Another zigzag from Trump on abortion

Trump proposes free IVF treatments

Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for August 30, 2024:

• The Army is not happy with the Trump campaign.

• Harris makes no waves in CNN interview.

• This was not how you would design a campaign week.

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ABORTION. Donald Trump has been looking for an election year sweet spot on abortion for months. On Thursday, he seemed ready to throw Republicans in the pro-life movement under the bus. In an interview, Trump expressed opposition to Florida's ban on abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy - hinting that he might vote for an abortion rights measure on Florida's ballot in November.

• FLORIDA. "I think the six weeks is too short, there has to be more time," Trump said of the Florida abortion amendment, which would do away with the 6-week abortion ban championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL). While Trump’s campaign said Trump didn't really say how he would vote on the Florida measure - it seems clear where he's going.

• PRO-LIFE. Among pro-life activists, there was shock. "Given the current situation, we have two pro-abortion tickets," said Live Action's Lila Rose. "Trump now appears determined to undermine his pro-life supporters," said Albert Mohler, the head of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

• GOP. In Congress, Republicans said little. "He could vote that way," Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) said about Trump opposing a 6-week abortion ban in Florida. "I can tell you - me personally - I'm going to vote against it," Waltz said on CNN.

• MRS. GREEN OF GEORGIA. Only Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) seemed to throw some shade at Trump. "I would never vote for any amendment that would allow abortion, murdering a baby, up until birth," said Greene.

IVF. As if that wasn't enough, Trump used an appearance in Michigan to propose something that sounds like it’s straight from Democrats. "I am announcing today that under the Trump Administration, your government will pay or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for all costs associated with IVF treatment," Trump said.

• STUNNED. Like Trump's comments on abortion, his IVF declaration drew crickets from Republicans in Congress, who have spent months fighting against it. "The murder of innocent children through IVF should never be taxpayer funded," Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) said earlier this month.

• BLUF. What the heck is going on here? The aftermath of Roe v. Wade has not been pretty for the GOP and Trump is now desperately trying to find a moderate compromise. But it leaves him in an odd spot. Democrats don't believe he is pro-choice, while many Republicans might be realizing he's not pro-life either.

• WHAT A WEEK. The abortion and IVF comments capped a crazy week for Trump - and overshadowed what should have been a sharp GOP focus on the CNN interview with Kamala Harris. But if you're going to complain that she's flip-flopping on major issues - you can't get a much bigger flip flop than on abortion rights.

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THIS WEEK. Let's look at this week for Trump. Because what happened this week was not how you draw it up on the chalkboard.

• MONDAY. Trump campaign dustup at Arlington National Cemetery.

• TUESDAY. Trump gets indicted again over the 2020 election.

• WEDNESDAY. Trump sends out post about blow jobs and Kamala Harris.

• THURSDAY. Trump veers toward Democrats on abortion and IVF.

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ARLINGTON. What started out as a campaign effort on Monday to attack Democrats over Afghanistan has instead turned into days of political headaches and controversy for Donald Trump, after his staffers basically shot a campaign video in the nation’s most hallowed military cemetery.

• ARMY. The U.S. Army confirmed on Thursday that an Arlington National Cemetery employee who tried to keep the Trump campaign from doing gravesite video and photos during a Monday visit "was abruptly pushed aside."

• PENTAGON. As a reporter, this Army statement was delivered with flashing red lights. This doesn't happen by accident. This was a very public Pentagon 'rebuke' to Trump and his campaign.

Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption. The incident was reported to the JBM-HH police department, but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed.

This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.

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STRATEGY. I'm starting to think more and more that the plan from the Trump campaign on Monday was to use the Arlington cemetery visit to claim that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris skipped a ceremony honoring those killed in Afghanistan back in 2021. That seems to be the clear playbook for GOP lawmakers in Congress as they defended Trump.

• GOP. "He could have been at the beach like Joe Biden," said Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL). "Instead, Trump was at Arlington National Cemetery comforting gold star families." "(Biden) and Kamala should have been there," said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who was one of a group of Republicans on hand with Trump.

• DEMS. Democrats saw it much differently. "You don't flout the law and rules at Arlington National Cemetery to score a photo op," said Rep. Chris DeLuzio (D-PA). If you missed the video that the Trump campaign put up on TikTok, you can see it at this link.

• OWN GOAL. There is certainly nothing wrong with Trump and Republicans bringing up the bombing in Afghanistan three years ago which killed 13 American service members. But as you can see from what happened on Monday with the campaign video and pictures - that GOP message was badly obscured.

