CNN removes 'fetus that was born' phrase

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.]

By Mary Margaret Olohan
Daily Caller News Foundation

CNN quietly removed the phrase “a fetus that was born” from a CNN report on pro-life legislation following coverage from conservative media outlets.

CNN did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday regarding CNN reporter Caroline Kelly’s use of the phrase “a fetus that was born” to describe a baby that survived a botched abortion.

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“CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to more precisely reflect the language used in [Republican Sen. Ben] Sasse’s bill,” a note at the bottom of the article says. “This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.”

The publication removed the phrase from the Tuesday CNN report sometime Wednesday, following coverage of its phrasing from the DCNF, the National Review, Fox News, the Washington Examiner and other publications.

The CNN report covered legislation that aimed to protect babies who survive botched abortions as well as legislation that would make abortion illegal after 20 weeks when the unborn baby can feel pain: the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

Democratic senators blocked the votes of both bills Tuesday.

“The second bill to be considered Tuesday is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, that would require abortion providers to work to ‘preserve the life and health’ of a fetus that was born following an attempted abortion as they would for a newborn baby, or face up to five years in prison,” Kelly wrote.

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CNN updated the report and it no longer includes the phrase “a fetus that was born.” The paragraph now includes a quote from the bill about what the born-alive act would require.

“The second bill to be considered Tuesday is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, pertains to cases in which ‘an abortion results in the live birth of an infant.’ It would require abortion providers to ‘exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age,'” the article says.

“Opponents have argued that such measures restrict abortion access by threatening health care providers,” it reads.

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.]