On Tuesday's New Day, CNN host Alisyn Camerota gave former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards a forum to brag about the pro-abortion group's success in pushing its agenda into ObamaCare, and to complain about those who wish to end taxpayer funding of the prominent abortion provider. She also gushed over her liberal guest's "legendary" mother, former Democratic Governor Ann Richards, and asked if she planned to run for political office.
Beginning the softball interview shortly after 7:50 a.m. ET, the CNN host gushed: "For the last 12 years, Cecile Richards battled to protect Planned Parenthood's state and federal funding. After a decade with the organization, Richards' last day as President was yesterday. "
Camerota began by asking her guest how it felt to leave the group and why she chose to go, and, after Richards bragged about her political successes and that she "beat back this administration's efforts to defund Planned Parenthood," the CNN host gave no pushback as she sympathetically followed up: "When you say that you beat back this administration's plan to defund, is that over? I mean, are you breathing a sigh of relief? Or is this an ever going battle?"
The pro-abortion activist charged that the Trump administration "had really had women's rights and women's health care sort of in their sights," and pledged, "I'll continue to fight to make sure that every woman in this country has access to affordable health care that Planned Parenthood provides."
After Camerota brought up a meeting Richards had had with Ivanka Trump and White House advisor Jared Kushner in which Kushner offered to continue funding Planned Parenthood if it stopped performing abortions, Richards recalled that she rejected the offer and then claimed that "federal funds don't go for abortion services, so what they're talking about doing is actually preventing women from getting breast exams, all kinds of birth control services."
The CNN host did not bring up the argument that the government could take the money that it currently gives to Planned Parenthood and transfer it to health clinics that provide medical care to women and do not perform abortions. She also did not point out that any money received by Planned Parenthood -- either tax dollars or otherwise -- is tacitly propping up every aspect of what the group does, including abortions, just by helping them to stay in business and recruit lifelong customers who might later go to them for abortions.
Camerota invited the pro-abortion activist to further promote her agenda as she followed up: "So where do you describe where women's reproductive rights are today in terms of access to birth control, access to abortion? Is it going backwards or forwards?"
Richards brought up ObamaCare and bragged that "it's amazing under ObamaCare now all insurance plans have to cover all kinds of birth control at no copay," and then complained again about the Trump administration, adding that "they're taking political aim at women's health, women's access to basic health care."
When Camerota brought up and played a clip of the tasteless abortion joke that comedian Michelle Wolf told at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Richards initially looked uncomfortable but then defended the premise of the joke as she alluded to a tiny number of pro-life politicians who have been caught pushing their girlfriends to get abortions and charged that "a lot of the folks -- male politicians who rail against access to safe and legal abortion -- do so until it's something that they actually find benefits themselves."
Camerota concluded the interview by asking if her liberal guest would go into politics like her "legendary" mother: "Your mom, of course, was the legendary Ann Richards, former Texas governor. Is there politics in your future?"
