’s partner shouts, but the congressman is unmoved. “I won the last election, so it’s my decision,” he says. “But don’t worry, you can still have children… just not with her.”
🚨 BREAKING:
Wow. This heart-rending ad, when tested, moves swing-state men 2.5 points away from Trump.
Massive.
Please share everywhere.
Women are dying NOW in states with extreme bans. If Republicans win, a national abortion ban is next. Don’t look away. #MAGAAbortionBan pic.twitter.com/jX3sTYjzYZ
— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@NickKnudsenUS) November 2, 2024
The man who shared the ad on X, Nick Knudsen, got nearly 9 million views, claiming that “when tested,” the ad “moves swing-state men 2.5 points away from Trump.” Never mind that the entire ad is a lie, as long as it moves that needle!
He urged others to share the false information too, and in a follow-up tweet, cited the death of pro-life teenager Neveah Crain as an example of how pro-life laws kill women. The problem, though, is that interventions necessary for a woman’s physical health or to save her life are legal in every single state, including those with laws protecting preborn children from abortion.
In every single case brought up to allegedly “prove” that women are dying because of these laws, the culprit has been malpractice, negligence, or even abortion itself – not pro-life laws.
But many people who viewed the ad didn’t buy it, including Live Action founder and president Lila Rose.
This is a disgusting lie.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) November 3, 2024
I’ve never felt more hatred for a lie in my life. You’re a liar.
— 🌷 LIZZIE🌷 (@farmingandJesus) November 3, 2024
This is fear-mongering for political gain. Absolutely shameful
— Anna Lulis (@annamlulis) November 3, 2024
These are the most transparently painful Hail Mary political ads I’ve ever seen in my adult lifetime. This is what the (D) apparatus has been reduced to. Literal flashlight-beneath-the-chin campfire scary stories.
You’ve not moved the needle with swing voters. So, I suppose this…
— Brad R. Torgersen (@BradRTorgersen) November 3, 2024
No they aren’t. This is a lie. Pregnancy isn’t even in the top 30 causes of death in women. And early delivery may be indicated but killing the baby never cures anything.
— Phenomenology (@BerryRazi) November 3, 2024
You are dangerously misleading women for political points. This is disgusting.
— Fuzzy Chimp 🇺🇸🍌 (@fuzzychimpcom) November 3, 2024
Breaking: it’s legal to get an abortion in all 50 states if the life of the mother is in danger
— Shawn (@shawnAlabama) November 2, 2024
One notable response came from Emily Zanotti, a writer and journalist who lives in pro-life Tennessee — and she took umbrage to Knudsen’s promotion of the ad.
“I had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in a state with an abortion ban, just weeks after Dobbs. This did not happen,” she tweeted. “What you are doing isn’t ‘informing.’ It’s terrifying women in my exact situation into not getting care. This is horrifying, triggering, and a complete lie.”
