Sarah Palin suggests gender not a 'big darn deal' in 2024 election

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) suggested Wednesday that gender is no longer a “big darn deal” as the race between Vice President Harris and former President Trump winds down.

“I personally don't think that gender is such a big darn deal in this race,” Palin said on NewsNation’s “CUOMO” during a pre-election town hall with former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly and sports media pundit Stephen A. Smith.

O’Reilly questioned the former governor on recent polls, saying “every single one of ‘em says men are going overwhelmingly for Trump and women are … not quite as overwhelming, but very big for — is it abortion, is that what it is?”

“Well, I don’t know, but I know when I — the one time that gender does become an issue with me is when I hear men arguing pro or — either for or against abortion, and I think, you know. when they talk about a woman's feelings and what they … what they go through to make the decision, I say, ‘You guys, you don't know. You haven't been there,’” she replied.

Her comments come after a recent poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics found that the gender gap for younger supporters of Harris and Trump had more than doubled in the last few months heading into November. The gap swelled from 8 points this spring, when President Biden was still in the race, to 20 points in October, the survey found.

Palin, who ran an unsuccessful bid for vice president in 2008, also agreed with the former president's stance on abortion — which has seemingly become more moderate. He has vowed to veto a hypothetical national abortion ban, insisted laws on the issue should be left to the states and said any ban should include exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

When asked by Smith if she supported Trump's position, Palin said she did, adding that “he's not thwarting anybody's opportunity to end a pregnancy.”

“He is supportive of the Supreme Court deciding Roe versus Wade, which [should’ve] been decided a long time ago, in reverse, to allow the states to have their people vote on it,” she claimed.

"Perhaps, that is the topic for a lot of single-issue voters, but that's not the be all end all in this election," Palin added later.

The exchange comes as Harris has made reproductive rights a central part of her campaign, with multiple high-profile Democrats — including former President Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama and Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn) — recently pressuring male voters on the topic. Her campaign also launched a bus tour over the summer focused on the issue.

Michelle Obama, in a recent op-ed for The New York Times, called on “the men who love us,” stating that "your girlfriend could be the one in legal jeopardy if she needs a pill from out-of-state or overseas" and “your wife and mother could be the ones at higher risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they have no access to regular gynecological care.”

Asked about the former first lady's recent comments at a rally suggesting there were limitations on women's health, Palin rebuffed the comment, adding that "America is a land of equal opportunity."

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