CNN anchor Jake Tapper challenged Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield to give a firm answer as to the Democratic presidential nominee’s position on court packing.
Bedingfield, who serves as Joe Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications director, referred to the question as a “distraction” and argued that Biden had already answered the question “15 times over the course of the last week.”
WATCH:
Tapper began by pointing out that Biden, who had previously said that adding justices to the Supreme Court was “a bonehead idea,” was suddenly unwilling to answer the question.
“Biden opposes adding more justices to the Supreme Court, he has for decades, so why he is refusing to weigh in on it now?” Tapper asked. (RELATED: ‘Get Well And Get It Together’: Jake Tapper Accuses Trump Of ‘Inflicting’ Failures On Americans)
“Because Donald Trump and the Republicans don’t get to set the terms of this debate,” Bedingfield replied, arguing that the question was a play to distract voters while they rushed the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
“It’s not the Trump people who invented this question, right?” Tapper asked. “The idea of adding justices to the Supreme Court came from the progressive side of the Democratic Party. It’s a simple question. He has long been against adding justices to the the court. Has he changed his mind or does he have the same position he’s had since 1983?”
Bedingfield pivoted again, saying again that it was an attempt by Republicans to distract from a nominee who would likely change the balance of the court. That Vice President Mike Pence had pushed the issue of court packing at last week’s debate was further proof of that, she concluded. (RELATED: ‘Has The Science Changed That Dramatically In One Week?’: Chris Wallace Pushes Back On Biden Campaign)
“This is a simple — it’s a simple question and it’s one frankly that Trump did not invent,” Tapper pushed back, saying again that the notion of court packing had originally come from progressives in the Democratic Party. “I thought odd when Vice President Biden said the other day in response to a reporter’s question that voters do not deserve an answer on this. Of course, voters deserve an answer on his position — on every issue.”
“But we are not going to play their game,” Bedingfield insisted. “He has given an answer. He has answered the question. He has probably answered this question 15 times over the course of the last week. The answer is I am not going to play Donald Trump’s game. I am not going to allow the terms of this debate to shift to a hypothetical that assumes, by the way, that we, the Democrats, are going to lose here. That is really — that is what at the core of this argument they are making. It assumes we are going to lose. Vice President Biden does not accept that. He does not accept that.”
“I think a serious policy question is not a game and I don’t think it’s Trump’s game, but Kate Bedingfield, we always appreciate you coming on the show and answering the questions or deftly side-stepping them,” Tapper gave up, ending the segment. “Thank you. Appreciate it.”