DNC, MSM Smear Mitt with Deceptive Edit

DNC, MSM Smear Mitt with Deceptive Edit

The Democratic National Committee has released a web ad purporting to show Gov. Mitt Romney in 2008 advocating for an individual mandate at the federal level. This would, of course, be a devastating "smoking gun" proving that Romney had explicitly endorsed and even campaigned on "ObamaCare" before it was an unconstitutional glimmer in Barack Obama's eye.

The problem with the video the DNC has released (and which has been picked up by their reliable minions including Ezra Klein at the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Talking Points Memo) is that the excerpt from a Jan 5, 2008 New Hampshire debate is selectively edited and does not include an exculpatory moment one minute later where Gov. Romney clearly and unequivocally states he would NOT be in favor of an individual mandate at the federal level.

The DNC's video is misleading and dishonest since it does not include Gov. Romney's clear refusal to call for a national mandate, and the CNN/Acosta video is vague and can be interpreted in various ways.

Is the selectively edited DNC video the blockbuster tape that Begala promised CNN's audience? Or does he have something else hidden away? And, since he is a paid analyst for CNN, shouldn't the network press him on this issue, as it is their public responsibility to seek the truth rather than enable their employees to use their airwaves for political brinkmanship?