Peter King, Mitt Romney, Donald Rumsfield, Liz Cheney, Tim Pawlenty and other Republicans regularly use the media to propagate a false claim – that the President goes around the world apologising for America. When that lie is told on Fox News and other irresponsible “news” outlets, the claim goes unchecked and the viewing public is left with the impression that the President is weak on national security.
But on Monday’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien, Peter King was finally asked to backup his claims. King pointed to a 2009 speech by the President in Cairo and said the speech contains “apologies” for America’s values. Soledad explained that she had copies of the speech and found no reference to apologies or the words “I’m sorry.”
“Everyone keeps talking about this ‘apology tour’ and ‘apologies’ from the President,” said O’Brien. “And I’m trying to find the words “I’m sorry, I apologize’ in any of those speeches — which I have the text of all those speeches in front of me. None of those speeches at all. And if you go to factcheck.org, which we check in a lot, they all say the same thing. They fact check this.”
She also advised King that Fact Checkers have debunked the claim that the President went on an “apology tour,” to which King answered, “I don’t care about fact checkers.”
That sentiment is reflected in Mitt Romney’s campaign. When presented with facts challenging the false claims he makes, Romney continues the lies.
Facts have no place in this Republican party.