Mitt Romney is at it again, deceptively editing President Obama's words in another
attack video. This time, he combines a cropped quote with a poorly phrased Washington Post headline to claim President Obama said the entire 2012 campaign would be about Bain Capital instead of the economy. The video opens with a
the headline text:
Obama on Bain: 'This is what this campaign is going to be about'
It quickly transitions to a clip of President Obama delivering the quote cited in the headline. From there, it then shifts into rebuttal mode, with text declaring "No Mr. President it's about this..." followed by anti-Obama testimonials from unemployed Americans.
The problem, as you can see in the montage that I put together at the top of this post, is that President Obama never said the campaign would be just about Bain. Here's his full quote:
This is not a distraction. This is what this campaign is going to be about—is what is a strategy for us to move this country forward in a way where everybody can succeed?
The bold part is the part that Romney cropped out. And when you read the full quote, it's clear that President Obama didn't say what Romneyland wants you to believe he said. The president made it clear that he believes the campaign is going to be about moving America's economy forward. Yes, Romney's Bain experience is part of that debate—but it's not the whole thing.
There's no doubt that Romneyland is aware that their video distorts what President Obama actually said. They will of course defend it by citing the Washington Post headline, but unlike the Washington Post, they did not offer any context beyond the headline. And even if The Post hadn't offered context, isn't there an old saying about two wrongs not making a right?
Unfortunately, the fact that Romney's campaign deceptively edited a video of President Obama is nothing new. They've done it before and will do it again.
Perhaps the most notable thing here is that Romney's campaign is once again making it clear they do not want to talk about his record as CEO of Bain. But while that might be understandable, let's not forget that when he launched his campaign nearly one year ago, Mitt Romney himself said his business experience is the reason he decided to run for president:
I am running for president because I have spent my life in the private sector.
Based on those words, you'd think Romney would be the one arguing that this campaign should be about his experience at Bain Capital. Instead, he's falsely accusing President Obama of making that claim—and then condemning him for it.