'Offensive': Senator issues searing takedown of GOP myth in confirmation hearing

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) stepped in to dispel one of many myths repeated during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Toward the end of the hearing, Whitehouse said that there had been several comments about what some call "late-term abortion."

According to Kennedy, he agrees with Trump "We cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year. I agree with him that the states should control abortion. President Trump has told me that he wants to end late-term abortions, and he wants to protect conscience exemptions and that he wants to end federal funding for abortions here or abroad,” Kennedy told one Republican senator.

Kennedy said he believed the government shouldn't impose vaccine mandates, but he changed his position that the government should decide what happens during pregnancy complications.

"It is a childbirth gone wrong," Whitehouse described the procedure. "The family has painted the room, they have bought the crib, maybe even decided on the baby's name, and had gone to the hospital to welcome the new baby into their family in what is supposed to be a happy event. And then things went wrong. Then the alarms started pinging, the lights started flashing, the medical professionals started rushing in, and the question became, who lives and who dies?"

ALSO READ: I visited an anti-abortion pregnancy center. Here’s why experts call for more regulations.

Whitehouse explained that oftentimes, "the mom's life is at risk, and she may have other children she needs to care for. The baby's life may be at risk, and one or both may die."

When that happens, he said, the government has no place in the decision. Kennedy once held this position before becoming a Republican appointee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I think we need to understand, when this late-term abortion gets bandied about, what you are dealing with is a tragedy that is happening to a family who wanted that child and has suddenly been confronted with a moment in which they have to make what is probably going to be the worst decision of their lives," said Whitehouse.

"And to try to shove the state legislature into that room is really offensive, really morally wrong, and I just want to make very clear," he closed.

See the clip below or at the link here.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com