Taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood was the subject of a heated exchange between competing Democrat and Republican panelists on Univision’s Sunday Al Punto program.
Surprisingly, the Center for American Progress’ Jennifer Molina was the first to bring up the topic, framing it as an issue favorable for the Democrats, as she bashed the entire field of Republican presidential candidates for their lack of “sensitivity” in maintaining public funding of Planned Parenthood’s services.
Republican political analyst and Jeb Bush operative Helen Aguirre, however, was having none of it. Aguirre took advantage of the opportunity to denounce both public funding of the nation’s leading abortion provider, as well as defend the Republican Party’s institutional stand for life.
HELEN AGUIRRE, REPUBLICAN ANALYST: What we have seen is that Planned Parenthood, five videos have already been discovered where they are selling fetuses. Look, in a world where we are startled because they kill a lion, why are we not startled that they kill babies? It’s a pro-life platform.
Aguirre was accompanied on the pro-life side by former Republican Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart, while Molina’s back up was former California State Assembly Speaker Fabián Núñez (D).
The transcript of the entire referenced exchange appears below.
Univision’s Al Punto 08/09/2015 10:00 AM
JENNIFER MOLINA, CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: ...the federal funds for Planned Parenthood. This is something that now both women and men are benefit from the services, and all the representatives that were on the platform wanted to cut those resources. So they are not so sensitive to that.
…
HELEN AGUIRRE, REPUBLICAN ANALYST: ...as far as the right to reproduction, a woman, if she wants to reproduce, she can do it, but why do we have to pay for abortions?
ENRIQUE ACEVEDO, ANCHOR: Well, that there are not federal funds for that...
HELEN AGUIRRE: Public funds, federal funds. But what it does is abort, and lately it is very well known...
[SEVERAL SPEAKING AT SAME TIME]
[Interrupting] FABIAN NUNEZ, FORMER CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER: It’s not just abortion. It’s family planning, and many young people, many young people depend on these services.
ENRIQUE ACEVEDO: Finish Helen
HELEN AGUIRRE: Most of the funds Planned Parenthood does are in favor of abortions, and what we have seen is that Planned Parenthood, five videos have already been discovered where they are selling fetuses. Look, in a world where we are startled because they kill a lion, why are we not startled that they kill babies? It’s a pro-life platform.
