On Monday's New Day on CNN, anchor Chris Cuomo complained about Republicans wanting to defund Planned Parenthood as he questioned the "urgency" of doing so "before you investigate the allegations," leading guest and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to decry the "grotesque" revelations about the abortion provider.
During a discussion of House Speaker John Boehner's announced resignation and the impact it could have on whether there is a government shutdown as Republicans try to defund Planned Parenthood, Cuomo fretted:
But this Planned Parenthood stuff that's going on -- by the way, does it make sense to you that there's this urgency to defund before you investigate the allegations?
Cantor responded:
Well, I mean, I think they're pretty apparent. I don't know what you need to invest -- I mean, investigate -- when you see the videos of dismemberment of fetuses and then going off to try and talk about selling some of the parts. I mean, that's just really grotesque and it's-
The CNN anchor then asserted that some of the video is "highly doubtful" as he defended the abortion provider:
I totally get that perception, but you know that the video that shows, you know, that baby that Carly Fiorina talked about is highly, highly doubtful, in terms of its authenticity. You know that these people who are speaking on there, taking everything they say as the truth, you still got to investigate. You still are dealing with a handful of people that are now going to reflect the funding of an entire institution.
After Cantor argued against tax dollars going to a group that funds abortions, Cuomo then tried to suggest that tax dollars do not really have an impact on bolstering Planned Parenthood's ability to perform abortions:
CHRIS CUOMO: Technically, they don't go there. You know this better than anybody. Abortions are not what they take money for.
ERIC CANTOR: Sure, but in the end, de facto, money is fungible. We all understand how that works. So, de facto yes, the money is going to benefit those who are performing those procedures. Again, I think this is a question that is unequivocal. The President disagrees.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Monday, September 28, New Day on CNN, from 8:54 a.m.:
CHRIS CUOMO: But this Planned Parenthood stuff that's going on -- by the way, does it make sense to you that there's this urgency to defund before you investigate the allegations?
ERIC CANTOR, FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: Well, I mean, I think they're pretty apparent. I don't know what you need to invest -- I mean, investigate -- when you see the videos of dismemberment of fetuses and then going off to try and talk about selling some of the parts. I mean, that's just really grotesque and it's-
CUOMO: I totally get that perception, but you know that the video that shows, you know, that baby that Carly Fiorina talked about is highly, highly doubtful, in terms of its authenticity. You know that these people who are speaking on there, taking everything they say as the truth, you still got to investigate. You still are dealing with a handful of people that are now going to reflect the funding of an entire institution.
CANTOR: I don't think -- even given what evidence is out there -- that the American people want their taxpayers [sic] going to that kind of activities. So investigations that will unfold certainly need to happen, but I don' t think you want to keep putting taxpayer dollars-
CUOMO: Technically, they don't go there. You know this better than anybody. Abortions are not what they take money for.
CANTOR: Sure, but in the end, de facto, money is fungible. We all understand how that works. So, de facto yes, the money is going to benefit those who are performing those procedures. Again, I think this is a question that is unequivocal. The President disagrees.
CUOMO: Couldn't that cause a shutdown, is what I'm saying, if it's that important to this part of your party?
CANTOR: Well, again, I think that there are enough votes of people who say, "You know what, we disagree vehemently with the President on this issue, but we don't want to deprive the other arms of government of the necessary funding." And, again, we went through this in October of '13 and failed to counteract this narrative that somehow if you weren't for shutting down the government, that you supported Obamacare. And that's ridiculous. Of course we didn't support Obamacare, but why would you want to deprive a veteran of his or rights and medical services?
CUOMO: Strong point.CANTOR: Why would you want to deprive a child, God forbid, having to go to a clinical trial-
CUOMO: Strong point.
CANTOR: -for pediatric cancer. You don't want to do that. So, again, I think that there are enough people who realize setting false expectations like so many are doing right now and some of the presidential candidates are doing, that this is going to effect the positive outcome to shut down the government, they're just wrong. And I think there are enough people who counter that and say, "Hey, we'll keep the government open."
