Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke out this week and explained why a recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling that would almost completely ban abortion in the state is so "horrifying."
Clinton addressed the ruling in an interview with singer and talk show host Kelly Clarkson, offering another perspective on the Court's validation of an 1864 law criminalizing almost all abortions, which would override the state's existing 15-week abortion ban.
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Hillary Clinton & Kelly Clarkson React To Arizona Supreme Court Abortion Rulingyoutu.be
Clinton explained just why the legislation is so dangerous when Clarkson stressed that the way of "thinking in 1864" should not apply in 2024:
"I feared it would happen but I hoped it wouldn't happen. Now here we are in the middle of this very difficult period for women in about half the states in our country, who cannot get the care that they need."
"And the old law in Arizona is without exceptions and the danger to women's lives as well as to our right to make our own decisions about our bodies and ourselves is so profound."
Clinton said she finds it "so troubling" that the law’s lack of exceptions for rape or incest is “a kind of cruelty." Clarkson agreed with Clinton's assessment, calling the ruling "insane" while Clinton affirmed it was "horrifying in every way." Clarkson also suggested that "voter apathy" is "why things like this are happening," saying voters feel both "powerless" and "exhausted."
In response, Clinton recommended that people “vote in whatever way is going to make life better for the maximum number of people" and not "impose your views on the rest of us," adding:
"Whatever you care about, voting is your superpower, and it may not seem like it, but it really is. And that’s what we’re trying to say in this musical that I’m helping to produce, called Suffs, about how women got the right to vote.”
Many concurred with Clinton's views on the matter.
The ruling in Arizona has ignited widespread debate about reproductive rights and women's healthcare access. It was put on hold temporarily pending further legal arguments.
It is expected to have far-reaching implications for the state and potentially influence the upcoming November election. While several polls show former President Donald Trump slightly ahead of President Joe Biden in the state, he and Republicans have faced significant electoral losses since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.
Last week, Fox News personality Sean Hannity cautioned Republicans about the potential political fallout of not supporting exceptions in anti-abortion laws, such as those for rape, incest, or the life of the mother, arguing that if "you are going to take that extreme position, you are going to lose votes."
The Fox personality said it is "political suicide" for Republicans not to allow for these exceptions and stressed the importance for Republican candidates to articulate clear and resolute positions on abortion as they campaign in the upcoming elections.
