“I’ll sign it in January”: Biden pledges to codify Roe v Wade if Dems win midterms
There it is. Biden has officially announced that if Democrats gain control of Congress, his first move will be to send a bill codifying Roe v wade into Congress and sign such legislation ahead of the 50 year anniversary of the 1973 Roe v wade decision.
“I believe Congress should codify Roe, once and for all,” said Biden as the crowd cheered.
Biden added: “The first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v wade…and if Congress passes it, I’lll sign it in January”, said Biden.
“Together, we’ll restore the right to choose to every woman, in every state in America”, said Biden, emphasizing that the crowd needed to “vote” to ensure such protections.
Key events
Biden also pledged to veto any federal abortion ban, warning that Republicans have made efforts to push such legislation.
Biden claims Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy would push a national abortion ban if the GOP wins the House:
“If Republicans get their way with a national ban, it won’t matter where you live … If such a bill were to pass in the next several years, *whispers* I’ll veto it.” pic.twitter.com/n3dd1FXsNz
— The Recount (@therecount) October 18, 2022
Biden also touched on gun control, promising that if Democrats kept control of Congress in January, he would sign a ban on assault weapons.
“And by the way if you give me a Democratic congress we’re going to ban assault weapons again”, said Biden.
Biden added: “I did it once, I’ll do it again”, referring to a 10-year ban he negotiated as a senator in 1994.
“I’ll sign it in January”: Biden pledges to codify Roe v Wade if Dems win midterms
There it is. Biden has officially announced that if Democrats gain control of Congress, his first move will be to send a bill codifying Roe v wade into Congress and sign such legislation ahead of the 50 year anniversary of the 1973 Roe v wade decision.
“I believe Congress should codify Roe, once and for all,” said Biden as the crowd cheered.
Biden added: “The first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v wade…and if Congress passes it, I’lll sign it in January”, said Biden.
“Together, we’ll restore the right to choose to every woman, in every state in America”, said Biden, emphasizing that the crowd needed to “vote” to ensure such protections.
Biden is currently speaking at a DNC event at Howard Theatre.
So far, Biden has mentioned that 16 states have passed bans on abortions since the overturning of Roe v Wade in June.
Biden also warned about the decision having consequences on other issues, calling out justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion that same-sex marriage, contraception, and other issues should be re-examined.
The DNC event has started, with abortion rights remaining in the spotlight.
From journalist Kellie Meyer:
Biden’s backdrop at the DC event today. Keeping abortion in the spotlight ahead of the midterms.
The issue energized the base, esp. women voters, after SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade in June. New polling showing that energy faded in the fall.
We discuss tonight on @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/VsdAtF7fKr
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) October 18, 2022
We’re currently waiting on Biden to begin his speech about midterm elections at the Howard Theatre in Washington DC, scheduled for 12:15 pm eastern time.
Stay tuned!
Biden promises to codify Roe v Wade as first piece of post-midterm legislation
Joe Biden will announce today that the first bill he will send to Capitol Hill will be one that codifies federal abortion protections, if Democrats can secure enough seats in Congress, reported Reuters.
This announcement is the first time Biden has prioritized abortion rights, with the November midterm elections less than a month away.
Republicans are projected to win during the November election, likely taking control of at least the House. Abortion has remained a salient issue, one that could help Democrats win more support.
Biden will expand more on the promise today during planned remarks at a Democratic National Convention (DNC) event.
In case you missed it: former president Barack Obama chimed in on Democrats’ messaging ahead of midterms. More from the Guardian’s Sam Levine:
Barack Obama acknowledged Democrats can be “a buzzkill” with their abstract campaign messaging and could better connect with voters by emphasizing what constituents feel in their day to day lives.
During an interview on Pod Save America, released Friday, Obama acknowledged that he “used to get into trouble” when he appeared too professorial, including by standing behind a lectern and talking about policy in theoretical ways that didn’t directly connect with voters.
“That’s not how people think about these issues,” Obama said, less than a month before his party tries to hang on to control of both congressional chambers during the 8 November midterms. “They think about them in terms of, you know, the life I’m leading day to day. How does politics … how is it even relevant to the things that I care most deeply about?
“My family, my kids, work that gives me satisfaction, having fun, not being a buzzkill, right?”
Read the full article here.
Challenging Scalise is Democrat Katie Darling, a business executive.
Darling has centered her campaign around climate change concerns, the state’s abortion ban, and Louisiana’s underperforming schools, reports the Washington Post.
