Associated Press
Kamala Harris said Thursday that Donald Trump’s comment that he would protect women whether they “like it or not” shows that the Republican presidential nominee does not understand women’s rights “to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies.”
“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way,” Harris said before she set out to spend the day campaigning in the Western battleground states of Arizona and Nevada.
The remarks by Trump come as he has struggled to connect with women voters and as Harris courts women in both parties with a message centered on freedom. She’s making the pitch that women should be free to make their own decisions about their bodies and that if Trump is elected, more restrictions will follow.
Trump appointed three of the Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who formed the conservative majority that overturned federal abortion rights. As the fallout from the 2022 decision spreads, he has taken to claiming at public events and in social media posts that he would “protect women” and make sure they wouldn’t be “thinking about abortion.”
At a rally Wednesday evening near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump told his supporters that aides had urged him to stop using the phrase because it was “inappropriate.”
Then he added a new bit to the protector line. He said he told his aides: “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.”
Harris said the remark was part of a pattern of troubling statements by Trump.
“This is just the latest on a long series of reveals by the former President of how he thinks about women and their agency,” she said.
Trump’s comments increased the sniping between the campaigns as both vie for women voters, who generally compose the majority of the electorate. Harris surrogate Mark Cuban, the billionaire businessman, said in an interview with “The View” that Trump doesn’t surround himself with “strong, intelligent women — ever.”
Cuban’s remark drew swift rebukes from women involved in Trump’s political operation, with his campaign chief, Susie Wiles, saying in a rare social media post that she’s “been proud to lead this campaign.” Campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also went after Cuban, saying he had “insinuated female Trump supporters are ‘weak and dumb.’”
The dispute showed signs Thursday of further entrenching each candidate’s supporters.
It was not only women who described Trump’s remarks as offensive. At the Harris rally in Phoenix, Edison Kinlicheenie, 50, said he sees Trump more as a threat than a protector, noting that the former President has a track record of preying on women.
“I have a wife and a daughter, so I wouldn’t let no predator like that come around” them, Kinlicheenie said.
At a Trump rally in Albuquerque, Sarah Pyle, 41, cited the opposition to allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s events to portray Trump as someone who helps women.
“I don’t want my girls to grow up in a world like this,” the Albuquerque mother said, referring to the controversy. “We fought for women’s rights for so long, and now we’re giving them back to men. It makes no sense.”
More broadly, Trump and Republicans have struggled with how to talk about abortion rights, particularly as women around the nation are grappling with obtaining proper medical care because of abortion restrictions that have had implications far beyond the ability to end an unwanted pregnancy.
Trump has given contradictory answers about his position on abortion, at some points saying that women should be punished for having abortions and showcasing the justices he appointed. During his successful 2016 campaign, he told voters that if he were elected, he would appoint Justices to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and said he was “pro-life.”
But in recent weeks he’s promised to veto a national abortion ban, after repeatedly refusing to make such a pledge. He’s said the states should regulate care and said some laws were “too tough.”
Since 2022, the patchwork of state laws on abortion has created uneven medical care. Some women have died. Others have bled in emergency room parking lots or became critically ill from sepsis as doctors in states with strict abortion bans send pregnant women away until they are sick enough to warrant medical care. That includes women who never intended to end pregnancies. Both infant and maternal mortality has risen.
Harris’ campaign has highlighted Trump’s statements around women. In one campaign ad, a woman who became gravely ill with sepsis after a pregnancy complication stands in front of a mirror looking at a large scar on her abdomen, as audio plays of Trump’s comments about protecting women.
Harris hopes abortion will be a strong motivator for women at the ballot box.
In early voting so far, 1.2 million more women than men have voted across the seven battleground states, according to data from analytics firm TargetSmart.
That doesn’t necessarily translate into Democratic gains. But in the 2020 Presidential Election, there was a 9-percentage-point difference between men and women in support for Joe Biden and Harris, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 110,000 voters.
