In a video clip Republicans are spreading — and that Romney now cites in his speeches — then Illinois State Sen. Obama is seen speaking at a university conference in October 1998 appearing to endorse “redistribution of wealth.”
“I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level, to make sure that everybody’s got a shot,” Obama is heard saying on the clip, which then ends abruptly.
In the full recording, obtained by NBC News, Sen. Obama goes on to explain in the next sentence that he is speaking broadly about making city and state governments more efficient in their use of resources — and endorses “competition in the marketplace.”
The edit of the last line out of the clip earned Romney and the Republican National Committee a “four Pinocchios” rating by the fact checkers at the Washington Post. Of course, a Romney spokesman has said their campaign would not be constrained by the fact checkers, which means they will continue to lie without restraint.
The thought occurred to me — why don’t we go back 14 years and see what Willard Romney was saying back then. Well, 14 years ago he was for gay rights. And he was also for a woman’s right to choose (he and Ann Romney were writing big checks to Planned Parenthood).
He stated that Roe vs. Wade was settled law and should not be struck down. Romney was also for stem cell research and for a ban on assault weapons. He was also for renewable energy to combat the effects of global warming and for universal health care.
Well he has reneged on every single one of those strongly expressed beliefs, and it isn’t necessary to take anything out of context to prove it. The fact is that Romney is an empty suit. He has no core beliefs and there is nothing he will not say if he thinks it will gain him votes.
As one of the Republican candidates Jon Huntsman stated, Romney has the consistency of a “perfectly lubricated” weather vane.
Jim Porter
Danville
