Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would not say if she has watched the graphic videos from Planned Parenthood.
Clinton, appearing on “Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer” Thursday, instead dodged the question and insisted that Planned Parenthood “deserves not only our support but the continuing funding from the federal government so that these women and girls who are seeking the kinds of services that are provided will be able to achieve that.”
Wolf Blitzer: First of all, have you seen those very, very controversial videos?
Hillary Clinton: Well, Wolf, let’s break down what’s happening here, because I think it’s important. I know that there’s a move on by some of the Republicans in the Congress to actually shut down the United States government over their demand that we no longer give federal funding to Planned Parenthood to perform the really necessary health services that they do for millions of women. So let’s put aside for a moment here that there is no debate and there should be absolutely no argument that Planned Parenthood does cancer screenings, it helps provide family planning and contraceptive advice. It works to provide, you know, some of the most difficult kinds of counseling when it comes to giving an HIV test, for example. What this is about is the fact that some of the Planned Parenthood facilities perform abortions, which is legal under the laws of the United States. I understand that the Republican Party and particularly the candidates we heard from last night wish that were not the case, wish that abortion were illegal and they could turn the clock back. So I think we ought to be very clear that Planned Parenthood has served to provide health care, necessary health care, for millions of women. And I think it deserves not only our support but the continuing funding from the federal government so that these women and girls who are seeking the kinds of services that are provided will be able to achieve that.