MSNBC's Thomas Roberts didn't try to hide his delight over the Supreme Court ruling Monday striking down a law requiring abortion clinics to meet the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers, using part of his interview with Wendy Davis to gush over her famed pink sneakers.
Davis became a progressive and national media darling in 2013, when she filibustered for 11 hours to try to stop that same law while donning pink shoes. The press went wild for her maneuver, especially for her footwear.
"You ran for governor after the filibuster that, as I said, it skyrocketed you because of those pink sneakers," Roberts said. "I'm not sure if you've put those in any type of Hall of Fame in Texas, or if they're still somewhere in your closet, but does this make you want to get back into Texas politics again?"
"I am never stepping away from Texas politics, whether I'm in office or not in office," Davis said. "I've continued to work very hard to make sure that gender equality is advanced in this country. Of course, reproductive rights are an incredibly important part of that, and I could not be happier in this moment talking to you about the decision that we received from the Supreme Court today."
"It is a big moment," Roberts said. "Can you clarify, though, where those pink sneakers are, just for folks that are watching?"
"Yes, they're safely tucked away in storage, and of course I cherish them and I always will," Davis said.
Davis rode the "momentum" of her filibuster to the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, but she was creamed by Republican Greg Abbott in the general election in 2014, losing by more than 20 points. She didn't even win a majority of women voters.