CNN commentator and former White House adviser Van Jones is struggling to make sense of former First Lady Melania Trump's new defense of abortion rights, in both her upcoming memoir and a newly-posted video.
This comes after her husband personally appointed the Supreme Court majority responsible for ending federal protections of abortion rights, and as he and his running mate resist any effort to pin them down on exactly how far they're intent to go in curtailing abortion around the country.
"So that's the first time I saw that video and it just came out a short time ago there," said anchor John Berman. "It really does beg a lot of questions. And yes, number one, is this is to sell books? Is it be some grand break in your face to her husband on a key campaign issue? Is it nine-dimensional chess where she's trying to present this case to voters that, hey, there can be disagreement on this issue?"
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"I have no idea," said Jones. "First of all, why is — maybe she's trying to come out of the shadows. I mean, just you have this music in the background and her face is like half shaded." Meanwhile, he said, there's no question that "It's getting us talking about the book. It's definitely good for book sales."
Ultimately, he concluded, "this is either one two things. It's a big break with her as her husband and saying, I just don't agree and I have my own book and my own standard, I don't care. Or it is 27-dimensional chess and people say, well, maybe she will soften Trump on abortion, so maybe some suburban housewives and women and voters will change our position."
"But this is bizarre," Jones added. "I don't think we've ever seen, in the history of American politics, a former First Lady or the spouse of a candidate come out with a book and a video saying, I don't agree with my husband's party on a key issue. It's never happened before, ever."
Watch the video below or at the link here.
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