In the third State of the Union address On Thursday, Joe Biden did the once-unthinkable: Challenge the Supreme Court justices directly on one of their opinions, addressing them personally.
Biden led the conservative majority in Roe v. He brought up his remarkable change in relation to Wade. He had started to read a part of the decision when he started to look a little to the side at the judges sitting right in the front row.
“With respect, according to justices, women … are not deprived of electoral or political power,” he said.
Later, he added, “You’re going to realize how much …” he said, as Democrats in the chamber rose to their feet and applauded.
Dressed in their traditional black robes, the judges sat expressionless, but eagerly awaited with a roar of applause and reaction around them. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was among those seated next to the group, stood up and applauded.
It is rare to see any interaction between the President and Supreme Court justices. but in 2010, conservative Justice Samuel Alito President Barack Obama sounded “not right” or “just not right” when criticizing the court’s ruling in Citizens United that struck down limits on corporate campaign spending.
Alito has not participated in the State of the Union appeal since then.
Biden touched on several topics related to women’s reproductive rights, including the Alabama Supreme Court ruling. caused mass confusion in the state already in vitro fertilization.