CNN anchor Anderson Cooper conducted a five-minute long interview of Diane Elder, a woman who decided to let her infant daughter live despite her severe genetic defects, during his program on Tuesday evening. The interview came about after Elder wrote Cooper after watching a similar interview he conducted the previous night of Lynda Waddington, a “pro-choice” blogger for the Huffington Post and RH Reality Check, who decided to have a late-term abortion herself (the anchor did not mention Waddington’s left-wing affiliations during the interview). (audio clips from the interview available here)
On Wednesday afternoon, the network’s “Situation Room” program played an extended clip from the interview, which followed an additional segment with a different parent whose twins were aborted late-term at the hands of murdered abortionist George Tiller. During this second interview, the father of the twins described how Tiller had the two babies “wrapped up in a baby’s blanket” and how the abortionist “baptized them.” Despite the two-to-one imbalance in the segments, CNN did at least try to balance the segments with the two supporters of late-term abortion with that of the interview of Elder.
During the interview with Cooper, Elder described her experiences during the four months after she found out that her daughter had Trisomy 18, a severe genetic disorder, and during the half-day that she shared with her daughter, whom she named Angela. Despite all the hardships that she and her family endured, Elder recounted how after her daughter was born, “we were very taken aback when we found that, when she was placed in our arms, we were happy. We were- we were incredibly happy. And my husband was with me. A lot of family and friends showed up right after the birth. She was passed around from arm to- from arms to arms.” Cooper dealt with the subject very sensitively, and thanked her for her strength at the end of the interview.
The full transcript of Cooper interview’s interview of Diane Elder, which began 20 minutes into the 10 pm Eastern hour of Tuesday’s “Anderson Cooper 360” program:
ANDERSON COOPER: Diane Elder chose not to have an abortion, even though, medically and legally, she had every right to. She joins us now, and Diane, thanks so much for being with us. You actually sent me an e-mail earlier today because of- of an interview you read that we had on last night. We had a woman on who, in the 20- 20th or 21st week, chose to have a late-term abortion, because her baby had a severe- severe genetic defect. You had a similar situation. You made a different choice. Why?
DIANE ELDER, CHOSE NOT TO HAVE LATE-TERM ABORTION: Because I wanted my baby to have a natural death. I did not want my child to die at my hands. She-
COOPER: What did your baby have?
ELDER: My baby had a- had a syndrome called Trisomy 18, which is a very severe chromosomal abnormality that is incompatible with life. That’s what -- that’s the phrase doctors used to me.
COOPER: And you found this out what- at what stage of the pregnancy?
ELDER: I was somewhere in the fifth month of pregnancy.
COOPER: And, obviously, I mean, it’s devastating news.
ELDER: It was devastating. I found out on Mother’s Day, and all I can remember is collapsing to the floor, because I had been trying for this baby for a very long time. So, it felt like a cruel- almost a cruel joke to me that this happened. And so, I- I went forward with the pregnancy another four months, probably the most difficult four months of my life. We were prepared for basically a- a monster, because we were told she was going to not have a brain, and she was going to have possibly cleft palate, club feet, and she was born with all those things. She was born missing part of her brain. She had one club foot, one rocker-bottom foot. She had just everything that goes along with that condition, which is- is bad.
But we were very taken aback when we found that, when she was placed in our arms, we were happy. We were- we were incredibly happy. And my husband was with me. A lot of family and friends showed up right after the birth. She was passed around from arm to- from arms to arms. I told the hospital I did not want any extraordinary measures taken, because I wanted what happened to her to be natural. I didn’t want to try to- to force her to stay alive with needles and tubes, if that would cause her pain and just prolong a very difficult life. But I didn’t want to kill her either. So, I just decided to completely turn myself over to nature and let it take its course, and the resolution was really a very good resolution. She- she never suffered.
COOPER: How long did she live?
ELDER: Twelve hours. The nurse woke me up at 5 am, and said, ‘Diane, I think you might want to get up now. The baby’s having trouble breathing, and this might be her time, and she put Angela into my arms.
COOPER: You named her?
ELDER: Yes, Angela- Angela Diane Elder, and Angela looked- it was funny, because she was able to make eye contact with me, and it seemed as though she were looking into my eyes. I could hear her breath becoming more and more shallow, sort of a rattling breath, and then she took two large breaths, and then a very large breath, literally sat up, and then fell back, and she was gone. And it was a very difficult moment, even at this time.
COOPER: Do you- do you regret it, looking back on it?
