This week’s “The Issue Is,” hosted by Fox 11 Los Angeles’ Elex Michaelson, featured former California gubernatorial candidate and radio host Larry Elder and attorney Gloria Allred in a debate about various topics including abortion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and former President Donald Trump. The debate remained respectful and they showed unity for the most part, although they disagree on virtually everything. Elder and Allred’s relationship goes back 30 years.

"I've always adored her… Gloria's always had my back…"@larryelder + @GloriaAllred go back 30 yrs, they reminisce about their special relationship.

Elder has nicknamed Allred "Super Glo," she calls him "The Sage from South Central."@Elex_Michaelson hosts @TheIssueIsShow pic.twitter.com/AKkevi7vco

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 9, 2022

On the topic of abortion, Elder is pro-life, Allred is pro-choice, and both made their argument about the Supreme Court decision to send abortion back to the states for voters in each state to decide whether abortion should be legal or not.

Elder starts off the debate by saying: “The Court got it wrong in 1973 when they took up the case in the first place … depending on the polls and how they phrase them, a greater percentage of women are pro-life than even men.”

Allred disagreed, saying the Supreme Court decision is about “controlling the lives of women … this is outrageous, women cannot enjoy full equality and liberty because of this U.S. Supreme Court decision.”

"The Court got it wrong in 1973 when they took up the case in the first place."@larryelder supports #SCOTUS overturning #Roe.@GloriaAllred disagrees, saying it's about "throwing out super precedent" and "controlling the lives of women."@Elex_Michaelson hosts @TheIssueIsShow pic.twitter.com/U9JBAg4gPG

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 9, 2022

They continued on the topic of abortion. Larry Elder added:

“This just returned the issue to the states where it should have been in the first place and there weren’t protests in the streets before 1973, there weren’t rallies in Washington D.C. before 1973. The Supreme Court federalized an issue that they should not have touched … Dred Scott was precedent. Plessy v Ferguson was precedent … when cases are wrong they need to be overturned.”

Gloria Allred responded:

“Should contraception be a state’s rights issue, should marriage equality be a state rights issue, and should it be a national law that prohibits abortion in every state? That’s what Mitch McConnell wants to do. That’s what many Republicans want to do … it should be a right and not subject to a state interfering with a right of a woman to control her own body.”

Here is the full exchange:

"Dred Scott was precedent. Plessy v Ferguson was precedent… when cases are wrong they need to be overturned."@larryelder and @GloriaAllred debate abortion rights.

"It should be a right… not subject to a state interfering w/ the right of a woman to control her own body. pic.twitter.com/hVekiYdA4H

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 9, 2022

The debate shifted to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggesting the right to privacy shouldn’t also be in place for marriage equality or contraceptives. Michaelson added that Elder has an issue with how the media has been treating Justice Thomas. Elder said:

“It’s been hideous. He’s been referred to as an Uncle Tom by Bennie Thompson, the head of the January 6 committee, he’s been called an Uncle Tom by Joy Reid of MSNB hee-haw, he’s been called Uncle Tom by Samuel L. Jackson. It’s outrageous. You can disagree with somebody without making a racial slur like that … Look, I like Clarence Thomas, I think he’s a superstar … and he’s right, there is a lot of precedents we outta rethink including especially the one that allowed race-based preferences.”

Elder was asked whether same-sex marriage should be overturned. Elder said: “I think that should be a state-by-state issue, just like this should be a state-by-state issue.”

Allred replied:

“What about interracial marriage? I noticed that Justice Thomas did not mention that, did not mention the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Loving v. Virginia. He’s in an interracial marriage, perhaps that’s the reason he did not mention it, but that is also based on a right, a fundamental right to marry, and that is a constitutional right, and also rooted in Liberty in the fourteenth Amendment.”

Elder, eagerly waiting to jump in, said: “It’s rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment, which Roe v. Wade was not. It was rooted in a right to privacy, which does not exist in the Constitution. I’ve read it a few times, it’s not there.”

Here is the full exchange:

"He's been referred to as 'Uncle Tom' by @BennieGThompson, @JoyAnnReid, @SamuelLJackson… you can disagree w/ somebody w/o making a racial slur"@larryelder + @GloriaAllred debate #JusticeThomas

Allred says Thomas has no regard for women@Elex_Michaelson hosts @TheIssueIsShow pic.twitter.com/XAHSPDIjle

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 9, 2022

When speaking about California Governor Gavin Newsom’s trip to Montana, the topic of abortion resurfaced.

Allred said: “We don’t want to put money into states that are going to put women and girls’ lives at risk.”

Following that statement, Elder posed the question to Allred: “Gloria, do you have any respect at all for the people that feel differently? For people that feel abortion is wrong, it’s a sin, and for women who feel that way including Amy Coney Barrett, do you have any sympathy at all for people that feel that way?”

Here is the full exchange:

"We don't want to put $ into states that are going to put women + girls' lives at risk"@GloriaAllred says "others should not do biz w/ states that ban abortion"@larryelder asks "do you have any respect for people that feel differently?"@Elex_Michaelson hosts @TheIssueIsShow pic.twitter.com/hIpm45DBAq

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 9, 2022

On the topic of Donald Trump and January 6, Elder said:

“The idea that there was some insurrection that was orchestrated by Donald Trump is incredibly unfair. What part of I want you to peacefully and patriotically march over to the capitol building don’t you understand? Which is what he said hours before these riots, and they were riots, and the people that did them should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Allred disagreed with Elder, saying:

“He wanted those election results to be overturned. He wanted to stage, Elex, a coup, to make sure that Biden did not become President. This is a man we need to know the full truth about, and we are going to learn more next week.”

The debate ended with Elder and Allred dancing. Debates should not tear us apart, we should listen to the other side, agree to disagree when need be, and keep it civil. It may be difficult at times, but we are the ‘United’ States of America for a reason.

I love this – these 2 are so controversial & drive their rivals’ nuts. The fact they can have a respectful disagreement & then do a little dance gives me a tiny bit of hope. (I am probably hopelessly naive.) Good job @Elex_Michaelson on reminding us politics can still be civil. https://t.co/sWjg9wzGdh

— Seema (@LATSeema) July 9, 2022

Here is the full interview: