President Biden on Friday rallied reproductive rights advocates to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, saying that decision dared women to be heard.
“The Dobbs decision, the court practically dared the women of America to be heard. This is what the majority wrote, ‘women are not without electoral or political power.’ You ain’t seen nothing yet, court,” Biden said at the Mayflower Hotel in D.C.
Earlier on Friday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s List all endorsed Biden’s reelection bid. The rally with the Democratic National Committee and the endorsements come a day ahead of the anniversary of the Supreme Court ending the roughly 50-year precedent set by Roe that guaranteed a right to an abortion.
“I said at the time that I didn’t think the court or for that matter the Republican party… had any clue about the power of women in America. I said, they’re about to find out,” Biden said.
He added that in the midterm elections “they did find out.” Democrats experienced better-than-expected midterm results and in every state where abortion right were on the ballot, voters opted to protect them.
Since the ruling, however, over 20 states have passed laws restricting abortion access.
“They’re going to find out again, I really believe it in my heart,” Biden said.
“The court was betting that all of us would remain silent,” he added. “You all showed up and beat the hell out of them.”
The president has repeatedly called on voters to elect more Democrats in 2024 in order to codify Roe and prevent Republicans from having enough votes to pass a national abortion ban. He has vowed he would veto such a ban if it came to his desk.
“What’s really remarkable is, despite the will of the American people, MAGA Republicans have made clear that they don’t intend to stop with the Dobbs decision. No, they won’t, until they get a national ban on abortion,” Biden said on Friday. “We made so much progress, we can’t let it take us backwards.”
An NBC News poll released Thursday found 61 percent of Americans said they disapprove of the Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Roe, up from 58 percent last August.
The president also criticized Republicans for their focus on restricting abortions, arguing that in the U.S. there are other issues to tackle, including that there isn’t guaranteed paid leave.
“There’s so much more to do, and we’re fighting over abortion?” he said.
Earlier on Friday, Biden signed an executive order to increase access to contraception and family planning.
“The idea that I had to do that… think about it. I know I’m 198 years old but, all kidding aside, think about that. I never, ever thought I’d be signing an executive order protecting the right to contraception,” he said.
While the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization dealt with the constitutional right to an abortion, Justice Clarence Thomas in a concurring opinion at the time said the high court should also reconsider whether there is a constitutional right to birth control.
Over the last year, the president has also signed executive orders aimed at safeguarding Americans’ ability to travel for the procedure and to get the abortion pill.
Vice President Harris, meanwhile, has been leading on the issue and has traversed the country to meet with local leaders and advocates.
Harris joined Biden at the rally on Friday, as well as first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.