MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript - Women's Health

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MATTHEWS: Let me go to Representative Dukes.

Representative, I have to ask you about this, and give me an open answer. I don`t know what the answer. Are there many women in this country who would like to criminalize rape? I mean, criminalized -- that certainly should be criminalized, criminalize abortion rights. Say basically, there ought to be a law against women having an abortion. You ought to be penalized for having one, not just the doctor but you. In other words, carry to fruition, which is the way this anti-abortion thing is going. I don`t see how they win if they get what they really want, which is to basically outlaw it and criminalize it. I don`t see how they win if they get what they want. It will be like the Chinese curse.

STATE REP. DAWNNA DUKES (D), TEXAS: That`s true. They`re not many women, especially not independent thinking women who believe that a woman`s right to choose should be denied to them. And Republicans in the state of Texas, and especially Governor Perry is losing this war on women. And the nation is seeing what they would receive if he ever made a presidential run.

MATTHEWS: Let`s look at some other states. And I guess you`re going to have to project what is going on down the. First of all, I better get our facts straight here. It`s not just that they`re moving up the date from 24 months to 20 months in terms of banning late-term. I`m going start with you, Wayne, but it seems like they`re basically also saying unless a clinic replicates the facilities and standards, whatever, of options, surgical options or whatever hospital, it can`t exist.

So they`re basically reducing from 40, I`m told, clinics in the state, down to about five for a huge state of Texas, which means for most people in Texas, they`re going to be pretty awful far from the chance to have an abortion should they choose one.

SLATER: Yes. This bill in Texas, however many clinics it would ultimately close and Democrats say closing all by five in the state. But this bill is really aimed at shutting down abortion clinics and denying abortion rights to those people who want to have an abortion. There is a lot of talk among the Republicans about women`s health.

And certainly, some women, some conservative Republican pro anti- abortion women believe that. That is a part of it. But this bill goes far beyond the 20 weeks, includes regulations on doctors, on clinics, and on taking the abortion pill that would effectively restrict substantially the right of women to have abortions. And that`s why the fight really is so big.

MATTHEWS: When I think about the cases of Casey and Webster, I don`t see how this possibly could pass must were the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade. It`s certainly creating an undue burned by basically getting rid of clinics.

If you can`t get an abortion, your right to an abortion to me is unrealistic, and it`s being denied.

Anyway, thank you, "Dallas Morning News" reporter, Wayne Slater, and Texas State Representative Dawnna Dukes. Up next, the latest attempt to undo the Obama presidency.

You`re watching HARDBALL, the place for politics.

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