On Face the Nation earlier this week, Vice President Kamala Harris made a point to clarify her stance on abortion, emphasizing that it is “ridiculous” and a “mischaracterization” to claim that Democrats universally endorse abortion until birth. When questioned by host Marjorie Brennan about the precise stage of pregnancy at which abortion should be permitted, Harris opted not to provide a specific answer, reiterating the party’s objective to safeguard Roe v. Wade through federal legislation.

It comes as no surprise that Harris refrains from delving into the specifics of which abortion restrictions Democrats are willing to support, given that some members of her party do indeed advocate for abortion access throughout pregnancy, even up until birth. Notably, Democrats have consistently opposed legislation aimed at protecting infants who survive abortion attempts and requiring them to receive necessary medical care. Harris herself cast a vote against protecting abortion survivors during her time as a senator.

This position is notably at odds with the sentiments of a significant portion of the American public—around 80% of Americans oppose abortion in the final trimester of pregnancy. In fact, much of the public support for Roe v. Wade was based on a lack of awareness that pro-life laws, which enjoy widespread support, were effectively rendered impossible under Roe.

Therefore, what was truly remarkable about Harris’s appearance on Face the Nation was not her reluctance to explicitly state her stance on abortion laws or her efforts to obfuscate the issue. It was the fact that a mainstream media host took the initiative to press a Democrat on this matter at all. Historically, most media outlets have been content to question Republicans about the most challenging cases, such as abortion in cases of rape or incest, while avoiding inquiries into Democrats’ views on procedures that some might view as infanticidal, despite their voting record on the issue.

This apparent media bias is exemplified by another mainstream media conversation involving “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey and a Republican presidential candidate.

Christie expressed his long-standing belief that Roe v. Wade was a flawed decision, contending that the Constitution does not address this issue and that it should be left to individual states to decide. He argued for allowing each state, and most importantly its citizens, to participate in this crucial discussion.

However, Scarborough interjected with a hypothetical scenario, asking Christie if, as President of the United States, he would be comfortable with Wisconsin’s 1849 total ban on abortion. Christie maintained his position that states have the right to determine their own policies, but he pointed out that he disagreed with both extreme positions, such as a total abortion ban, as well as unrestricted access to abortion up to nine months, as practiced in New Jersey.