Priebus suggested O’Brien was tougher on Republicans than Democrats. | AP Photos O'Brien, Priebus clash on abortion

Reince Priebus and CNN host Soledad O’Brien clashed Thursday over Mitt Romney’s abortion stance, with the RNC chairman accusing O’Brien of bias before backing down and admitting he doesn’t “hate” the anchor.

On “Starting Point,” O’Brien played a clip of GOP presidential nominee Romney saying he would defund Planned Parenthood and asked Priebus if that contradicted the candidate telling the Des Moines Register he wouldn’t pursue any anti-abortion legislation.


“The fact of the matter is is that Mitt Romney has been absolutely, 100 percent consistent on this issue,” Priebus said. “That he’s pro-life, that there will be no funding of abortion through Planned Parenthood using taxpayer dollars, that he would use an executive order, the Mexico City executive order, so that funding isn’t used to pay for abortions abroad.”

( Also on POLITICO: Anti-abortion groups stand by Mitt Romney)

O’Brien continued pressing him.

“Answer it,” she said. “Explain to me how it’s not a contradiction.”

“And I’m going to keep giving you the same answer,” Priebus replied. “It isn’t a contradiction, because he’s sitting there in front of the Des Moines Register editorial board, they’re talking about specific legislation in Congress. You know what? He is going to have a specific piece of legislation in his budget that says there isn’t going to be taxpayer money used for abortions through Planned Parenthood. Why can’t you just accept that?”

“Because you just admitted a contradiction,” O’Brien responded.

Later, Priebus suggested O’Brien was tougher on Republicans than Democrats.

“Soledad, I wish you would be as passionate about taking Barack Obama to task for every one of his promises, for every one of his changes that he didn’t follow through on,” Priebus said.

“Which we do all the time,” O’Brien replied. “Trust me, I will send you the tweets from people who hate me on the Republican side and people who hate me on the Democratic side.”

“I don’t hate you,” Priebus said. “I come on all the time.”

“I don’t mean you,” O’Brien said. “I know you love me.”