WASHINGTON — Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton told CBS Evening News on Thursday that more could be at risk than just abortion rights if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
"This opinion is dark. It is incredibly dangerous and it is not just about a woman's right to choose. It is about much more than that," Clinton said.
"Any American who says, 'Look, I'm not a woman, this doesn't affect me. I'm not Black, that doesn't affect me. I'm not gay, that doesn't affect me' — once you allow this kind of extreme power to take hold you have no idea who they will come for next," she said, suggesting the Republican Party's far right would seek to roll back other rights.
A leaked draft majority opinion, published by Politico, suggests a majority of the Supreme Court is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision establishing the right to an abortion. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the draft opinion, but said it was not a final decision.
"I hope people now are fully aware of what we're up against, because the only answer is at the ballot box to elect people who will stand up for every American's rights," Clinton said.
Clinton's loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 election opened the door for President Trump to appoint three justices to the Supreme Court, giving the court a solid conservative majority.
"I warned about it in the campaign. I could see that the man I was running against would literally do anything to get the votes of the extreme faction of the Republican Party, who were willing to totally upend precedent and deny women their rights. So I did warn about it. But you know, it's hard to warn in the abstract, and I think a lot of people would say, 'Well, that'll never happen.'"
