Reporter Hits Jean-Pierre From the Left: Why Hasn’t Biden Talked More About Abortion?

Amid White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s worst press briefing yet as she faced questions Wednesday about the baby formula shortage, the economy, inflation, and presidential leadership, Bloomberg’s Justin Sink came from the left on abortion by twice wanting to know why Biden hasn’t made abortion more of a focus in his administration following the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion striking down Roe V. Wade.

Sink started by noting that the leak occurred a month back and Biden followed up “talked about how that really reframed the debate and the stakes for the midterm elections, but since then, the President hasn’t publicly met with any abortion rights groups, he hasn’t spoken about it in weeks, given a speech on it.”

Sink added that while Vice President Harris has mentioned abortion and that it’s come up at briefings, “there’s been no sort of presidential action on it.”

After all that, he asked his question about when it’ll happen:

So I’m wondering, does that signal that the President’s understanding of the politics of this issue have changed in any way? Is there a President-related event that will take place before or during the summer of Americas? It just seems like it has fallen off of his agenda.

Jean-Pierre replied that she didn’t “have anything to preview on his schedule, but the President is clear on this….that a woman has the right to make their own decisions when it comes to their own healthcare and their own health and their own reproductive rights.”

In other words, it’s that Biden supports abortion on-demand, up to the moment of birth.

“Our teams here are in constant communication and having regular meetings with groups out there who are focused on making sure that that continues,” Jean-Pierre continued.

Sink retorted quickly, bringing another plea from the right. “hasn’t…laid the stakes out as this should be something in front of voters’ minds.”

Jean-Pierre did not have much to say other than to point out that “it was a draft”This was published and both he as administration officials were heard speaking out the following week. “[s]o it’s not like we didn’t take this seriously and we don’t continue to take this seriously.”

“So this is an important issue for the President. That is what we know. For the American people, we are aware of that. I just don’t have anything to share with you on his schedule,” she concluded.

To see the relevant transcript form June 1’s briefing, click “expand.”

White House Press Briefing
June 1, 2022
Eastern at 4:47 pm

JUSTIN SINK: A month ago the Supreme Court decision, or draft decision on abortion rights was leaked. Many people, including President Obama, spoke about the way that this reframed and heightened the stakes in the election. But since then, the President hasn’t publicly met with any abortion rights groups, he hasn’t spoken about it in weeks, given a speech on it. I know that you and the Vice President have kind of occasionally mentioned it from the podium, but there’s been no sort of Presidential action on it. So I’m wondering, does that signal that the President’s understanding of the politics of this issue have changed in any way? Is there a President-related event that will take place before or during the summer of Americas? It just seems like it has fallen off of his agenda.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I mean, I don’t have anything to preview on his schedule, but the President is clear on this. He holds that every woman should be able to choose their own healthcare. I mean, that’s something that he has said. He believes that. We are all in constant contact and regularly meet with other groups who want to ensure that women have the right to make their own decisions. But I don’t have anything to lay out.

SINK: Do you know why the President just hasn’t made this… I mean, he kind of laid the stakes out as this should be something in front of voters’ minds.

JEAN-PIERRE It was a SCOTUS document. It was discussed with us. It was something we were quite forceful in. A statement was made by the President. You’ve heard from the vice President, you’ve heard from other members of our team. So it’s not like we didn’t take this seriously and we don’t continue to take this seriously. This is an important matter for President. That is what we know. For the American people, we are aware of that. I just don’t have anything to share with you on his schedule.