Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1138\cocoasubrtf470 {\fonttbl\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 ArialMT;}
{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;\red26\green26\blue26;\red0\green0\blue239;} \margl1440\margr1440\vieww10800\viewh8400\viewkind0
\deftab720 \pard\pardeftab720\sa240
\f0\fs24 \cf2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 The New Yorker / Marc PoKempner}})\ \
\ \pard\pardeftab720\sa240
\b \cf2 BY ZACH TOOMBS \b0 \
\pard\pardeftab720\sa240
\i \cf2 With contributions from Elizabeth Hagedorn
\i0 \ \
Secretly recorded remarks turning into a campaign talking point? Two can play that game.\
\ Less than 24 hours after {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/secret-video-romney-private-fundraiser"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 Mother Jones}} magazine released
this damaging secret tape of Mitt Romney at a high-dollar fundraiser\'85\
\ ...{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge3aGJfDSg4"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 this recording}} of President Barack Obama speaking to college students
in 1998 made the rounds online.\ \
\pard\pardeftab720\sa240
\b \cf2 \'93I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems
that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution, because I actually believe
in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody\'92s got a shot.\'94
\b0 \ \
That video posted by the online epicenter of all things conservative \'97\'a0the {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2012/09/18/20120918_230902.htm"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 Drudge Report}}, which ran
with the story on its front page Tuesday.\ \
The recorded Obama remarks feed conservative concerns of a Socialist agenda from the president
\'97 and harken back to comments {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRPbCSSXyp0&feature=related"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 like this}} on the 2008 campaign trail that resulted in blowback.\
\ JOE WURZELBACHER:
\b \'93Your new tax plan\'92s going to tax me more, isn\'92t it?\'94
\b0 \ OBAMA:
\b \'93If you\'92ve got a plumbing business, you\'92re going to be better off if you\'92ve
got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you.\'94
\b0 \
\b \'93I think when you spread the wealth around, it\'92s good for everybody.\'94
\b0 \ \
The newly-released 1998 Obama recording dropped just as backlash over Romney\'92s \'9347 percent\'94
comments reached a fever pitch. On the nation\'92s {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://video.foxnews.com/v/1849930039001/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 most-watched cable news channel}}, it\'92s certainly grabbing some airtime.\
\ SEAN HANNITY:\'a0
\b \'93We have some incredible video. Obama \'97\'a0well, he\'92s telling us his stance
on redistribution, and, of course, he\'92s believes in it.\'94
\b0 \ \
GRETCHEN CARLSON: \b \'93It\'92s interesting because both of
these campaigns now have these tapes, but you won\'92t hear about the Obama tape. Only
if you\'92re watching Fox News.\'94 \b0 \
\ The Obama recording has been confirmed to
be the president by the White House and it\'92s taken a small chunk of a media cycle that
has not been too kind to Romney in the last week. But beyond that it\'92s also given the
GOP candidate a chance to get off his back foot for the first time in days. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/19/romney-republicans-hit-back-with-obama-redistribution-tape/"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 Here he is}} in Atlanta on
Wednesday.\ \
\b \'93Just a tape came out a couple of days ago with the president saying yes he believes
in redistribution. I don\'92t. I believe the way to lift people and to have higher incomes
is not to take from some and give to others.\'94 \b0 \
\ At the {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/19/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-91912"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 White House}}, Press Secretary Jay Carney was quick to respond, saying Romney
was obviously having a bad week.\ \
\b \'93In circumstances like that there are efforts made, sometimes desperate efforts
made to change the subject. The charge based on this 14-year old video sounds very familiar
to one that was tried and failed in 2008.\'94 \b0 \
\ And at {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://video.msnbc.msn.com/politicsnation/49095116/"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 MSNBC}} there was some confusion over whether or not to air the Obama tape.\
\ Chuck Todd played the video on his morning
show the \i Daily Rundown
\i0 at 9 a.m. eastern.\ \
But just four hours later, Andrea Mitchell said this with Todd sitting right across the
table.\ \
\b \'93We have not authenticated this fourteen year old tape from Loyola College when Barack
Obama was a state senator. So because we have not independently at MSNBC News and NBC authenticated
it, we are not airing it.\'94 \b0 \
\ The delay in coverage was enough to prompt
frustration from conservatives and confusion for {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/nbc-responds-to-criticism-on-obama-redistribution-authentication-issue/2012/09/19/1c9fc47a-028d-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_blog.html"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Washington Post}} blogger Erik Wemple. \'a0\
\
\b \'93Okay \'97 by all means, authenticate! Be careful, especially in light of the [George]
Zimmerman video-editing fiasco. But straighten out your message regarding authentication!\'94
\b0 \ \
After White House confirmation, MSNBC did greenlight the video later that afternoon.
No comment from the president himself on the recording as of Wednesday evening.\
}