Who is the best woman to represent International Women’s Day? Why, Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood. That was the thinking of the hosts of CBS This Morning on Wednesday. Naturally, the journalists offered softballs to the head of the abortion provider and repeated liberal talking points. Democratic donor Gayle King provided this easy question: “Some people have described [defunding efforts as] a war on women. Do you see it that way?”
King helpfully added that “in the court of public opinion, 62 percent of the voters do not want federal funding cut from Planned Parenthood.” Guest co-host Anthony Mason blandly asked this query on the Republican plans: “Who is directly effected if you lose this money?”
King repeated the liberal talking point that only three percent of the organization’s work is related to abortion:
There are so many that think when you think of Planned Parenthood, you think of abortion. And yet as you point, out only three percent of it involves abortion. Do you ever think, well, maybe we should let the abortion part of our practice go, rather than risk losing all of this money?
Of course that number is deceptive, something even the Washington Post has admitted. In January, Live Action exposed how little prenatal care Planned Parenthood actually does.
On Tuesday, CBS This Morning assisted Nancy Pelosi by not mentioning the sex joke her Democratic colleague made about Kellyanne Conway.
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CBS This Morning
3/8/17
8:03am ETANTHONY MASON: Congressional committees this morning will begin debating the Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill is already causing divisions within the GOP. President Trump has suppressed support. But many conservative lawmakers say it’s too similar to ObamaCare.
NORAH O’DONNELL: One part of the proposed legislation would cut federal funding for any organization that provides abortion. Exceptions include abortions after rape or incest or if the mother’s life is in danger. The provision would essentially defund Planned Parenthood if it continues providing abortion services. Planned Parenthood president and CEO Cecile Richards joins us now. Good morning, Cecile.
CECILE RICHARDS: Hi, Norah.
NORAH O’DONNELL: So, Planned Parenthood receives about $500 million in federal funding. How is that money used?
RICHARDS: So, it’s reimbursed for health care services. It’s really important that viewers know we're not in the federal budget. We never have been. We work just like hospitals and other health care providers and what we get reimbursed for is not abortion because, of course, it's not allowed under the federal government but we're reimbursed for breast cancer, screenings, pap smears, birth control and millions of folks come to us every single year. Essentially what Congress is saying is women in America, one in five who have come to Planned Parenthood, can no longer come to the health care provider of their choice.
MASON: Who is directly effected if you lose this money?
RICHARDS: It will be mainly women who, again, rely on Planned Parenthood for preventive care in a lot of the Midwestern parts of the country. Here's one of the things that's important to know: We're really proud of the progress we've made as women, especially here on International Women's Day. We're now actually at a historic all-time low for teenage pregnancy in the United States. We are at a 30 year low for unintended pregnancy. Planned Parenthood is very proud of that work and we feel like it's time to actually invest in that and do more of it rather than actually cut off the largest national women’s health care provider.
O’DONNELL: And what do you attribute that drop in abortion rates?
RICHARDS: It’s better access to family planning. It’s better access to sex education. Of course, under the Affordable Care Act, one of the things we fought for so hard was every woman that's insured, 55 million now have access to no cost birth control. That means women are getting better access. They are able to plan their families. And that is good for the American economy and the American women.
GAYLE KING: Still, there are so many that think when you think of Planned Parenthood, you think of abortion. And yet as you point out only three percent of it involves abortion. Do you ever think, well, maybe we should let the abortion part of our practice go, rather than risk losing all of this money?
RICHARDS: Well, that’s sort of what, I guess, the President has said. We just feel it's really important, Gayle, that two and a half million women come to us every year for health care services. They depend on high quality affordable care that includes family planning, cancer screenings, wellness visits. For many women, we're their only doctor and we also provide access to safe and legal abortion and we just simply won't turn our backs on American women.
MASON: If you lose this money, what do you do?
RICHARDS: I mean, Planned Parenthood will be around. We’ve been around 100 years. We'll be around 100 more. I think, really, the question is what happens to these women. And we work very closely with the community health care cents. Because they refer to us. So a woman — I was just in Michigan. A woman who has a breast lump or needs birth control and can't get in to her community health center for a month or two months, they refer her to Planned Parenthood because we can see her that day. Women can't go without this care and that’s why we feel so strongly about this.
KING: Some people have described it or called it a war on women. Do you see it that way?
RICHARDS: Well, it's definitely a war on women’s health care. Because Planned Parenthood acts like every hospital. We get reimbursed for services. And yet we're the only organization that's been singled out by the Congress. We're the only national women’s health care provider and we're extremely popular. We have the support of more than 70 percent of the American people. We're a lot more popular than Congress. So, I wish they would think about this and think about the fact that women in this country need high quality, affordable care and that's across the board.
O’DONNELL: Just to revisit that point again, you don't get a check for 500 million dollars from the federal government. You're not in the budget.
RICHARDS: That's correct.
O’DONNELL: These are Medicaid reimbursements for people who are on Medicaid who are poor and go and receive services, not abortion. But to that point, are there other hospitals that provide similar services who would also under this new Trump rule also stop receiving funding for this care?
RICHARDS: Right now, we are the only ones singled out. And we, again — It's a really good point, Norah, because we do operate like hospitals. Many of them provide abortions as well.
O’DONNELL: I mean this is the principle of the Trump administration and the new HHS secretary, shouldn't they denied all Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals and others who happen to provide abortions as well?
RICHARDS: Well, I think we'll see what they say. I mean, what we believe is women should have access to all of their health care, whether it's Planned Parenthood or community health centers or hospitals. One thing I think that's important to recognize is we — half of our health centers are in medially under served communities. I was just in Paul Ryan's district. We have three health centers there. In one of those towns, in Racine, there is no other community health care centers. And so, the women I met with are patients. So, where am I going to go for my birth control? Where am I going to go for my annual exam?
O’DONNELL: How many women are treated at that facility or go there?
RICHARDS: Thousands.
MASON: Are you having any conversation with the administration or GOP leaders? Is there a dialogue?
RICHARDS: We have definitely communicated repeatedly and will talk with anyone about the important care we provide. Ant most importantly, the need that women in this country continue to have are high quality affordable care.
KING: And in the court of public opinion, 62 percent of the voters do not want federal funding cut from Planned Parenthood.
RICHARDS: That’s absolutely right and that’s because we are a health car provider.
KING: We appreciate you coming, Cecile. Thanks for having you.
