A spokesperson for former Vice President Joe Biden dodged questions about the 2020 candidate’s sudden change in his stance on the Hyde Amendment from CNN’s Brianna Keiler Friday.
The Hyde Amendment, which was passed in 1977, prohibits the use of federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in danger. Biden’s campaign confirmed on Wednesday that he backs the Hyde Amendment, but he flipped his stance a day later after facing significant flak for it.
WATCH:
Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s spokesperson, repeatedly cited the claim that the Hyde Amendment negatively impacts poorer women and minorities more than others. (RELATED: Vast Majority Of Women Affected By Alabama, Georgia Laws Are Black)
Keiler responded:
That has been the argument of people who support abortion rights for quite some time now. … So why, why this change now? Because if you’re trying to convince people that this isn’t about political expediency, which is part of Joe Biden’s hallmark, or as he would hope it would be, then don’t you have to explain substantively how he changes his mind from Wednesday to Thursday on an issue as significant as this?
“I think to suggest that this is somehow out of step or out of sync with the way that he’s viewed the issue is actually not true,” Bedingfield responded.
“But changing from Wednesday to Thursday, explain to us how this happened,” Keiler pushed back. “What was the thing that changed his mind?”
(Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
Bedingfield claimed that Biden changed his mind while considering his health care plan that has yet to be unveiled. (RELATED: Biden Faces Left-Wing Backlash For Sticking By Hyde Amendment)
The CNN host continued to argue the same point, saying, “All of those conditions that you just explained are as they were on Wednesday when NBC News published their story saying that Joe Biden, according to his campaign, was still held this position which he is now against the Hyde Amendment.”
The issue of abortion has resurfaced as a number of states have passed laws further restricting abortions.