Harris statement on an abortion-related death; Walz visits Macon; Antibiotics factory

On the Tuesday, Sept. 17 edition of Georgia Today: Kamala Harris says that Donald Trump's policies played a role in a Georgia woman's death; vice president hopeful Tim Walz made a stop in Macon today; and the American factory making one of the most common antibiotics is at risk of shutting down.

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast from GPB News. Today is Tuesday, Sept. 17. I'm Peter Biello. On today's episode, Vice President Kamala Harris says that Donald Trump's abortion policies played a role in a Georgia woman's death. Vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz campaigns in Macon. And the American factory making one of the most common antibiotics is at risk of shutting down. These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Vice President Kamala Harris says Donald Trump's role in undoing national abortion rights is to blame for a Georgia woman's death. Amber Thurman died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat complications from an abortion pill. Her death in 2022, first reported by ProPublica yesterday, is the first publicly reported instance of a woman dying from delayed care. Harris and other Democrats are likely to talk about it in speeches and campaign ads as the election approaches.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz kicked off a Democratic campaign swing through two battleground states, Georgia and North Carolina, with a stop in Macon today. GPB's Grant Blankenship was there.

Grant Blankenship: Walz first spoke to local Democratic Party volunteers who are working the phones for the campaign, then visited H&H, Macon's legendary soul food restaurant. At the call center, he addressed the second thwarted attempt on the life of Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Tim Walz: We don't solve our differences in this country with violence. We condemn it in all its forms. We solve our differences at the ballot box.

Grant Blankenship: And he challenged his opponent J.D. Vance's statement that school shootings like the one at Appalachee High School in Barrow County are, quote, "a fact of life."

Tim Walz: That is not just a fact of life, people. That is not just a fact of life. And as Donald Trump would know, this violence across the country has got to end. Gun violence has got to end.

Grant Blankenship: Walz reminded volunteers that the path to presidential victory once again runs through Georgia, which he called a privilege for the state. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

Story 3:

Peter Biello: The only American factory making the generic version of the antibiotic amoxicillin is at risk of shutting down. This comes ahead of a season where flu and viruses typically go up. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: U.S. Antibiotics says it can't compete with China on generic drug costs. They're now asking for federal government to support them by purchasing the drug produced here in the U.S. for their own stockpiles. CEO Rick Jackson says access to lifesaving medication is crucial to public health.

Rick Jackson: We're not asking the federal government to subsidize us or give us money. We're asking them to simply purchase what they're purchasing now from us. They are buying a product for the stockpile and the Army and armed services.

Ellen Eldridge: The Food and Drug Administration currently lists amoxicillin in its database of drugs experiencing a shortage. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: In a rare bipartisan consensus about Georgia's election process, both Republicans and Democrats agree that persistent mail delivery delays in the state could cost voters who use absentee ballots their chance to be counted on Election Day this November. Georgia's county election officers joined several dozen of their counterparts from across the nation this month who are raising serious concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to properly deliver absentee ballots on time for the Nov. 5 general election. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy that listed a range of complaints about Postal Service processing facilities, inadequate staff training, as well as potentially lost and delayed election mail that could put eligible voters at risk of having their registration canceled or absentee ballots not delivered to local elections offices in time to have the votes counted. Meanwhile, the mail delivery delays are attracting scrutiny from a bipartisan group of Georgia's congressional delegation. Several Republican Georgia members of Congress, including Reps. Andrew Clyde, Mike Collins and Austin Scott, have requested updated information from DeJoy to explain mail delays. Georgia Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff also h...