Before heading out to NYC club 40/40 to hobnob with Bey and Jay — that’s Beyoncé and Jay-Z to you riffraff — President Obama swung by the set of “The Late Show” to rekindle his bromance with David Letterman.
In addition to sending a message to the Muslim world (where they’re all about Letterman, natch), Obama told his pal Dave he would never ever try to call someone who disagreed with him “unpatriotic.”
Pres Obama told Letterman its wrong to dismiss those who disagree with you as victims or unpatriotic.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 18, 2012
Actually, Obama didn’t just say it was “wrong.” He said he’s “never tried to do” it.
One thing I’ve never tried to do and I think none of us can do in public office is suggest that because someone doesn’t agree with me that they’re victims or they’re unpatriotic.
He’d never do something like that. Except for that time in 2008 he called George W. Bush “unpatriotic.” A couple of sharp Twitter users caught the outright lie on Tuesday.
Remember when Obama said GWB's nat'l debt was "unpatriotic"? Yeah. Good times. Told Letterman wrong to call other side that.
— Karen Townsend (@penguinponders) September 18, 2012
O REALLY? http://t.co/nUOczsSB MT @markknoller
Pres Obama: its wrong to dismiss those who disagree w/you as victims or unpatriotic.— big tuna (@keder) September 18, 2012
And today the Republican National Committee is promoting a video that contrasts Obama’s “Late Show” statement with his 2008 remark.
Watch: Obama 2012 vs. Obama 2008 on "Unpatriotic" http://t.co/NCZPMMGs
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 19, 2012
Busted.
Also worth noting: when Mitt Romney referred to “victims” in the super-secret hidden camera video, he didn’t call anyone “unpatriotic.” (Transcript here.) At least, not in the portion of the video Mother Jones released.
Paging all fact checkers. Fact checkers? Fact checkers?
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