CNN's Alisyn Camerota actually pressed Planned Parenthood executive vice president Dawn Laguens on Tuesday's New Day over the controversy surrounding the abortion organization's sale of organs and other tissues from aborted babies. Camerota wondered, "As a result of these [undercover] videos...is there any soul searching that's going on in Planned Parenthood today – not, obviously, about the mission statement of what Planned Parenthood does – but, perhaps, about the method or the means of talking about it?" [video below]
The anchor also spotlighted how "even Hillary Clinton...even people in the Democratic Party have called these videos disturbing." She also noted that "it does appear, from the snippets that have seen in the public, as though something unscrupulous is happening." However, the journalist didn't go as overboard as she did with pro-lifer David Daleiden over an hour later, as she brought up how "critics of your organization...say that you're not journalists, as you purport to be on your website, but rather, you're violent extremists."
Camerota first asked Laguens about the failed effort in the Senate to defund her organization: "You won the latest round. But as we just heard our correspondent, Joe Johns, say GOPers say that the battle is not over for them. Do you feel, Dawn, as though the tide – at least on Capitol Hill – is turning against Planned Parenthood?" The executive replied, in part, that "what we're seeing is very little about women's health care – or even, fetal tissue research – and has everything to do with Republican primary politics."
The CNN journalist followed up with the subject of the Center for Medical Progress's videos: "It was...these controversial video that sparked this latest round on Capitol Hill. I know that you believe that the videos are deceptively edited. However, on this group's website...they say that they have put them in their entirety unedited...And, in fact, they have released transcripts that they say are the full entirety of the transactions that transpired."
Laguens countered with her organization's usual talking point – that the pro-life group has a "strategy to deceptively edit, in inflammatory ways, these kind of videos" – but Camerota followed up with a clip from the first video that was released:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: ...[I]t was these videos – these controversial video that sparked this latest round on Capitol Hill. I know that you believe that the videos are deceptively edited. However, on this group's website – the group that produced the videos – they say that they have put them in their entirety – unedited on the website. And, in fact, they have released transcripts that they say are the full entirety of the transactions that transpired.
DAWN LAGUENS, EXECUTIVE V.P., PLANNED PARENTHOOD: That's actually not a fact – and since we know that, for years, this has been a strategy to deceptively edit, in inflammatory ways, these kind of videos; put them out; and claim that they've put out the full tape. We can tell that those are still edited tapes....[The] defunding of Planned Parenthood...has nothing to do with abortion, as abortion is not paid for with federal funds. And so, what we were talking about was cutting funds for birth control, STD testing, teen pregnancy prevention, cancer screenings-
CAMEROTA: Well, I mean, sure-LAGUENS: And so, this is how you know that it has nothing to do with abortion in terms of the votes that they were taking. Of course, their goal-
CAMEROTA: I mean, but Dawn, you know the argument on the other side, which is that – what Republicans say, who don't want to fund Planned Parenthood, is that funds are fungible. And so, if you give a half billion dollars to Planned Parenthood, that then, they can do whatever they want with it.
But Dawn, I want to get back to the videos for a second, because it does appear, from the snippets that have seen in the public, as though something unscrupulous is happening. And I just want to play – it's very short – it's just a six-second clip that, sort of, captures the essence of what people believe these videos represent. So, listen here to one of your medical directors.
DR. DEBORAH NUCATOLA (from Center for Medical Progress undercover video): And – and if they can do a little better than break even, and do so in a – in a way that – you know, seems reasonable, they're happy to do that.
CAMEROTA: That's where they're talking about the sale or the compensation for fetal tissue. And she says, 'If they can do a little better than break even, and if it seems reasonable, they're happy to do that.' How do you explain what's happening there?
LAGUENS: Well, we don't know – we don't know exactly what she was responding to. That's the thing about these videos. They move around tape – one in front of the other – so that you're not clear if she's even talking about fetal tissue. So, that's one thing.
The second thing, as you and I have discussed: they cut out nine or ten times where she absolutely, clearly says, this is not about profit. This is a small program where women can choose to make this donation, and it is only allowable – and only Planned Parenthood's policy – to be able to be reimbursed at cost – period.
The anchor asked her "soul searching" question near the end of the interview. Laguens didn't directly answer the question. Instead, she touted how a recent poll found that "Planned Parenthood's favoribility – even after all this, and all of the deceptiveness and the conversation in the Republican primary about this – more favorable than any political candidate; more favorable than the President; more favorable than the National Rifle Association."
The CNN journalist then repeated her question: "So...in other words, nothing will change within Planned Parenthood as a result of these videos, and people feeling as though they're, at least, disturbing?" Laguens answered by using another talking point: "What we're seeing here are attacks on people's ability to get health care. We're seeing attacks that are intended...to get rid of safe, legal abortion in this country, and destroy Planned Parenthood – who stands up for the reproductive health rights and freedom of women and all people in this country."
Exactly a week earlier, on the July 28, 2015 edition of New Day, Camerota pressed Laguens on whether Planned Parenthood would start promoting adoption instead of abortion. However, she also played up how the "exchange of fetal tissue...obviously, does a lot of good. There's a lot of research – cures for diseases that come from it." She later asked, "Why not set a set price? Wouldn't that solve the problem? Because, in this video, it says – well, sometimes, it's between $30 to $100 – depending upon storage, and depending upon handling. And so, it makes it seem as though there's room for haggling or negotiation. Why not say, it's going to be $100 across the board, and there's no if's, and's, or buts?"