Here’s a now-viral campaign video from Darling, which depicts a fictionalized scenario of her giving birth.
Louisiana ranks 50th in crime, 48th in education, and 46th in health care. I’m running for Congress to stop this race to the bottom because our children deserve better. pic.twitter.com/OfFQHuPTzU
— Katie Darling for Louisiana (@katie4louisiana) October 3, 2022
Read the full article on the video here.
Louisiana representative Steve Scalise is under fire for new video footage from January 6, showing the second ranking Republican standing next to House speaker Nancy Pelosi as she called for military assistance.
From the New Orleans Advocate:
Last Thursday, a House investigatory panel released a video showing that on the day of the riot, Scalise was standing an arm’s length away from Pelosi listening to her demand for the National Guard. Critics have denounced Scalise for attacking Pelosi for not calling for help even though he can be seen on the videotape near her while she did.
Scalise had questioned if Democratic leadership failed to quickly get help during the Capitol riots, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building.
Scalise chanted “hear, hear” during a June news conference when Republican members asked about Democrats’ actions, reported the Advocate.
Read the full article here.
As for Lee, Utah senator Mitt Romney still hasn’t endorsed him, highlighting a potent divide in the Utah GOP between Trump loyalists and his critics.
Mitt Romney still hasn’t endorsed his fellow Republican senator from Utah, Mike Lee, in his re-election bid.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 18, 2022
Trump was also a key discussion topic in Utah’s senate debate.
Independent candidate Evan McMullin accused Republican Mike Lee, the senate incumbent, of being loyal to Trump.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, right, and his independent challenger Evan McMullin pose for photographs before their televised debate, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Orem, Utah, three weeks before Election Day. Photograph: Rick Bowmer/AP
“I’m not going to Washington, if we prevail, to be a bootlicker for Donald Trump or Joe Biden. And that’s a commitment I’ve made to putting Utah first”, said McMullin of Lee.
Meanwhile, Lee argued that Democrats were McMullin’s “adopted party”, reported Politico.
Lee added: “Parties are an important proxy. They’re an important proxy for ideas. You’re asking the people to put faith, blind trust in you…That’s not how we lead to a good policy outcome.”
Trump and Pelosi were also a contention point in last night’s Ohio debate.
Ryan pressed Vance on his association with Trump, calling Vance out for criticizing Trump at times but asking for the former president’s support on other occasions.
“You have to have the courage to take on your leaders. These leaders in DC will eat you up like a chew toy,” said Ryan, reported CNN.
“You were calling Trump America’s Hitler, then you kiss his ass, and then you kissed his ass, and he endorsed you and you said he is the greatest president of all time.”
Trump also made a comment at a recent rally, saying Vance was “kissing my ass” to get Trump to campaign for him.
In response, Vance said: “Donald Trump told a joke…and Tim Ryan has decided to run his entire campaign on it.”
Last night, Ryan and Vance had a highly personal and heated final debate, with the two attempting to persuade voters as midterms loom.
In one moment, Ryan accused Vance of “running around” people that support the ‘great replacement theory’, the belief that white people are being replaced by immigrants and other ethnic minorities, reported CNN.
“There is no big grand conspiracy – this is a country who has been enriched by immigrants,” said Ryan.
Vance was angry at Ryan’s remarks, noting that his wife Usha is the “daughter of South Asian immigrants.”
Vance also blamed Ryan’s accusations on his biracial children “get attacked by scumbags online and in person because you are so desperate for political power, that you will accuse me, the father of three beautiful biracial babies, of engaging in racism. We are sick of it.”
MODERATOR: “What is your opinion of the “Great Replacement Theory?'”
Tim Ryan accuses J.D. Vance of believing in the ideas that inspired the Buffalo shooting. pic.twitter.com/zRHe2OeCVT
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 17, 2022
Heated debates as US midterms approach
Good morning. Candidates vying for various positions had tense debates on Monday, with midterm elections less than a month away.
In Ohio, Democratic representative Tim Ryan and Republican candidate JD Vance had their last debate as US Senate candidates, reported Axios. The heated debate touched on a number of topics, including accusations of racism that Ryan accused Vance of. In response, Vance called Ryan “desperate” and “disgraceful”, blaming the Democrat for abuse facing his biracial children.
Down south, candidates in Georgia’s gubernatorial race also had a debate, Axios further reported. Democrat Stacey Abrams and incumbent Brian Kemp clashed about gun policy, as Abrams blamed Kemp’s lax approach to gun control on increased violence in the Peach state.
