Limbaugh falsely suggests Planned Parenthood mainly provides abortions

Original Link: http://mediamatters.org/items/200901150006

Summary: On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh falsely suggested that Planned Parenthood mainly provides abortions, saying, "You go into Planned Parenthood for an abortion, all right?" In fact, according to the Planned Parenthood website, 3 percent of its health services are abortion services.

During the January 14 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh falsely suggested that Planned Parenthood mainly provides abortions, asking show contributor James Golden, known on-air as "Bo Snerdley": "What do you do when you go to Planned Parenthood? What do you go in there for? Tell me the word. You go into Planned Parenthood for an abortion, all right?" In fact, according to statistics on the Planned Parenthood Federation of America website, "Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services" and "82 percent of our clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy."

From Planned Parenthood Federation of America's website:

Our Services in the U.S.

Planned Parenthood health centers focus on prevention: 82 percent of our clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood services help prevent more than 621,000 unintended pregnancies each year.

Planned Parenthood provides nearly one million Pap tests and more than 850,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer.

Planned Parenthood provides more than 3.3 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, each year.

Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services.

Planned Parenthood affiliates provide educational programs to more than 1.2 million young people and adults each year.

Limbaugh made his remarks while suggesting that listeners donate "Reborn Dolls" as gifts to "clients and customers" of Planned Parenthood, saying: "Yeah, so you go into Planned Parenthood as a customer, you walk out after the deed is done; they give you one of these Reborns."

From the January 14 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

CALLER: I was listening to your Reborn and I thought, he's got to be kidding on that. So, went on my computer, and there it is --

LIMBAUGH: Yeah, it's right there.

CALLER: -- and they have a line -- it's a "Orangutan Baby Doll," and it's $140.

LIMBAUGH: Yeah, but the thing -- the thing about the human Reborns is apparently they're the same size. They feel, look like real babies, and that's why they're so expensive.

CALLER: Well, yeah, but I -- you know, they've got some for like $60, but --

LIMBAUGH: Well, I know, but you've got to have different price points here, because we're in an economic recession.

CALLER: Well, you couldn't prove that by people around here if they're spending this kind of money. They even have some that breathe. It's called a "realistic 'breathing' baby doll: so truly real." And I'm thinking, oh, this is --

LIMBAUGH: Then why were you shocked at the story about the Reborns?

CALLER: I don't know. I guess just because if you've got nothing better to do than buy baby dolls and have -- that's what little girls do -- have birthday parties for baby dolls. I don't know, at my age, I've just gotten to the point where I think, nothing surprises me anymore, but then I get a surprise like this. So, anyway --

LIMBAUGH: Would it be -- would it be over the top, ladies and gentlemen, to suggest maybe a charitable donation of a bunch of these dolls to the Planned Parenthood? As gifts to their customers and clients? Because I saw the other day, Planned Parenthood is down 20 percent. They're having some -- they're looking for bailouts. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. That's not what it was. The Madoff scandal -- the Madoff scandal has resulted in Planned Parenthood getting 20 percent -- maybe it's a little bit more -- donations.

Yeah, so you go into Planned Parenthood as a customer, you walk out after the deed is done; they give you one of these Reborns.

Well, no, you can't -- I don't know. No, no, you don't take it that far, Snerdley. You're asking irrelevant questions here. What happens if they change their mind if they take the doll? You know, we're not talking about them ordering it.

What do you do when you go to Planned Parenthood? What do you go in there for? Tell me the word. You go into Planned Parenthood for an abortion, all right? It's a traumatic thing, right? We've heard all about this. So to salve you, and to make you feel better as the client when you leave, give you a Reborn. That's what I meant.

Where did Snerdley go? And I was suggesting this because the Madoff scandal has resulted in a 20-percent reduction in funds for the poor people at Planned Parenthood.

Hey, let me change subjects real quickly to Obama for a second.

—G.L.