RNC Caught Using Tampered Supreme Court Audio for Anti-Obamacare Ad
- Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:30pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Image source: YouTube
With the fate of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul now in the hands of the Supreme Court, a new ad from the Republican National Committee manipulates the audio from this week’s hearings, exaggerating Solicitor General Donald Verrilli‘s stammering during his opening defense of the law’s individual mandate.
The 36-second RNC ad, released online Wednesday, features audio of Verilli stuttering, coughing, sipping water twice and pausing for nearly 20 seconds. As he speaks, the ad flashes the words, “ObamaCare: It’s a tough sell.”
The problem is that the audio used has been edited to make Verrilli sound worse than he actually did.
According to Bloomberg News, “A review of a transcript and recordings of those moments shows that Verrilli took a sip of water just once, paused for a much briefer period and completed his thought — rather than stuttering and trailing off as heard in the edited version”:
While Verrilli paused once to drink water during the opening moments of his presentation, he stopped talking for only a few seconds before continuing with his argument. In the RNC ad, he pauses for about 20 seconds, coughs, sips water and stutters.
In the RNC’s transcript of its ad, it quotes Verrilli as follows: “For more than 80 percent of Americans, the ah insurance system does provide effective access [pause]. Excuse me. Ah [cough] it ah be-be because the ah the ah the [pause]. Excuse me.”
In the actual proceedings, Verrilli finished his thought. “For more than 80 percent of Americans, the, ah, insurance system does provide effective access,” Verrilli says, pausing briefly and saying, “Excuse me. But for more than 40 million who do not have access to health insurance, either through their employer or through government programs such as Medicare or Medicaid, the system does not work.”
Hear the difference for yourself. The RNC’s ad is below, and beneath that is the opening portion of Tuesday’s arguments:
RNC spokesman Sean Spicer told Bloomberg the video was a “mash-up,” combining several of Verrilli’s separate pauses and stutters during the first two minutes of his argument.
“Are there multiple clips in that video? Yes,” Spicer said. “The point was that he continually had to stop because he was having trouble making the case for why Obamacare was valid.”
“Our goal was to make the point of what a hard sell Obamacare is,” Spicer told the Associated Press.
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Comments (45)
EP46
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 5:35amThis is NOT “tampered” ! The recording is real…and if they wanted to play it over and over for 17 min. like the barry video it would still be real ! It is NOT the length…it is the content.
Report Post »ScarletRose
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 3:05amThat shows that Trayvon was not attacked, or brutalized, or slammed into the pavement, was not the one witnesses saw getting pummeled and laying on the bottom with someone on top of him smashing his face in.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 1:06amIt’s pretty obvious that it is a mash up, kind of like when someone condensed all of Obama’s uhhs from a speech into one 7 minute long uhh-fest. What are they supposed to do, flash a message that says, “by the way, this isn’t what it really sounded like, we just put his pauses together to make a point”? Give me a break, the editing in liberal ads is habitually deceptive.
I’d love to see them call Obama out for blatantly lying in front of the entire nation again, and again, and again. Not gonna happen!
Report Post »amerbur
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 10:57pmThere is no need for anything less than accuracy and truth. Clean up your act RNC. You are giving the people a bad name.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 12:06amYawn. Does anyone expect honesty from the RNC? Yeah right.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 5:36amThe audio is REAL……..play it for 2 hrs and it is REAL
Report Post »powpow20
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 10:13pmWith all the bashing from the left over and over and over and over and over……cant the right have a little fun just every once in awhile?
Report Post »lothlorien
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 11:27amNo, we can’t. Like Caesar’s wife, we should be above reproach. That way, nasty headlines such as this one will not be possible. Then we will become more honestly believable and and not be regarded with scepticism like the libs and dems are.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 9:05pmThe DemonCrats do it ALL THE TIME
Report Post »lothlorien
Posted on March 31, 2012 at 11:31amJust because they roll around in dirt and filth all the time, doesn’t mean we should. One of my Mom’s favorite sayings was “lie down with dogs and come up with fleas.” We are better than they are and it’s high time the world realized that. Doing this sort of sleazy “fun” will NOT better our reputations. Fun, yes, but not sleazy fun.
Report Post »younowknow
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 7:09pm6min into the second video and I’m so proud that I live in this republic
Report Post »FANGS
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 7:02pmI pray Obamacare is Struck Down, Unconstitutional. If Obama care is upheald, Our Country, 85% of America will instantly go postal on the left. That Day, America will open up on Socialism because there won’t be anything left to live for. and Everything to fight for. I Pray it is struck down.
Report Post »TheLiberalsAreComing
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 6:45pmKnowing how low the left will sink, how dirty they play, I like this ad.
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 6:52pmIt was already voted on and Obama will be delighted at the results. Keegan who should not even have heard the case will tell him the result.
