During an interview with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to preview the upcoming GOP presidential debate, the hosts of CBS This Morning repeatedly questioned him from the left over the merits of defunding Planned Parenthood.
The interview began with Charlie Rose asking Priebus to react to Jeb Bush’s inartful call to defund Planned Parenthood, specifically “[w]hat impact will this have in terms of Bush having to be deflected, to explain himself?”
After Priebus hesitated to weigh in on Bush’s comments given that the primary process is ongoing, he explained that the legislation being debated “is a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and then move that money to community health clinics and other places. So it wasn't a matter of eliminating money, it was a matter of moving it.”
Despite Priebus’ insistence that Bush’s comments were “much to do about nothing.” Rose continued to press the RNC chairman and suggested that Jeb’s comments “reflects a mindset” that he doesn’t support funding for women’s health.
Once again, the RNC chairman explained that while it was important candidates use careful language on the campaign trail “they did, and I think they're going to move on, and it's important to be careful, no doubt.”
As the interview progressed, Rose’s colleague Norah O’Donnell continued so press Priebus from the left over the issue of Planned Parenthood and whether or not he supports a government shutdown over the issue of abortion:
An exciting night tomorrow night. And of course, at the same time this debate is going on in Congress. Do you think it's worth shutting down the federal government in October to defund Planned Parenthood?
The CBS host made sure to spin the issue of funding Planned Parenthood from the left rather than explain that Democrats in Congress oppose any federal budget that does not include funding for the nation’s largest abortion provider, whereas the GOP wants to fund the entire government except for Planned Parenthood.
For his part, Priebus did not take O’Donnell’s bait and merely explained that as RNC chairman he wasn’t responsible for “prognosticating” the legislative process:
I'm the political guy. I'm the guy that figures out how many boots we need on the ground, what data licenses we need to buy, how to execute. You know, as far as what we're going to do in the legislature in three months, if something today doesn't happen, I mean, that's a sort of prognosticating-type game at 7:00 in the morning. It wouldn't be wise for me to start getting involved with.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS This Morning
August 5, 2015
CHARLIE ROSE: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is with us from Cleveland, the location of tomorrow night's debate. Good morning, Mr. Chairman.
REINCE PRIEBUS: Hey, good morning, Charlie. Good morning, everyone.
ROSE: Let's start with what Nancy was saying about Jeb Bush. What impact will this have in terms of Bush having to be deflected, to explain himself?
PRIEBUS: Well, look. I mean, I've got to be a little careful here in calling balls and strikes and getting in the middle of candidates' comments, but I think it's pretty clear the a bill in Washington is a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and then move that money to community health clinics and other places. So it wasn't a matter of eliminating money, it was a matter of moving it. He said he misspoke. Obviously I think he did and he fixed it. I think it's a little bit of much to do about nothing.
ROSE: The problem is-
PRIEBUS: Candidates have to –
ROSE: Go ahead, I'm sorry.
PRIEBUS: I was just going to say, candidates have to be careful. So obviously, I mean, yeah. You have to watch out what you say and how you say it, and you have to quickly recover and repair potential mistakes that you've made, and I think they've done that.
ROSE: Because people worry that it reflects a mindset.
PRIEBUS: Sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no. There's no doubt you have to correct things like that. But they did, and I think they're going to move on, and it's important to be careful, no doubt.
NORAH O’DONNELL: Chairman Priebus, good to see you. An exciting night tomorrow night. And of course, at the same time this debate is going on in Congress. Do you think it's worth shutting down the federal government in October to defund Planned Parenthood?
PRIEBUS: Look, Norah, I don't get to make those decisions. You know, I'm the political guy. I'm the guy that figures out how many boots we need on the ground, what data licenses we need to buy, how to execute. You know, as far as what we're going to do in the legislature in three months, if something today doesn't happen, I mean, that's a sort of prognosticating-type game at 7:00 in the morning. It wouldn't be wise for me to start getting involved with.
