In a statement to EW, a CNN representative called the ad — which also targeted journalists and celebrities like Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey — "outrageous, antisemitic, and dangerous."
ABC warned its audience before airing a disturbing political ad the network said it was required to broadcast during a live episode of The View, with the commercial depicting graphic imagery from abortions and comparing several celebrities — including all six cohosts of The View — to Nazis.
During the show's final commercial break on Thursday, a warning message appeared on screen, reading, "The following is a paid political advertisement, and the ABC Television Network is required to carry it by federal law. The advertisement contains scenes that may be disturbing to children. Viewer discretion is advised."
The explicit clip — fronted by presidential candidate and anti-abortion activist Randall Terry — opened with a shot of Miley Cyrus (pictured with a cake topped with the message "abortion is healthcare") and an image of Whoopi Goldberg seated at The View Hot Topics table.
"I am so sick of stupid celebrities and lying journalists," Terry says via voice-over in the ad, before its footage displays images of View stars Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, Sara Haines, and Alyssa Farah Griffin; broadcasters Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, and Dana Bash; and famous figures like Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Billie Eilish, Scarlett Johansson, and more. The commercial then shows multiple images of fetuses and, later, images of abortion procedures. "Why don't you fools follow the science?" Terry asks.
"These are dead human beings, murdered by abortion that you promote. If history even remembers you, you'll be remembered like Leni Riefenstahl and Joseph Goebbels. The name of the wicked will rot," Terry continues near the end of the anti-Kamala Harris ad, invoking the names of prominent Nazi figures.
After the clip played on air, ABC followed up with another text statement that read: "The preceding was a paid political advertisement that the ABC Television Network was required to carry under federal law. The advertisement contained scenes that may be disturbing to viewers."
Local ABC affiliates addressed the ad online, with Chicago's network station providing an editorial note explaining the commercial to its audience.
"According to the FCC, broadcast stations are 'prohibited from censoring or rejecting political ads that are paid for and sponsored by legally qualified candidates,'" the post said. "Terry will be on the ballot in at least 12 states so has met the criteria to be considered a legally qualified candidate."