CNN Analyst Ridicules 'Sledgehammer' GOP Platform on Abortion

CNN keeps playing up the controversy that supposedly is the Republican Party's platform on abortion – even though it resembles the language from the 2004 and 2008 platforms.

"The platform has this really sledgehammer view that all abortions are going to be outlawed, even for rape or for incest, and even for health of the mother," said political analyst David Gergen during Tuesday night's coverage of the Republican Convention. [Video below the break.]

He added "that is what has brought on this sort of outcry from the other side." Meanwhile, CNN's Candy Crowley cast the issue as one that could hurt Republicans if it receives too much attention.

"You've had a lot of folks say over the past several weeks, look this cannot be our front-burner issue. Do you worry that high-profile talk putting the social issues front and center hurt the Republican Party at this point?" Crowley asked Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.).

Ironically, CNN put the issue in the spotlight with its incessant coverage of Rep. Todd Akin's rape remarks, lumping them together with the pro-life GOP platform into a firestorm controversy for Republicans.

Crowley also highlighted the GOP's "gender gap," something CNN has also talked about alongside the abortion issue. "When you look around this arena and when you look at the polling, you know what the gender gap is. You know the percentage of females supporting President Obama versus Mitt Romney is double-digit gap there. What is wrong, do you think here, that the Republican Party hasn't been able to attract more women?" she asked Ayotte.

[Video below.]

A transcript of the segment, which aired during CNN's Republican National Convention coverage on August 28 at 9:35 p.m. EDT, is as follows:

DAVID GERGEN: But with conservatives, this speech will resonate, because as you know from traveling the country, there is a rising anxiety among conservatives and in many other households about the growing number of children born out of wedlock. There is resentment about the growing number of people going on benefits, and on the abortion issue, I actually thought he came at that in a way that was not as alienating as the platform.

He tried to express it in a more positive way about respecting life. The platform has this really sledgehammer view that all abortions are going to be outlawed, even for rape or for incest, and even for health of the mother. And that is from – that is what has brought on this sort of outcry from the other side.

(...)

CANDY CROWLEY: I think for the first time so prominently mentioned, other than in the platform fight, we heard Rick Santorum talk about the abortion issue. You've had a lot of folks say over the past several weeks, look this cannot be our front-burner issue. Do you worry that high-profile talk putting the social issues front and center hurt the Republican Party at this point?

(...)

CROWLEY: When you look around this arena and when you look at the polling, you know what the gender gap is. You know the percentage of females supporting President Obama versus Mitt Romney is double-digit gap there. What is wrong, do you think here, that the Republican Party hasn't been able to attract more women?