Simple Majority: Liberal Reporters Wrongly Claim ‘Filibuster’ Stopped Extreme Abortion Bill

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick highlighted an incorrect trend following the unsuccessful push by Senate Democrats to vote on their extreme abortion bill, which would have abolished all state abortion restrictions. The bill went down to defeat 51-49 — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) voted no with all Senate Republicans.

Liberal media outlets claimed the bill was ruined by a filibuster. It was not voted on, however, it did not gain majority. The abortion bill would appear more like a filibuster if it had 55 senators voting to invoke Cloture.

Democrats must prefer this filibuster spin because they want to make it sound like a “minority” is suppressing a popular bill…which is not the case here. Sen. Elizabeth Warren complained after the vote “I believe in democracy, and I don’t believe the minority should have the ability to block things that the majority wants to do.” (Tie-breaking Vice President Harris is the “majority”, in the 50-50 Senate.

Becket Adams mocked an Associated Press double-mangle on Twitter: 

It didn’t codify Roe. The bill was not blocked by a filibuster. The bill failed to win 50 votes.

AP has done solid work, however. https://t.co/sSp4rA35CO

— Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) May 11, 2022

The bill did more than codify Roe. Jonathan Turley, a law professor, pointed out that although the bill was widely described in media as “codifying Roe”, it did more than just codify Roe. Roe V. WadeThis legislation goes beyond what is currently precedented by the Supreme Court. It would virtually wipe out state laws on abortion and authority from many states.

CNN reporter Manu Raju used filibuster language as well.

49-51. Senate Dems are 11 votes short of breaking the Republican-led filibuster that blocked them from moving a bill regarding abortion rights. Manchin was the sole Democratic NO vote. The affirmative was not voted for by Republicans.

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 11, 2022

Trish Turner from ABC repeated this line.

The Dems’ bill on abortion rights was blocked by the Republicans. Schumer said that it was just the beginning for votes on this matter. https://t.co/7B1etauHoD

— Trish Turner (@caphilltrish) May 11, 2022

This spin was also supported by Steve Benen, a producer at MSNBC Maddow.

Analysts and political reporters knew that this vote wouldn’t show the Democrats a majority. Reporters could have said “show vote”, if not “stunt”. But Democrat journalists support Democrat lingo, and believe that the Democrat intentions are wonderful.