Just as Democrats have decided the battle over abortion could save them from a disaster in the midterms the Pro Choice Caucus has announced now is the time for a rebranding.

NEW: The Pro Choice Caucus has just sent out messaging materials to House Dems on Roe draft.

One of the recommendations: Don't use "choice." pic.twitter.com/nqVA8W1nWT

— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) May 12, 2022

There’s something pretty funny about the “Pro Choice Caucus” sending out advice that the word “choice” is harmful language. Dave Weigel noticed that the messaging is already having an impact on some common chants/slogans.

Noticed that the House Dem women chanted “my body, my decision” on the walk to the Senate, instead of the more common “my body, my choice.” Why? Talking points! They found messaging gurus who think “choice” is a risky word. https://t.co/83rKOKQUxm

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) May 12, 2022

Lots of people are struggling to fully make sense of this change.

Like, how do you not get laughed at when you tell your fellow abortion rights advocates that they’re not supposed to say “choice” anymore. The whole branding has been built around “choice” for decades! It’s not some dirty word.

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) May 12, 2022

Apparently, the decision to use the word “decision” is based on concerns about equity.

Apparently the language was not inclusive enough https://t.co/tp8d7VFuDx

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) May 12, 2022

Even if that’s true, how does “decision” help?

How does this not apply equally to “decision”?

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) May 12, 2022

Also, does this mean newspapers will from now on refer to pro-lifers as “anti-decision?” As Weigel points out, this seems to add a layer of absurdity on top of what both sides argue is a very serious debate.

“Anti-decision protesters clashed with pro-decision protesters outside of a Decision Clinic in Des Moines today…” https://t.co/CmJdGlDaoC

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) May 12, 2022

In any case, you have to wonder about the timing of this. Is this really the moment for progressives to once again retreat into off-putting language?

“Okay, folks, 70 percent of voters are on our side with this one. Here’s the message: Abortion should be an accessible decision for birthing people, and… hey where’s everybody going”

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) May 12, 2022

This Dem pollster says the decision/choice change is the only part of this that doesn’t make sense. The rest was probably poll tested.

There’s a reason why this stuff is internal; it looks absurd to people who are not responsible for minute messaging tweaks. Most of this makes sense to me though and it was probably message tested via survey. The only one that’s a baffler to me is “choice/decision”. https://t.co/s7Y5c0c1Py

— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) May 12, 2022

It’s not really a surprise that Democrats are throwing “safe, legal and rare” under the bus. They’ve been trying to get away from that for years. Similarly, I can’t blame them for wanting to ditch the common phrase “unwanted pregnancy” which raises the uncomfortable concept of an unwanted child which is pretty ugly if you think about it. Unexpected pregnancy goes to the same place without making people feel as awkward. I’m not sure “criminalizing healthcare” is as good as “back-alley abortions.” The latter is a gruesome mental image, the pro-choice equivalent of photos of aborted babies. Criminalizing healthcare on the other hand is so anodyne that I’m not sure it generates much interest from either side of the debate.

But the decision/choice language is clearly the headline here. Democrats have been the “pro-choice” party for 50 years and now they want everyone to drop that on a dime? It seems like too big a change to happen so abruptly.

present at the creation of the Pro-Decision movement

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 12, 2022

I’m not sure if Seth Mandel’s tweet was a reference to Spinal Tap mark 2 but that’s what it brought to my mind.

I think my favorite response to the new language came from an account with a small follower count. He just wrote “The Dems are gonna blow this aren’t they?” It certainly seems possible.