The Democratic ticket was supported by 55% of women and 46% of men. That was essentially unchanged from the 2018 midterms, when VoteCast found a 10-point gender gap, with 58% of women and 48% of men backing Democrats in congressional races.
Harris has rallies scheduled Thursday in Phoenix, Reno, Nevada, and Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Trump is traveling to New Mexico and Virginia in the campaign’s final days, taking a risky detour from the seven battleground states to spend time in places where Republican presidential candidates have not won in decades.
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
26 comments
Earl Pitts AMERICAN
October 31, 2024 at 5:41 pm
Good evening America,
Its over for all intents and purposes for Harris.
All Sage Patriots may Relax Their Sphincters as its gonna be Donald Trump.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts AMERICAN
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 6:00 pm
I just put up a Mark Cuban flag right next to Joe Biden’s. Mark is on his way to being the number one recruiter for the Republican Party in November after Joe took October. Hilarious!
White Spiteful Devil Rapist Trump
October 31, 2024 at 6:10 pm
Trump never met a woman,that he did not want to rape
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 6:18 pm
You need to up your game Yrral. Both Biden and Cuban are far better Republican recruiters than you.
White Spiteful Devil Rapist Trump
October 31, 2024 at 6:21 pm
Only thing Trump has to offer women is rape
Michael K
October 31, 2024 at 6:35 pm
No surprise – he’s been abusing and degrading women his whole life – calling them names, insulting and disrespecting their intelligence, and grabbing them. You could see it on full display in the debate when he was publicly humiliated by a woman. It’s finally catching up with him. Vice President Harris is staying cool and turning the page.
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 6:39 pm
Staying cool while millions of illegals invade this country. Putting on a happy face while consumers suffer through double digit inflation. Very little reference to this or foreign affairs or crime on her teleprompter speech the other night. She did mention Trump’s name over 23 times. I think Trump is living rent free in that pea brain of Kammy.
A Day without MAGA
October 31, 2024 at 6:51 pm
You are a joke clown
cassandra was right
November 1, 2024 at 12:26 am
“Putting on a happy face while consumers suffer through double digit inflation.”
Look who else is smiling:
Trump’s planned head of new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Agency, “Billionaire Elon Musk, said Trump’s economic plans would result in hardship, financial turmoil, and a stock market crash. Between the Trump tariffs, mass deportations, and deep federal budget cuts….
Musk says it’s “necessary” to crash the economy; that will come through debt default. And it’s not just him: it’s Ron Paul, Russia, and all their allies.”
Crooksandliars.com; Rolling Stone
“According to independent nonprofit nonpartisan researchers, Trump’s policies on tariffs, deportations, and the Federal Reserve would, if put in action, seriously hike inflation, wipe out jobs, and slow U.S. production and economic growth.“ New Republic
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 7:02 pm
So there is Mark Cuban making his dumb remarks about conservative women on his private jet. Just another elitist that thinks he knows better than anyone else. He is an aaaaaaaaa hole. Then again thanks for the boost with Repub voters. Been a good couple of days between arrogant Cuban and senile Joe.
White Spiteful Devil Rapist Trump
October 31, 2024 at 8:26 pm
A special place in hell for conservative women,that support Trump the rapist
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 9:05 pm
There ya go Yrral. You are now in the running for top Republican recruiter in November. Cuban still far ahead though. Up your game.
White Spiteful Devil Rapist Trump
October 31, 2024 at 9:23 pm
They probably already catching hell just by being involved with a MAGA man, they do not need my assistance
Dont Say FLA
October 31, 2024 at 7:05 pm
Offensive? It’s just a confession. He will protect women … from a lifetime of supposedly regret for having had an abortion … whether they like it or not.
Instead, assuming no harm comes along with the pregnancy or delivery, they’ll be stuck with a lifetime of regretting they have this kid they can’t feed or take care of, whether they like it or not.
