A pro-life ad against an Ohio abortion-rights ballot measure features an unlikely advocate: President Biden. The ad, titled “Join Them,” showcases then-Senator Joe Biden confirming his support for banning partial-birth or late-term abortion. The 30-second commercial, sponsored by the pro-life group Protect Ohio Women, highlights Biden’s statement: “Late-term abortions were too much for Biden.” The ad is scheduled to air during the Ohio State-Notre Dame football game.
The ad then shifts to former President Donald Trump, who speaks out against late-term abortions. The narrator urges viewers to oppose late-term abortions allowed under Issue 1, emphasizing bipartisan consensus on the issue. Ohio Issue 1 is a ballot initiative that seeks to enshrine the right to abortion, including post-viability abortion, in the state constitution if deemed necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.
Molly Smith, a board member of Protect Women Ohio, criticized Issue 1 and the groups supporting it, stating, “The practice of late-term abortion is so barbaric that Republicans and Democrats agree it should be banned.” She argues that the push for abortion-on-demand up until birth is too extreme for Ohioans.
The ad highlights President Biden’s changing views on abortion, noting his current stance of eliminating restrictions on elective pregnancy termination as president. However, during his time in the Senate, Biden voted in favor of bills banning partial-birth abortion in 1995 and 1999. In 2003, Congress passed a ban on partial-birth abortion, with Biden supporting the conference report.
Pro-choice advocates argue that “late-term abortion” is an invented term with no clinical or medical significance, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, the pro-choice group behind Issue 1, successfully defeated a ballot measure in August that would have required constitutional amendments to pass with 60% voter approval. The proposed constitutional amendment is part of a nationwide campaign by pro-choice groups to safeguard abortion rights in state laws and constitutions since the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Meanwhile, pro-life advocates aim to reverse their fortunes after pro-choice ballot measures prevailed in the November 2022 election, enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions in California, Michigan, and Vermont.
Currently, Ohio allows abortion before 21 weeks and six days, with exceptions to save the woman’s life or prevent risks to her physical health. A heartbeat law, banning most abortions after six weeks’ gestation, is pending in the courts.
Perspective: The presence of President Biden in a pro-life ad is a remarkable development, considering his current pro-choice stance. It highlights his previous support for restrictions on late-term abortions and provides an opportunity for debate and discussion on the issue of abortion rights. Both pro-life and pro-choice advocates can use this ad as a starting point to present their respective arguments and educate the public about the complexities surrounding abortion.
