On Monday's AC360, CNN's Randi Kaye played up that the hidden camera videos from the Center for Medical Progress triggered "anger-filled rhetoric" from the Republican presidential candidates in the months before the Colorado shootings. Kaye touted that CMP's David Daleiden "told CNN that...he did get creative with the video — admitting that it was edited — a critical detail that seemed to be lost on all the GOP candidates." This, of course, ignores the hours of footage that does show Planned Parenthood officials "bargaining, negotiating, pricing, and arranging the sales of body parts," according to her network's own reporting. [video from Kaye's report below]
Host Anderson Cooper led into the correspondent's report by noting that "Friday's deadly attack comes in the heat, obviously, of a presidential primary, with abortion, again, a white-hot issue; and a controversial undercover video that's fueling the conversation — purports to show that Planned Parenthood profits from selling fetal tissue." Kaye emphasized that "the undercover recordings set off a firestorm, with many calling to defund Planned Parenthood — some of the loudest voices: Republican candidates for president."
The CNN journalist played a soundbite from former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who "told a radio host it's the worst thing he's seen since Nazi Germany." She continued with her "anger-filled rhetoric" line as she led into a clip from Carly Fiorina's "impassioned" slam of Planned Parenthood from CNN's Republican presidential debate in September 2015.
Kaye then highlighted the admission from Daleiden, as a rejoinder to the candidates' "anger-filled rhetoric:"
RANDI KAYE: Trouble is, in this case, that wasn't video of an aborted fetus, but of a stillborn child. The citizen journalist working with the group who made the video — Center for Medical Progress — told CNN that while he does believe Planned Parenthood sold fetal tissue, he did get creative with the video — admitting that it was edited — a critical detail that seemed to be lost on all the GOP candidates.
The correspondent played two more excerpts of Senator Ted Cruz and Donald Trump attacking the abortionist group, before concluding the segment by quoting from Planned Parenthood's Dawn Laguens, who blamed pro-life political leaders for the shooting in Colorado:
KAYE: Following the shooting at the Colorado Planned Parenthood Clinic, the executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America had strong words for Republican critics — writing, 'It is offensive and outrageous that some politicians are now claiming this tragedy has nothing to do with the toxic environment they helped create.'
It should be pointed out that while Kaye didn't reveal her feelings about the unborn babies slain at Planned Parenthood, she did wonder before Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was executed in December 2006, "Will Saddam suffer in death?"
The full transcript of Randi Kaye's report from the November 30, 2015 edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360:
ANDERSON COOPER: Friday's deadly attack comes in the heat, obviously, of a presidential primary, with abortion, again, a white-hot issue; and a controversial undercover video that's fueling the conversation — purports to show that Planned Parenthood profits from selling fetal tissue.
Here's Randi Kaye.
RANDI KAYE (voice-over): The undercover recordings set off a firestorm, with many calling to defund Planned Parenthood — some of the loudest voices: Republican candidates for president.
Candidate Mike Huckabee told a radio host it's the worst thing he's seen since Nazi Germany.
MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from The Eric Metaxas Show, July 15, 2015): To watch this woman talk about selling baby parts — specifically, the lungs, the heart, the livers, the lower extremities; and how to use the forceps, so as not to crush them and damage the parts when the baby has already been murdered.
KAYE: At CNN's GOP debate in September, more anger-filled rhetoric — an impassioned Carly Fiorina—
CARLY FIORINA, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from CNN Republican presidential debate): Watch a fully-formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.
KAYE (on-camera): Trouble is, in this case, that wasn't video of an aborted fetus, but of a stillborn child. The citizen journalist working with the group who made the video — Center for Medical Progress — told CNN that while he does believe Planned Parenthood sold fetal tissue, he did get creative with the video — admitting that it was edited — a critical detail that seemed to be lost on all the GOP candidates.
KAYE (voice-over): Senator Ted Cruz calling Planned Parenthood a criminal enterprise, funded by $500 million of taxpayer money.
TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from CNN Republican presidential debate): These Planned Parenthood videos are horrifying. I would encourage every American to watch these videos — see senior Planned Parenthood officials callously, heartlessly, bartering and selling the body parts of human beings. And then, ask yourself ,are these my values?
KAYE: Donald Trump also raising concern — appearing on Laura Ingraham's show.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from The Laura Ingraham Show, August 26, 2015): It's like an abortion factory, which is terrible. So you should defund anyway. But those videos are horrible. Every time you see them, they get worse and worse. And it's like you are selling parts to an automobile or something.
KAYE: Candidate Jeb Bush re-Tweeted a post about the videos, calling it 'a shocking and horrific reminder' to 'foster a culture of life in America.'
Following the shooting at the Colorado Planned Parenthood Clinic, the executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America had strong words for Republican critics — writing, 'It is offensive and outrageous that some politicians are now claiming this tragedy has nothing to do with the toxic environment they helped create.' Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.
