Fox Promotes Deceptive Ad Accusing Obama of Taking All the Bin Laden Credit
While the right wing, caught in tit for tat catechisms as usual, is describing this as “Swiftboating Obama” it’s really not comparable. Obama made no claims to personal valor like Kerry did, so there’s not much to see in this Breitbarting the facts ad.
No matter how much the right spends it’s still not going to catch fire with the general public because the great majority of them remember the speech because they watched it personally over and over, and toasted the seals while doing so.
But Even Fox’s Kelly Says The Ad Is Dishonest
Fox’s Kelly: Obama “Did Give Thanks” To The Troops Who Killed Bin Laden. During an interview with Veterans for a Strong America founder Joel Arends on the May 3 edition of Fox News’ America Live, host Megyn Kelly observed that Obama did indeed credit the troops for killing bin Laden, saying, “He did give thanks to the others, and of course had to mention the first person in discussing how things went down.” From the show:
KELLY: You point out in your ad that President Obama, you feel, used the first person too much in talking about this issue. And here’s part — the part of your ad that goes after that.
OBAMA [video clip]: I can report. I directed Leon Panetta. I was briefed. I met repeatedly. I determined. At my direction. I called President Zardari. I, as commander-in-chief. We don’t need to spike the football. I said that I’d go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did.
KELLY: That first part was from May 2011, after bin Laden was killed, and the president was announcing it. But we did go back and look at his remarks, Joel, and here’s another portion of them.
OBAMA [video clip]: “A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country.”
KELLY: He did give thanks to the others, and of course had to mention the first person in discussing how things went down. Do you think the ad is fair on that score? [Fox News, America Live, 5/3/12, via Media Matters]