I Am Garbage
October 31, 2024 at 8:48 pm
Unfortunately most of the zombies don’t read. Trump’s reference was to protect women from violent crime being committed by Kammy’s illegal immigrant army. Yet you subscribe to the spin from the State Run Media that has completely taken this out of text. You are as gullible as Kammy.
MarvinM
October 31, 2024 at 11:45 pm
Your words: “Yet you subscribe to the spin from the State Run Media that has completely taken this out of text.”
There is no mistaking what Trump said – he said he would protect women – protect women whether they “like it or not”, whether they want it or not. That is not taken out of context, that is the context.
Using the words “whether they [you, whoever] want/s/ed/like/s/ed it or not is classic abuser terminology and super creepy. How much longer are you going to support this creepy perv who should not be let to baby sit any of your children, much less run the country?
I Am Garbage
November 1, 2024 at 5:32 am
Again it was in reference to violent crime committed on women from illegal immigrants that Kammy allowed in. You look the other way while millions have invaded. You look the other way as inflation has ravaged pay checks. You look the other way as two major wars are going on around the world. There are other examples of the most incompetent administration in a lifetime, yet you look away. 50% of the country does not look the other way and has had enough.
Dont Say FLA
November 1, 2024 at 11:09 am
Is that what your influencers are telling you?
Turnip J Truck’s comments did include very dangerous immigrants, but they did also include abortion.
Your influencers might be misinfluencing you and you might be falling for it on purpose.
Dont Say FLA
November 1, 2024 at 7:49 am
IAG, I am protecting you from a severe punch in the face whether you like it or not.
And that’s regardless of whether you’d like a severe punch in the face or not, and also whether you’d like my protection or not.
If you do not fancy this arrangement, is that “spin?”
And will you answer whether that’s spin? Or distract and divert with boats about what a tough guy are and come on let’s do it you just try to punch me in the face blah blah blah. blah. blahhhh
Dont Say FLA
November 1, 2024 at 8:13 am
The unedited video location can be described as status 1838385282346844352 of some guy handled as atrupar on Ex-Twittter
And it includes arbor shun despite BIGgie smalls’ claims
A Day without Being in Trump Hell
October 31, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Any woman that surrounded herself with Trump, Ousting Madelyn Albright,their should be a special place in hell to support a rapist like hell
A Day without Being in Trump Hell
October 31, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Any woman that surrounded herself with Trump, Ouoting Madelyn Albright,their should be a special place in hell to support a rapist like hell
Michael K
October 31, 2024 at 9:56 pm
Vice President Harris’ latest ad, narrated by Julia Roberts, put out by Vote for Common Good, is terrific. Here’s what Charlie Kirk has to say about it:
“I think it’s so gross. I think it’s so nauseating where this wife is wearing the American hat, she’s coming in with her sweet husband who probably works his tail off to make sure that she can go you know and have a nice life and provide to the family, and then she lies to him saying, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m gonna vote for Trump,’ and then she votes for Kamala Harris as her little secret in the voting booth,” Kirk fumed to radio host Megyn Kelly.
“Kamala Harris and her team believe that there will be millions of women that undermine their husbands and do so in a way that it’s not detectable in the polling,” he added.
Well, Charlie Kirk is finally right about something.
White Spiteful Devil Rapist Trump
November 1, 2024 at 5:01 am
I do not know any woman in her right mind , would like to be involved with that support Trump the rapist
Dont Say FLA
November 1, 2024 at 7:45 am
Absent any specific evidence, only a cultist will tell you your loved ones will undermine you.
If anyone out there is influenced by influencers who tell you specific, derogatory information about people in your life whom they don’t know but you do know, and most especially that those folks are working to sabotage you in some way(s), you need to find different influencers. You are in a cult.
The man predictions are in the year 2525
November 1, 2024 at 12:55 pm
Back to why people dislike changes.
Too many peoples ideas and new images…. Overcrowding each. others pursue of freedoms. Idk we went nomad but now 1000 people parked in this 1/16 acres lot
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