On a network that took the phrases "Tiller the baby killer" and "Planned Parenthood sells baby parts" to a national level of consciousness, "pro-life" tag team Bill O'Reilly and Andrea Tantaros absolve the "pro-life" movement of any culpability in abortion clinic violence.
As part of Fox News' attempt to exonerate a key, core constituency, Fox News talkers have done their best to deny that those who are "pro-life" engage in inflammatory rhetoric (aided and abetted by Fox News) which contributes to abortion clinic violence. Not surprisingly, Bill O'Reilly, whose multi-year jihad against an abortion provider contributed to a climate of violence in which the doctor was murdered, added his voice to the Amen chorus. Not surprisingly, he was joined by another Fox anti-choice zealot Andrea Tantaros.
Last Monday, after the Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting, O'Reilly played video of presidential candidate Ben Carson saying that there are some, in the pro-life movement, who might say that they understand abortion clinic shootings. O'Reilly asked Tantaros if she knew of anybody, "in a position of responsibility" in the pro-life movement would say anything like that. He added, "of course you've got kooks, but I don't remember any pro-life person, that I've covered ever saying anything like that." Of course, O'Reilly was king of them all, y'all but that didn't seem to phase Tantaros who responded, "no, not one."
O'Reilly, who, in July, compared Planned Parenthood to Nazis, asked Leslie Marshall if she knew anybody "with a visible profile," who ever said "it's justified to kill people who are pro-abortion." Marshall couldn't come with anybody in the mainstream but provided other examples of threatening rhetoric directed against Planned Parenthood. O'Reilly said that Carson was on shaky grounds because he couldn't name names. (How bout head of Troy Newman, head of Operation Rescue, who just endorsed Ted Cruz?) He accused Carson of "demonizing the pro-life movement [Like you demonized Tiller?] that has been peaceful and has been for decades."
Fact - the "pro-life" movement has a terrible history of violence, described by the ADL as America's forgotten terrorism," which, since the publicity (aided and abetted by Fox) surrounding the Center for Medical Progress videos, has increased.
In an amazing example of absolute denial of reality or just a bold faced lie, Tantaros asserted that "the pro-life movement is driven to persuade. Their rhetoric is based on reality, on cold hard truth." She acknowledged that "there's a kook here and there." She continued to praise the "peaceful" "pro-life" movement which "lobbies to educate" and "tweak the conscience of Americans."
Fact - The "pro-life" movement is based on lies that include false information given to women at "crisis pregnancy centers" and the TRAP laws that are based on ideology, not women's health.
O'Reilly, who has demonized Dr. Tiller even after his assassination by a pro-life zealot, summed it up with his statement that "the pro-life movement has conducted itself in a very professional manner."
While the mainstream "pro-life" movement is peaceful, their rhetoric (think "baby parts") is inspiring kooks. Words matter...