Palin, Biden Trade Views On Abortion

CBS Evening News: Biden And Palin Answer Katie Couric's Vice-Presidential Questions

(CBS)  Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin have put in some very long days preparing for their Thursday night debate. To give voters a better sense of who these candidate are, and where they stand on a number of issues, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked Biden and Palin some "Vice Presidential Questions." This installment tackles Roe v. Wade and Supreme Court decisions.
Click here to read more of what the vice-presidential candidates had to say and see our series, "Presidential Questions."

---

Katie Couric: Why do you think Roe v. Wade was a good decision?

Joe Biden: Because it's as close to a consensus that can exist in a society as heterogeneous as ours. What does it say? It says in the first three months that decision should be left to the woman. And the second three months, where Roe v. Wade says, well then the state, the government has a role, along with the women's health, they have a right to have some impact on that. And the third three months they say the weight of the government's input is on the fetus being carried.

And so that's sort of reflected as close as anybody is ever going to get in this heterogeneous, this multicultural society of religious people as to some sort of, not consensus, but as close it gets.

I think the liberty clause of the 14th Amendment … offers a right to privacy. Now that's one of the big debates that I have with my conservative scholar friends, that they say, you know, unless a right is enumerated - unless it's actually, unless [it] uses the word "privacy" in the Constitution - then no such "constitutional right" exists. Well, I think people have an inherent right.

Couric: Are there Supreme Court decisions you disagree with?

Biden: You know, I'm the guy who wrote the Violence Against Women Act. And I said that every woman in America, if they are beaten and abused by a man, should be able to take that person to court - meaning you should be able to go to federal court and sue in federal court the man who abused you if you can prove that abuse. But they said, "No, that a woman, there's no federal jurisdiction." And I held, they acknowledged, I held about 1,000 hours of hearings proving that there's an effect in interstate commerce.
Women who are abused and beaten and beaten are women who are not able to be in the work force. And the Supreme Court said, "Well, there is an impact on commerce, but this is federalizing a private crime and we're not going to allow it." I think the Supreme Court was wrong about that decision.

---

Watch the vice presidential candidates' views on church and state separation

Read the transcript of the candidates' interviews on church and state

---

Couric Why, in your view, is Roe v. Wade a bad decision?

Sarah Palin: I think it should be a states' issue not a federal government-mandated, mandating yes or no on such an important issue. I'm, in that sense, a federalist, where I believe that states should have more say in the laws of their lands and individual areas. Now, foundationally, also, though, it's no secret that I'm pro-life that I believe in a culture of life is very important for this country. Personally that's what I would like to see, um, further embraced by America.

Couric: Do you think there's an inherent right to privacy in the Constitution?

Palin: I do. Yeah, I do.

Couric: The cornerstone of Roe v. Wade.

Palin: I do. And I believe that individual states can best handle what the people within the different constituencies in the 50 states would like to see their will ushered in an issue like that.

Couric: What other Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?

Palin: Well, let's see. There's, of course in the great history of America there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but …

Couric: Can you think of any?

Palin: Well, I could think of … any again, that could be best dealt with on a more local level. Maybe I would take issue with. But, you know, as mayor, and then as governor and even as a vice president, if I'm so privileged to serve, wouldn't be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today.

[n77nick]

Pure clown, i''m sorry. Sara Palin isn''t even worth talking about. She is a pure joke, i''m done even hearing about this unqualified person. Obama is the real candidate, no more sideshows. On to November.

[braveheartaz]

Poor Sarah Palin, having to deal with left-wing media questions like "Well, but can you at least give me the name of a newspaper you read?" and "Not to belabor the point, I''ll ask again, can you please give me an example in John McCain''s time in the Senate. . ." Thank goodness we can finally see her outside the such an unfair "filter" that expects her to actually answer the question. I think I''ll go back to watching Fox News.

[ccc1900]

I think it''s on to the big time for Sarah Palin -- lets see her on Meet the Press, This Week with George S. Let see Governor Palin "talk directly to the American people." Perhaps she might answer questions and not use her prepared phrases. I will give her this -- she can memorize words, phrases, but has absolutely no idea whats she''s saying -- nor could I for that matter.

[poulette23]

Excuse me? To the folks who think she won last night...
Other than the gay marriage question, can you please tell me one question that she actually answered?
She dodged one of the most important questions about the economy, and was utterly unable to defend John McCain''s record on deregulation. She smiled and winked her way through the debate, giving anecdotes about soccer moms and third graders, but clearly has no substantive understanding of any kind of policy. Plus--and this is the scariest thing of all--this woman who knows next to nothing wants to expand the powers of the Vice Presidency even more than *** Cheney has!
Scary, scary, scary...

[hjedtyj]

Bush/Cheney called 800 Battalions to harass Remaining House Members to Vote for Bailout Tomorrow!!

Just heard this - hot off the press at 9:30pm, Thursday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will Bush/Cheney start WW III over this? We know they have been itching to start a war to counter/cancel November''s elections so they can stay in power for the past year. Is this it?

The House members whom voted against are those who represent poor and low income areas throughout the country and areas that do not benefit from bailout. They are enough in numbers to make a difference in Monday''s voting. Let''s keep supporting them!!!

Pass this around to others so they know they have and are supported by the public!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hjedtyj]

Bush/Cheney called 800 Battalions to harass Remaining House Members to Vote for Bailout Tomorrow!!

Just heard this - hot off the press at 9:30pm, Thursday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will Bush/Cheney start WW III over this? We know they have been itching to start a war to counter/cancel November''s elections so they can stay in power for the past year. Is this it?

The House members whom voted against are those who represent poor and low income areas throughout the country and areas that do not benefit from bailout. They are enough in numbers to make a difference in Monday''s voting. Let''s keep supporting them!!!

Pass this around to others so they know they have and are supported by the public!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[catlady1412]

Wow! Palin has not said anything but drill, baby, drill. She has put no policies or actions forth, just flawed accusations and a lot of emoting and feelings to divert people from the real issues. She is definitely a lightweight and pretty stupid to boot.

[dj282008]

The likelihood of her becoming president are nil, and even if she did, she couldn''''t skrew the US up anymore than the men leading it have.

I guess the likihood of Obama *** the country up is the same?

[adepaor]

"The likelihood of her becoming president are nil, and even if she did, she couldn''''t skrew the US up anymore than the men leading it have."

McBush is 73 years old. Your chances of Palin being president are pretty good. And those guys who screwed us up include Mcbush. 8 years of stupid is enough. No more bush republicans!!!

[adepaor]

going to get ready to watch Sarah babble her way through the debate,

"Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we''re talking about today. And that''s something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this."

Sure hope they provide a translator.