Democratic Candidates Apparently Can't Bring Themselves to Say the Word 'Abortion' Onstage

It seemed odd to a lot of people that the Democratic candidates debated each other on five separate occasions without being asked about abortion. The situation became much more curious last night, when Bernie Sanders finally raised the issue — but without using the word “abortion.” Clinton, too, never used the actual word, despite touting her Planned Parenthood endorsement.

The strange, abortion-shaped hole in the first five Democratic debates even spurred a hashtag, #AskAboutAbortion. Obviously the candidates are going to say they support a “woman’s right to choose,” broadly, but given the recent physical and legislative attacks on Planned Parenthood, it seems worth asking, say, how a Democratic president would work with the large chunk of the GOP who get up each day with the intent of rolling back Roe v. Wade. (Remember that a House Judiciary subcommittee is still technically “investigating” Planned Parenthood.)

And when the topic came up last night, it wasn’t because moderators Gwen Ifill or Judy Woodruff asked an abortion question, despite making history as the first female duo to ever moderate a debate. Instead, Sanders raised it during a broader discussion about women’s rights: