Most research that uses fetal tissue can also use other types of tissue, making the majority of the body parts saved from abortions and sold by Planned Parenthood unnecessary, says Dr. Ben Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon and Republican presidential candidate.
"If it were the only way to do something, and there was no other way, that might be an argument," Carson said Tuesday on CNN's
"The Lead with Jake Tapper."
"Under these circumstances, it is not a legitimate argument."
Carson was referring to the latest in a series of undercover videos that claim to show Planned Parenthood officials haggling over the price of fetal body parts.
Republicans are pushing
to end federal funding for the organization, but Planned Parenthood officials argue that no federal funds go toward providing abortions, only for women's health services, such as breast cancer screenings and providing contraceptives.
"I thought they were supposed to get all those things based on Obamacare," Carson said.
"Why do we need Planned Parenthood?"
Noting that Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger was an advocate of eugenics, Carson said that "even today, the plurality of their clinics are in minority communities."
Turning to fellow GOP candidate Mike Huckabee, who has come under criticism for saying the Iran nuclear deal is akin to marching the Israelis "to the door of the oven," a reference to the Holocaust.
"It's pretty colorful," Carson told Tapper, admitting that he was criticized himself early in his campaign for "very colorful language."
Carson found himself under fire for saying homosexuality was a choice.
It ended up clouding his message, he said, "So I dialed that back."
Now, he tries to communicate in a way that still gets his point across without the distraction of his verbiage, he said.
Carson said he is preparing for debates by holding regular town hall-style meetings where he answers all questions asked. He said he wants to emerge from the debates with voters recognizing he is "a reasonable person."
"Some of the detractors would have you believe that I'm totally crazy, and a wild person who has no information," he said. " And it would be nice for people to see that's not the case."
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