In Atlanta, Vice President Harris identified former President Donald Trump as the “architect” behind a health care crisis arising from reduced access to abortion in several states following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. During a speech on Friday, Harris criticized stricter abortion laws, labeling them as “immoral” and accusing Republicans of “longstanding neglect” concerning maternal mortality.
Harris challenged the Republican narrative, questioning their concern for women and children. She cited ProPublica’s reports on two Georgia women, Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, whose deaths after the implementation of Georgia’s new abortion law were deemed “preventable” by a state maternal health committee.
According to investigations, both Thurman and Miller experienced fatal complications following medication abortions. Thurman succumbed to an infection after a 20-hour delay in treatment by doctors, while Miller died at home without seeking medical care due to the perceived legal implications surrounding pregnancy and abortion. NPR has not independently verified ProPublica’s findings.
Anti-abortion groups have contested the link between these deaths and abortion laws, attributing the fatalities to the Biden administration’s relaxed regulations on medication abortions and inadequate medical care. Carol Tobias, President of the National Right to Life, stated that the deaths were not due to denied treatment by law but criticized the administration for lifting safety requirements.
Republicans have rebutted Harris’ interpretation of the women’s deaths, with Republican National Committee spokesperson Morgan Ackley accusing the vice president of spreading “misinformation.” Ackley clarified that Georgia laws include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, as well as urgent medical emergencies, asserting that there were no legal barriers preventing swift medical intervention.
The event highlighted the ongoing importance of abortion rights as a key issue for Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters as the presidential campaign enters its final six-week phase, with Georgia being a significant swing state. Harris was introduced by Dr. Keisha Reddick, a Savannah OB-GYN, who warned that tighter abortion restrictions in Georgia and elsewhere jeopardize women’s health and lives. Reddick described the fear among patients and reported that stringent laws are driving healthcare professionals and students away from Georgia, exacerbating the state’s already severe maternal mortality rate.
Harris’s speech on Friday was part of a broader campaign effort, which included a discussion on abortion with Oprah Winfrey in Michigan on Thursday and a scheduled rally in Madison, Wisconsin, later on Friday.
