White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reminded us during Monday’s press conference that the Biden administration has little to offer on the abortion issue beyond repeating its arguments.
It was the first briefing since two different district court judges issued separate, conflicting opinions about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone as part of an abortion method in 2000. Of particular note is Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision finding that The FDA violated federal standards when approving mifepristone. Also on Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the ruling.
Jean-Pierre approached the issue even before asking questions, further underscoring the administration’s focus. “If the decision is upheld, it will put women’s health at risk and undermine the FDA’s ability to ensure patients have access to safe and effective medicines when they need them most,” Jean-Pierre said. Although she assured that mifepristone could be used for other purposes, she still encouraged him to have an abortion.
The press secretary stated that “the decision further deprives Americans of basic freedoms and interferes with a woman’s ability to make decisions about her own body”, adding that “it is another step towards the ultimate goal that we have heard repeatedly from opponents – elected officials to, at both the state and state and national levels: Eliminate access to abortion for all women in every state.
Jean-Pierre also addressed the suspension requested by the Justice Department and offered that the Biden administration will “stand with the FDA” and “is prepared… to protect reproductive rights to ensure that women can make their own decisions about their own bodies without government interference.” .
In response to reporters’ questions on the matter, a persistent question arose as to whether the administration intended to comply with a binding decision or simply ignore it, as urged by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), whose name and surname the reporter mentioned with question.
She responded that the administration would comply with the binding decision, Jean-Pierre also emphasized how they “understand the frustration” and that their “preparation for a legal – long legal fight here” means their “commitment to women there” and their “commitment to for Americans across the country.”
KJP breaks with progressives like @AOC who are urging the Biden administration to ignore a federal judge’s ruling in Texas. pic.twitter.com/Pj2HlbcExp
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 10, 2023
Jean-Pierre also added a bit of premature confidence to the mix. Asked earlier in the press conference, “How do you plan to respond to the abortion ruling” beyond the suspension, Jean-Pierre mentioned the U.S. Supreme Court and said “we’re pretty confident we’re going to win.”
This ignored the fact that the Court, which Democrats have constantly complained about, has a 6-3 majority in favor of the conservatives, which could weaken Jean-Pierre’s confidence.
By the end of the press conference, Jean-Pierre was answering so many questions on the matter that she even made a slip of the tongue when she described the issue as a decision that men should make together with their doctor before it gets better.
KJP: “Reproductive rights… is a medical decision that should be made between a man – a woman, sorry, and her doctor.” pic.twitter.com/NxUALqtk44
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 10, 2023
What was not a miss, however, was the way Jean-Pierre used the trite statement that “reproductive rights are a fundamental freedom” and to reconsider last year’s midterm elections, in which Democrats performed better than expected, although Republicans still won control of the House. “The vast majority of Americans agree with us. We saw the results of the mid-term elections,” Jean-Pierre said. However, as Madeline pointed out earlier, polls show that Americans believe the pill has not been tested thoroughly enough.
Jean-Pierre also recalled how the Biden administration ties this to the bigger picture of continuing to promote abortion. Warning how state lawmakers have considered pro-life bills, the press secretary noted that “we are coordinating with state leaders who are fighting to protect reproductive rights,” promising that “we will continue to do so” as we move through this fight.”
Despite all her promotion of this method of abortion, Jean-Pierre stuck to the administration’s unilateral position. In fact, this method is more hazardous than Surgical abortion and what it brings numerous side effectsincluding incomplete abortion. The FDA also appears to have a pattern of unsafe behavior because it has not properly looked at studies showing adverse effects of this method.
In November 2021, the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) published a peer-reviewed journal that showed that from 2002 to 2015, emergency room visits increased by 507% when using this method, and 60% of visits were incorrectly attributed to miscarriages.
The chemical abortion pill has become the most common abortion method, resulting in an actual escalate in the number of abortions, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute.
The theme of being able to provide very little, if any, information to the press was also evident in her responses about President Joe Biden asking questions of the press and the fact that there is still no update available on when he will have East Palestine in the state Ohio after the February train derailment.
REPORTER: “Is the administration trying to shield the president from our questions?”
KJP: “Absolutely not.”
REPORTER: “So why the lack of any interaction in the formal atmosphere of a press conference?”
KJP: “The president answers shouted questions.” pic.twitter.com/WlqgNWL6ZE
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 10, 2023
REPORTER: “President Biden has said he will travel to East Palestine, Ohio at some point…”
KJP: “The president said it. He keeps his word. I don’t have any trip to plan…” pic.twitter.com/pAd41QsrQR
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 10, 2023
