Staff Reports
President Joe Biden expressed outrage on Tuesday over the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a historic 1864 law restricting abortions in the state. The law permits abortions only in life-threatening situations for the mother and carries a prison sentence for healthcare providers involved in illegal procedures. In a passionate statement, Biden decried the ruling as an assault on women’s rights and criticized the lack of exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or health complications.
Biden, who has long presented himself as a defender of women’s reproductive rights, asserted his commitment to protecting “women’s right to choose.” He lambasted the archaic nature of the 1864 ban, emphasizing the lack of consideration for women’s suffrage and casting the ruling as a consequence of the Republican Party’s extreme agenda.
Biden blasts Arizona Supreme Court abortion ruling#Biden #Arizona #SupremeCourt #Abortion pic.twitter.com/BRXEWNy1SM
— B.C. Begley (@BC_News1) April 10, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris joined in the denouncement, placing blame squarely on former President Donald Trump. She portrayed the Arizona ruling as a regressive step, attributing it to Trump’s dismantling of Roe v. Wade and his influence on enabling severe abortion restrictions across states.
The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision arrives amid efforts by the Arizona for Abortion Access coalition to include abortion rights on the November ballot, garnering significant support. Biden’s reelection campaign intensified its attacks on Trump, leveraging a heart-wrenching ad to underscore the dangers of restrictive abortion policies and projecting Trump as the orchestrator of a potential nationwide abortion ban.
Anticipating a contentious reelection battle against Trump, the Democrats are rallying their base around the abortion issue, banking on its potency in swaying midterm elections. Biden emphasized his unwavering support for reproductive rights and signaled a determination to advocate for legislative measures reinstating the protections of Roe v. Wade nationwide.