ELDER: Not in one- not one minute of it. She died peacefully, with no pain. The suffering was ours. For two weeks, of course, at least two weeks, really a whole year, we were in mourning for her, as you would grieve over any loved one who dies. That’s a normal part of life. You can’t get away from the fact that- that people die and people get sick, and they die. And- but we felt very clean when it was over, and- and as though the situation was- there was closure. There was a resolution, and-
COOPER: Obviously, other women, other families in that situation make different choices.
ELDER: Right.
COOPER: Do you believe that- that women should have the right to make that choice?
ELDER: When a baby is a fully formed, living baby, I don’t think that, really, we have ever had the choice to- to take a life at that stage. I think that- that’s a -- that’s a fully-formed baby. I mean, I think you had some of the pictures up there, and you saw her. She’s a fully-formed baby. She was born early, by the way. She came out at eight months.
COOPER: And, when you heard about Dr. Tiller’s death, your thought?
ELDER: Oh, I think that was awful. No one has the right to do that, particularly not someone who considers themselves to be an advocate for life. How can they take another life? It’s inexcusable.
COOPER: Well, I- I appreciate you coming on and talking about this. I know it’s not easy, and I appreciate you writing the e-mail to me and- and that we were able to have you on today. Thank you very much.
ELDER: Thank you so much.
COOPER: Thanks. Thanks for your strength.
ELDER: All right.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Nice to know that Cooper
June 3, 2009 - 18:01 ET by motherbeltNice to know that Cooper isn't a jerk all the time, and that he can show some class and sensitivity.
God bless Diane Elder and her whole family.
That is truly a beautiful story.
COOPER: Do you believe that- that women should have the right to make that choice?
ELDER:
When a baby is a fully formed, living baby, I don’t think that, really,
we have ever had the choice to- to take a life at that stage. I think
that- that’s a -- that’s a fully-formed baby.
And bless Diane for speaking the truth.
That baby had a right to be born, and if she was going to die, she had a right to die in the loving arms of her mother. And the family had a right to see her and hold her and experience the joy and the love.
This is what is meant when it is said that God can bring something good even out of bad situations.
Sorry, can't type any more...something in my eye.....
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Amen
June 3, 2009 - 18:57 ET by KC MulvilleAnd we should acknowledge the media when they do right. Good job on this one for Cooper.
Good job Anderson Cooper!
June 3, 2009 - 19:32 ET by Captain KirockI have given Cooper a lot of grief on this site over the years, but he did an excellent job last night. He got out of the way and let this woman tell her compelling story. I watched this last night and it was very moving. Brought a tear to my eye.
Good job Anderson Cooper!
Angela is with the
June 3, 2009 - 18:09 ET by bigtimerAngela is with the angels....and her mother is one here on earth...
I need that tissue-box that motherbelt is using now....
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Thanks for posting.
June 3, 2009 - 18:22 ET by eucherI'm crying like a baby right now, for all babies and mothers who have to suffer.
That was quite a story.
June 3, 2009 - 18:38 ET by superconGod bless her.
Hey Janet Napolitano...I'm proud to be a Right-winger.
EvilCon555 Mrs Elder,
June 3, 2009 - 18:53 ET by EvilCon555EvilCon555
Mrs Elder, her family and friends, made a courageous decision and did the right thing.
God never intended for us to be perfect. He intended, from my limited Christian vision, for us to be loving, fair, and have faith.
Mrs Elder and her family and friends did what God and nature intended...to see through consequences of what life brings us.
What if Mrs Elder's child had been born perfectly healthy, but at 18 months of age developed a life threatening disease that included physical and mental malformations? Could we then consider ending that life?
I am guessing in that context many who would have chosen late term abortion due to similar circumstances while in utero would think differently when looking at their toddler.
Mrs Elder saw a life. One too short, but beautiful and meaningful just the same, and let it take the course God determined.
To Mrs Elder I send my sympathies and deepest regards - and my most humble esteem.
And to Anderson Cooper I send my thanks. I hope beyond all hope he did that story to be, pardon the over-used and unnecessary words, "fair and balanced", and not to garner ratings. But even if he did get ratings, he told a story that needed to be heard. He has gained my respect. As a humble resident of the Earth at this moment in time, I hope that means something.
best regards to all.
"All great change in America begins at the dinner table" Ronald Reagan, Jan 21, 1981
We were happy... the suffering was ours.
