Q&A
A new book explores how America got here.
Amid it all, reporters Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer were taking notes.
The result isThe Fall of Roe: The Rise of a New America, out today.
The pair met in 2018 when they joinedThe New York Timesto cover religion and politics, respectively.
Both frequently write aboutabortion; their partnership was cemented in 2019 on a reporting road trip through the South.
We were watching this unfold in real time, Dias says.
Theres no way to tell this big political story without really getting into the personal, Lerer says.
Why did you want to write this book?
Elizabeth Dias:We wanted to figure out what got the country to this point.
Why was it that so many people didnt believe thatRoecould be overturned?
Lisa Lerer:One thing that was really important to us was making this story deeply accessible.
It was written for people who wouldnt necessarily pick up a Bob Woodward book on Trump.
We joke, let us be your one book.
Why did you choose to start this narrative in 2012?
This group, especially of conservative Christian women, determined they were going to fight back.
So we started with what they described as their lowest point.
How does religion play a role?
What did the reporting process look like?
When they were shut down, we relocated to New Mexico with them.
What is the state of abortion access in 2024?
Whats next for the fight over abortion rights?
Depending on how its interpreted, it could potentially be used to functionally ban all abortion in the country.
What does the recent history of abortion in this country teach us about facing these other issues?
ED:A lot can be happening when youre focused on something else.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
