For the second time in less than a week, CNN's Chris Cuomo on Tuesday pushed a Republican presidential candidate to be more supportive of abortion. This time, it was Donald Trump. The New Day anchor lectured the businessman: "...Many women believe you protect them by protecting their right to choose and that's something that Planned Parenthood allows."
After Trump criticized how Jeb Bush discussed Planned Parenthood, Cuomo hopefully pressed, "You don't like what Jeb Bush said... Is that your way of saying you think Planned Parenthood should be funded because of all the health care it provides outside of abortions to women, especially women of low means?"
The candidate decried the organization, but then allowed that Planned Parenthood does some "good" things. Sensing an opening, the anchor wondered, "Marco Rubio, someone running against you, says that he doesn't believe in any carve outs on rape or incest, that there's no abortion for any level no matter what. Do you agree on that?"
Trump, who has had a number of positions on abortion, asserted that he did not agree with Rubio.
On August 7, Cuomo lectured Rubio on his "backward" position regarding abortion: "To not have a carve-out for rape and incest is also something that seems very backward-looking in terms of the cultural mores that we have today."
A partial transcript of the August 11 segment, which aired at 7:36 am ET, is below:
CHRIS CUOMO: You don't like what Jeb Bush said. You said it was an epic mistake. Is that your way of saying you think Planned Parenthood should be funded because of all the health care it provides outside of abortions to women, especially women of low means?
DONALD TRUMP: Well, the biggest problem I have with Planned Parenthood is the abortion situation. I mean, it's like an abortion factory, frankly. You can't have it and you just shouldn't be funding it. And that should not be funded by the government. And I feel strongly about that and that's my biggest problem with Planned Parenthood, because, really, if you look at it and the work they do, it really has become heavily centered on abortion and you can't have that.
CUOMO: They say it's only three percent of what they do and the money that does go toward abortions is not the money that comes from the federal government, that they separate the two.
TRUMP: Here's what I would do if the time came: I would look at the individual things that they do and maybe some of the things are good and I know a lot of things are bad. The abortion aspect of it should not be funded by government. Absolutely.
CUOMO: So, you would take a look at it before you'd defund it. That's what's being asked for right now. Many in your party are doing the opposite. They're saying defund it and then look at it. You'd say, look at it first.
TRUMP: I would look at the good aspects of it and I would also look as I'm sure they do some things properly and good and good for women and I would look at that. I would look at other aspects, also. But we have to take care of women. We have to absolutely take care of women. The abortion aspect of Planned Parenthood should not absolutely – should not be funded.
CUOMO: Well, you do know there is a big political debate on this and that many women believe you protect them by protecting their right to choose and that's something that Planned Parenthood allows. Marco Rubio, someone running against you, says that he doesn't believe in any carve outs on rape or incest, that there's no abortion for any level no matter what. Do you agree on that?
RUBIO: I disagree with that. I am for the exceptions. You have the three exceptions. I'm for the exceptions. The health of the mother and life of the mother. I absolutely am for the exceptions and so was Ronald Reagan, by the way. There's nothing wrong with that. You have to do it, in my opinion. Now, Marco took a strong stand. I respect him. He believes that. I have – you now it's just a different thing. I am for the exceptions, yes.
CUOMO: Do you agree with him about when you have a person in the form of the unborn that should have a right to attach to them? He says at conception. Roe V. Wade, as you know, says 20 weeks. There are different theories that other people have. When do you believe that the unborn is a person and deserves rights?
RUBIO: Well, I certainly think as the process goes along on more and more, and a lot of people are talking about the 20 weeks and certainly there. Absolutely, as the process goes along. I am a person that feels very, very strongly about, you know, I am pro-life. I'm strongly about pro-life. But I also feel that you, you go with the exceptions, which, Marco, and I was at the dias I there when he made the statement and a lot of people liked the statement and lot of people didn't. I was in that room. It was a very strong statement made respect him for it, frankly, I don't happen to agree. I am for the exceptions.
