Reproductive freedom took center stage during Biden’s State of the Union address, but abortion rights advocates had mixed reactions, raising concerns about the president trying to capitalize on what will be a central campaign issue while avoiding using the word “abortion.”
Abortion rights have proved to be a potent issue driving voters to the polls and boosting Democrats since the U.S. Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to the procedure nearly two years ago. The issue could be pivotal in the presidential race and congressional contests this year.
During Thursday’s speech, Biden deviated from his prepared remarks, skipping over the word “abortion” and instead using the phrases “reproductive freedom” or “freedom to choose.”
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