Press Release
☷Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure
White House ( By Press Release office)
May 03,2022
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Joint Base AndrewsPrince George’s County , Maryland11:24 A . M . EDTQ What do you think of the ruling — or the draft that leaked , sir THE PRESIDENT: Well , first of all , I just got a call saying that it’s been announced that it is a real draft , but it doesn’t represent who’s going to vote for it yet . I hope there are not enough votes for it . It’s the main reason why I worked so hard to keep Robert Bork off the Court . It reflects his view almost — almost word — anyway . Look , the idea that — it concerns me a great deal that we’re going to , after 50 years , decide a woman does not have a right to choose within the limits of the Supreme Court decision in Casey , number one . But even more equally as profound is the rationale used . And it would mean that every other decision relating to the notion of privacy is thrown into question . I realize this goes back a long way , but one of the debates I had with Robert Bork was whether — whether Griswold vs . Connecticut should stand as law . The state of Connecticut said that the privacy of your bedroom — you — a husband and wife or a couple could not choose to use contraception; the use of contraception was a violation of the law . If the rationale of the decision as released were to be sustained , a whole range of rights are in question — a whole range of rights . And the idea we’re letting the states make those decisions , localities make those decisions would be a fundamental shift in what we’ve done . So , it goes far beyond — in my view , if it becomes a law and if what is written is what remains , it goes far beyond the concern of whether or not there is the right to choose . It goes to other basic rights: the right to marry , the right to determine a whole range of things . Because one of the issues that this Court — many of the members of the Court — a number of the members of the Court have not acknowledged is that there is a right to privacy in our Constitution . I strongly believe there is . I think the decision in Griswold was correct overruling; I think the decision in Roe was correct , because there’s a right to privacy . There can be limitations on it , but it cannot be denied . Q Do you think this leak has irreparably changed the Court THE PRESIDENT: Beg your pardon Q Do you think that this leak has irreparably changed the Court We’ve never seen this happen before . THE PRESIDENT: You know , if — if this decision holds , it’s really quite a radical decision . And , again , the underlying premise — and , again , I’ve not had a chance to thoroughly go into the report — the decision . But it basically says all the decisions related to your private life — who you marry , whether or not you decide to conceive a child or not , whether or not you can have an abortion , a range of other decisions — whether or not — how you raise your child —What does this do — and does this mean that in Florida they can decide they’re going to pass a law saying that same - sex marriage is not permissible , that it’s against the law in Florida And so , there’s a whole — it’s a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence if it were to hold . Q Mr . President , should the Senate do away with the filibuster to codify Roe THE PRESIDENT: I’m not — I’m not prepared to make those judgments now about — but , you know , I think the codification of Roe makes a lot of sense . Look , think what Roe says . Roe says what all basic mainstream religions have historically concluded — that the right — that the existence of a human life and being is a question . Is it at the moment of conception Is it six months Is it six weeks Is it — 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 choose to abort a child based on a decision by the Supreme Court , I think , goes way overboard . Q What does this mean for the midterms What does this mean for the Democrats’ argument in the midterms THE PRESIDENT: I haven’t thought that through yet . Q Do changes need to be made to the Court in light of this , if this decision holds THE PRESIDENT: I beg your pardon Q Do changes need to be made to the Court in light of this , if this decision holds THE PRESIDENT: We have to choose — I mean , look , one of the reasons why I voted against a number of the members of the Court: They refuse to acknowledge that there’s a 9th Amendment . They refuse to acknowledge there’s a right to privacy . I mean , there are so many fundamental rights that are affected by that . And I’m not allo - — I’m not prepared to leave that to the whims and the — and the — of the public at the moment in local areas . Thank you so much . 11:29 A . M . EDT
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