On the Friday before the 4th of July holiday weekend, President Joe Biden met virtually with nine Democratic governors from across the country to discuss how to promote abortion. The meeting comes a week after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs v. Jackson decision.
More than half of the live streamed video contained a "we will begin shortly" or "thank you for joining" message; Biden didn't start speaking until 26 minutes in. A clipped and much shorter version, at 22 minutes, was later added to YouTube.
Happening Now: President Biden convenes a virtual meeting with Governors to discuss efforts to protect access to reproductive health care. https://t.co/Wa57FBiAkR
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 1, 2022
In a total cringe moment, Biden had to confirm he was the one to "open it up" when it came to starting the event.
The president then engaged in a fear mongering rant about the so-called "tragic reversal of Roe v. Wade," which he sees as "a terrible extreme decision, in my view, upending lives impacting on the health and safety of millions of women." He also ineloquently claimed, "I share the public outrage that this extremist Court has committed to moving America backwards, with fewer rights, less autonomy, and politicians invading the most personal decisions that not only women, but you'll find if they expand, expand on this decision, uh, men as well."
Biden reminded the nation that he has announced action to protect a woman's "bedrock right" to get an abortion in a state where it is legal if it is not legal in her home state. "If extremists governors try to block a woman from traveling from her state that prohibits her from seeking medical help she needs, to a state that provides that care, the government will act to protect her bedrock right through the attorney general's office," the president shared. He also further promoted the particularly dangerous chemical abortion method.
Biden then claimed that pro-life states are taking "unlawful actions" when it comes to abortion that they'll respond to. He did also specifically, once again, call for legislation, which the White House says will "codify Roe into law," but that legislation in question, the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), will actually expand it and invalidate all pro-life laws that have been passed at the state level.
While the president again called for getting rid of the filibuster to pass the WHPA, a position he announced yesterday, he conceded they don't have the votes. Spencer highlighted on Friday how Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) remain steadfast in their opposition to nuking the filibuster. Biden then stumbled through his remarks as he called for electing more pro-abortion lawmakers who would pass such legislation.
Biden further warned that the Dobbs decision could affect the right to contraception or same-sex marriage, citing a concurrence opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas. That was merely a concurrence, though, and, as Guy highlighted at great length, Justice Samuel Alito, in his opinion for the Court, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh in his own concurrence, stressed that this decision only applies to abortion.
The governors in attendance included Kate Brown (OR), Roy Cooper (NC), Kathy Hochul (NY), Jay Inslee (WA), Ned Lamont (CT), Dan McKee (RI), Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), Jared Polis (CO), J.B. Pritzker (IL). The conversation was moderated by Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council.
Biden also interjected as governors spoke throughout and, at one point, doubled down on the claim that women will be arrested for trying to cross state lines to get an abortion.
Joe Biden says that red states are going to start arresting women who cross state lines to have an abortion: "It's gonna happen and it's gonna telegraph to the whole country that this is a gigantic deal." pic.twitter.com/08GZAGsc18
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 1, 2022
"I think people are gonna be shocked," Biden claimed, "when the first state, when the first state that tries to arrest a woman for crossing state lines to get health services, and uh, I don't think people believe that's gonna happen, but it's gonna happen and it's gonna – it's gonna telegraph to the whole country that this is a gigantic deal that goes beyond, I mean it affects all your basic rights."
Such was a particularly egregious example of fear mongering, as no state has passed or is considering a law that will criminalize women. Further, the pro-life movement has doubled down on how it is not pro-life to criminalize the woman.
A readout from the White House summarized the event as follows:
Today, President Biden convened nine Democratic Governors from across the country to discuss efforts to defend reproductive rights. These Governors collectively represent tens of millions of women. They are each taking action to protect access to abortion care, including by: announcing funding for reproductive health care services; educating the public; supporting the codification of the right to access an abortion into state law and state constitutions; issuing executive actions to defend patients, including out-of-state patients, providers, and third parties; and even taking action together to support abortion access. These steps by Democratic Governors are critical as states enact and enforce laws to ban abortion and criminalize their citizens in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
In the meeting, the President highlighted the impact the decision will continue to have on the health and safety of millions of women. He reiterated his Administration’s commitment to defend women’s freedom to travel for lawful abortion care, as well as access to critical, FDA-approved medications for reproductive health care, including medication abortion and contraception. The President made clear that the filibuster should not stand in the way of restoring Roe into federal law. And he warned of Congressional Republican efforts to pass a nationwide ban on abortion.
The RNC took notice, criticizing Biden for prioritizing extreme pro-abortion positions at this time. "Americans can't afford to travel or host family and friends this July 4th weekend because of Joe Biden's reckless agenda. But instead of taking responsibility and addressing voters' real concerns, Biden is pushing his extremist abortion agenda. Biden is destroying the American dream for all Americans – both those born and unborn," said Andrew Brennan, RNC Director of Faith Communications.
As our friends at Twitchy highlighted, people particularly took notice of the president's awkward opening and his hysterical claims that women will be arrested for crossing state lines to obtain an abortion.