Planned Parenthood

Not News: Richards Criticizes 'Heavily Doctored' CMP Videos Just As Forensic Experts Say Otherwise
By Tom Blumer | September 30, 2015 | 1:57 PM EDT

Tuesday afternoon, Alan Fram laughably headlined his coverage of Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards' appearance before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at the Associated Press as follows: "FACING CONGRESS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD CHIEF REBUTS VIDEOS."

She did no such thing. Most notably, Fram quoted Richards making the following statement to the committee: "The outrageous accusations leveled against Planned Parenthood, based on heavily doctored videos, are offensive and categorically untrue." Not merely "heavily edited," but "doctored," which according to the dictionary in this context means "to tamper with; falsify." Unfortunately for Richards and her group's supporters, in a report released yesterday, forensic experts have concluded that the Center for Medical Progress videos she criticized are "authentic" (bolds are mine throughout this post):

Capehart—Woman Tweeted Me: Thanks to Planned Parenthood I'm Still Alive
By Mark Finkelstein | September 30, 2015 | 7:03 AM EDT

Did the tragic irony of his statement not strike Jonathan Capehart? On today's Morning Joe, after disclosing that he could not bear to watch the Planned Parenthood videos, Washington Post editor Capehart expressed opposition to cutting off all funding for it. Arguing that "they do so many other things providing health care to women," Capehart continued "on my Twitter feed yesterday there was a woman who tweeted at me and said thanks to Planned Parenthood I'm still alive."

Jonathan, have you given any thought to the six million people who will never be able to tweet you because their lives were ended by Planned Parenthood abortions?

Maddow Bemoans ‘Demagoguery’ in Planned Parenthood Hearing; ‘It Went Very Badly’ for GOP
By Curtis Houck | September 30, 2015 | 3:14 AM EDT

Not surprisingly, liberal MSNBC host Rachel Maddow led off the Tuesday edition of her eponymous show by opining on the House hearing featuring Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and lamenting how “the whole Republican Party is more unified to try to destroy Planned Parenthood than they are unified on anything else” with their “demagoguery” that she determined worked out “very badly” for them.

Shaky: Cecile Richards' Claim That 'Less Than 1%' of PP Clinics Dispose of Fetal Tissue for Compensation
By Tom Blumer | September 29, 2015 | 11:37 PM EDT

In Congressional testimony Monday and Tuesday, Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards twisted the truth in several instances.

One of them had to to with how many of its facilities are involved in the provision of fetal tissue for compensation. She may be technically telling the truth about how many are involved at this moment, but it's clear that far more have been — at least until recently.

Networks Hype ‘Spirited,’ ‘Unfazed’ Planned Parenthood President in Coverage of ‘Five-Hour Interrogation’
By Curtis Houck | September 29, 2015 | 9:58 PM EDT

Hours after Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards testified Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee concerning the videos that have embroiled the abortion provider in scandal over the selling of aborted baby parts, the “big three” networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC rushed to the defense of the “unfazed” and “spirited” Richards as she “endured a five-hour interrogation” by the GOP.

New Republic Writer: Backing Fiorina On PP Videos Shows That Conservatism Is ‘Defined By…Imagined Victimization’
By Tom Johnson | September 29, 2015 | 9:28 PM EDT

CJ Pearson, the 13-year-old conservative social-media star, could use a few good role models, suggested TNR’s Brian Beutler in a Monday article. After noting that Pearson has been “revealed as the perpetrator of a number of hoaxes,” Beutler mused that such behavior isn’t surprising given the ideological company the youngster keeps.

“He's coming of age in a movement that often treats reality as subordinate to perception; that will embrace obvious distortions of facts if doing so might move the needle of public opinion,” alleged Beutler, who claimed that some of those factual distortions were found in Carly Fiorina’s statements about the Planned Parenthood videos during the recent Republican presidential debate.

MSNBC Got a Big Surprise While Pushing the Abortion Agenda
By Scott Whitlock | September 29, 2015 | 5:00 PM EDT

MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts got a big surprise on Tuesday when he tried to use the mother of a stillborn child to attack a pro-life organization’s effort to defund Planned Parenthood. Roberts talked to Lexi Oliver Fretz about her deceased son Walter. Roberts attacked, “How do you feel about Walter's picture used to discredit Planned Parenthood?” Fretz explained that while she was surprised to see her son used to illustrate a grisly description in the video, “My husband and I are actually extremely pro-life.” 

CNN's Costello Boosts Planned Parenthood's Talking Points as 'Facts'
By Matthew Balan | September 29, 2015 | 2:08 PM EDT

On Tuesday's CNN Newsroom, Carol Costello treated Planned Parenthood's own talking points about "three percent" of its services are abortions as "facts." Costello emphasized that "$500 million in federal funds goes to Planned Parenthood. None of that money...pays for abortions....Planned Parenthood says only three percent of their services are dedicated to abortion. The group says 97 percent of its services are for things like...breast exams...cancer screenings and contraception."

CNN's Berman Presses GOP Speaker Candidate to Vow No Govt Shutdown
By Brad Wilmouth | September 29, 2015 | 11:58 AM EDT

As Representative Daniel Webster appeared as a guest on Tuesday's New Day on CNN to discuss his intention to run for Speaker of the House of Representatives, substitute co-host John Berman pressed the Florida Republican to vow to work against a government shutdown in the face of calls by some GOPers to defund Planned Parenthood.

Networks Tout Cecile Richards ‘Staunchly Defending’ Planned Parenthood
By Scott Whitlock | September 29, 2015 | 11:41 AM EDT

All three networks on Tuesday hyped Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards appearing before Congress, insisting the pro-abortion leader will “staunchly defend” her organization in the wake of the sting videos. During the news briefs, ABC and CBS didn’t show any of hidden videos. 

CNN’s Berman Scolds Fiorina Spox on PP Videos; ‘Wouldn’t It Just Be Better to Admit’ She’s Wrong?
By Curtis Houck | September 29, 2015 | 7:22 AM EDT

Filling in for Anderson Cooper on Monday’s AC360, John Berman chided Carly Fiorina spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores over Fiorina’s outspoken criticism of Planned Parenthood in the wake of their aborted baby parts video scandal with the CNN host imploring Flores to consider admitting that her boss “is getting it wrong” about the content of the videos.

Time on Planned Parenthood Videos: ‘Fury Often Matters More Than Facts’
By Scott Whitlock | September 28, 2015 | 4:10 PM EDT

A snide Time magazine chided the organization behind the Planned Parenthood sting videos, insisting that “fury often matters more than facts.” In the October 5 issue, Alex Altman profiled David Daleiden and lectured, “In the midst of a political storm, fury can often matter more than the facts. An activist with an agenda can shape policies that affect millions.”