June 3, 2009 - 19:26 ET by jdlybrandVery touching words. I can't imagine what she went through. Kudos to Cooper. And God Bless her!
Too Little Too Late
June 3, 2009 - 19:29 ET by slickwillie2001The truth about what Tiller did is still not well known. The PuffHo links to comments that were posted here showed that. Posters that consider themselves intelligent and informed made excuses for what he did and whitewashed it or demonstrated complete ignorance. All the botched cases, the women that he abused through his back-alley-in-a-basement operation are unknown to those that depend on the old media. He regularly went far beyond what the law allows, and evaded prosecution for many years. The old media covered for him.
I wonder if Cooper is going...
June 3, 2009 - 19:51 ET by jawebster1to hear about this from his left wing bosses. His ratings are lousy, maybe they'll use this interview to dump him. Jim Webster
...
June 3, 2009 - 20:57 ET by EugeniaHer testimony to life was beautiful. She did what a loving mother does for her child, so naturally this brought her family such joy when they held her. Her baby died with dignity. As God intended.
Too bad 36 people were watching. His ratings are in the drain. FOX needs to do this story.
"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
-- GK Chesterton
They might also consider
June 3, 2009 - 19:55 ET by GrannyGrump42They might also consider interviewing one of Tiller's less than satisfied customers, such as the woman who wrote:
>>I think I was so grateful to him [abortionist George R. Tiller] because he was able to terminate a pregnancy for me becaues I couldn't face the results of that pregnancy.
>>.... I was newly married had a new home .... We were beyond elated to be having this baby we loved her from the minute we found out she was coming. .... It wasn't until the 23rd of December that it was noticed that there was something wrong during a routine ultrasound. ..... It was then, after a bunch of tests, that they were able to tell me that our daughter, whom we were expecting in less then a month, more then likely had Complete Trisomy 22, a condition incompatable with life.
>>.... I was then faced with two decision: I could wait and deliver at any time and watch my child expire before my eyes while I stood there helplessly and did nothing, or I could go see this doctor in Wichita who would terminate my pregnancy for me so that I would not have to go through that. I was distraught. I didn't know what to do and I let others sway me into going to see him. ....
>>Now most of my trip to Kansas is a blur. This is because from the time you arrive at Dr. Tiller's clinic, you are on some form of drugs. You're in a daze. Though I remember a lot, there is a lot I don't remember. I will never however forget the day I was given the digoxin shot through my stomach into the heart of my baby. It took me 45 minutes to calm down enough so that Dr. Tiller and one of his nurses (sic) could come in to do this. I was hysterical because after this there was no turning back. By telling them I was ready for them to come in and do it, I was telling them that it was okay to kill my daughter. They sedated me and then did it.
>>..... I woke up and my baby was dead. After that I was given a prescription for a drug called "Pentazocine," ....
>>I was then sent to have laminaria packed up into me. While inserting the laminaria they broke my water "accidentally." I was then shipped off to the La Quinta where my labour began. .... My contractions were less then 5 minutes apart. My mother, who was with me at the time, called down to Edna's room. (-Ed. Note: This is Tiller employee Edna Roach.] Edna told my mom to give me 2 pills, then one every hour. .... After a few hours I was to the point wehre I was begging my mother for no more pills. I was in excruciating pain and I was vomiting from the pills. ....
>>I remember saying I needed to go to a hospital I didn't care about Dr. Tiller's clinic. I needed another doctor. My mom was crying and she ran into the hall. When she opened the door. the man in the next room heard me crying and screaming. He was a doctor. I thought I was saved! Turns out the doctor in the next room was [Tiller abortionist] Dr. [LeRoy] Carhart. He had just arrived and checked into the hotel. He came in and examined me. Immediately he called Edna and the exchanged some harsh words and he said I needed to go to the clinic NOW.
>>I had to be carried out to the van. .... At this piont, [my mother and I] were both, like, what did we get ourselves into? What kind of clinic is this? I left the hotal at 5:15 am by the time I got to Dr. TIller's clinic (they brought me in through [Tiller's private] garage) they registered me, undressed me, sedated me, and I delivered my child. It was 6 am, 45 minutes [after I arrived at the clinic.] ....
>>Now when you first get to teh clinic you get a check list of things you can ask for, [for example] the baby blanket, hand and foot prints, pictures, etc. I asked for these things and they told me they would mail them to me. I was hysterical. I just needed somethign to hold onto. I threw a fit in a waiting room (a waiting room I had never seen before). It was FULL of people. All of a sudden, they brought me my stuff. It seemed to me as soon as my abortion was over they couldn't wait to get rid of me. ....
