Kamala Harris defends abortion rights in debate with Donald Trump

This was the first face-to-face debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Pics/AP

During the recent presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris made vigorous support of abortion rights, in stark contrast to President Joe Biden's previous remarks on the subject. Harris discussed the terrible medical conditions that women have faced since the US Supreme Court revoked the national right to abortion in 2022, blaming Donald Trump for influencing the court's conservative majority that led to the verdict.

Harris underlined the devastating implications, adding that women, including those who want to take their pregnancies to term, have been denied medical care owing to healthcare practitioners' anxieties.

"You want to talk about this is what people wanted? Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term, suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because health care providers are afraid they might go to jail and she's bleeding out in a car in the parking lot?" Harris said.

Harris, as the White House's director on maternal health and abortion access, has emerged as a major voice on the subject, stating unequivocally her views. She supports for the reinstatement of Roe v. Wade, which legalised abortions before foetal viability, which is normally about 20 weeks.

University of California, San Francisco OB-GYN Dr Daniel Grossman expressed that he was glad Harris had highlighted challenges faced by people due to the abortion ban and added, "People who have been unable to get abortion care where they live, who have to travel, people who have suffered obstetric complications and are unable to get the care they need because of the abortion bans."

Meanwhile, Trump avoided committing to new abortion restrictions and did not say whether he would sign a national abortion ban if elected. Anti-abortion supporters, including Carol Tobias, head of the National Right to Life Committee, have stated that they do not believe Trump will sign such a ban, citing a lack of support in Congress.

"We aren't focusing on a national ban because it's not going to happen. The votes aren't there in Congress. You know, President Trump said he wouldn't sign it. We know Kamala Harris won't," Tobias said.

Reportedly, Trump also falsely claimed that some Democrats wanted to "execute the baby" after birth.