Joe Biden delivers a keynote address at the Brookings Institution on May 8, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Biden's "Out of Touch" Position on Anti-Choice Hyde Amendment Draws Fire From Progressives
"I'd like to put it out there that this guy ain't it."
Former vice president Joe Biden's campaign for president confirmed Wednesday that the Delaware Democrat still supports the controversial, anti-choice Hyde Amendment, a revelation that generated intense criticism from rights groups.
Biden's support of the policy, 43 years after it was first signed into law, is a sign that the former vice president is out of step with his party.
"This puts him at odds with his own party's platform at this point," New York Magazine writer Rebecca Traister tweeted, adding that Biden's position puts him "also at odds with a morally coherent position."
The Hyde Amendment, which was passed in 1976, restricts the use of federal funding for abortions. It's been cited as a major setback for abortion rights and one of the main reasons that marginalized people find it difficult to access reproductive health services.
Biden's campaign, in an article on how the current primary frontrunner has changed his views on abortion, told NBC reporter Heidi Przybyla that barring an overturning of choice nationwide, the former vice president still supports Hyde.
Yet his presidential campaign confirmed to NBC News that Biden still supports the Hyde Amendment, a four-decade-old ban on using federal funds for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the woman.
Biden's continued support for Hyde not only sets him apart from the rest of his 2020 Democratic competitors, but it may surprise progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, which promoted a recent tweet by one of its activists appearing to get Biden to commit to ending Hyde during a rope-line exchange in South Carolina. Biden's campaign told NBC he would be open to repealing Hyde if abortion avenues currently protected under Roe were threatened.
The news came as a surprise to rights groups, not least the ACLU, which had celebrated Biden apparently promising to repeal the Hyde Amendment in April during a campaign event.
Biden's campaign told The Hill the former vice president "misheard" the question.
The Biden campaign told The Hill that Biden misheard the ACLU volunteer and thought she was referring to the Mexico City rule, which prevents federal aid money from going to organizations overseas that perform abortions.
In a series of tweets, ReWire News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson said that Biden's position showed a lack of understanding of what Hyde did under the best of circumstances--and a total misread of the current political moment.
"Even WITH Roe intact, even IF there were not myriad obstacles to abortion care despite Roe being intact, Hyde STILL HARMS people of color and low income people who can't access abortion care," said Jacobson.
"This response is even further out of touch than it seems at first glance," Jacobson added.
"I'd like to put it out there that this guy ain't it," Vogue editor Michelle Ruiz tweeted.
NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue, in a blistering statement, rejected Biden's position as discriminatory and against the principles of his party.
"There's no political or ideological excuse for Joe Biden's support for the Hyde Amendment, which translates into discrimination against poor women and women of color plain and simple," said Hogue. "His position further endangers women and families already facing enormous hurdles and creates two classes of rights for people in this country, which is inherently undemocratic."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Former vice president Joe Biden's campaign for president confirmed Wednesday that the Delaware Democrat still supports the controversial, anti-choice Hyde Amendment, a revelation that generated intense criticism from rights groups.
Biden's support of the policy, 43 years after it was first signed into law, is a sign that the former vice president is out of step with his party.
"This puts him at odds with his own party's platform at this point," New York Magazine writer Rebecca Traister tweeted, adding that Biden's position puts him "also at odds with a morally coherent position."
The Hyde Amendment, which was passed in 1976, restricts the use of federal funding for abortions. It's been cited as a major setback for abortion rights and one of the main reasons that marginalized people find it difficult to access reproductive health services.
Biden's campaign, in an article on how the current primary frontrunner has changed his views on abortion, told NBC reporter Heidi Przybyla that barring an overturning of choice nationwide, the former vice president still supports Hyde.
Yet his presidential campaign confirmed to NBC News that Biden still supports the Hyde Amendment, a four-decade-old ban on using federal funds for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the woman.
Biden's continued support for Hyde not only sets him apart from the rest of his 2020 Democratic competitors, but it may surprise progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, which promoted a recent tweet by one of its activists appearing to get Biden to commit to ending Hyde during a rope-line exchange in South Carolina. Biden's campaign told NBC he would be open to repealing Hyde if abortion avenues currently protected under Roe were threatened.
