After Blowback From Fellow 2020 Dems, Biden Embraces Federally Funded Abortions

ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to a crowd at a Democratic National Committee event at Flourish in Atlanta on June 6, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The DNC held a gala to raise money for the DNC’s IWillVote program, which is aimed at registering voters. (Photo by Dustin Chambers/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Biden; Joe Biden
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to a crowd at a Democratic National Committee event at Flourish in Atlanta on June 6, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.... ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to a crowd at a Democratic National Committee event at Flourish in Atlanta on June 6, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The DNC held a gala to raise money for the DNCs IWillVote program, which is aimed at registering voters. (Photo by Dustin Chambers/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Former Vice President Joe Biden changed his official stance on the use of federal funds for abortions.

According to video of his speech at a Democratic gala in Atlanta Thursday evening, Biden said he would no longer support the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortions. Just hours before, Biden reiterated his support for the amendment only to reverse course Thursday after he was castigated by reproductive rights groups and many of his 2020 challengers.

“I can’t justify leaving millions of women without the access to care they need, and the ability to exercise their constitutionally protected right,” he said. “If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s zip code.”

Biden said he decided to flip-flop on his past belief in light of the Republican-led attacks on women’s health care happening in conservative states across the country.

Biden was rung out for his support of the Hyde Amendment of 1076, which disproportionately harms poor and minority communities. It bars the use of federal funds for abortions in all cases, except rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.

Latest News
196
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. So is this his final decision or what?

  2. I’ve got a bad feeling about this-- I sense Biden is the same self-intoxicated, tone-deaf hump he was 25 years ago, and he’s incapable of learning from his mistakes, because he’s too vain and conceited to realize that they were mistakes.

  3. “Biden said he decided to flip-flop on his past belief in light of the Republican-led attacks on women’s health care happening in conservative states across the country.”

    I found the cause of his change not that compelling. Still, an improvement for him.

  4. Wasn’t Obama against marriage equality before he was for it?

  5. Being wobbly on this issue is completely disqualifying.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

190 more replies

Participants

Avatar for valgalky23 Avatar for ajm Avatar for jarnj3 Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for UnfadingGreen Avatar for imkmu3 Avatar for cervantes Avatar for sniffit Avatar for stradivarius50t3 Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for guysmiley Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for brian512 Avatar for jlodell Avatar for frantastic Avatar for carolson Avatar for kenga Avatar for zenicetus Avatar for lbj Avatar for rockitttla Avatar for faydout

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: