GOP Rep. Michael Waltz joined CNN News Central host Brianna Keilar on Wednesday to recap the previous night’s presidential debate, and during the abortion part of the discussion, he was forced to fact-check someone on CNN who was attempting to fact-check him for the second time in the campaign.
Keilar asked, “If [Donald Trump] really thinks that this is about states and that states should make the call, why not just say that he'll veto a national abortion ban?”
Waltz began by arguing Congress is too divided to pass abortion legislation anyway, so there’s no point in tying yourself down to a position before pivoting to Kamala Harris, “But notably, Kamala Harris also wouldn't denounce late term abortion up to the ninth month. She completely pivoted away from that and refused to answer the question.”
A very solemn Keilar falsely replied, “I will just note that when it comes to abortions after - at or after 21 weeks, less than one percent account for that. And in a lot of those cases, it has to do with the life of the mother or it has to do with the extreme medical conditions of the fetus that it will not survive after birth.”
Studies looking into why women seek late-term abortions by pro-abortion professors have found precisely the opposite, “But data suggest that most women seeking later terminations are not doing so for reasons of fetal anomaly or life endangerment.”
Keilar’s factually incorrect fact-check set off a scene where guest and host would talk over each other with Waltz claiming, “Well, that's important commentary, the 1 percent of millions is still a large number. And I mean, when you have ABC wrongly fact-checking—”
Doubling down on her false argument, Keilar simultaneously added, “Or in the rape or incest barriers to access - for instance, if someone.”
Waltz then brought up the state that is governed by the Democratic vice presidential nominee, “Look, I mean, when you have eight children in Minnesota that died after attempted abortions were born and then still died, but you have ABC saying this never happens. When you have eight states that have zero restrictions - eight states that have zero restrictions all the way up to the minute of birth, ABC was all over the place and one sided.”
That was the second time a GOP politician has had to inform a CNN host of Minnesota’s radical abortion laws, but Keilar refused to budge, “Sir, you know, that's not… You know, that's not, you know, that's not how it happens.”
Waltz then held up an article he printed out, “I'm quoting up an article from The Dispatch, Jonah Goldberg, CNN contributor.”
Waltz erred when he said Goldberg wrote the article because it was written by Alex Demas, but the point is the same and The Dispatch is one of Facebook’s official fact-checking partners. Additionally, earlier in the campaign, Waltz joined Keilar’s co-host, Boris Sanchez, where he also brought receipts to shred CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale’s fact-check of his speech at the RNC. Maybe Dale should fact-check his colleagues instead.
Here is a transcript for the September 11 show:
CNN News Central
9/11/2024
3:17 PM ET
BRIANNA KEILAR: If he really thinks that this is about states and that states should make the call, why not just say that he'll veto a national abortion ban?
MICHAEL WALTZ: Well, you know, look, I think the president doesn't want to back himself into a hypothetical position when it's very clear, as Nikki Haley repeatedly said, and was praised by many in the media, you don't have the votes. Why do we have to, kind of, message on this that's going to be used by the other side?
But notably, Kamala Harris also wouldn't denounce late term abortion up to the ninth month. She completely pivoted away from that and refused to answer the question.
KEILAR: I will just note that when it comes to abortions after - at or after 21 weeks, less than one percent account for that. And in a lot of those cases, it has to do with the life of the mother or it has to do with the extreme medical conditions of the fetus that it will not survive after birth.
But I do want to ask you, you said it was a hypothetical - you said --
WALTZ: Well, that's important commentary, the 1 percent of millions is still a large number. And I mean, when you have ABC wrongly fact-checking ...
KEILAR: Or in the rape or incest barriers to access - for instance, if someone --
WALTZ: Look, I mean, when you have eight children in Minnesota that died after attempted abortions were born and then still died, but you have ABC saying this never happens. When you have eight states that have zero restrictions - eight states that have zero restrictions all the way up to the minute of birth, ABC was all over the place and one sided.
KEILAR: Sir, you know, that's not --
WALTZ: (INAUDIBLE) --
KEILAR: You know, that's not, you know, that's not how it happens.
WALTZ: I'm holding up an article from The Dispatch
KEILAR: But I do - I want to ask you --
WALTZ: -- I'm quoting up an article from The Dispatch, Jonah Goldberg, CNN contributor
KEILAR: I want to ask you, because you're a surrogate--
WALTZ: -- from CNN (INAUDIBLE) ...
KEILAR: ... you are a surrogate for the Trump campaign.
