Hi, this is Ariel in El Paso, Texas. I'm a fitness instructor about to teach an

interactive cycling class called The Trip. We ride together in front of a huge

movie screen. Trippers, say hello to NPR! Awesome! This podcast was recorded at

12 o' 8 pm Eastern time on Monday, April 10th. Things may have changed by the time

you hear this. We'll be a little fitter and a whole lot sweatier. Okay, here's the show.

Now that's a great time stamp.

The one and only time I've done a cycling class I could barely talk. I don't understand

nothing of so much energy. Maybe they stopped. Hey there it's the NPR Politics Podcast.

I'm Asma Khalid, I cover the White House. I'm Mara Laias and National Political Correspondent.

And I'm Nina Tottenberg. I cover the Supreme Court. Today on the show,

access to a key abortion medication, Mifopristone, is now in limbo. After two federal judges on Friday,

issued two dueling decisions. And Nina, that leaves the country, it leaves people, frankly,

in a very confusing situation. So to begin with, can you walk us through what the judges ruled?

Well, one judge in Texas ruled that a drug that has been on the market for over 20 years and

reviewed repeatedly by the FDA has to be taken off the market because it's unsafe he decided.

And he decided this not the FDA. I know of no judicial opinion like that in the last 20 plus years.

That's the first thing. Then a different judge in Washington state said that the 18 jurisdictions,

the District of Columbia and 17 states, that wanted greater access to this drug. He didn't rule

in their favor exactly, but he said that certainly the current access must be maintained and improved

slightly. So these are two decisions. One is supposed to be nationwide, the Texas judge.

The other is supposed to be for 18 jurisdictions. They're in total conflict. And that is the status

quote, but this is a huge deal for a lot of other reasons. So I'll just understand that. I mean,

...