Rep. Steve King Questions Whether There Would Be Any Population Left Without Rape And Incest
COOPER: As we monitor the shootings in Philadelphia where six officers have been shot, the shooter is still, or shooters, the police aren't sure, still apparently barricaded in a house. We also want to bring to your attention, new comments from Iowa Congressman Steve King. The controversial Republican faces new calls to resign tonight after his stunning comments about rape and incest. The pressure is coming not only from Democrats, but Republicans like Liz Cheney, the third highest ranking GOP House member. She describes his remarks as appalling and bizarre. Today in front of an Iowa audience, King questioned whether there would be any population left if not for rape and incest. It's part of his case for banning abortions, including those involving rape and incest. Listen.</s>REP. STEVE KING (R-IA): What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled those people out that were products of rape and incest? Would there be any population of the world left if we did that? Considering all the wars and all the rape and pillage that's taken place? And whatever happened to culture after society, I know I can't certify that, that I'm not part of a product of that.</s>COOPER: Spends a lot of time thinking about rape and incest. Just months ago, the House GOP stripped King of all his committee assignments after he made racist comments, defending white supremacy. King insisted he was misquoted back then and he wasn't. With me now is CNN Political Analyst Kirsten Powers and former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent. Kirsten, I mean, I don't even know what the question would be but yet again, you know, here is Steve King talking and saying just stuff that's unbelievable.</s>KIRSTEN POWERS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Yes. Well, you know, and he was -- according to a website in Iowa, he was confronted by a constituent who was upset about this, who was a school teacher who said, "I heard your comments earlier. I have a 10-year-old student who's impregnated by her uncle, so are you saying that that 10-year- old should have to carry that, you know, pregnancy to term?" And he -- according to the reporting, was very taken aback and said, "I've never heard, you know, such an extreme case." But of course, there was a case that was national news about an 11- year-old in Ohio who was raped by a 26-year-old who got pregnant when there was the heartbeat bill that passed. So, he does not even follow news in Iowa around these issues and yet he feels that he can opine about whether or not, you know, there should be rape or incest exception. I think that, you know, these kinds of decisions should not be made by people like Steve King. These kinds of decisions should be made by the person who is affected by it and I think that this explanation that he has given us, this sort of a historical explanation that we're all products of rape and incest really doesn't cut it.</s>COOPER: Congressman Dent, I mean, you worked with Congressman King in the House. In private, is he as offensive as he is seemingly willingly in public and I'm just wondering what you make of these latest comments.</s>CHARLIE DENT, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, on a personal level he can be gregarious and friendly, but these remarks are just so outlandish. They're out of bounds, out of control. I mean, you wonder if he's out of his mind. You know, this brings back, you know, the Todd Akin moments, Roy Moore, you know, and Trent Franks who all made similarly ridiculous comments about rape or women. And what happens now is, of course, other Republicans get tagged by the Democrats with these kinds of outrageous remarks, just as Republicans tag Democrats when the squad or some Democratic socialists say something absurd. That's what is happening. And, frankly, I've been through this enough. I was there when people were talking about these legitimate rape, forcible rape, rapes reported within 48 hours, incest should be illegal against minors but not against an 18-year-old, ridiculous things. And the party has to get away from this stuff because its killing us among women in this country, particularly suburban women and hurting us recruit Republican women candidates.</s>COOPER: Kirsten --</s>POWERS: I think --</s>COOPER: Go ahead.</s>POWERS: Yes. I think it's killing you among sane people. You know, it's not just women. And the problem with, you know, however nice he is in private, he in addition to these kinds of comments, he has a long history, a vehemently (ph) racist comments. You know, I mean, really -- I mean, it's going on for so long, it's going on as long as I've been following him in the news. And this is something that the Republican Party has tolerated and even to invoke the squad as if they could even be anywhere in the same, you know, realm of Steve King. I mean, we can argue separately if they should even -- you know, if any of the criticisms are even valid against them. But even if they were, like you cannot even mention them in the same breath with Steve King. And the Republican Party has gone after these women, you know, who are referred to as the squad, you know, for making, you know, a comment here, a comment there. This is a man who has a long record, you know, of making vehemently racist comments. He has been out -- open about his racism and now he is talking about -- just saying crazy things. I don't know what else to call this, crazy things about one of the worst things that could happen to a woman or to a girl to have to face an unwanted pregnancy that is the result of either being raped by a family member or by another person.</s>COOPER: Yes. I mean, Congressman, does it surprise you that he continues to get reelected? I mean, I know it's clearly a conservative area but, you know, there are sensible people.</s>DENT: I've always been surprised he's been able to hang on. He represents Western Iowa, a very conservative area. This is an overwhelming Republican constituency, but he's had some tight races. He has a very serious primary now because of this and other issues. And I agree with Kirsten, like this is out of bounds. I mean, this is crazy. And I think most Republicans want him to go away, that means they want him to resign. But he's not going to do that. They defrocked him. But he -- you know, he has won and it's surprising to me that he has but I think he's finally -- he's going to probably at the end of the line this time. I think they're going to get him in the primary.</s>COOPER: We'll see. Charlie Dent, thank you, Kirsten Powers as well. Just ahead, more breaking news out of Philadelphia police in that standoff, at least one suspect after six officers were shot. We'll have the latest.