CNN's Anderson Cooper discovers Michele Bachmann's Planned Parenthood comments are false

Michele Bachmann just can't help herself, particularly when she is planning to run for president in an important state like Iowa. No doubt trying to make an impression on voters, at an event by the Family Leader in Iowa, Bachmann stated:

“The executive director of Planned Parenthood in Illinois said, ‘We want Planned Parenthood to be the LensCrafters of Big Abortion.’  They are the largest provider of abortion in the United States. And not only that, the are one of the largest political organizations you can imagine as well.”

CNN's Anderson Cooper decided to investigate whether that quote was for real (video here). Bachmann has repeated the above quote numerous times in various settings the last two years.  Where did she get it?  Cooper found that she got the foundation for the quote from the executive director of Planned Parenthood, Steve Trombley in the Wall Street Journal of June 23, 2008 who actually said, "We like to think of it as the Lenscrafters of family planning." In other words, Bachmann simply made up her version of the quote, adding "Big Abortion" herself.  Planned Parenthood is also NOT one of the largest political organizations in the country, nor is it the largest provider of abortions in the country.

Hitler once said that if you repeat a big lie often enough, people will believe it. Right now, Planned Parenthood is Public Enemy No. 1 for conservatives.   Senator John Kyl also has repeated the Big Lie that "if you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood."   Actually, abortions are a fraction of the services Planned Parenthood provides, including education about birth control. From the Planned Parenthood site:

The heart of Planned Parenthood is in the local community. Our 84 unique, locally governed affiliates nationwide operate more than 800 health centers, which reflect the diverse needs of their communities.

These health centers provide a wide range of safe, reliable health care — and more than 90 percent is preventive, primary care, which helps prevent unintended pregnancies through contraception, reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections through testing and treatment, and screen for cervical and other cancers. Caring physicians, nurse practitioners, and other staff take time to talk with clients, encouraging them to ask questions in an environment that millions have grown to trust.

Anderson Cooper illustrates why it is so important for citizens to do their civic duty and fact check everything politicians say, particularly when they are trying to get the public to strike down Roe vs. Wade by creating laws that undermine women's reproductive rights.

Dakota O'Leary

Dakota O'Leary is a freethinker, and often sassy, scholar of theology and literature. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Theology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and her Master of Arts degree in Theology and Literature from Antioch University-Midwest. She is a contributing writer focusing on eschatology, biblical prophecy, and general religious news. Dakota is a co-host of the God Discussion radio show, offering insight to the news stories of the week. We like to call her "our in-house Biblical prophecy expert" as her articles on eschatology have received over 200,000 views on God Discussion.

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