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In MSNBC Town Hall, Elizabeth Warren Criticizes Joe Biden’s Stance on Hyde Amendment Elizabeth Warren Criticizes Joe Biden’s Hyde Amendment Stance in MSNBC Town Hall
(32 minutes later)
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who has built her presidential campaign on a slew of detailed policy proposals, took questions Wednesday in a town-hall event on MSNBC. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, slowly gaining ground in the crowded Democratic primary field, appeared on MSNBC on Wednesday for a friendly town-hall event, which gave her ample opportunity to describe her signature policies and deliver some of her most reliable applause lines.
But first, she fielded a question about the news on Wednesday that former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. still supports the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortions. Other Democratic candidates, including Ms. Warren, spoke out en masse against the amendment throughout the day, and when asked on air if Mr. Biden was wrong, Ms. Warren said yes.
Ms. Warren noted, as she has before, that she came of age before Roe v. Wade made abortion legal nationwide, and that women still got abortions — some safely and some unsafely. If abortion were again outlawed, she said, “women of means will still have access to abortions,” but the Hyde Amendment would prevent access for poor and working-class women.
“We do not pass laws that take away that freedom from the women who are most vulnerable,” she said.
The forum, moderated by Chris Hayes, was held in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the first question of the night concerned the location — which, Mr. Hayes noted, was Ms. Warren’s choice.The forum, moderated by Chris Hayes, was held in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the first question of the night concerned the location — which, Mr. Hayes noted, was Ms. Warren’s choice.
“People in Indiana understand jobs — they understand how to build an economy that doesn’t just work for a thin slice at the top, but an economy that works for everyone,” Ms. Warren said, explaining why she had chosen it. “Leaving it to a handful of giant multinational corporations to build our economy just doesn’t work. Those big corporations don’t have any loyalty to America. They don’t have loyalty to American workers. They have loyalty to exactly one thing, and that is their own profits.”“People in Indiana understand jobs — they understand how to build an economy that doesn’t just work for a thin slice at the top, but an economy that works for everyone,” Ms. Warren said, explaining why she had chosen it. “Leaving it to a handful of giant multinational corporations to build our economy just doesn’t work. Those big corporations don’t have any loyalty to America. They don’t have loyalty to American workers. They have loyalty to exactly one thing, and that is their own profits.”
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It was a message neatly in line with her overall argument for her candidacy. This week in particular, she has focused on a proposal for “aggressive intervention” to boost the economy and create jobs, including $2 trillion in government investments in environmentally friendly industries and a new cabinet department for economic development.It was a message neatly in line with her overall argument for her candidacy. This week in particular, she has focused on a proposal for “aggressive intervention” to boost the economy and create jobs, including $2 trillion in government investments in environmentally friendly industries and a new cabinet department for economic development.
The plan, which she described as “economic patriotism,” is part of Ms. Warren’s effort not only to appeal to the working-class voters in the Midwest who voted for President Trump in 2016, but also to replace Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont as the standard-bearer for liberal Democrats.The plan, which she described as “economic patriotism,” is part of Ms. Warren’s effort not only to appeal to the working-class voters in the Midwest who voted for President Trump in 2016, but also to replace Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont as the standard-bearer for liberal Democrats.
[Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders of Vermont are jockeying to represent the party’s left wing.][Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders of Vermont are jockeying to represent the party’s left wing.]
Shortly after the forum began, Ms. Warren fielded a question about the news on Wednesday that former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. still supports the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortions. Other Democratic candidates spoke out en masse against the amendment throughout the day, and when asked on air if Mr. Biden was wrong, Ms. Warren said yes.
Ms. Warren noted, as she has before, that she came of age before Roe v. Wade made abortion legal nationwide, and that women still got abortions — some safely and some unsafely. If abortion were again outlawed, she said, “women of means will still have access to abortions,” but the Hyde Amendment would prevent access for poor and working-class women.
“We do not pass laws that take away that freedom from the women who are most vulnerable,” she said.
After the first commercial break, Ms. Warren was joined by four voters, including two who voted for Mr. Trump based on his promises to save manufacturing and other jobs in states like Indiana. One of them, Renee Elliott, said she felt “duped” and added: “I don’t have a lot of faith in the candidates much anymore. They make promises, they make them and they break them.”After the first commercial break, Ms. Warren was joined by four voters, including two who voted for Mr. Trump based on his promises to save manufacturing and other jobs in states like Indiana. One of them, Renee Elliott, said she felt “duped” and added: “I don’t have a lot of faith in the candidates much anymore. They make promises, they make them and they break them.”
“You can’t just wave your arms,” Ms. Warren responded, before highlighting this week’s economic plan as well as her universal child care proposal. “You’ve really got to have a plan, and” — her frequent refrain — “I do have a plan.”“You can’t just wave your arms,” Ms. Warren responded, before highlighting this week’s economic plan as well as her universal child care proposal. “You’ve really got to have a plan, and” — her frequent refrain — “I do have a plan.”
Mr. Hayes pressed hard on the realism of Ms. Warren’s proposals in the face of Republican resistance. “You are not going to be elected ruler of the universe or monarch,” he said, his voice rising. “In what universe are those going to be passed?”Mr. Hayes pressed hard on the realism of Ms. Warren’s proposals in the face of Republican resistance. “You are not going to be elected ruler of the universe or monarch,” he said, his voice rising. “In what universe are those going to be passed?”
Ms. Warren responded by calling on the audience to join “a grassroots movement across this country” that, she said, would allow Democrats to retake the Senate, governor’s offices and statehouses.Ms. Warren responded by calling on the audience to join “a grassroots movement across this country” that, she said, would allow Democrats to retake the Senate, governor’s offices and statehouses.
“We could give up,” she said. “Or what we can say is, this is the moment that we fight. I am in this fight all the way.”“We could give up,” she said. “Or what we can say is, this is the moment that we fight. I am in this fight all the way.”
Ms. Warren has been slowly gaining ground in the crowded Democratic primary, buoyed by her comprehensive proposals on student debt, taxation, the opioid crisis, abortion and other topics, and the left-leaning MSNBC audience was generally friendly to her. While several other candidates have appeared on Fox News — including, three days ago, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York — Ms. Warren has refused to do so, calling Fox “a hate-for-profit racket.” The last question of the night concerned one of the most fraught subjects in the race: electability. What, Mr. Hayes asked, did Ms. Warren say to people who agreed with her on policy but doubted she could beat Mr. Trump?
Ms. Warren’s town hall was the latest in a string of similar events this week. Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., appeared on MSNBC on Monday, and four presidential candidates had town halls on Sunday: Ms. Gillibrand on Fox and Representatives Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Tim Ryan of Ohio and Eric Swalwell of California on CNN. “I remember when people said Barack Obama couldn’t be elected,” she said. “I remember when people said Donald Trump couldn’t be elected, and here we are. Elections are about getting in there and fighting for it and making clear to the American people what you stand for.”