During the first presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Joe Biden was asked specifically about his position on court-packing: Would he support his colleagues’ attempts to add seats to the Supreme Court if the Senate confirms President Trump’s nominee, Amy Coney Barrett?
It’s an important question, since many top Democrats have endorsed the radical policy in recent weeks. But instead of giving a direct response, Biden dodged the question entirely and refused to answer.
“Whatever position I take on that, that will become the issue,” Biden said.
When asked again whether he would answer the question, Biden responded, “No, I’m not going to answer that.”
Why? Biden had no problem condemning court-packing last year when the topic became a key issue in the primaries. He made it clear at the time that he would not support efforts to add seats to the Supreme Court “because we’ll live to rue that day,” he said.
And again on the campaign trail, Biden stated: “I would not get into court-packing. We add three justices; next time around, we lose control, they add three justices. We begin to lose any credibility the court has at all.”
But as soon as Trump announced his intention to nominate another Supreme Court justice and progressives began clamoring for revenge, Biden went silent. He has refused to stand by his previous position on court-packing; indeed, he has refused to answer questions on the topic at all.
This is unacceptable. Biden is clearly trying to walk a tightrope and appease his party’s left wing without endorsing a policy that would repel the majority of voters. But this is a proposal with enormous consequences, and voters have the right to know whether Biden would support it.
Biden wants to lead not just the Democratic Party but the country, and he has an obligation to explain how he would keep his party in check, or whether he would try to at all. If he continues to dodge this question, voters ought to assume that he would cave to the far Left on court-packing as he has on other policies.
