Klobuchar defends Dems' quash of 20-week abortion ban

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Town Hall with Amy Klobuchar: Part 3

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar discusses foreign policy, women's reproductive health with moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., defended Democrats' defeat of a bill that would ban all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, saying that she stands behind Roe v. Wade as "the law of the land."

The bill was one of two anti-abortion pieces of legislation that were squashed by Senate Democrats in a party-line vote on Tuesday. Klobuchar was not present for the vote but said if she was "I would have voted with the Democrats."

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Speaking at a Fox News town hall Thursday, Klobuchar -- who is hoping to secure a crucial win in South Carolina's primary to bolster her candidacy ahead of Super Tuesday -- said if she becomes president, she would "work with Congress to actually try to codify Roe v. Wade into law."

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion across the nation, has been hotly debated throughout President Trump's tenure as Republicans continue to push forth state-by-state legislation to challenge the landmark decision that allows women the right to have an abortion up until the third trimester of their pregnancy.

"I disagree with the president about defunding Planned Parenthood and some of the other decisions that he has made," Klobuchar said.

The United States is among a handful of countries that allows abortions nearly five months into pregnancy, as do Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, Vietnam, China and North Korea.

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Klobuchar said that the topic of abortion has widespread support from liberals in her party and she herself is "strongly pro-choice," adding, "I think there's a place in our party for a pro-life Democrat. There's also a place in my support for a pro-choice Republican."

Her view of inclusion for anti-abortion Democrats contrasts starkly with 2020 Democratic frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has said in the past that being pro-choice is "absolutely essential part of being a Democrat."