This article has been updated to include a post highlighting how Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has bought into such deceptive clips when it comes to Bernie Moreno's position on abortion.
Earlier this week, businessman Bernie Moreno, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and state Sen. Matt Dolan participated in a Republican Senate primary as they run to challenge vulnerable Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Aaron Rupar, who often posts clips he's compiled to his X account, shared what he claimed was "quite the response" from Moreno on abortion.
As Republican strategist Andrew Surabian shared in a quoted repost, including a much longer clip, what Rupar shared is only a very small part of Moreno's answer.
When asked where he stands on abortion, Moreno shared that "first of all, I'm pro-life, I'll do everything I can to protect the unborn" and that "as United States senator I'll make sure that we have policies to make it less expensive to have kids" and "less expensive to raise" kids as well. He also shared a personal tidbit of how "my two daughters now have three kids" and "it's really expensive to have kids."
As he continued on in his response, Moreno also shared he would "make certain that women have access to good health care," as well as "make sure that we have adoption services that are readily available for women" and "make sure that women have access to contraception the same way that men do," noting "it's very different right now."
"So we have to make sure we put those policies in place and that we have a pro-life culture in this country," Moreno summarized. As he shared another personal story about his family, Moreno shared how his daughter had help with her family during her travels, to speak to "the kinds of things that we can do, let's be a pro-mom, pro-family policy."
Moreno then went on to express support for a humane abortion limit supported by many other voters and Republican candidates, including former and potentially future President Donald Trump. "And as much as we can get to a point where we can have a 15-week floor, where after 15-weeks, we have some common-sense restrictions, so that we aren't a country that allows elective late-term abortions, I think that's a big victory," Moreno said to conclude his comprehensive response.
Scientific research shows that unborn babies can feel pain by around 15-weeks. Abortions past this point in pregnancy--which is past the first trimester--are also increasingly dangerous for women.
The post includes a clip of a woman lifting a baby stroller as she claims "Bernie Moreno thinks if mothers have help lifting their heavy baby strollers, they don't need the right to make their own decisions about their bodies and their families." Of course, such language puts abortion in the most dressed up terms possible. "That's ridiculous," the woman says, rolling her eyes, as she says it's "coming from a guy who wants to overrule Ohioans and ban abortion across the country," though she conveniently leaves out that Moreno specifically mentioned a 15-week limit.
I'm sure this won't shock anyone, but Rupar dishonestly edited this clip and cut out 90% of Bernie's response to the question.
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) February 21, 2024
Here's the full unedited clip CC @CommunityNotes https://t.co/BpM6rFVqJZ pic.twitter.com/KRzdMRYctN
Rupar's clip contained the question of "what changes would you support regarding reproductive rights, or abortion, as a U.S. Senator," but then contained a massive edit so that it only included Moreno's response as he discussed his daughter traveling and his mention of having "a pro-mom, pro-family policy."
It's not clear why Rupar would leave out such pertinent details about Moreno's common-sense, compassionate, and thorough response, unless he was perhaps looking to be purposefully deceitful.
It's also particularly telling that Rupar would mislead on such a hot button issue as abortion, especially as Democrats look to go on the attack when it comes to their fearmongering. Further, while Rupar claims Moreno gave "quite the answer," as if that were a bad thing, Moreno is in line not only with his fellow Republicans, but his fellow Americans. Rupar has also had a habit of being less than forthcoming about Republicans speaking out against abortion.
This deceptive post, as of Wednesday night, has over 555.5k views, 1,600 likes, and over 400 repost. The replies to Rupar's post were full of people who appeared to be deceived, as they mocked Moreno's reply, although of course it was only one small part of Moreno's response and missing considerable context.
Brown himself posted mockery of Moreno's position on Wednesday evening. "Bernie Moreno thinks women need help with their baby strollers, not access to abortion," Brown shared in a post, looking to present a very much dumbed down version of Moreno's response.
Bernie Moreno thinks women need help with their baby strollers, not access to abortion. pic.twitter.com/bdErihjyQ5
— Sherrod Brown (@SherrodBrown) February 22, 2024
Others, however, looked to be sharing Moreno's full response, as they pointed to Surabian's quoted repost.
The Ohio Republican primary is now less than a month away, on March 19. An Emerson College Poll released on February 1 shows Moreno virtually tied for first place in the primary, with 22 percent to LaRose's 21 percent. Dolan enjoys 15 percent support. Moreno gained significant support in the polls after earning Trump's endorsement last December. All three candidates look to be competitive against Brown in what is a "Toss-Up" seat for November, and one of the top pickup opportunities for Republicans, if not the top pickup.
That's quite the dishonest editing.https://t.co/LhL8qw9TjP
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) February 21, 2024
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