CNN tarred the Romney campaign with Todd Akin's infamous
"legitimate rape" comment, and now it is trying to do the same to Rep.
Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) for making a much less controversial remark on
rape and pregnancy.
Franks, referring to a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks,
and arguing that no exception should be made for pregnancies from rape,
claimed that "the incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very
low." He clarified that the number of those cases was low and should
not be the focus of the debate, but Democrats (and the media) pounced
and lampooned him for saying that.
[Video below. Audio here [1].]
And CNN played up the controversy. "Backtracking from another
politician over comments about rape and pregnancy. Now, Republican
Representative Trent Franks of Arizona is telling his staff to fasten
their seat belts," hyped anchor Carol Costello. She added the remarks
were "way out of touch."
"Another U.S. congressman in damage control this morning after a controversial comment made about rape," Starting Point co-host John Berman reported.
Correspondent Athena Jones recalled the Akin saga in her report that
aired multiple times on Thursday morning. "Remember Missouri Republican
Todd Akin? Here's what he said last fall," she noted. Jones added that
"It was a self-inflicted wound many believed caused him [Akin] and the
GOP a Senate seat," perhaps a warning to the GOP for the 2014 election.
As The Weekly Standard explained [2], Franks' remark is much less controversial than Akin's.
Below is a transcript of the segments, which aired on CNN on June 13:
STARTING POINT
[7:35 a.m. EDT]
JOHN BERMAN: You know, there was just another controversial rape
comment from a U.S congressman. Arizona Republican Trent Franks
insisting this morning he was taken out of context while discussing his
proposal to ban abortions after 20 weeks. Here's the comment that
landed him in hot water after he was asked about possible exceptions in
cases of incest or rape.
(Video Clip)
Rep. TRENT FRANKS (R-Ariz.): Before, when my friends on the left side
of the aisle here tried to make rape and incest the subject because the
incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.
(End Video Clip)
BERMAN: Congressman Franks insists he meant to say the number of
abortions resulting from rape after the start of the sixth month of
gestation would be low. He's now blaming Democrats for distorting his
words.
(...)
STARTING POINT
[8:31 a.m. EDT]
BERMAN: Another U.S. congressman in damage control this morning after a
controversial comment made about rape. Arizona Republican Trent Franks
insisting he was taken out of context while discussing his proposal to
ban abortions after 20 weeks. Here's Athena Jones.
(Video Clip)
ATHENA JONES, CNN correspondent (voice-over): New controversy this
morning after Republican Congressman Trent Franks said this about rape.
Rep. TRENT FRANKS (R-Ariz.): The incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.
JONES: His remarks came during a discussion in Congress about a
proposal to ban abortions after 20 weeks, and brought an immediate
challenge from a fellow House member.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is no scientific basis for that and the idea
that the Republican man on this committee think they can tell the women
of America that they have to carry to term the product of a rape is
outrageous.
JONES: Franks later tried to clarify his remarks, saying that he meant
to say the number of abortions due to rape after the sixth month of
gestation would be low. He blamed Democrats for taking his words out of
context. Remember Missouri Republican Todd Akin? Here's what he said
last fall.
Former Rep. TODD AKIN (R-Miss.): If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.
JONES: It was a self-inflicted wound many believed caused him and the
GOP a Senate seat. And politicians aren't alone when it comes to
remarks that many women find offensive. Listen to this from billionaire
hedge fund guru Paul Tudor Jones in April.
PAUL TUDOR JONES, Tudor Investments: You will never see as many great women investors or traders as men. Period. End of story.
JONES: Tudor Jones were explaining his view that children were the ultimate career-killer for female traders.
TUDOR JONES: As soon as that baby's lips touch that girl's bosom forget
it. Every single investment idea, every desire to understand – every
desire to understand what's going to make this go up or going to go
down is going to be overwhelmed by the most beautiful experience, which
a man will never – which a man will never share with that emotive
connection between that mother and that baby.
JONES: Tudor Jones later said his comments were about global traders
who were on call all the time. But that did little to end the outrage
or the feeling that some men are just out of touch. Athena Jones, CNN,
Washington.
(End Video Clip)
(...)
CNN NEWSROOM
[9:27 a.m. EDT]
COSTELLO: Backtracking from another politician over comments about rape
and pregnancy. Now, Republican Representative Trent Franks of Arizona
is telling his staff to fasten their seat belts.
(...)
COSTELLO: Yeah, way out of touch. So, going back to Congressman Franks
and his comments about pregnancy and rape. What is he saying today,
Athena?
JONES: Good morning, Carol. Congressman Frank said after this situation
played out yesterday that he thought that Democrats were trying to
stoke this controversy to shift the debate away from the issue of
whether abortion should be banned after 20 weeks to something else for
this issue of rape. He said they were trying to distort his words, but
he admitted that his own word choice didn't really help him in the
matter, Carol.
COSTELLO: Yeah. But this bill in the House, you know, abortion banned
after 20 weeks, that includes women who have been raped. That includes
all pregnancies. There are no exceptions at all, not for the mother's
life, not in cases of rape or insist. So, what's happening with this
bill?
JONES: Well, I can tell you that it did pass the House Judiciary
Committee by a vote of 20-12. It was passed by an all-male group of
Republicans. But, the point is that even if this goes through the
House, it has bad chances in the Senate, and not to mention what would
happen if it were ever to reach the President's desk. It's not
something he would be likely to support. And so, that's where things
stand now. This looks like more a matter of debate, not something
that's going to end up making it all the way through, Carol.