Biden criticized the state Supreme Court's ruling, saying the anti-abortion protections were made when 'they weren't even a state'
President Biden appealed to Arizona voters during a press conference at the White House as he attempted to court those upset over the state's new abortion ruling.
Biden made the remarks during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida — the president was asked for his reaction to a recent ruling by the state Supreme Court that outlawed abortion in all non-lifethreatening cases.
"Elect me, I'm in the 20th century," Biden misspoke in reply before correcting himself.
ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN
Fumio Kishida, Japan's prime minister, left, and US President Joe Biden, at a news conference during a state visit in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC. (Photographer: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"21st century, not back then," he continued. "They weren't even a state."
Biden's remark was aimed at the 160-year-old law that was ruled active by the Arizona Supreme Court this week, which was introduced in 1843 when the state was still a U.S. territory.
The Arizona Supreme Court issued a ruling on Tuesday reverting the state back to a pre-statehood law that outlaws abortions in nearly all circumstances except when the mother's life is at risk.
A protester holds a sign reading 'My Body My Choice' at a Women's March rally in Phoenix, Arizona. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The law makes it a felony for anyone who "provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to procure the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life," potentially carrying a prison sentence between 2 and 5 years.
The law was never repealed, and a state court allowed the ban to remain in place last year as long as it was compatible with a 2022 law that allows women to get an abortion within the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
President Joe Biden speaks during an economic event at Union Station in Washington, DC. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The 160-year-old law is "now enforceable," the opinion read, and will go into effect in 14 days. Tuesday's highly anticipated ruling comes as the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case four months ago.
The Biden campaign has seized the unexpected reintroduction of the law as a political lightning rod, accusing Republicans of backing extremist policies.
"This cruel ban was first enacted in 1864—more than 150 years ago, before Arizona was even a state and well before women had secured the right to vote," the Biden campaign said in a statement following the ruling. "This ruling is a result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are committed to ripping away women’s freedom."
Fox News Digital's Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at
