In an effort to change the topic, Fox News and the Romney campaign are trying to highlight a small snippet of a 1998 speech by Barack Obama. The part of the speech they are focusing on shows Mr. Obama saying,”I actually believe in redistribution.” But like any propaganda machine, Fox News and the Romney campaign refused to show the full context of Mr. Obama’s speech.
The part of the clip these Republicans conveniently left out shows Mr. Obama doing something they claim they agree with – praising competition, the free market and making government more efficient. In a calculated move, Republicans knew that showing the full context of what Mr. Obama said in 1998 would soften the effect they’re trying to portray to their audience – that President Obama is trying to take from the rich and give to the poor – so that context was intentionally left out.
NBC however, is bringing the full context to light and here it is.
I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody’s got a shot. How do we pool resources at the same time as we decentralize delivery systems in ways that both foster competition, can work in the marketplace, and can foster innovation at the local level and can be tailored to particular communities.
NBC reports. The video circulated by Republicans, which has used as fodder for an attack on Obama, includes a longer reflection by Obama about talking about how government action can be effective. But the clip has been cut short after the word “shot;” Obama’s words about competition, the marketplace and innovation are omitted from the clip.
Romney has nonetheless seized upon this clip as his campaign looks to regain its footing after the release of a surreptitiously-recorded video of the GOP presidential nominee speaking at a private fundraiser in May. Romney’s campaign has been bogged down in criticism from conservatives and Democrats alike since the release of the clip, in which Romney talks about how he couldn’t count on the support of 47 percent of Americans, since they pay no taxes, and are “dependent” on government.
