original opinion in dobbs said that this should be a state by state issue, but, of course, the judge in amarillo, his decision, if it stood, would mean that medication abortion was unavailable to all people in the country, including those states where abortion is completely legal. and what would be the impact of that? one of the issues here is also that he ruled he put extraordinary restrictions in the original ruling at least restrictions on how it could be used you had to be in the doctor s office, could not get it in the mail, not at a pharmacy, and the number of weeks it was seven weeks when before most know they re even pregnant. that s right. first, i also want folks to know as of this moment today, you can get medication abortion in this country. that s important to remember until we hear from the supreme court. but you re right, the fifth circuit opinion reinstated all
because of the dobbs ruling that said the states should have the decisions, would not let the texas judge s ruling stand for so much of the nation? i think that is a distinct possibility, andrea, because first, it s important to remind folks, mifepristone, which is the most commonly used form of abortion in the country, is safe, it s been approved for decades, used by so many women not only here but around the world, and so the judge s opinion in amarillo, the trump appointed judge, who has his own anti-abortion sentiments, was not based on any health care concerns for women or the efficacy of the medication it s really unprecedented to have a judge overrule the fda. there s every reason to believe that the supreme court could say this decision, this original decision, absolutely should not stand. now, as you said and as laura said, it s true that the
blowout victory for a state preem court seat in wisconsin was the latest example of supporters who support abortion rights youltsoutnumbering and outvoting their opponents. the dobbs decision last year exposed americas broad opposition of the zriktstrict abortion bans. after wisconsin defeat, along with the numerous others, including abortion-related ballot measures in red states, such a strict prohibition runs headlong into national public opinion. and it raises the question how, if at all, are republicans going to find a message that puts the party more in line with the median voter the roe v. wade framework making abortion mostly legal but allowing states to impose modest restrictions is where the majority of american voters are. from the midterms to wisconsin, potentially to the 2024 elections, they are continuing to punish the party that is
that s where america is that we can win this issue at the ballot box. if we show up well, reasonable positions. if we have our head in the sand, we re gonna lose argue that graham s comments on this are pretty indicative of the broader political environment that republicans face when it comes to this issue. this is very tricky territory for the party to navigate abortion in the wake of the dobbs decision last year has not been a winning issue for republicans, and we saw that during the 2022 midterm elections. thanks to cnn s elena train for that report, and earlier i spoke with jessica levinson, a professor at loyola law school about the judge s ruling in texas. i asked her what she expects the outcome will be if this case ends up at the supreme court. this is a very conservative supreme court. and of course, it is the same court that overturned roe v. wade and said that there is no constitutionally protected right to obtain an abortion. having said that this is a slightly
republicans face when it comes to this issue. this is a very tricky territory for the party to navigate abortion in the wake of the dobbs decision last year has not been a winning issue for republicans, and we saw that during the 2022 midterm elections. jessica levinson is a professor at loyola law school and host of the passing judgment podcast. she joins me now from los hatchell is always a pleasure to talk with you. good to be here. so jessica in what has become an increasingly divided nation to opposing decisions on the abortion pill played out friday, one that would block access to an abortion drug in every state, while the other would increase access to that same pill. so what happens next? so that s the legal question the ruling from texas the one that would suspend the fda approval of mythic christian, which was approved back in 2000, that decision is stayed for seven days while the