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DEMOCRATS. Did you miss the CNN interview by Dana Bash with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz? You didn't miss much. I would almost put forward the idea that they wanted to be as bland as possible in order to avoid making any news. With Trump grabbing headlines at Arlington National Cemetery and on abortion, Harris and Walz flew under the radar for the most part.

• BIDEN. Asked how she found out that President Biden would not run again, Harris said she was making Sunday breakfast with her two young nieces. "We were sitting down to do a puzzle, and the phone rang," Harris said. "And it was Joe Biden. He told me what he had decided to do, and I asked him, 'Are you sure?' and he said, 'Yes.'"

• POLICIES. Pressed on how she's changed some of her beliefs in recent years, Harris defended her political evolution on fracking and more. "The most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed," the Vice President said.

• CABINET. Harris also promised to add at least one Republican to her Cabinet, if elected. "I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who is a Republican," Harris said. "I have spent my career inviting a diversity of opinion."

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GLASS CEILING. There is one issue that screams out for attention in this year's campaign for President, but really hasn't been directly discussed and wasn’t brought up on CNN either. That's the matter of electing the first woman President of the United States. Vice President Kamala Harris doesn't dwell on it. Donald Trump doesn't either - but makes it clear what he thinks of Harris.

• BLOWJOBS. Just this week, Trump sent out a social media post that talked about Harris getting ahead in politics because of the blowjobs she had given. "Trump does not think women are capable of independent success," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). "It's stupefying stone age misogyny."

• STATEMENT. Asked about Trump sending out sexist and misogynistic content about Harris, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt didn't exactly have an answer. "I don't think your viewers are concerned about social media posts," she said Thursday on CNN.

• GRAB EM. In a sense, she's right. We've been here before with Trump. In 2016, when the infamous Access Hollywood tape surfaced with Trump's famous line about women: "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy."

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ABORTION. It's no secret that the Supreme Court decision to get rid of Roe v. Wade unleashed some bad mojo for Republicans at the ballot box. When abortion questions are on the ballot, Democrats tend to win them. The question this year is simple - how much could that impact actual races in November as well.

• SHOW ME. Missouri is an odd state. Even with two very urban areas - St. Louis and Kansas City - the state trends strongly to the GOP. But a new poll shows an amendment to include the right to an abortion in the state constitution winning by 52-34 percent.

• SAME POLL. That's a pretty big number in favor of abortion rights. But in the same poll, Donald Trump is winning by 13 points over Kamala Harris, 54-41 percent. And Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) leads in his race by 53-42 percent.

• IMPACT. Those are some pretty divergent views. On one hand, abortion rights wins by 18 points in this poll, but Trump wins by 13 points. So, I circle back to ask the same question. Will the abortion questions make a difference in November?

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CONTENT CREATORS. There has been a lot of hand wringing among my colleagues in the news business over how the Democrats handled the press at their convention. The frustration is aimed at the 'content creators' - social media influencers who were given access and then pumped out all sorts of positive stories for the Dems.

• ACCESS. What was new at this year's convention was that the content creators were credentialed - not through the press galleries, but through a separate process by the party. That meant they could get on the convention floor and had more access than some of us in the news business.

• BOOHOO. It led to predictable complaints from journalists, which I find a little counterproductive. My advice to my colleagues - just do your job and don’t worry about the creators. If you want more access and want to be a social media influencer, then you just saw a road map for that at the DNC (no thanks).

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JANUARY 6. One favorite political maxim in the United States is that no one is above the law. But after this summer's Supreme Court ruling granting broad immunity to Donald Trump, we know that one man is above the law - and that's proven on a daily basis down at the federal courthouse in Washington. The January 6 trials are a sad sight to see. So far, Trump has avoided that fate. More in my column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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RAP SHEET. A militia group member from Kentucky was sentenced this week to 5 years in prison for his actions on January 6. Dan Edwin Wilson - an electrician by trade - used the Zello app to communicate that day with members of the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters. Wilson repeatedly denied to FBI agents that he entered the Capitol, but pictures and video showed otherwise.

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MUSE OF HISTORY.  August 30, 1890.  Working on a Saturday, the Senate refused to act on a House-passed bill which would grant post office workers in larger cities up to 15 days of time off each year.  "In some of the great cities undoubtedly in some way there should be some leave of absence fairly given," said Sen. George Edmunds of Vermont, the Senate GOP leader, "but to apply it everywhere, it appears to me, will cost a great deal."

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House is back for votes on September 9.

The Senate returns on September 9.

Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree.

Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com

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