President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are placing abortion at the forefront of their campaign, emphasizing a commitment to uphold the right to choose. In addressing what he perceives as opposition from “extreme Republicans,” Biden targeted laws that restrict abortions beyond certain limits, framing such measures as attacks on the “right to privacy.”
Biden employed language commonly used by Democrats in discussions on abortion, focusing on the pregnant woman and emphasizing her “right to choose” rather than referring to her as a mother. He asserted that the right to abortion is rooted in the concept of freedom and highlighted medically necessary cases where abortion is crucial to save the mother’s life. While some states impose limits on abortion, others, like Oregon, have no restrictions, allowing abortions throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy.
Highlighting statistics from Guttmacher and the CDC, Biden underscored the prevalence of abortions in the United States, pointing out the racial disparities in abortion rates. He criticized what he called the “cruel reality” that has driven some Republicans to pursue the end of the Roe v. Wade decision. With Roe overturned and 21 states implementing abortion bans, Biden consistently characterizes Republicans opposing him on various issues as “extreme.”
Expressing concern over state-level bans on abortion, ranging from absolute bans to 6-week and 15-week restrictions, Biden warned that such measures would jeopardize “your right to choose and your right to privacy” at the federal level. He proposed a federal law allowing abortion without limits or exceptions, with the current proposal specifying an exception for the health of the mother, encompassing mental health. Additionally, Biden advocated for broader availability of chemical abortions.
These remarks were made on the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022 with the Dobbs decision, returning the legality of abortion to individual states. Vice President Harris launched a Reproductive Rights Tour to advocate for a federal law permitting abortion, regardless of states’ rights, throughout the country.
