Sanders Offers Olive Branch To Planned Parenthood: ‘They Do A Fantastic Job’

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a CNN town hall at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Monday, Jan. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) looked eager to make amends with Planned Parenthood when asked at Monday’s CNN town hall about remarks he made last week that the organization along with the Human Rights Campaign was “part of the establishment” in endorsing rival Hillary Clinton.

“They are a fantastic organization. Count me as somebody who strongly supports them,” Sanders said. “So this was simply a question of endorsement policy — not whether or not I strongly support these organizations.”

Sanders was asked by a female college student about the comment and how he was going to fight for women’s rights more effectively than Clinton.

Sanders said her characterization was “not quite accurate,” while touting his “100 percent pro-choice voting record” and his call for an expansion of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding.

“Now what I said on a television program — and I did not say it well — is that sometimes the base of an organization looks at the world a little bit differently than the leadership,” Sanders said, before questioning the organization’s decision to endorse Clinton.

“These are great organizations. I met with Planned Parenthood. They do a fantastic job,” he said.

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