>>Now my story is almost over, but there is a little more to it. The prescription I was given there had a refull on it, but it cost 75 dollars US to fill this so I figured I would wait until the next day when I got home to refill this prescription .... So I had been home for 2 days and had not slept. I was vomiting I had nosebleeds, the shakes, the sweats, and uncontrollable spasms. I thought this was because of stress, so I went to see my doctor and he wanted to run tests. I agreed. On my way out his door I remembered my prescription so I gave it to him and asked for the refill. He looked at me with a very strange look on his face and asked me to sit down. He explained to me that this drug was illegal in Canada and he could not give it to me, and that basically it was synthetic heroine (sic). And he couldn't believe the amount of milligrams in eachpill. I then explained to him that I was told to take 2 then one every hour. He then did a quick blood test and it confirmed that the levels of pentazocine in my system now -- let alone 2 days ago -- should have killed me. I was not having all these symptoms from stress. They were my body's way of trying to detox me.
>>Am am no longer grateul for Dr. Tiller "helping me." He didn't help me at all. I wish now I would [have] had the courage to deliver my little girl and let her get even just one breath of air before she passed, to let her see my face just once before she passed. I will never have that chance now and I will always have to live with the decison I made and the nightmares of what happened to me in Kansas. All I have now is my little 6 lb. 2 oz. daughter's ashes in a tiny silver engraved box in my living room. I have a small box of picturs and footprints and a receiving blanket with green goop on it that I can't bring myself to wash because I think it will wash her away. I still cry every day and I miss her every day. Dr. Tiller didn't help me. He robbed me and I let him. Women need to know what goes on there. .... <<
More stories here:
http://www.dr-tiller.com/experience.htm
...
June 3, 2009 - 21:05 ET by EugeniaThanks for posting these, GrannyG. Mrs. Elder will never have this story to tell because she did the right thing. Her conscience is clear. These poor women fell for the deceit and pressure from the culture of death espoused by Tiller.
"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
-- GK Chesterton
Here are other stories of
June 3, 2009 - 19:59 ET by GrannyGrump42Here are other stories of women who faced terrible prenatal diagnoses. Some of them had to fight tooth and nail to avoid unwanted abortions:
http://www.benotafraid.net/
CNN's and Cooper's natural
June 3, 2009 - 20:07 ET by ThisnThatCNN's and Cooper's natural instincts: Air a segment in complete support of late-term abortions.
CNN and Cooper pressured: To air a segment, only after being pressured, to air this segment on Elder.
Hey CNN. Hey Cooper -- don't you think it ought to be the other way around?
I hope no one is suckered into thinking CNN has changed its spots. They are left-wing, agenda-driven through and through. Only not quite so bad as MSNBC.
___________________________________
Liberals constantly demand that we accept a glaring falsehood as truth; Obama's elimination of the word "terror" will make terrorist acts less terrifying
→ TnT
June 3, 2009 - 20:17 ET by Cool ArrowI'm not buffaloed.
The blind sow found an acorn. He's crying because his ratings are down and hopes he can pick up a few sentamental saps.
It's a touching piece, for sure.
But he joined his Fascist buddies in yukking it up when we went to Tea Parties. The implication was that we're a bunch of homosexuals.
When he apologizes, I'll reconsider.
"The Rule of Law is the only thing that separates us from Democrats" - a Firefighter
...
June 3, 2009 - 21:10 ET by EugeniaHe actually asked Diane Elder, after she gave her beautiful testimony and saying what HAPPINESS this child brought them if she regretted her "choice"? Cooper showed how instinctively stupid he is. It's as if he wasn't even listening.
"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
-- GK Chesterton
The tool didn't work well.
June 3, 2009 - 20:21 ET by Ted ClarkeI think Cooper may consider this to be an interview gone horribly wrong. Although his manner was gentle and caring, some of his questions seemed to be tactically designed to ellicit answers that would help his cause of killing babies.
COOPER: Do you- do you regret it, looking back on it?
Regret? Isn't there an assumption there that she should regret giving birth to her baby? And would he ever ask that question to a woman who aborted her baby into a toilet? For Cooper, killing a baby is nothing to regret, but giving birth to him or her is somehow regretable.
COOPER: And, when you heard about Dr. Tiller’s death, your thought?
He was hoping beyond hope that she would give two thumbs up to his murderer and show the entire world just how cold and heartless the pro-life movement is.
