Biden says questions about court-packing distract from 'improper' confirmation hearings

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was asked on Thursday night whether he supports expanding the Supreme Court, and the former vice president said he has been wary of discussing the matter because it plays into President Trump and the Republican Party's hands, changing the narrative and distracting from major issues.

"No matter what answer I give you, if I say it, that's the headline tomorrow," he said during the ABC News town hall in Philadelphia. "It won't be about what's going on now, the improper way they are proceeding."

Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, will almost certainly be confirmed before Nov. 3, giving Republicans a 6-3 majority. Biden said her hearings should not have been held so close to the presidential election, and while he is "not a fan" of court-packing, his course of action will depend on how Republicans handle the confirmation.

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Biden also reminded town hall viewers that voting is "your opportunity to get involved in lifetime appointments. Presidents come and go, justices stay and stay and stay."