Jill Biden dials up abortion fears in campaign stop for Harris

By 
 October 14, 2024

The White House sent Jill Biden to Arizona this weekend to campaign for Kamala Harris, despite rampant speculation of a rift between the vice president and her boss.

"Doctor Jill" dialed up the fear at a rally in Arizona, where she claimed women would die under a Trump presidency because of abortion restrictions.

Jill Biden steps in

While Trump has taken credit for ending Roe v. Wade, he has repeatedly said there is no role for the federal government in abortion after the Supreme Court sent the issue back to the states.

Despite Trump's hands-of approach, Democrats have accused Trump of harboring plans for draconian regulation, while noting his role in overturning Roe v. Wade.

Speaking in Arizona, Jill Biden said Trump "hand-picked three justices to restrict reproductive freedom" and lamented that "today our daughters and granddaughters are living with fewer rights than we had."

"Secrecy, shame, silence, danger, even death. That was the reality back then, and that's where Donald Trump has left women today," Jill Biden said.

"Doctor" Jill also played the role of theologian, claiming that a belief in apparently unrestricted abortion is fully compatible with religious life.

"No one has to abandon their faith or their deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies," she said.

Harris losing momentum

"Doctor Jill's" warnings about abortion comes as Harris is showing signs of lost momentum, sparking fears among Democrats after an initial burst of enthusiasm following Harris' sudden rise to the top of the ticket.

The latest polls have shown Harris' polling lead all but vanish, with a fresh New York Times/Siena College poll having Trump ahead by 5 in Arizona.

Jill Biden was an active surrogate for her husband's re-election campaign before his shocking decision to drop out over the summer and endorse Harris. Biden was pressured to end his campaign by fellow Democrats following a debate performance that exposed his cognitive decline.

The Bidens have been largely absent from the campaign trail for Harris, and Joe Biden has even appeared to sabotage Harris at key moments.

A report in Axios on Sunday confirmed that there are lingering tensions between Biden's team and Harris', despite their shared goal of defeating Trump.

Jill Biden led a Cabinet meeting last month, raising speculation that she was taking charge in the final days of her husband's administration.

" A free people [claim] their rights, as derived from the laws of nature."
Thomas Jefferson