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Beto O'Rourke says Joe Biden's abortion stance is "absolutely wrong"

Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) speaks at a campaign town hall at the Irish Cultural Center on April 28, 2019 in San Francisco, California.
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke. Photo: Stephen Lam/Getty Images

Presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke told CBSN's Elaine Quijano Wednesday the stance of the 2020 Democratic front-runner, former Vice President Biden, on abortion and support of the Hyde Amendment is "absolutely wrong."

"I hope Joe Biden rethinks his position on this issue. Perhaps he doesn't have all the facts. Perhaps he doesn't understand who the Hyde Amendment hurts the most... lower-income communities, communities of color. I would ask that he rethink his position on this."

Context: At a time when Democrats have expressed concern at conservative states passing abortion restrictions, Biden said Wednesday he wouldn't repeal the Hyde Amendment, which prevents the federal government from providing funding abortions except in extreme cases.

The big picture: While President Trump and Biden have been facing off, other 2020 Democratic candidates have been piggybacking off the former vice president's issues, attempting to position themselves as a contender.

  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was asked if Biden's stance was wrong. "Yes," she replied. "Under the Hyde Amendment and every effort to try to chip away or push back or get rid of Rowe v. Wade, understand this: Women of means will still have access to abortions," she said. "Who won't ... will be poor women."
  • Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said Biden's 1994 crime bill was "awful," and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) also disagreed with the bill.

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