The news came as a surprise to rights groups, not least the ACLU, which had celebrated Biden apparently promising to repeal the Hyde Amendment in April during a campaign event.
Biden's campaign told The Hill the former vice president "misheard" the question.
The Biden campaign told The Hill that Biden misheard the ACLU volunteer and thought she was referring to the Mexico City rule, which prevents federal aid money from going to organizations overseas that perform abortions.
In a series of tweets, ReWire News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson said that Biden's position showed a lack of understanding of what Hyde did under the best of circumstances--and a total misread of the current political moment.
"Even WITH Roe intact, even IF there were not myriad obstacles to abortion care despite Roe being intact, Hyde STILL HARMS people of color and low income people who can't access abortion care," said Jacobson.
"This response is even further out of touch than it seems at first glance," Jacobson added.
"I'd like to put it out there that this guy ain't it," Vogue editor Michelle Ruiz tweeted.
NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue, in a blistering statement, rejected Biden's position as discriminatory and against the principles of his party.
"There's no political or ideological excuse for Joe Biden's support for the Hyde Amendment, which translates into discrimination against poor women and women of color plain and simple," said Hogue. "His position further endangers women and families already facing enormous hurdles and creates two classes of rights for people in this country, which is inherently undemocratic."
Former vice president Joe Biden's campaign for president confirmed Wednesday that the Delaware Democrat still supports the controversial, anti-choice Hyde Amendment, a revelation that generated intense criticism from rights groups.
Biden's support of the policy, 43 years after it was first signed into law, is a sign that the former vice president is out of step with his party.
"This puts him at odds with his own party's platform at this point," New York Magazine writer Rebecca Traister tweeted, adding that Biden's position puts him "also at odds with a morally coherent position."
The Hyde Amendment, which was passed in 1976, restricts the use of federal funding for abortions. It's been cited as a major setback for abortion rights and one of the main reasons that marginalized people find it difficult to access reproductive health services.
Biden's campaign, in an article on how the current primary frontrunner has changed his views on abortion, told NBC reporter Heidi Przybyla that barring an overturning of choice nationwide, the former vice president still supports Hyde.
Yet his presidential campaign confirmed to NBC News that Biden still supports the Hyde Amendment, a four-decade-old ban on using federal funds for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the woman.
Biden's continued support for Hyde not only sets him apart from the rest of his 2020 Democratic competitors, but it may surprise progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, which promoted a recent tweet by one of its activists appearing to get Biden to commit to ending Hyde during a rope-line exchange in South Carolina. Biden's campaign told NBC he would be open to repealing Hyde if abortion avenues currently protected under Roe were threatened.
The news came as a surprise to rights groups, not least the ACLU, which had celebrated Biden apparently promising to repeal the Hyde Amendment in April during a campaign event.
Biden's campaign told The Hill the former vice president "misheard" the question.
The Biden campaign told The Hill that Biden misheard the ACLU volunteer and thought she was referring to the Mexico City rule, which prevents federal aid money from going to organizations overseas that perform abortions.
In a series of tweets, ReWire News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson said that Biden's position showed a lack of understanding of what Hyde did under the best of circumstances--and a total misread of the current political moment.
"Even WITH Roe intact, even IF there were not myriad obstacles to abortion care despite Roe being intact, Hyde STILL HARMS people of color and low income people who can't access abortion care," said Jacobson.
"This response is even further out of touch than it seems at first glance," Jacobson added.
"I'd like to put it out there that this guy ain't it," Vogue editor Michelle Ruiz tweeted.
NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue, in a blistering statement, rejected Biden's position as discriminatory and against the principles of his party.
"There's no political or ideological excuse for Joe Biden's support for the Hyde Amendment, which translates into discrimination against poor women and women of color plain and simple," said Hogue. "His position further endangers women and families already facing enormous hurdles and creates two classes of rights for people in this country, which is inherently undemocratic."