Last night on Larry King Live, Republican hack Andrea Tantaros put her and her party's ignorance on full display when she made the outrageous claim that Barack Obama actually took us to Afghanistan. Seriously, she said that. And it wasn't the only time that this FoxNews.com contributor downright lied during the show. More below the fold.
It all started with the panel discussing Newt Gringrich's statement at the SLRC that Pres. Obama is "the most radical president in American history." Larry's fill-in host, Jesse Ventura, called it the silliest statement he's ever heard. Democrat Stephanie Miller then made the point that by Republican's standards today, Ronald Reagan would be considered even more of a "socialist" than Barack Obama.
But when it was Tantaros turn, after rattling off her Tea Party talking points, Ventura said that if anything, George Bush, who lied and deceived the American people into Iraq, was more of a radical than our current president. That was when Tantaros really put her foot in her mouth, claiming that "Barack Obama took us to a war as well."
(skip to 2:43 for the implosion)
Either this woman is in need of a history lesson, or she thinks that she can get away with changing it. But if there's any good news at all, it's that Jesse Ventura immediately called her out, confronting her about how she could possibly say that. Say what you will about Ventura, but if more news hosts were like him, then people like Rudy Giuliani ("no terrorist attacks under Bush") wouldn't be able to get away with spreading their lies on national television.
But the misinformation didn't stop there for Ms. Tantaros. She denied that no other Congress has used the filibuster to the extent of the Republicans during Obama's presidency (skip to 7:19 in the clip). Even when told that it could be proved quantitatively, she said, "Oh please. That's absolutely false."
Really, Andrea? Absolutely false?
Source.
She was also incredulous about the popularity of the Public Option (7:48). When told that around 70% of the country wanted a public option, she said, "I'd love to see that poll."
Well, here's just one of many.
Her appearance last night was the perfect example of what the Republican Party's strategy has been over the past year-and-a-half: lie and obstruct. Treating history and facts like something that can be twisted and discarded at the convenience of your talking points is absolutely revolting. That applies to the rest of the Republican and Tea Party movement as well, who have lied on more occasions than it's even possible to keep track of.
And who let this liar on Larry King anyways? Oh, I know. The same network that hired Erick Erickson.