Biden Backs ‘Borking’
Last night’s vice-presidential debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and U.S. Sen. Joe Biden contained little discussion of religion, or of life issues.
But, as Catholic blogger and Register correspondent Sheila Liaugminas notes, Democratic candidate Biden did hit the pro-abortion button in his closing remarks.
Asked to identify an issue where he had revised his beliefs, Biden cited his leadership of the successful effort in 1987 by Senate Democrats to reject Ronald Reagan’s nomination of pro-life judge Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bork’s nomination was rejected largely because he refused to declare support for the 1973 Roe. v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
Biden said that prior to being elected to the U.S. Senate, he believed a nominee’s views on political issues shouldn’t matter in confirmation debates.
But as a senator, Biden said he came “to realize that the ideology of that judge makes a big difference.”
“That’s why I led the fight against Judge Bork,” said Biden, who is Catholic. “Had he been on the court, I suspect there would be a lot of changes that I don’t like and the American people wouldn’t like, including everything from Roe v. Wade to issues relating to civil rights and civil liberties.”
— Tom McFeely
