Fox Helps Romney Out by Exploiting 1998 Obama ‘Redistribution’ Video

Fox News’ all-out effort to neutralize Mitt Romney’s 47% remarks now includes exploiting the hell out of a fourteen-year-old audio of then-Illinois-state-senator Barack Obama saying that he believes in redistribution.

In his interview with Fox News yesterday, Romney referred to a YouTube video, originally unearthed by the Drudge Report, of Obama speaking at an October 19, 1998 conference at Loyola University. Fox has obligingly made it their leading article on foxnews.com.

The article makes a token effort to be F&B, noting that the short video clip "purports" to show Obama saying he believes in redistribution and doesn't put the words in any sort of context. The accompanying post on Fox Nation makes no such effort. The post is short and sweet, saying merely that “Obama spoke against ‘propaganda’ that said government doesn't work (they eliminated the part where he admitted that some government action hadn’t been effective) and the need to ‘pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution because I actually believe in redistribution’ (they eliminated what he said right after that which was, ‘at least at a certain level to make sure everybody’s got a shot.’)”

The story does have a little traction with “MSM” political bloggers this morning. It certainly has resonance with some Fox Nation readers, sparking the usual vitriolic and sometimes vicious remarks:

Whether it will ultimately have the same resonance as the "47%" remark, or whether it'll go down into oblivion as a bit of cheap gotcha, only time will tell.

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Showing 14 reactions

doors17 commented 2012-09-19 15:41:17 -0400 · Flag

This 1998 video is pathetic. Is this the best you got? If it is then the Romney campaign is firing blanks in retaliation. Shall we look back at Romneyâs debate performance against Ted Kennedy when Mitt was left of Senator Kennedy on abortion?

I watched F&F for only a couple of minutes today, but just in time to watch Gretchen pouting over the media ignoring the Obama video, while crying over the time spent on Romneyâs. She needed a pacifier. I enjoyed it immensely.

Visitor 55 commented 2012-09-19 14:22:29 -0400 · Flag

@Larry, and if one listens to what Obama said with a functioning brain, they would realize that Obama wasn’t talking about redistribution of wealth. What he was talking about was redistribution of government resources. But, facts like that don’t add fuel to the hate, so idiots like Matt Sludge just keep on lying so that the stupid neocon sheep keep on hating.

Larry Conley commented 2012-09-19 13:01:13 -0400 · Flag

Drudge still has the YouTube posted. if anyone listens with a functioning brain and a decent heart, they will realize then Legislator Obama was speaking the truth. He continues to do so as president.

doors17 commented 2012-09-19 12:51:35 -0400 · Flag

In case any of you missed it, here’s the new campaign slogan for Mitt…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYqF_BtIwAU

Lakeview Greg commented 2012-09-19 12:40:31 -0400 · Flag

Oops, still there, getting smaller though…

Lakeview Greg commented 2012-09-19 12:39:38 -0400 · Flag

It’s resonating with Fox, but I don’t know who else. I think Drudge took it down already.

Lakeview Greg commented 2012-09-19 12:38:50 -0400 · Flag

“making sure everyone has a shirt on” is a good thing.

mlp ! commented 2012-09-19 10:45:51 -0400 · Flag

Oh, it’s certain that this will have some resonance….but ONLY with the goobers that long ago decided that they will never vote for a black man. I STILL have enough faith in my country to believe that enough sane, intelligent people will vote to make this stoopit vote meaningless.

truman commented 2012-09-19 10:11:27 -0400 · Flag

For someone who has done nothing for the last six years but run for President, MagicUnderwear Mitt has proven to be a totally inept campaigner. It seems like everytime he opens his yap, he either disses half of the American electorate or creates an international incident. Mitt may be qualified to be President of his yacht club, but he is not up to the task of being POTUS.

Larry Conley commented 2012-09-19 10:00:36 -0400 · Flag

President Obama was right before he was president to call out the decades long smear campaign waged by reactionaries against government and governance. The purposes of the Republic include perfecting our union, establishing justice, ensuring tranquility, providing for a COMMON defense, promoting the GENERAL welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to all Americans.

These purposes imply that government and governance are worthy endeavors. Indeed, they are among the highest endeavors.

Greedy thugs in suits have tried to confuse Americans on their responsibilities as citizens and it is good to have a person in the White House who challenged this fourteen years ago and continues to do so.

Visitor 55 commented 2012-09-19 09:28:39 -0400 · Flag

I see that the neocons are still grasping at straws. One of the neocon pundits attempted to compare candidate Obama’s “clinging to their guns and bibles” comment with Etch-a-Sketch Rmoney’s “47% of the population doesn’t pay income taxes and rely on the government for everything” comment…UNTIL someone pointed out that Obama’s very next sentence was “I have to reach out to those people too!” and compared it to Etch-a-Sketch Rmoney’s “I don’t care about them. They’re going to vote for Obama no matter what.”

Etch-a-Sketch Rmoney is only qualified to run a country club…not a country. He’s corrupt. He’s a liar. He doesn’t care about anyone who isn’t a multimillionaire. The FoxGOPTV pukes know this. But they still feel that it’s their duty to make President Obama look as bad, if not worse than, Etch-a-Sketch Rmoney. And they’ll lie about Obama and smear him to do it.

bemused commented 2012-09-19 09:07:30 -0400 · Flag

@Kevin: hear! hear! hear!

Kevin Koster commented 2012-09-19 08:35:57 -0400 · Flag

The thing is – the 1998 recording isn’t really a bombshell. It’s Obama discussing the idea that government can work, and discussing the notion of a progressive tax system. The whole idea of taxing people who make large sums of money more than people who don’t is in itself mildly redistributive. There’s nothing controversial about that unless you don’t believe in the rich paying more taxes than the poor. And Obama’s statement doesn’t attack anyone – it’s an expression of hope that the system can work to help people.

On the other hand, Romney’s statement is a pretty direct dismissal of those who will not support him as being unworthy.

The half life of the respective quotes is going to be quite different. The Obama comment will be waved around by Fox to little effect for the next few days, while the Romney quote will haunt him up to the moment the Election returns are announced.

bemused commented 2012-09-19 08:26:12 -0400 · Flag

This morning’s F&F is mind-bottling (deliberate mis-spelling). How can they have the gall to say they’re F&B, that they present both sides? A simple word count would show that their show is 95% pro-Romney and 5% against Obama.

The fact that the foxy faithful swallow this garbage whole is proof positive of a poor level of critical thinking skills. The USA is not showing itself at its best … Luckily, most Europeans are aware that FNC is not the intelligent contingent in the country.