Fox News Hosts First Republican Presidential Debate

Fox News Hosted First Republican Presidential Primary Debate. Fox News hosted the first Republican presidential primary debates August 6:

There will be two debates on Thursday. The debates, hosted by Fox News and Facebook in conjunction with the Ohio Republican Party, will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

The 9 p.m. ET debate will include the top 10 candidates in an average of recent national polls. They are Trump; Bush; Walker; Huckabee; Carson; Cruz; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio; Paul; Christie; and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

The seven who did not make the top 10 are invited to a 5 p.m. ET debate. They are: former Texas Gov. Rick Perry; Santorum; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; Fiorina; South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham; former New York Gov. George Pataki; and Gilmore. [FoxNews.com, 8/6/15]

On MSNBC, Washington Post Columnist's Pre-Debate Analysis Relies On Conservative Media Myths To Smear Planned Parenthood

Washington Post's Kathleen Parker Implies Full, Unedited Undercover Videos Attacking Planned Parenthood Suggest The Organization Sells Fetal Tissue. The August 6 edition of MSNBC's Hardball With Chris Matthews hosted The Washington Post's Kathleen Parker on a panel to discuss the first Republican primary debate. Parker's pre-debate analysis suggested that Planned Parenthood engages in the illegal sale of fetal tissue, and that the debunked, deceptively edited videos smearing Planned Parenthood revealed wrongdoing, asserting that they are “even worse if you watch the whole [unedited video]”:

STEVE SCHMIDT: When this issue is about the videos, this issue offends most Americans and Democrats as well as Republicans and Independents. And it accrues to the Republican Party's benefit. When this becomes the woman's health issue 'we're going to shut down the government yet again'--I mean, look,  the Republicans should have learned one big lesson over the last 20 years. Every time we shut down the government, it hurts the Republican party. Threatening to shut down the government is a huge overreach and every time we do it, threaten to do it, it doesn't do any good politically for Republicans.

MATTHEWS: Why do they go there?

EUGENE ROBINSON: I don't understand it. It's like trying the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Which is the definition of insanity.

SCHMIDT: It's like Lucy and Charlie Brown with the football.

ROBINSON: Exactly. Of course it's going to hurt the Republican party if they really just even start talking about shutting down the government over women's health issues. And so I think you're right. They have to -- if they're going to keep talking about this, they should talk about the videos. They can't talk about it in a larger sense--

PARKER: They can also introduce legislation saying there will just be no sale of or transaction involving fetal parts until we can work through a serious conversation about it.

MATTHEWS: Not over lunch.

ROBINSON:  We should also keep in mind that Planned Parenthood is not, that's not an evil phrase in much of the country. Planned Parenthood is nationwide. It provides health services to a lot of women who depend on it. I mean, this is true.

[...]

MATTHEWS: As of tonight's debate, it was pointed out, that Pataki, who is a long shot, is pro-choice. And it's pointed out, the moderator pointed out, Bill Hemmer, that nobody has ever won the Republican nomination who is pro-choice. And so the parties do differ on this issue. It may not be the main issue for a lot of people, but it is a real stark differential.

PARKER: And abortion always was the litmus test for a candidate. And now I'm afraid that the Planned Parenthood defunding is. You see what I'm saying? They're taking it one step too far. There's no one -- I find it hard to believe there's anyone who doesn't find those videos disturbing and everyone says, 'oh, well, they're edited.' Well, you can watch the whole video and it's even worse if you watch the whole one. They're available online. Chris, you know that this is, you know that you find this more than disturbing. Come on.

MATTHEWS: I know. That's why they did it. [MSNBC, Hardball, 8/6/15]

But Fact-Checkers, Media, And Investigations Have Called Out The Deceptively Edited Videos And Noted They Show No Illegal Activity On Planned Parenthood's Behalf

Deceptively Edited Attack Videos Failed To Uncover Evidence That Planned Parenthood Broke The Law. The five deceptively-edited videos released by conservative group Center For Medical Progress (CMP), have not included any evidence of illegal activity on Planned Parenthood's behalf. Instead, the videos feature strategically-edited conversations that merely show that the organization is being reimbursed for costs associated with the consensual procurement of fetal tissue, which federal law allows. [Media Matters, 8/4/15, 7/14/15, 7/21/15, 7/28/15, 7/30/15]

FactCheck.org Debunked The First Deceptively Edited Video. In a July 21 post, Factcheck.org demolished the credibility of the first video released by Center for Medical Progress noting that the video's claim that Planned Parenthood was “selling aborted baby parts” was inaccurate and unfounded. [Factcheck.org, 7/21/15] 

Investigations In Two States Have Cleared Planned Parenthood Of Any Wrongdoing. An investigation by the Indiana State Department of Health found no wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood clinics in the state and “no evidence of any laws being broken.” Similarly, the Massachusetts Attorney General announced that they had also “found no evidence” of wrongdoing and noted that the health centers “are fully compliant with state and federal laws.” [Media Matters, 7/31/15] 

For more on how conservative media have attempted to capitalize on the deceptively-edited videos attacking Planned Parenthood, click here, here, and here.