The broadcast networks on Tuesday night, especially ABC and
CBS, framed the Senate vote against partial-birth abortion around the agenda and terminology of abortion proponents, while all but ABC, which did so only vaguely, avoided describing the procedure, and none showed drawings of it — all in stark contrast to FNC’s approach. Dan Rather teased: “Abortion rights take a historic hit from Congress. What do women face?” Jennings and Rather outright refused to utter the phrase “partial-birth abortion.” FNC’s Brit Hume and Major Garrett appeared to be in a parallel universe as
they readily used the term “partial-birth abortion,” avoided the
“abortion rights” phrase as they preferred to describe those
against the Senate vote as “opponents,” and Garrett provided both a detailed description of the procedure and showed drawings of it.