Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton slammed pro-life advocates at a Democratic fundraiser over the weekend, saying they should support Planned Parenthood in the wake of a deadly shooting at a Colorado office for the abortion provider.
“The shooting on Friday was at, as you know, a Planned Parenthood clinic, a place where lots of women get health care they need — breast exams, STD testing, contraception and, yes, safe and legal abortions,” Mrs. Clinton said at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in New Hampshire Sunday. “We should be supporting Planned Parenthood, not attacking it.”
Mrs. Clinton also used the shooting in Colorado Springs to make a renewed call for increased gun control.
“This is truly unbelievable, that after what we’ve seen in Paris and other places, Republicans will not bring up a bill that will prohibit anyone on the no-fly list from buying a gun in America,” she said. “If you are too dangerous to fly in America, you are too dangerous to buy a gun in America.
“How many more Americans need to die before we take action?” Mrs. Clinton asked.
All three Democratic presidential candidates — Mrs. Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley — spoke at the dinner, which is a major fundraising event for the party.
Mrs. Clinton, who has placed women’s rights at the forefront of her campaign, took the opportunity attack her Republican rivals on that issue.
“It is way past time to protect women’s health and respect women’s rights, not use them as political footballs,” Mrs. Clinton said. “I know when I talk like this, some people, especially of the Republican persuasion, say I’m playing the gender card. Well, if talking about women’s health, equal pay, paid family leave, and affordable child care is playing the gender card, deal me in.”
The motives of the gunman in Colorado Springs are unknown, although some reports say the shooter mentioned “baby body parts.” Republicans have largely said Democrats and the left-wing media is using the tragedy to promote their own political agenda.
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