Cooper is a tool. But in this instance, the tool didn't perform very well. Next time, CNN will take a bit more care when digging through their tool box.
Evening Ted... I
June 3, 2009 - 20:27 ET by bigtimerEvening Ted...
I noticed.
I totally agree.
Still glad the story is out there...although in my opinion it backfired for what they were hoping the outcome would be from within peoples hearts all over this land....know what I mean?
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
...
June 3, 2009 - 21:11 ET by EugeniaHey, Ted,
See you beat me to the point I just made. :)
"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
-- GK Chesterton
Creation and Liberals
June 3, 2009 - 21:03 ET by Retired GeekIn the beginning God created the Universe and created a man and woman.
God told the man and woman to procreate and be fruitful on the Earth.
This made Liberals very angry and they considered God's creation a 'Bad Move'.
Liberals began exterminating as many babies as possible to soothe their anger.
God told the man and the woman to bond together and become 'One in Marriage', this angered Liberals even more and Liberals began to reward those who chose to become Homosexuals and not procreate, with all of benefits of a man and a woman.
God created mankind equal and this made Liberals even angrier.
Liberals began sorting out humans and placing them in classes and categories where some classes of humans were more 'Equal than Others'.
God told the man and the woman that He wanted them to work hard and provide for themselves and their families.
This made Liberals insane with rage and they began 'Stealing' from the producers and giving the 'Stolen Goods' to the indolent and those who refused to work.
Liberals began calling that stealing, a 'Sacrifice for the Common Good'.
Diane Elder's love for her
June 4, 2009 - 01:01 ET by CamelopardalisDiane Elder's love for her daughter Angela made me cry. What a touching story. Deciding to keep her baby was brave and selfless. May Angela rest in peace.
If you want to see love and
June 4, 2009 - 06:49 ET by GrannyGrump42If you want to see love and faith rewarded, check out
http://babyfaithhope.blogspot.com
Me too. "I dont need to
June 4, 2009 - 12:29 ET by misterbee241Me too.
"I dont need to read a newspaper to know the world's been shaved by a drunken barber."
Walter Brennan, The Colonel, Meet John Doe, 1941
The right way.
June 4, 2009 - 09:47 ET by Doc_NavyThings Change, viewpoints change when you have a child of your own.
I have a 13 week old daughter (Hailey) whom I love more than life. After reading about Angela, it was very easy for me to imagine what it might have been like for me and my wife if our daughter had the same condition. I honestly don't know what we would have done in their position but I can imagine how I'd feel, espcially at the end.
I am a three time combat vet, I've seem LOTS of violence, death and human suffering, all of it taken pretty stoically (for the most part)...THIS story had me crying and blubbering like a little girl. I had to shut the door to my office so my co-workers wouldn't become concerned.
Diane Elder made the RIGHT CHOICE. She did the hard thing, but came out clean in the end. I know that she will be reunited with a loving Angela in the afterlife.
Honestly, I can't say the same thing about people who choose to abort their children. They may someday be forgiven, but I VERY MUCH doubt they'll be reunited with the children they threw away. (IMHO)
Doc
...
June 4, 2009 - 15:19 ET by EugeniaHow can you be forgiven but yet not be reunited with your aborted child? Thankfully, God is a forgiving God Who forgives those who come to Him with a contrite heart and turn away from sin. A converted soul, in other words. Without that, there's no hope.
"When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything."
-- GK Chesterton
Easy...
June 6, 2009 - 11:51 ET by Doc_NavyJust because God has forgiven you DOESN'T mean that the person you sinned against has also forgiven you. Besides, even if the person you sinned against DOES forgive you your tresspass that doesn't magically change how they feel about you. The #1 rule in heaven (Greater even than that of forgiveness) is Free Agency.
Question: If you allow a pedophile into your home unknowingly, and that person rapes your children, then later that person repents and "Comes to God" and is a "converted soul"... aaannnd they recieve fogiveness from God and from you, and from your Children... are you and your children going to want to hang around Mr. Pedophile in the afterlife?? Even though He's been forgiven? I think not.
What if the pedophile was your spouse?
Doc
Heartbreaking
June 4, 2009 - 12:28 ET by misterbee241This postively breaks this old man's heart. But the mom did the right thing allowing her baby to live and die naturally.
"I dont need to read a newspaper to know the world's been shaved by a drunken barber."
Walter Brennan, The Colonel, Meet John Doe, 1941