White House claims that Catholic President Biden supports abortion 'until the moment of birth'

The White House responded to questions about President Joe Biden's stance on abortion on Thursday, saying essentially that the Catholic president supports abortion from the point of conception through birth.

"The President's position on 'choice' has evolved over time," Fox News' Peter Doocy asked outgoing press secretary Jen Psaki. "So just checking for his official position. Does he support any limits on abortion right now?"

"Peter," Psaki began with undisguised annoyance, "the President has talked about his position many times. He supports the right of a woman to make choices about her own body with her doctor."

"But I know that one of the Democrats he endorsed, and won their primary this week, Tim Ryan said yesterday that he does not support any limits on abortion. Is that where the President's thinking is now?"

"The President has stated his view many times," Psaki said.

"So does the President support abortion up until the moment of birth?"

"The President has spoken about this many times, Peter, and I would refer you to his own comments about abortion and a woman's right to choose and make decisions about her body with her doctor, which is what any of those women would do," Psaki said, refusing to simply say that no, abortion past the point of viability would be an unconscionable offense.

Biden is of the Catholic faith, and has spoken about his Catholicism, and his faith, many times. He does not seem to feel that his views on abortion are in conflict with his faith. The Catholic church makes no exceptions in its view that abortion, or terminating pregnancy, is an entirely unacceptable and craven practice that goes against life and God.

Church catechism states that "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right to every innocent being to life."

"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion," the Church continues. "This teaching has not changes and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law."

"Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life... The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society," according to catechism.

Ryan, running against Trump-endorsed JD Vance to represent Ohio in the US Senate, told Fox News' Brett Baier, when asked if there should be any limits on abortion, "Look, I think what we had established in Roe is something that we can continue to work with, and I think those can be the parameters."

"But then again," he continued, "if you get rid of established law, which in many ways was conservative, to keep that... if we move away from that, you're going to get states like Ohio, that have some of the most extreme laws in the whole country, where if you're a young girl and you've been raped, or there's been incest, the state, the government is going to force you to bring that baby to term ..."

When asked to clarify if he meant that there should be no limits on abortion, Ryan said "Look, you gotta leave it up to the woman."

"So, 'no' is the answer," said Baier.

"Well, you and I sitting here can't account for all of the different scenarios that a woman dealing with the complexities of a pregnancy are dealing with. How can you and I figure that out?" Ryan asked rhetorically.

In 2016, Pope Francis extended the ability of the priesthood to forgive abortions. He believes fully that the doors of the Church must remain open to the repentant, no matter how grave their sin. Mercy is a foundational element of Catholicism, but to be open to receiving mercy, a parishioner must first repent their sin.