Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton on Tuesday seized on comments from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), a potential general-election rival, about the women’s health and family-planning organization Planned Parenthood.
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The comment by Bush was quickly criticized by Hillary Clinton and CNN, which quickly opined that “Jeb Bush’s Planned Parenthood jab backfires”.
Planned Parenthood also issued its statement saying that Bush told all Americans what women of Florida knew for many years now, he assumes that women’s health comes cheap.
I am also aware, and thankful, that there are strong community resources here in Florida promoting access and covering costs for lower income women who need these vital services.
Responding to a question about federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which is under fire over its fetal tissue donation practices, Bush said the federal government should not give money to the organization. “Whenever Democrats want to fund Planned Parenthood, they talk about women’s health“.
Appearing on stage at the Southern Baptist Convention in Tennessee on Tuesday, Mr Bush was asked about healthcare provider Planned Parenthood, to which Republicans have been trying to cut funding.
“Every time Bush has stuck his foot in his mouth, it’s been a “Clean up on Aisle 3″ moment”, said Craig Robinson, a longtime GOP operative in Iowa.
After an uproar from the left, Bush, according to The Hill, issued a statement that he “misspoke” when addressing the Democratic narrative that defunding Planned Parenthood amounts to a war on women.
Democrats raced to blast him for the remarks.
After vowing to defund Planned Parenthood, does he get elected to the White House, the presidential hopeful took it a step further and questioned the need to spend 0 million on women’s health services. She said that Bush is unequivocally wrong. From repealing Obamacare and replacing it with Apple Watches (something terrific, for sure), to phasing out Medicare in its entirety, you’ll be hard pressed to find any government health program that Bush hasn’t made decidedly non-moderate threats against.
The Hyde Amendment, which has been in place for decades, already prohibits federal funding for abortions, except in cases of incest, rape or life endangerment.
The campaign issued a statement on Bush’s behalf attempting to explain his remark – and then, realizing that they’d sent a draft that hadn’t included the words “I misspoke”, followed up 25 minutes later with a second version.
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Bush’s plan for those in the country illegally calls for a “rigorous path” to legal status, including for them to undergo a criminal background check, pay fines and taxes, learn English and earn a provisional work permit.
