Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer suggested that President Biden should talk about abortion more so people know he is a president who is “fighting” for the right to an abortion.
Asked by CBS News “Face the Nation” anchor Margaret Brennan if Biden, who is of Catholic faith, needs to talk about abortion more, Whitmer said, “I think it would be good if he did.”
“I know that one tenet of his belief system is that women and only women at — with their families and — and health care professionals are the ones who know what decision is right for them,” said Whitmer, co-chair for Biden’s reelection campaign. “And that he is fighting and going to continue to fight to make sure that that is squarely the ability … [of] an American woman to make that decision.”
Brennan then asked if Biden needs to be the messenger on that more, to which Whitmer said, “I don’t think it would hurt.”
Whitmer argued people want to know their president “is fighting” and suggested more “blunt language” could be helpful.
The topic of Biden’s discussion, or lack thereof, around abortion was sparked by Whitmer’s earlier comments in the interview where she appeared confident with Biden’s pledge to veto any national abortion ban. Brennan asked Whitmer if she believes this is a “legitimate promise” to voters, as Biden “doesn’t talk about abortion much.”
Biden is the nation’s second Catholic president in history and often attends Saturday evening mass with his family near his home in Wilmington, De., or in Washington, D.C. His faith has come into the spotlight at times when dealing with certain issues central to the Democratic Party but opposed by the Catholic Church, including abortion and transgender issues.
Conservative Catholic bishops have expressed issue with Biden’s support for abortion access, a view that sparked calls for the church not to offer him communion.
Biden has not shied away from pointing out Republican attacks on abortion, has pushed for Congress to codify Roe v. Wade and, as Whitmer referenced, pledged to veto any attempted national abortion ban. As a practicing Catholic, Biden said in June he is not “big on abortion” but believes the Roe v. Wade decision “got it right.”
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe. v. Wade in 2022, abortion access is widely seen by Democrats as a hot-button and key voter issue for 2024. Democrats in 2022 saw better-than-expected results in the midterms in the wake of these concerns.
Whitmer on Sunday said she believes the topic of abortion mobilized a lot of voters and a lot of those who are not traditionally Democrats to give their support to her as a governor, who has been a vocal supporter of the right to an abortion.
The Hill reached out to the White House for comment.