RTE presenter Claire Byrne had to ask members of the audience to ‘refrain from calling people liars’ after many heated exchanges between audience and panel members on the RTE Eight Debate.
National Right to Life
What a difference a day makes. And what a difference a chance to make the case for life in front of a large audience unfiltered may make.
Pat Leahy writes about abortion and particularly abortion polling data for the pro-abortion Irish Times. He is one of the very few reporters who makes even a passing effort to be fair.
Yesterday under the headline “No sign of shift in abortion referendum that No campaigners need,” Leahy all but wrote off the pro-life forces working to prevent passage of a referendum to excise the 8th amendment to the Irish Constitution which provides equal protection to mothers and unborn children. (They are often called “anti-repealers.”)
Leahy wrote none of this means there can’t be a change in the campaign as it enters its final stage. But it does mean it is hard to see where it would come from. For now, anyway, it’s advantage repeal.
In fact, he had offered one chance, which was captured in the story’s subhead: “Tonight’s RTÉ debate a chance for anti-abortion groups to influence swing voters.” (RTÉ is the national public service broadcaster.)
Lo and behold, today’s headline for Leahy’s story is “Big viewer numbers for RTÉ referendum debate make it a good night for anti-Repealers.” The debate achieved a whopping 35% average audience share.
The lead brilliantly captures what pro-lifers had hoped to gain from last night, especially in light of how their message has been ruthlessly censored. Leahy also mentions their last-ditch grassroots campaign which they believe can turn the tide. Leahy writes
Monday’s televised debate on the abortion referendum has provided a significant fillip to a No campaign that was desperately in need of one.
No campaigners had a bad week last week with the moves by Google and Facebook to cancel or restrict their plans for a huge online advertising campaign in the final days of the campaign.
But they were enthused by the RTÉ debate, and have embarked on a postering and leafleting offensive to complement the final canvassing push as the referendum campaign heads into its final, decisive phase.
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