Nancy Pelosi Says JD Vance Was 'Clever' But Not 'Real' On Abortion During The Debate: They Are For A National Ban

In a recent development, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has publicly criticized Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-Ohio) comments on reproductive rights made during the vice presidential debate. Pelosi dismissed Vance’s personal connection to the issue as “clever” but not “real”.

What Happened: In a conversation with CNN’s Dana Bash on Tuesday, Pelosi shared her thoughts on Vance’s remarks about a woman he knew who had an abortion. As reported by The Hill, Pelosi stated, “I think that that was clever to use that personal connection, but it isn't real in terms of women having the right to make their own decisions and not politicians making their decisions for them.”

During the debate, Vance had spoken about his personal connection to the issue, saying, “I grew up in a working-class family in a neighborhood where I knew a lot of young women who had unplanned pregnancies and decided to terminate those pregnancies because they feel like they didn't have any other options.”

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Pelosi also took a jab at the Trump-Vance ticket’s stance on a national abortion ban. “This administration is for an abortion ban — a national abortion ban — and when they say leave it up to the states, the states have their own abortion bans. We need to protect them by having Roe v. Wade be the national policy of our country,” Pelosi said.

Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he would veto a federal abortion ban, a topic that was discussed during the debate. He had previously refused to say whether he would do so.

Why It Matters: The issue of abortion has been a major point of contention in this election cycle, especially since this is the first presidential election since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Recent polling data from KFF shows that 61% of voters believe the outcome of this year’s presidential election will significantly impact access to abortion in the country.

Vance and Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz clashed over the 2020 election results, with Vance sidestepping questions about Trump’s loss. The debate covered key topics such as immigration, Israel, and the economy, with both candidates sharply criticizing each other’s policies.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal