White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on former President Donald Trump moving closer to a third presidential bid, citing the Hatch Act, but took the opportunity to elaborate on the “very stark” choices between Democrats and Republicans in the midterm elections.
“Because we know what congressional Republicans want to do,” Jean-Pierre told reporters during a press gaggle on Air Force One Friday night. “They want to repeal [the] Inflation Reduction Act. That’s the first thing they want to do. And that’s going to, if anything, increase inflation, increase costs, and so there’s a stark difference.”
President Joe Biden’s top spokeswoman wasn’t done.
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“Let’s not forget about our freedoms, our rights, the right for a woman to choose,” she said. “They want to codify Dobbs. We want to codify Roe.”
Jean-Pierre is referring to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Democrats would like to pass a bill, which Biden has vowed to sign, protecting legal abortion by statute. Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban abortion in most cases after 15 weeks, which Biden has promised to veto.
Biden has also committed to signing federal abortion rights legislation on the 50th anniversary of Roe in January if Democrats keep their congressional majorities. He has said it will be the first bill he sends lawmakers afterward.
“It is very stark differences that we’re seeing, and so what the president is going to keep doing is keep making sure that he lays that out very, very starkly and clearly for the American people,” Jean-Pierre continued. “And you guys have seen that, certainly over these past couple of days.”
Jean-Pierre also refused to comment on legal investigations involving Trump.
She made these comments on the way back from a Biden campaign swing through New Mexico and California en route to Illinois for another political event. Biden has been traveling to blue states to shore up suddenly vulnerable Democrats in the final days before Tuesday’s election.
Biden will also be heading to New York to campaign for Gov. Kathy Hochul but not before teaming up with former President Barack Obama to aid Democrats in Pennsylvania. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D-PA) is locked in a tight Senate race with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Trump has strongly signaled he may be moving toward a declaration of candidacy, and a possible rematch with Biden, after the midterm elections.
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Jean-Pierre has invoked the Hatch Act, a federal law designed to limit public employees’ entanglement with partisan politics, to avoid answering questions about White House political strategy involving the midterm elections and at times even Biden’s campaign travel schedule. She has often amplified Democratic campaign messaging from the podium, including referring to “mega-MAGA Republicans.”
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are exempt from Hatch Act constraints on overt political activities. The election takes place on Nov. 8, though early voting is already underway in many states.
