Biden World is shocked by Hyde Furor

First democratic candidate in 2020 Joe BidenJoe Biden: Biden should have plagiarized his position on abortion on the Planned Parenthood website The GOP Chair: Biden should have plagiarized his position on abortion on the Planned Parenthood website Biden reverses position on Hyde Amendment after rollover MORE tries to recover from the biggest fall of his presidential campaign so far – a turnaround on Hyde's abortion amendment.

The controversy astonished the relatives of the former vice president, as it occurred at a record speed.

"Everything happened very fast," said an ally of Biden.

The central problem is the support of the long-standing – but now abandoned – former vice-president of the amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion services.

One of the great effects of the Hyde Amendment is a significant limitation on the number of abortions for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Biden's previous positions were public documents, but that was not a major issue in this campaign until a NBC News report was published early Wednesday morning.

The report, written by Heidi Przybyla, noted not only that Biden had supported Hyde in the past, but that his campaign had reaffirmed that he continued to do so.

A wave of criticism from reproductive rights advocates has followed – as well as some of the most virulent attacks against Biden so far, far from his Democratic rivals.

When Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenDe Blasio: There is too much talk about the dismissal of Democrats De Blasio: There is too much discussion about the dismissal of Democrats De Blasio accuses Biden not to stand "on the side of American women" MORE On Wednesday evening, at an event at the MSNBC town hall, Biden asked Biden if she was wrong. She responded affirmatively "yes" before describing how her position would hurt women.

The next day, it was clear that Biden's position was untenable – and that the controversy had a negative impact on the candidate himself.

Sources close to Biden said he was not the type while he was traveling to the Atlanta area on Thursday. The former vice president, generally known for his sense of mum, has been disengaged from his surroundings, said these sources, a pensive mood replacing his usual effervescence.

Behind the scenes, even some members of his own team whispered that they were not comfortable with his position. "It was a real problem," said a close ally. "I think a lot of people felt that it was not going well."

By the time he was preparing his remarks for a fundraiser organized by the Democratic Party that evening, even Biden realized that there was no plausible way to change his stance.

"I can not justify leaving millions of women without the care they need," he said Thursday night. "I can no longer support an amendment that subordinates this right to the postal code of someone."

Outside of Biden's orbit, the Democrats were carried away by the spirit of what had happened – and wondered if the former vice president had sustained lasting political damage.

"I guess his campaign quickly realized that it was a non-negotiable issue in a Democratic primary," said Karen Finney, 2016 candidate's senior advisor. Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham Clinton Governors decide to fight with DNC for the primary debates of 2020 Governors choose to fight with DNC for the primary debates of 2020 Presidential historian: the "conventional wisdom" of Democrats on the choice of candidate is "absolutely wrong"In the countryside.

Finney, who is not affiliated with any of this cycle's nominees, noted that Clinton had committed in 2016 to repeal Hyde's amendment and that, in so doing, he was also included in the platform. party that year.

The other main candidates of this year's race are also in favor of the repeal.

Finney said about the Biden campaign: "Maybe they did not fully recognize the change. This is not just the purview of the "far left," quote, but it's in the party platform. "

People close to Biden note that abortion has long been a thorny issue for him. Biden, a practicing Catholic, is personally opposed to abortion. But he stressed that he did not believe that his religious beliefs should guide the legislation.

Wednesday's NBC News reported a recent email sent to his supporters, in which Biden had stated that he would "refuse to enforce my religious beliefs," as well as passages from his book from 2007, Promises to Keep, in which he describes his point of view on abortion. "Middle of the road" and acknowledged that he did not "have the right to impose my point of view on the rest of society".

A source close to Biden's thinking said it was a complex issue, inextricably linked to the Catholicism of the former vice president. "The Biden philosophy is family and faith," said the source. "Always been, always will be."

Such explanations raise the question of what justification – other than uncompromising political calculations – might be offered for such a rapid reversal on an issue that remains fundamentally the same as it has ever been.

"I think he quickly realized that the world had changed even for a year. Abortion clinics are closing, Planned Parenthood is in trouble and there are not many options for disadvantaged people. The climate has changed completely, "said another Biden ally.

The broader danger for Biden may well be the way in which the change in the Hyde amendment invites consideration of other parts of his past that hardly hold in place of today's Democrats, where progressives are largely perceived as ascending.

Bakari Sellers, commentator and former member of the House of Representatives of South Carolina, who supports Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisDe Blasio: There is too much talk about the removal of Democrats. De Blasio: There is too much talk about removal from the Democrats. De Blasio accuses Biden of not standing "on the side of American women". (D-Calif.), A described Biden's contortions this week as a "clusterf —".

Sellers added, "Since he's acknowledged that his position for 30 years was incorrect and that he was modifying it now, I think it's just that he's doing it now with his position." on the Iraq war and its position on the 1994 crime bill – and the 1988 crime bill and the 86 crime bill. "

Biden's support for the war in Iraq and draconian crime legislation has long been viewed as a vulnerability.

Others, to the left, look awkwardly at Biden's attempt to explain his flip-flop.

"The Hyde Amendment is a racist, classist and sexist law," said Rebecca Katz, Progressive Strategist, founder of New Deal Strategies. "It did not become terrible in 2019. It has always been terrible."

On the other hand, some progressives have seen in Biden's change the evidence of the rise of the left – which should be commended rather than being very firm.

Jonathan Tasini, a former progressive organizer and writer in New York, has sought to place Biden's change in a much broader context. He highlighted the changes that have occurred, especially by women activists, in recent years.

"If the Women's March had not taken place, if the" Me too "movement had not proliferated, I'm not sure Joe Biden would have felt the pressure to change position," Tasini said. "I think the progressives are well advised not to just look at that in the austere, horse-riding calculus but in terms of, we are moving the conversation forward."

Beyond that, the question of potential harm to Biden's candidacy bid remains open.

People in his camp say that voters will forgive the change of tactics.

But others have said that at least the former vice president would now need to be perfectly clear in his favorable positions to choose.

"He needs to find ways to demonstrate his commitment to the right to abortion whenever his flip-flop on the Hyde amendment comes up. It's almost as bad to have two positions on one question [as] it's having a bad position, "said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon.