Bernard is the doctor who performed the abortion on the 10-year-old on June 30, according to Indiana records, though he cannot confirm that due to privacy laws. Bernard said he was at work when Harris called. “He really thanked me. He thanked me for speaking up, for raising this issue,” Bernard told CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell on Tuesday. “He talked about how important it is for doctors’ voices to be heard again, what has turned into a political situation, but it’s really about health care, and how important it is for doctors to be advocates for their patients.” The doctor at the center of the abortion debate speaks 03:58 Harris called the Indiana Gynecologist on July 19 to praise her for her “courage, professionalism and dedication to her patients,” a White House official told CBS News exclusively. The official said Harris thanked Bernard for her leadership and said she gives others a “sense of strength.” President Biden highlighted the girl’s case while signing an executive order aimed at protecting access to abortion as several Republican-led states, including Ohio, moved to restrict access to abortion after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. Bernard gave an interview earlier this month to the Indianapolis Star and addressed the 10-year-old rape victim. After Mr Biden’s remarks, prominent Republicans accused her of making up the story, including Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who accused her of being an “abortion activist acting as a doctor”. She said she felt threatened and “shows how abortion, instead of being part of health care – which it is – a necessary life-saving procedure – which it is – has been used to drive a wedge between people personally and politically.” Rokita said he will investigate whether Bernard violated child abuse notification, abortion reporting laws or federal medical privacy laws by speaking to the newspaper about the case. Indiana law requires doctors to report abortions performed on girls under 16 within three days of the procedure. Bernard filed her report about the girl’s abortion on July 2, according to records obtained by CBS News. A 27-year-old man from Ohio has since been charged with raping the girl.

The battle for abortion

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Caitlin Yilek is a digital producer for CBS News. Contact her at caitli[email protected] Follow her on Twitter: