(Newser)
–
Mitt Romney was denounced by Democrats and women's health groups yesterday after saying he would "get rid of" Planned Parenthood if he becomes president. "Of course you get rid of Obamacare, that's the easy one, but there are others," he said in response to a question about cutting the deficit. "Planned Parenthood, we're going to get rid of that." A Romney aide later insisted that the candidate was talking about cutting federal funding for the women's health organization, not getting rid of it, CNN reports.
Romney's comments "show how low he is willing to go to pander to the most extreme elements of the Republican base," said an Obama campaign official. "Planned Parenthood is a vital health-care provider for millions of American women, giving them affordable access to life-saving services like mammograms and cervical cancer screenings." Romney—who sought the endorsement of Planned Parenthood while running for governor of Massachusetts in 2002—told Fox yesterday that Rick Santorum's votes to fund the organization are among the reasons why he's not conservative enough to be his vice president.
