Jake Tapper Corrects His Own Falsehood About Biden and Abortion Live During Town Hall — But Blows It With Kamala Harris
CNN anchor Jake Tapper corrected his own falsehood about President Joe Biden’s position on abortion after he told his audience “I think Biden and Harris have been pretty clear that they don’t support any restrictions” — but only partially.
At a CNN Town Hall Sunday night with former SC Governor and current GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Tapper tried to get Haley to say whether she would support a six-week abortion ban, and during that exchange he repeatedly misstated the position Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have publicly taken on abortion.
Although he pushed back on Haley’s characterization, Tapper twice stated the president and VP support no restrictions on abortion:
TAPPER: …if a six-week ban theoretically came to your desk, would you sign it?
HALEY: But why — why — I will answer that when you answer — when you ask Kamala and Biden if they would agree to 37 weeks, 38 weeks, 39 weeks. Then I’ll answer your question.
No one asked them that. No one asked them how late they’re willing to go. What I’m saying is why go and put the American people through that? Why do that? Why not talk about what’s the truth?
And the truth is where can we get 60 votes? I just gave you the consensus about where I think we can come together.
TAPPER: I think Biden and Harris have been pretty clear that they don’t support any restrictions. I mean, that’s — that’s their…
HALEY: They said abortion up until the time of birth, right?
TAPPER: I don’t think that’s the language they used, but, yes, I mean, they — theoretically, they don’t support restrictions. They say it should be up to a woman, her doctor and her God. That’s — that’s what they say.
About an hour later, Tapper interrupted to correct his earlier statement — but only where President Biden is concerned:
TAPPER: I’m a big believer in people in the media correcting themselves when they err, and I erred earlier. I had described the Biden-Harris position as basically no restrictions and that might be the Harris position, but actually Joe Biden, President Biden, last fall was asked would he support any restrictions. His answer was — that he did, and his basic position, President Biden’s, is to codify Roe v. Wade which would mean abortion legal until, what, first 20 — I think it’s 20 weeks of pregnancy. So I was wrong about that and he was asked just to make that note, but I’ll let you respond.
HALEY: Well, I was saying, have you asked about 35, 36, 37 weeks? Because everybody loves to ask us about six, eight, and 10 weeks, or 12 weeks. And so I was just saying, you need to ask Biden and Harris those same things.
TAPPER: Well, when I get Biden, I’ll ask him.
As Tapper mentioned, and as even Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich flagged at a briefing, Biden has been clear that he supports codifying the standard of “viability” that Roe v. Wade imposed, generally understood to be around 22 to 24 weeks, but which can also vary depending upon how the time of pregnancy is calculated.
But Vice President Harris has also taken the same position repeatedly, in public, including — but not limited to — in a joint statement on the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in interviews on Meet the Press and with other media outlets, in multiple social media posts, and in many speeches and other events she has done as the point person on the Biden administration’s abortion rights strategy.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
