In a post on X, the Minnesota Democrat wrote: “I’m honored to have the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. For so many women, it’s the only place to turn for a mammogram, preventive screenings, reproductive health care, or contraception.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar is facing criticism after claiming Planned Parenthood is "the only place to turn for a mammogram" for many women - a talking point that has been repeatedly disputed by Planned Parenthood itself and previously proven false by The Washington Post.
In a post on X thanking Planned Parenthood for its endorsement, the Minnesota Democrat wrote: "I'm honored to have the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. For so many women, it's the only place to turn for a mammogram, preventive screenings, reproductive health care, or contraception." The mammogram claim quickly drew attention online. "Planned Parenthood does not, in fact, provide mammograms," wrote Libby Emmons, editor of The Post Millennial.
https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/2076642528309252182?s=12&t=Zo0EXNCUug3mzjxcIQ0-cw
More than a decade ago, The Washington Post examined repeated claims by Democratic officials, including President Barack Obama, that the organization "provides" mammograms. In its 2015 analysis, the newspaper concluded the claim was misleading and awarded it Three Pinocchios. Mammograms require specialized X-ray equipment at licensed radiology facilities, and Planned Parenthood instead refers patients to outside providers when imaging is needed.
During congressional testimony, then-Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards acknowledged that Planned Parenthood clinics do not have mammogram machines. Planned Parenthood had performed 487,029 breast exams by 2013, but fewer than three percent resulted in referrals for mammograms or other specialized services. A report concluded that supporters should stop claiming Planned Parenthood "provides" mammograms because the wording falsely suggests the organization directly performs the imaging.
Klobuchar, however, has ignored this advice, as part of the Democrat Party's increasingly militant PR spectacle for Planned Parenthood's services, which has actively endorsed Klobuchar's re-election campaign.
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