CNN’s Costello Boosts Planned Parenthood’s Talking Points as ‘Facts’

CNN's Costello Boosts Planned Parenthood's Talking Points as 'Facts' (NewsBusters)

On Tuesday's CNN Newsroom, Carol Costello treated Planned Parenthood's own talking points about "three percent" of its services are abortions as "facts" during a panel discussion on federal funding for the abortion organization. Costello emphasized that "$500 million in federal funds goes to Planned Parenthood. None of that money...pays for abortions....Planned Parenthood says only three percent of their services are dedicated to abortion. The group says 97 percent of its services are for things like...breast exams...cancer screenings and contraception – all of these things provided for many women who cannot afford care." 

The anchor brought on Julie Gunlock of the conservative Independent Women's Forum; as well as Anushay Hossain, whom she identified as a "journalist and editor-in-chief of AnushaysPoint.com." However, she failed to point out that Hossain previously worked for the left-wing Feminist Majority Foundation.

Costello touted that "as I've said many times before, I am hopelessly addicted to facts. So I want to lay a few facts on you before we begin a discussion over this." She continued with Planned Parenthood's talking points – all the while ignoring that even the left-leaning Slate website pointed out in 2013 that three percent statistic is "meaningless," since "Planned Parenthood 'unbundles' all of its services so that a pack of pills, an STD test and an exam are three separate services."