ABC Egregiously Distorts Bill Clinton Comment

Oy. Lord only knows what the heck Jake Tapper thought he was up to when he posted this blog entry at ABC's "Political Punch" today. Carrying the headline, "Bill: 'We Just Have to Slow Down Our Economy' to Fight Global Warming," Tapper bends over in stunned incredulity at Bill Clinton's remarks in Denver, Colorado. Here's his insistent lede:

In a long, and interesting speech, he characterized what the U.S. and other industrialized nations need to do to combat global warming this way: "We just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions 'cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren."

Then, screwing on his best "WTF?" face, Tapper proceeds to cast all sorts of mocking aspersions. "At a time that the nation is worried about a recession is that really the characterization his wife would want him making? 'Slow down our economy'?" He then wonders if this was a "moment of candor," or "something of a contradiction," or, "perhaps he misspoke?"

As it turns out, the answer is none of the above. And, gosh, the only thing stopping Tapper from telling his readers this is his seeming ignorance of Bill Clinton's statement, in its entirety, which Tapper includes in this blog post.

"Everybody knows that global warming is real," Mr. Clinton said, giving a shout-out to Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize, "but we cannot solve it alone."

"And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada -- the rich counties -- would say, 'OK, we just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions 'cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.' We could do that.

"But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet for our grandchildren. The only way we can do this is if we get back in the world's fight against global warming and prove it is good economics that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves the planet for our children and grandchildren. It is the only way it will work."

See that? Bill Clinton's "slow down the economy" remarks came in the context of a hypothetical. This is hardly an endorsement of an economic slowdown - Clinton is clearly arguing against it! He's no more in favor of an economic slowdown than, say, Obama is a fan of Ronald Reagan. You cannot possibly come to any other conclusion, unless of course, some idiot cherrypicks a single statement out of three paragraphs and then jumps up and down, waving his arms like a clown, in an attempt to specifically lead the reader away from the truth.

After the complete transcript of Clinton's remarks, Tapper adds an update: "Not so difficult to predict -- the RNC just issued a statement in response to the former President's comment." OH, WELL! The only thing easier than predicting this nonsense is writing it in the first place.

Comments

[AZDemocrat500]

I can not understand the media's love affair with Obama. They will distort their reporting to portray the Clintons negatively. Most of the media is just like Rush Limbaugh, what ever happened to objective journalism. Bill Oraly is starting to look more fair and balanced. At least he tries to present both sides.

[NewRiver]

Spin it anyway you want, it was a stupid comment for the man who won 16 years ago on, "It's the economy stupid" to know when the congress for the first time since 2001 has done anything of a bipartisan nature with the stimulus package in the midst of economic uncertainty.

It also flies in the face of an ad running in my state for Super Tuesday where a may is skydiving while the narrator claims the sky is falling the economy is basically in free-fall, trying to scare voters.

The voice at the end..."This is the VRWC Victimette, and I approved this message".

C'mon, when are you people gonna finally wake up to the fact that the Clintons say what's expedient, when it's expedient? They are nothing more than polished con artists.

[Nic]

The so called "press" has been distorting comments from the Clintons all along.Hell, I look for the Clinton bashing daily right here on the HuffPo. What is news is that they are being outed as NON journalists.

[Independent voter]

McCain / Clinton 08

[vippy]

The White House has been a crack house since Bush1, continued with Clinton and we don't have to address it with GWB now. The ties to Colombia and the lucrative war on drugs, now the war on terror. The gifts that keep on giving!

[skwan91607]

This is for Obama. Do something to bring up the black communities to the level as the whites have before you can claim you can be a skipper of the free world. Do not make a crack house out from white house please.

[skwan91607]

Tapper is the hit man for Obama, And, ABC is the propaganda machine for Obama. Both of them might be paid very good. It is a thing of doing business. It is a way to keep its readers no matter how stupid it was. Money first. Congratulation for ABC and Tapper both are making money in such "Special" way. So, go Obama. That is the "smart" Obama's way to win election. As long as winning just say anything to win. Is that sound familiar?
Comparatively speaking anyone of your Obama's zealots realize that Obama needs to do something first to bring up those eyesore/troublesome black communities out to a higher and better level before he can claims he has the ability to run a country. Otherwise, Teddy's so many "Will be" will really be a big question marks. An Obama presidency will then be a fairy tale. No more and no less.

[zenhead]

The same can be said about the way the Clinton comment about Jesse Jackson and Obama in South Carolina came across. In that comment, if you Google it, Clinton credited both Obama and Jackson with running good campaigns in South Carolina. I do not know what his motives might have been, but I do suspect that he had at least something in mind along the lines of ... and what ultimately happened to Jesse Jackson.
Jesse Jackson was unable to restrain himself on how it was the turn of African-Americans for a prize political position. Obama hasn't done that, and while he may be the nominee, in the end, I don't think he will because he isn't ready. I think he could be ready. I doubt you ever will see a Clinton-Obama ticket, though.
On the other hand, he is making the Democratic Party race very interesting, as have all the candidates, even Mike Gravel. I am supporting Hillary, but have contacted her via her website and asked her to get control of her husband's comments, or send him on a long trip around the Planet.

[semorg]

The part you are quoting says to slow down economy ...if they are going to use the RR quote with Obama they deserve this one.

What goes around comes around ;)

[Tellmethetruth]

I've heard Bill Clinton give that global warming speech which is very visionary and futuristic. He spells out the choice. We can continue as we have and ruin the earth, together with other emerging nations that want our standard of living, or we can work like crazy over the next 10 years and find renewable sources of energy. If we take the second path of inventing alternatives to gas, we will economically prosper and will have peace in that we get out of competing for oil, which reduces the need for war.

It is a brilliant and inspiring speech. I love it. I can see the reason a Clinton hater would want to distort it, precisely because it is so visionary, future orientated, change that seem possible, is positive, and inspiring to be a better generation in the future.

[Collielady]

Can't these media hacks be sued for slander?

I'm old enough to remember when journalists took pride in accuracy and were highly respected. Today they are nothing more than corporate whores. I wonder if those fat paychecks are worth their loss of integrity. I wouldn't think so.

[The Hedonistic Pleasureseeker]

All this says to me is that now Obama is the "flavor of the month."

Hillary rises and falls based on an internal war most of us can't see. We up here in the cheap seats don't matter.

(White House? No, jail. No, White House! Wait . . . Jail?)

Honestly: Have our opinions of the candidates veered so wildly as the "polls" would have us believe? Not really; we've all been pretty steady no matter which party we prefer.

You'd think those polls were pretty cheap to make since they're just making sh*t up. Nay my friends: They're extremely expensive. To buy, I mean.

[mooph]

Who cares? Is Bill running for office somewhere in your imaginary world? Is he creating policy?

BFD. And if this is an attempt to cleanse his record of distortions, it's patently pathetic.

[oshpd1]

Cover this for what it really is. Bubba Bill will make any statement that will take the focus off Obama and Hillary. Bubba Bill is doing his best to keep headlines off track so his wife might have a chance in the primarys. The more press she has the worse she will look and will do worse in the numbers. This is the Clinton way, mis-direction on his part.

[illinoisan]

In response to the "dream ticket" question, Obama should say he needs Hillary in the Senate.