Speaker Boehner on Hill Fight to Defund Planned Parenthood: Let's 'win the war not just win a battle.'

Speaker of the House John Boehner tells The Brody File that defunding Planned Parenthood is a war worth winning but fighting to include that provision in a two week short term CR (Continuing Resolution) to fund the government is not the best course of action.

Speaker John Boehner talked exclusively to The Brody File in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday evening. He spoke to the National Religious Broadcasters.

You can watch the video clip below along with his exact words in the transcription.

A full television report will air across the country Monday on "The 700 Club."

Speaker Boehner seems to be keeping his options open as to what he will do with the Planned Parenthood funding issue when it comes to the longer version of the CR. He says all options are on the table. The pro-life community can probably stomach the two-week CR without the defunding provision in there, but it's a different story for the longer version.

David Brody:Can you commit to them that (defunding Planned Parenthood) will stay in the CR no matter what?

Speaker John Boehner: The continuing resolution passed 10 days ago did in fact defund Planned Parenthood and that bill has gone over to the United States Senate. They, like the House were out last week. What they’ll do with that bill I have no idea. In the short term CR though our focus is on cutting spending and making sure that we keep the government open.

In order to get this through the House and through the Senate and signed by the President by March 4, we're not going to take any big chances on the fact that they're looking for an excuse to shut down the government. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer they've been rooting for a government shutdown. We do not want to give them an excuse to do that.

Brody: But then again with Planned Parenthood and this whole situation we know what’s going to happen in the Senate. It’s not going to be part of the CR. The pro-life community wants the GOP leadership to stand firm here in conference and is that a line in the sand?

Speaker Boehner: The goal here again is to cut spending and keep the government open. I met with a lot of religious leaders earlier today to talk about the strategy and I think it’s important that we understand that what we want to do here is win the war not just win a battle. And there will be an opportunity some time in order to win the big war and we're looking for that opportunity. I don't think this short term CR is the opportunity that will get us there.

Brody: So in essence you’re saying if it comes to that you’re not going to shut down the government over the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Speaker Boehner: There are a lot of options on the table but I don’t think in the short term CR (Continuing Resolution) this is the opportunity we’re looking for.