White House press secretary Jen Psaki once again faced a grilling from Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy on Wednesday, this time over a comment President Joe Biden made to the press regarding the recent leak of a Supreme Court opinion draft that indicates SCOTUS will likely overturn the controversial Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.
“I mean, the idea that we’re going to make a judgment that is going to say that no one can make the judgment to choose to abort a child, based on a decision by the Supreme Court, I think goes way overboard,” President Biden told journalists on Tuesday.
As Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) pointed out, “Intentionally or not, at least Biden is no longer using euphemisms.”
"Can choose to abort a child"
Intentionally or not, at least Biden is no longer using euphemisms. pic.twitter.com/si4UwewhO3
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) May 4, 2022
Doocy caught the slip, too, and wanted some clarification.
“Why is the president talking about ‘the judgment to choose to abort a child’?” he asked Psaki.
“Well, the president’s view on a woman’s right to make choices about her own healthcare is well known, well documented, well stated,” Psaki replied.
“He said, ‘abort a child,'” Doocy stated.
“I understand, Peter,” Psaki shot back, “but what I’m telling you is what his position is.”
Doocy wasn’t ready to drop the subject.
“And how can you guys say this is not a political issue when the president’s statement about this talks about getting pro-choice officials elected?” he asked.
Looking shocked, Psaki replied, “Did I say it’s not a political issue?”
Doocy, ever prepared, had her exact quote on hand.
“Yes,” he responded. “You actually said, ‘Some call it a political issue. It is not.'”
Cue the tap dancing.
“Well,” said Psaki, “because the vast majority of the public believes that this should not… be overturned, meaning, I meant to say it’s not a partisan issue. And I don’t think it is.”
As a self-described “devout Catholic,” Biden’s acknowledgment that a fetus is, in fact, a child and not just a clump of cells has sparked disgust among conservatives who see his hypocritical stance as grounds for excommunication.
‘Devout Catholic’ Biden admits the issue at stake is the ability to ‘abort a child’ https://t.co/pdDoIIEnwr
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) May 4, 2022
“Biden yet again proves that he is not Catholic,” one user tweeted in response to the president’s statement. “Every Catholic Bishop that does not come out publicly and call for his formal excommunication is himself endangering his own soul. Excommunicate Biden, now.”
Archbishop Sample, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., took the question of faith straight to Biden.
“In his verbal comments in response to the SCOTUS leak, President Biden makes reference to a person’s choice to ‘abort a child,'” the Archbishop tweeted. “He said it. It’s a child. So, Mr. President, please remind us again how your support for abortion is consistent with your Catholic Faith?”
Another Twitter user called on the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, DC, to step in: “The Washington episcopate @WashArchdiocese needs to seriously discuss President Biden’s excommunication.”
https://twitter.com/CathoZealo/status/1521643585359290368?s=20&t=iOuCrO-LscqFf0Of9IhR5g
In his verbal comments in response to the SCOTUS leak, President Biden makes reference to a person’s choice to “abort a child”. He said it. It’s a child. So, Mr. President, please remind us again how your support for abortion is consistent with your Catholic Faith?
— Archbishop Sample (@ArchbishpSample) May 4, 2022
The Washington episcopate @WashArchdiocese needs to seriously discuss President Biden’s excommunication.
— Ricardo 🇻🇦 (@karlos_ricardo) May 3, 2022
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