President Joe Biden has initiated a focused effort on reproductive freedom, employing executive actions, a campaign ad, and a campaign rally with Vice President Kamala Harris. This coordinated strategy is designed to emphasize the administration’s commitment to protecting abortion and contraception rights while framing the 2024 election as a choice between Democrats supporting reproductive freedom and Republicans advocating for more restrictions.
Coordinated Messaging
The campaign includes a campaign ad featuring a Texas OB-GYN compelled to travel out of state for a necessary but nonviable pregnancy termination. Additionally, the White House announced executive actions aimed at improving abortion and contraception access. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to kick off a “reproductive freedoms tour,” featuring over a dozen stops to highlight stories of individuals affected by abortion restrictions. Biden and Harris will also appear together for their first joint reelection campaign event, focusing on the stakes of the election for reproductive rights.
Election-Year Strategy
Biden’s strategy aligns with a broader election-year approach, positioning Democrats as champions of reproductive freedom against Republicans advocating for further restrictions. The campaign seeks to capitalize on the success of this narrative in the 2022 midterms and previous swing-state victories. Biden aims to underscore the administration’s commitment to reproductive rights as a central theme in his bid for re-election.
Surrogate Support
Prominent Democrats, including Biden campaign co-chair and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, are actively promoting the reproductive freedom message. Whitmer emphasized the potential jeopardy to state protections enacted since Roe v. Wade if a Republican, such as former President Donald Trump, were to win in 2024. She warned against a candidate who might “rip these rights away” and expressed the need to protect women’s rights.
GOP Position
Republicans, with Trump as the likely nominee, remain divided on how to capitalize on the fall of Roe. Trump, supported by anti-abortion groups, has claimed credit for appointing justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. The GOP’s stance varies, with some advocating for state-level decisions, others avoiding the issue, and some pushing for aggressive nationwide action to limit abortion access.
Executive Actions
The Biden administration’s executive actions include launching a program to educate patients and doctors about their rights under EMTALA, addressing complaints related to denied abortions during emergencies. Additional actions will strengthen privacy protections under HIPAA for pregnant individuals terminating pregnancies. The administration plans further initiatives, indicating a commitment to reproductive freedom.
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