The Left is currently melting down over the possibility that the Supreme Court of the United States will overturn Roe v. Wade, but amidst the shrieks and slogans being chanted from the streets of Washington, D.C. by pro-choice advocates came one of the worst defenses of abortion, possibly ever, from none other than President Joe Biden.
Biden, who claims to be a devout Roman Catholic, told reporters on Wednesday that all “basic mainstream religions” have concluded that when life begins is really a question. Therefore, the Supreme Court would be wrong to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“Roe says what all basic mainstream religions have historically concluded, that the existence of a human life and being is a question,” Biden said. “Is it at the moment of conception?; Is it six months?; Is it six weeks?’; Is it ‘quickening’ like Aquinas argued?”
“I mean, so, the idea that we’re going to make a judgment that is going to say that, no one can make the judgment to chose to abort a child based on a decision by the Supreme Court, I think, goes way overboard,” the president added.
His comments can be seen here:
Every defense of abortion is incoherent, but this one somehow manages to stand out https://t.co/x9FMIkgomW
— Best Selling Biologist Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 3, 2022
As The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh argued, “Every defense of abortion is incoherent, but this one somehow manages to stand out.”
Indeed, Biden’s remarks were incoherent. They also flew in the face of his previous statements regarding the beginning of life. In order to avoid delving into various mainstream religions’ answers on when life begins, let’s take a look at what the president’s own faith, Catholicism, has to say about it.
In 2012, as vice president, Biden affirmed the Catholic Church’s teaching that life begins at the moment of conception.
“With regard to abortion, I accept my Church’s position on abortion as a, what we call a de fide doctrine, life begins at conception that’s the church’s judgment, I accept it in my personal life, but I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians, and Muslims, and Jews. And I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the congressman.”
“I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that, women, they can’t control their body. It’s a decision between them and their doctor. In my view of the Supreme Court, I’m not going to interfere with that.”
Biden was correct back in 2012. The Church has taught for centuries that life starts at the moment of conception. That doctrine has not changed since he made those remarks nearly a decade ago.
As for the legal implications of a possible decision to overturn Roe based on the leaked opinion, Biden’s answer is also a headscratcher. Nothing in Justice Samuel Alito’s draft indicated that the court would outlaw abortion entirely in this ruling. It does not say “no one can make a judgment” on whether or not to get an abortion. The decision to legalize abortion or not would simply be sent back down to the states. So, in theory, California could legalize abortion while Florida may choose to outlaw it entirely.
Overturning Roe could potentially pave the way for a future Supreme Court case to grant the baby in the womb full personhood from the moment of conception, but Biden’s framing of the leaked opinion simply is not legally accurate as it currently stands.
For a guy who was caught plagiarizing in law school, and one who claims to have such deep Catholic faith, Biden clearly doesn’t understand the law or his Church’s teaching on the topic of abortion — or worse, he does understand both of those issues and is choosing to ignore them for political gain.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.