The self-styled Center for Medical Progress has released a fourth apparently edited video that appears to depict Planned Parenthood employees discussing the sale of fetal tissue.
Congressional Republicans are using the videos to call for investigations into Planned Parenthood, and a GOP-led effort to defund the healthcare nonprofit is gaining steam.
Here in Virginia, Republican leaders are falling over themselves trying to use the generated controversy gain political advantage.
But no, this isn’t a coordinated effort. Not at all.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe put it best in a response to reporters asking for comment on the issue, asking rhetorically why Virginia Republicans aren’t holding press conference to ask what they should do to improve healthcare for women.
Instead of, you know, using videos produced by an anti-abortion group with a name that would make it sound like anything else to try to turn voters against continued progress in the healthcare arena.
Just last week, poll numbers suggested Virginia voters overwhelmingly back expansion of the state Medicaid program, which would have already been expanded if not for strenuous pushback from Republicans.
Virginians, according to recent polls, also back the Affordable Care Act, suggesting that the hot-button political issue of choice for Republicans the past several election cycles is pretty much off the table.
If you’ve got no ideas, but you can’t concede that you just need to get out of the damn way already, what can you possibly do to push your stone age agenda?
That’s what we’re seeing take place now with these doctored videos and the coordinated outrage.
Don’t fall for it.
– Column by Chris Graham
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