The full transcript of Alisyn Camerota's interview of Planned Parenthood's Dawn Laguens from Tuesday's New Day on CNN:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Joining us now for reaction is Dawn Laguens. She's the executive vice president at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Dawn, thanks so much for being back on 'New Day.'
DAWN LAGUENS, EXECUTIVE V.P., PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Good morning.
CAMEROTA: So you won last night. You won the latest round. But as we just heard our correspondent, Joe Johns, say GOPers say that the battle is not over for them. Do you feel, Dawn, as though the tide – at least on Capitol Hill – is turning against Planned Parenthood?
LAGUENS: Oh, absolutely not, and I'm just thrilled, Alisyn, that today, two and a half million Americans can continue to get their important, excellent, preventive health care at Planned Parenthood – so thankful for those champions.
You know, what we're seeing is very little about women's health care – or even, fetal tissue research – and has everything to do with Republican primary politics.
CAMEROTA: I mean, what they would say is it has everything to do with abortion. I mean, you're right – it's not about women's health care. They don't talk so much about that, but they do talk about abortion. And you know, it was these videos – these controversial video that sparked this latest round on Capitol Hill. I know that you believe that the videos are deceptively edited. However, on this group's website – the group that produced the videos – they say that they have put them in their entirety – unedited on the website. And, in fact, they have released transcripts that they say are the full entirety of the transactions that transpired.
LAGUENS: That's – that's actually not a fact – and since we know that, for years, this has been a strategy to deceptively edit, in inflammatory ways, these kind of videos; put them out; and claim that they've put out the full tape. We can tell that those are still edited tapes.
But if we go back to the facts about the vote and the – quote, defunding of Planned Parenthood – that has nothing to do with abortion, as abortion is not paid for with federal funds. And so, what we were talking about was cutting funds for birth control, STD testing, teen pregnancy prevention, cancer screenings-
CAMEROTA: Well, I mean, sure-
LAGUENS: And so, this is how you know that it has nothing to do with abortion in terms of the votes that they were taking. Of course, their goal-
CAMEROTA: I mean, but Dawn, you know the argument on the other side, which is that – what Republicans say, who don't want to fund Planned Parenthood, is that funds are fungible. And so, if you give a half billion dollars to Planned Parenthood, that then, they can do whatever they want with it.
But Dawn, I want to get back to the videos for a second, because it does appear, from the snippets that have seen in the public, as though something unscrupulous is happening. And I just want to play – it's very short – it's just a six-second clip that, sort of, captures the essence of what people believe these videos represent. So, listen here to one of your medical directors.
DR. DEBORAH NUCATOLA (from Center for Medical Progress undercover video): And – and if they can do a little better than break even, and do so in a – in a way that – you know, seems reasonable, they're happy to do that.
CAMEROTA: That's where they're talking about the sale or the compensation for fetal tissue. And she says, 'If they can do a little better than break even, and if it seems reasonable, they're happy to do that.' How do you explain what's happening there?
LAGUENS: Well, we don't know – we don't know exactly what she was responding to. That's the thing about these videos. They move around tape – one in front of the other – so that you're not clear if she's even talking about fetal tissue. So, that's one thing.
The second thing, as you and I have discussed: they cut out nine or ten times where she absolutely, clearly says, this is not about profit. This is a small program where women can choose to make this donation, and it is only allowable – and only Planned Parenthood's policy – to be able to be reimbursed at cost – period-
CAMEROTA Yes – and in fact, when we read the transcript, they do say that over and over again – Planned Parenthood representatives do say over and over again, we're just trying to recoup our costs. You're right about that. However, above and beyond that transaction, what has gotten the public's attention is, perhaps, the – the, sort of, attitude with which some of these – these transactions are conducted. Even Hillary Clinton – I mean, even people in the Democratic Party have called these videos disturbing. As a result of these videos, Dawn, is there any soul searching that's going on in Planned Parenthood today – not, obviously, about the mission statement of what Planned Parenthood does – but, perhaps, about the method or the – the means of talking about it?
LAGUENS: Well, we have reiterated that our commitment to compassion and sensitivity – we expect that from everyone – and we are doubling our commitment to that in all ways. But our care is excellent.
As you saw, polls came out last night that actually showed Planned Parenthood's favoribility – even after all this, and all of the deceptiveness and the conversation in the Republican primary about this – more favorable than any political candidate; more favorable than the President; more favorable than the National Rifle Association – top of the list, Planned Parenthood. And that's because real Americans come to Planned Parenthood for care. And outside of the Beltway, they know what Planned Parenthood is. They know the compassion of our doctors and staff. And they know that a lot of these political games are not intended to help them. They're to score political points.
CAMEROTA: So nothing – so – so, in other words, nothing will change within Planned Parenthood as a result of these videos, and people feeling as though they're, at least, disturbing?
LAGUENS: Well, I think – I just said, Alisyn, that Planned Parenthood takes seriously our commitment to do all things with compassion and sensitivity; and if anybody in our organization doesn't feel like they are doing that – or we're not doing that for the people we serve – we take a look at that; and we make lots of changes, all the time, to improve-
CAMEROTA: Okay-
LAGUENS: What we're seeing here are attacks on people's ability to get health care. We're seeing attacks that are intended in the – in analysis – to get rid of safe, legal abortion in this country, and destroy Planned Parenthood – who stands up for the reproductive health rights and freedom of women and all people in this country.
CAMEROTA: Dawn Laguens, thanks so much for being on 'New Day' and explaining all of this to us. We appreciate seeing you.
LAGUENS: Thank you, Alisyn.
