MSNBC to Planned Parenthood: Sad We Still Have 'Woman's Choice Issues'?

July 1st, 2015 4:16 PM

MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts took special time out of his news broadcast Tuesday afternoon to give Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards free rein to promote her abortion conglomerate and slam the Texas legislature for their efforts to increase the health standards of abortion clinics across the state. Roberts asked Richards to talk about the effects of the Supreme Court's deicsion to stay the Texas and Mississippi laws that would require abortion clinics to increase safety standards or close. Richards took full advantage of the unchecked air time to push hard on Texas:

RICHARDS: Governor Abbott is fighting to basically end all access to legal abortion in the state of Texas. He's made that very clear. Fortunately, Planned Parenthood and other health care providers are able to stay open now. But if he had his way, women wouldn't have access to this right anymore. I think the important thing is now it looks like the Supreme Court likely will actually take up this entire law, and we hope rule on the side of women in the state of Texas. I think it’s really in keeping with the decision they made on Friday in marriage equality- To say that these are personal, private decisions that women should be able to make without interference from state legislators and politicians

Roberts and Richards completely avoided discussing the facts and background of the case, which includes measures such as ensuring all facilities have halls and doorways that are wide enough for EMT gurneys, and admitting privileges to at least one hospital within thirty miles. The state maintains these regulations ensure a higher standard of care for women who do seek a legal abortion, and provides a safety net if something were to go wrong with the procedure.

Thanks to a well-manufactured setup by the biased host, Richards ended the segment by heaping praise on the pro-abortion movement.

ROBERTS: Does it surprise you that all these decades later that we still have woman choice issues after Roe v Wade? 

RICHARDS: It's discouraging. But I'm encouraged at the millions of supporters, both at planned parenthood and other women’s health organizations around the country who have voiced their opinion, and are supporting keeping clinics open and safe, and women's access available.

Richards paints herself and Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading abortion provider, as champions of women and female healthcare. Yet she consistently fights any efforts to increase the safety standards of the clinics she's responsible for. She also seems to conveniently ignore the fact that as many as 71% of all women support laws like Texas’s HB2, which restricts abortions after 20 weeks. Unfortunately, liberal networks like MSNBC take special care to enable people like her to hide these very relevant facts on the topic.,