JD Vance’s understanding of abortion rights in this country is so off-base that Joe Rogan had to correct him multiple times when he sat down for an interview for his podcast.
In a three-hour interview released Thursday, Rogan pressed the Republican vice presidential nominee on abortion, mentioning state laws prohibiting abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, citing Texas as an example, and noted that women in such cases who travel out of state for an abortion could be subject to prosecution.
“That’s concerning to me, if there’s a place in the country where it’s legal to have a medical procedure and you live in a state where it’s not legal that your state can decide what you can and can’t do with your body, which is essentially based on a religious idea,” Rogan said.
Vance seemed unfamiliar with such laws.
“I don’t like the idea, to be clear. I’ve not heard of this, maybe as like a possibility, but not as something that actually exists in the law, but I’ve not heard of somebody being arrested, and I don’t like the idea of arresting people for moving about the country,” Vance said.
Rogan: The concern is men are making decisions on what women can do. Some states have extreme laws that put women in vulnerable positions and if they go to another state, they could then be prosecuted. It’s concerning
Vance: I haven’t heard of this as something that actually… pic.twitter.com/fzjMEMyML6
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 31, 2024
The reality is that around the country, many women have had to flee the state to get even a medically necessary abortion, as was the case for Kate Cox in Texas in December. In Texas, many cities and counties have passed ordinances banning people from traveling outside the state for an abortion—which seems to be the new front in the attack on reproductive rights.
Vance’s interview continued on the topic, but things didn’t get better for him.
Rogan mentioned how Roe v. Wade was considered the law of the land, but that was quickly ended by the Supreme Court, and now “you have these religious men who are trying to dictate what women can or cannot do with their bodies.”
“I understand the pushback against that, but I think you can go, like with so many other issues, you can go way too far about it, and it becomes trying to celebrate” abortion, Vance responded. “At the very best, if you grant I think every argument of the pro-choice side, it is a neutral thing, not something to be celebrated.”
“I think there’s very few people who are celebrating, though,” Rogan replied. Vance suddenly agreed, claiming that echo chambers on social media were creating that impression.
Rogan: Roe was the law of the land and all of a sudden that had been taken away and you have these men trying to dictate what women can and cannot do with their bodies
Vance: Yeah, yeah… but you have women who go too far and try to celebrate it
Rogan: Very few do that pic.twitter.com/Yb7xmPMq74
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 31, 2024
Vance’s time with Rogan seemed to gloss over what he has actually said and proposed about abortion rights. Shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Vance seemed to celebrate its demise on a right-wing radio show, even comparing abortion to slavery. Earlier this month, he touted Donald Trump’s abortion policies, claiming that the former president would end federal funding for Planned Parenthood if he wins the election.
Vance tried to convey some kind of level-headed viewpoint on abortion, but seemed unable to address very real abortion scenarios that women face in many states. Will voters take this into account as they head to the polls?
