CNN host Poppy Harlow shot down Roy Moore spokesperson Janet Porter after Porter made poor-taste comments about her unborn baby.
Porter made the remarks on Tuesday’s edition of New Day, in which she defended prospective Alabama senator Moore – who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl – by trying to refocus the debate on abortion.
The spokesperson told Harlow that Alabama voters should pick Moore over Democrat Doug Jones because Jones wants to ‘kill babies’ like the host’s ‘up until the moment of birth.’
Harlow was not happy.
Shot down: CNN’s Poppy Harlow (left) shot down Roy Moore spokesperson Janet Porter (right) after she tried to politicize Harlow’s unborn baby to distract from Moore’s child assault claims
Allegations: Moore (left) is alleged to have sexually assaulted two girls aged 14 and 15. Porter misrepresented the abortion stance of his opponent Doug Jones (right) to change subject
Harlow had introduced Porter – an anti-abortion activist – with a cheerful smile, but the discussion hit rough ground almost instantly.
‘Thank you, it’s to be with you, and congratulations on your unborn child,’ Porter said, talking over Harlow’s attempts to ask her first question.
‘That’s the reason why I came down as a volunteer for Judge Roy Moore, because he’ll stand for the rights of babies like yours in the womb, where his opponent will support killing them up until the moment of birth.’
Harlow’s face fell throughout the last half of that sentence, but she pressed on – until Porter looped around and tried to once again politicize the host’s unborn son.
‘If you care about child abuse, you should be talking about the fact that Judge Roy Moore stands for protection not only of our Second Amendment rights, so we can protect ourselves against predators, for the rights of babies like your eight-month baby that you’re carrying now.
‘Doug Jones says you can take the life of that baby and we should pay for it.’
‘Let’s leave my child out of this,’ says Harlow, but Porter continues her rant until Harlow says again – in a very pointed tone – ‘Let’s leave my child out of this.’
As well as being offensive to the expectant mother, Porter’s remarks were inaccurate or misleading.
Jones does not support – as she appeared to imply – abortion ‘up until the moment of birth.’
Shocked: Harlow looked shocked when Porter twice claimed Jones wanted ‘to kill babies’ like the host’s eight-month-old unborn son, then firmly said ‘Let’s leave my child out of this.’ Jones has said he only wants to maintain Alabama’s existing decades-old policy
Claims: Leigh Corfman (left as a teen) says the adult Moore stripped and groped her, and made her touch him. Debbie Wesson Gibson (right as a teen) says Moore dated her when she was 17
In a November 2 interview with AL.com, he said that he supports maintaining the existing Alabama law, which puts a 22-week limit on abortions.
Under that decades-old law, he said, ‘late-term procedures are generally restricted except in the case of medical necessity. That’s what I support. I don’t see any changes in that.’
Also, Moore is no longer a judge; he resigned in April following a unanimous suspension by the Alabama Supreme Court after he attempted to force judges to ignore a federal decree that allowed for same-sex marriages.
Moore has been accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl and pursuing inappropriate relationships with various teenagers while in his 30s.
Leigh Corfman told The Washington Post in early November that Moore had given partially stripped her, groped her and made her touch his genitals through his underwear in 1979, when she was 14 and he was 32.
She claims the then-assistant district attorney went on two ‘dates’ with her, after convincing her mom she could be alone with him, and that it was on the second date that he assaulted her.
Following the publication of that article, Beverly Young Nelson came forward and said that Moore had sexually assaulted her in his car when she was 15 and he was 32.
She said that he had picked her up from her diner job one night on the pretext of giving her a lift home.
He then drove around the back of the diner, groped her and tried to force her head into his crotch. She says she resisted and ended up bundled out of his car and sprawled in the parking lot as he sped off.
Another woman, Tina Johnson, said that Moore leered at her and groped her buttocks when she went to a law office to sign custody documents in 1991.
Evidence: Gibson produced this high-school yearbook message. Moore denies dating her, and also denies all claims of sexual assault
Six other women have said that Moore made unwanted advances on them or otherwise attempted to court them when they were aged between 18 and 22.
Debbie Wasson Gibson claims he dated her when she was 17 and he was 34, and has produced a high-school yearbook with a message from him.
He denies dating her, and all claims of sexual assault. The legal age of consent in Alabama is 16.
Several other people, including ex-cops, said that Moore was banned from he Gadsden Mall for trying to pick up teenage girls, although that claim has been refuted by three witnesses who spoke to Moore’s campaign.
Donald Trump has backed Moore’s campaign for the Alabama Senate.
‘Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama,’ he wrote.
‘We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!’