Anderson Cooper Stuns GOP Rep. On 'Terror Babies': 'They Did Not Tell Me You Were Going To Grill Me' (VIDEO)

Texas Republican state legislator Rep. Debbie Riddle was not prepared for Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Riddle appeared on "Anderson Cooper 360" to discuss the threat of "terror babies" — a supposed threat in which terrorist organizations send pregnant women to the United States to have their children, who would be US citizens but trained and raised abroad to be terrorists and could enter and leave the US without raising suspicion.

Riddle based her claims on her conversations with "former FBI officials" but Cooper demanded evidence.

"What former FBI officials?" he asked. "What evidence is there of some sort of long-term plot to have American babies born here and then become terrorists?

"Well, at this point, I don't have the hard evidence right here in front of me," Riddle responded. She would not reveal her ex-FBI sources or the basis for their claims, and then tried to change the subject to porous borders and the threat of dirty bombs.

"Border security is certainly an issue, and it's a good topic," Cooper said. "It's not the topic, though...I'm just asking for proof. You say you're still gathering it from unnamed former FBI people."

"When your folks called me in the preliminary, that was part of the conversation," Riddle responded. "They did not tell me that you were going to grill me for this specific information that I was not ready to give to you tonight. They did not tell me that, sir. "

WATCH:

Comments

[Imno Genius]

08:32 AM on 09/13/2010

Another Republican­'t Genius loses her head...hmm­m, let's see...Texa­s and Arizona..m­aybe we should let them secede?

[ziggrl]

12:06 PM on 09/03/2010

What's the big story here?

[sean from Ohio]

05:17 AM on 08/23/2010

I can't help but think of "Salt" whenever people talk about this terrorist baby thing. I wonder if that's where they got the idea from? doesn't sounds as good as "former FBI officials" though.

[Adam Warrenchak]

02:15 AM on 08/23/2010

whats funnier than a dead baby......­.

..........­..........­..........­..a dead terror baby

AHHHHHHH!!­!! watch out for evil babies

[richdoll]

01:44 PM on 08/21/2010

these are her talking points from frank luntz & karl rove.. scare tactics..
there is no former FBI person ..she should have that info when appearing
her issue is with mexicans & middle eastern hertiage but not european
that's ok i guess according to her.

[Oso Wallman]

03:27 AM on 08/20/2010

no one asks the immigrants why they come here in such droves. This is NAFTA biting it's own tail. It is population running amuck. It is outdated administra­tions trying to keep up and failing miserably. It is mega corporatio­ns with proud portfolios and slipping human rights shames at the same time. But as long as the machine can keep the droves faceless and without their story represente­d the actualitie­s will be buried in knee jerk reaction set into law. That's all they have is fear factories. You will see more and more catch phrases of outlandish scenarios to support imaginary points of view.

[Oso Wallman]

03:34 AM on 08/20/2010

ps. I am appalled that an elected official came out and boldly claimed such outlandish ideas of "terror babies" and not have the integrity to back it up with little more than hear say. If these are the people that are creating laws then they must follow the same oath we are bound to when we take the stand to participat­e in the support of establishe­d laws-
to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Imagine the hellish world we would live in if we could behave like elected officials when judging our peers.

[frameofmind]

11:50 AM on 08/19/2010

Aren't all GoBP Representa­tives stunned?

[troyfoley]

10:38 AM on 08/19/2010

She can't even say the word "border" because of all of the botox.

[frameofmind]

11:54 AM on 08/19/2010

I was wondering what that was?

[SENORTORRES]

02:57 PM on 08/18/2010

Politician­s should be tested prior to taking office so they don't seem like idiots to the rest of the world. Seriously this is just crazy how many are so unprepared for everything­. I know that older generation­s may have been out of touch with the world of politics but they treat us like we are idiots. Republican­, Democrat, Tea bagger (no pun intended) insult us on a daily basis.

[JeffyWU]

10:09 AM on 08/18/2010

This woman has been pithed!

[betrue2]

07:35 AM on 08/18/2010

wow, this Rep. Riddle is the most ignorant racist person i've seen in a long time. go texas.

[levee]

12:23 PM on 08/17/2010

One more reason why CNN and Anderson Cooper are useless. He receives unmitigate­d evidence of a person's blatant deception and bald idiocy and he then decides to ask her some more questions. "Congressw­oman riddle, how much is this just about politics..­..?" I couldn't bear to watch more, but I'm sure she gave a measured and considerat­e answer without resorting to any demagoguer­y, yeah?

[Palafox]

10:34 AM on 08/17/2010

Meet Palin's running mate in 2012!

[Shana Franklin]

09:49 AM on 08/17/2010

"And, quite frankly, it is altogether possible to make a dirty bomb, stick it in a suitcase, walk it across our southern border, and take it to downtown Houston or any other city, and blow it up, and kill a million or more folks."

What is stopping an american citizen from making a dirty bomb and walking into downtown Houston? Someone crossing the border has to go through security before entering (assuming its a secure border). So actually, I think its less likely for someone to come through Mexico with a dirty bomb...

[JuniorBug]

01:51 PM on 08/17/2010

Someone like this guy?: http://www­.bangordai­lynews.com­/detail/99­263.html Funny how the national media ignored that.

[Siebenstein]

06:22 AM on 08/21/2010

Yeah, yeah, but why not Washington D.C.?

[dubbleplusgood]

08:49 AM on 08/17/2010

the GOP has long been a party of clowns and Cooper's bagged two of 'em in a week. The best was Rep Gomer "You don't respect mah AUTHORITAH­!"