It is not as easy as it used to be to get away with lying—something Florida senator Rick Scott was reminded of recently after releasing a campaign ad supporting IVF just one day after opposing a bill that safeguards access to the procedure.
His ad saw him vow to always protect access to IVF. However, given his recent vote, he was quickly called out as a liar, and the ad also received a community note on X, formerly Twitter, drawing attention to his hypocrisy.
About Scott’s Ad
The ad was only 30 seconds long, but it has done lasting damage to Scott’s reputation. It was shared via X and showed him presenting himself as a family man—a grandpa who supports in-vitro fertilization. He talked about his seven grandchildren, calling them precious gifts from God, and then mentioned how some families were not as lucky and required help to conceive. He stated that people could always count on him to protect IVF.
Scott’s Daughter Is Exploring the IVF Option
In the short ad, Scott did the narration himself and was captured spending time with his family while a piece of enjoyable piano music played in the background. He mentioned that he and his wife welcomed two daughters and now have seven grandkids. He also revealed that their youngest daughter is currently receiving IVF treatments in hopes of expanding her family, a fact many found interesting given his recent vote.
ALSO READ: Democrats Push for Senate Vote on Legislative IVF Access Package
Scott’s Core Message
Scott conveniently forgot to mention in his ad that he would not support IVF under specific circumstances. In fact, in the video, the Florida Senator implied that he was doing all in his power to preserve access to IVF. He claimed that he shares his daughter’s sentiments, which is that IVF needs to be protected, not just for her sake but for the sake of every other struggling family in the US.
How IVF Works
IVF is an abbreviation for in vitro fertilization, which refers to a series of medical procedures that make it possible to inseminate an egg with sperm outside the womb before it is transplanted back into the mother. It is one of man’s most effective solutions to common fertility problems families face, and it is also helpful in preventing the passing on of problematic genetic issues to children.
War On IVF
Some people have always been against IVF, but after the overturning of Roe v. Wade and when an Alabama Supreme Court actually made a ruling that threatened IVF in the state, the war took on a new dimension. In light of those events, people lashed out at Republicans who have been known to oppose IVF, something they don’t want happening in an election year. In response, Republicans, including the controversial Donald Trump, have been going above and beyond to demonstrate support for the procedure.
How Republicans Feel About IVF
Many Republicans are conservatives who have adopted a pro-life stance. This means that they believe that life “begins at conception,” a view that makes supporting IVF a tricky business. After all, the procedure involves a conception that happens outside a human body, raising ethical questions of whether stored embryos should be afforded rights a full-fledged human enjoys. While many Republicans have been defending IVF, seemingly now in support of it, people are finding it hard to take them at face value because it is an election year, and they know Republicans are determined to get their candidate into the president’s office.
The Blocked Democrat Bill
People, most especially Democrats, are skeptical about the recent outpouring of support for IVF from Republicans, and those doubts were seemingly confirmed following a recent vote on a Democratic bill. If passed, it would have guaranteed a woman’s access to IVF. However, it was blocked by Senate Republicans, including Florida Senator Rick Scott, which is one of the reasons he was criticized online following the broadcast of his pro-IVF ad.
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How Netizens Reacted to Scott’s Ad
After Scott shared his ad, those aware of how he voted against the democratic bill flooded the comments section with statements calling out his hypocrisy. One user asked if he had forgotten the vote he had cast just the previous day and reminded him there was a record revealing his stance. The post got over 14,000 likes.
Scott the Manipulator
Other comments accused Scott of attempting to manipulate Americans by releasing an ad that made it seem like he was actually in support of IVF when the voting record on IVF shows that he opposed the bill. One user wondered if he was “a bold-faced liar” but revealed they were not expecting an answer as it was a rhetorical question.
Those Who Defended Scott
As with every topic on social media, some criticized, and others played the role of defenders. Some users implied that Scott’s vote does not mean he is against IVF and that he only opposed the bill because it was not what it was advertised to be. One commenter even claimed the vote “did not harm or hinder access in any way.”
ALSO READ: Democrats Announce New Plan to Protect IVF
Mixed Signals
A large percentage of the public believes that Republicans have their wires crossed concerning reproductive issues like IVF. Some of this confusion reportedly stems from pro-life religious groups who have been applying pressure. An excellent example of such a group is the Southern Baptist Convention. They recently voted on a measure to formally oppose in vitro fertilization because they believe that life begins at fertilization and is sacred.
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