An incumbent US President has never spoken personally to anti-abortionists at the March for Life. With pithy sayings, Trump campaigns for the favor of the “life protection” movement. People celebrate it.
By Torben Ostermann, ARD Studio Washington
Folk festival mood on the National Mall in the heart of Washington, DC. School groups, clergymen, men, women, blacks, Latinos, whites: They all take part in the “March for Life”, the largest anti-abortion demonstration in the country. Many hold up signs: “Let the babies live” is one of the most common sayings. Betty has been participating in the demo for years. She wants to give the babies a voice that has been aborted by their mothers.
“Abortions are the devil” is written on another sign. Most of them are religious, some justify their rejection of abortions with Bible verses. Others do not shy away from crude comparisons.
Like Nancy, who compares abortions to the Holocaust. “You should know, they come from Germany,” she says. What happened in Germany during the Second World War is now happening here. More than 60 million babies have been aborted since the 1970s. Do you see all the students here? A third of their friends are not here because they have been aborted. “
Trump goes one step further
In the past, some US presidents have expressed their sympathy with the movement. The current man in the White House goes one step further; he wants to appear here straight away. Much to the enthusiasm of his followers. Bryan thinks his participation is great for exercise.
Donald Trump knows how important the anti-abortion group is to his re-election. Many of them belong to the evangelicals. And Trump needs it. A transparent maneuver? Maybe. Nevertheless, Bryan is convinced that Trump is serious and that he believes the same as she does.
The crowd gets bigger. Trump should be on stage in a few minutes. Before that, there is singing. Many touch their chests. Then the 45th President of the United States comes on stage and says what the crowd wants to hear. That it was an honor for him to be the first president to take part in the “March for Life”. “Unborn children have never had a stronger protector in the White House,” he exclaims.
Attacks against the Democrats
While the Democrats in Congress are presenting the indictment against Trump in the impeachment proceedings, the President uses the backdrop of the opponents of abortion. He switches to attack mode and works on the Democrats. “They’re after me because I’m fighting for you, and we’re fighting for those who have no voice,” he said in his 13-minute speech, alluding to the impeachment process. “And we will win because we know how to win.”
The Democrats would allegedly work to ensure that babies could still be killed after birth. A lie – but one that has spread widely among his followers. Then the US President leaves the stage again, the crowd seems satisfied. If they all vote for Trump in the fall, so will he.
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