The Supreme Court has never nullified any law passed by Congress in the history of the nation and it will not do it now. That is why the Democrats removed the clause in the law that would allow the law to stand if any portion was declared un-constitutional. Democrats know the Court will never overturn the entire law. Any attempt to break up into two separate nations to get away will be met with Hollow Point bullets.
Report Post »Carborendum
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 6:27pmThe difference between this ad and DNC ads is that DNC ads alter audio to misrepresent what actually happened.
This ad said that the scolicitor had difficulties with his arguments. This is absolutely true.
This ad showed he KNEW he had a tough job. This is absolutely true.
This ad showed he was nervous during the arguments. This is absolutely true.
DNC ads take words out of context specifically to change the message.
DNC ads specifically change just the right words to mischaracterize.
DNC ads lie.
That’s the difference.
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:25pmDoesn’t bother you? You say dems do this also? Well, I guess it’s fine then. Open season!!
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:39pmYes it bothers me. There is enough truth without resorting to this. Shame on them, that’s the kind of crap Americans hate.
Report Post »bigmel754
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:19pmIf you (RNC) would just approach everything with honesty and straight forwardness you could run away with this election! The Oblivious ones haven’t been honest from day one and will not be. If you would just step up and tell the truth and facts, do what is best for this country and put people back to work. Victory would surely be on your side. Yawl continue to take one step forward and fall back two. People are so tired of politicians doing for themselves and their home state we are a country of many states, races and beliefs. You have become the school playground snitch, the first to point and blame. You need to come together as one, stand your ground and American Up! People need leaders not wimps. You are one lost election away from surrendering to the enemy. How much more do you want to separate your fellow Americans, how much longer or you going to scream fire and run, take a stand and fight that fire. Be brave and put something of yours on the line. Bring back American pride, put Old Glory back up high and make us proud to be called Americans. Put our farms, ranches and industry back into full operation. Take our dependency on others and turn it into Independence for Americans. It has become so easy to deny ourselves the simplicity of FREEDOM, freedom is not being dependent on others for our needs we shut down factories, we let farms go unworked, and we provide for unproductivity. You have now made America more vulnerable than any other time in American history. Our mi
Report Post »bigmel754
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:21pmOur military is at the lowest strength in history and you are still cutting away at it. We have stronger security requirements to travel from coast to coast than we have at and on our borders. Sadly, there is one thing that is beginning to be missing from the current USA and that is America! Leaving to be blame is US!
Report Post »bigmel754
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:22pmOur military is at the lowest strength in history and you are still cutting away at it. We have stronger security requirements to travel from coast to coast than we have at and on our borders. Sadly, there is one thing that is beginning to be missing from the current USA and that is America! Leaving to be blamed is US!
cdavis411
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:15pmoh whoopety doo this is just plain funny I don’t care who you are.
besides they only have so much time in an ad and could not show the repetitive nature of his fumbling it would be a 10 minute ad.
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:13pmAre Wurld is gowing too hail
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:09pmThe RNC is going down the wrong road. Try to stay on the high ground. One of the political parties needs to have credibility.
Report Post »MONICNE
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:04pmIt’s very tempting to jump on people or organizations for saying things that are not truthful, when we should be worrying about turning the country around, and not focusing on just a bunch of factual technicalities.
These harmless Reince Priebus fake facts are just meant to motivate people to act in the correct way, just as Our Lord Jesus Christ would use a parable.
TEA
Report Post »FlatFoot
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:56pmBig deal. It’s a commercial making a point. And it’s also *possibly* a plagiarized idea that was already done by BuzzFeed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpOQtHPWSn4
Big whoop. It gets the point across — You cannot effectively defend the indefensible.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:14pmIf the content that was edited out made a difference in the understanding of what Verrilli was saying…then I’d cry foul on the RNC. But it doesn’t make a scrap of difference. Verrilli has been generally panned for giving an awful performance even by those sympathetic to Obama. The gist of the ad remains true…Verrilli couldn’t sell what was unsellable to begin with. He couldn’t defend the indefensible. No harm no foul here.
Report Post »wdittgasn
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:55pmThe RNC need not drop down to their level. It will backfire if they do
Report Post »thefnshow
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:50pmthe guy sounded like a moron…this just emphasized what a moron he is…dems don’t do that in ads ? please
Report Post »Patriot of My America
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 5:53pmEven though the SG is attempting to justify and defend the most unconstitutional Law ever perpetrated against the Liberty of American Citizens.! Of course he is going to fumble and mumble around as he has no salient points to stand on.This law will not stand. God willing.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:49pmNo teleprompter in the court room.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:48pmThey dont need to doctor the tape. Instead of doing dumb crap like this why not get their members to end the FED? Maybe defund the EPA, or maybe get the TSA to keep their hands out of our pants…Maybe get the Republitards to actually do something to stop the regulations that are killing this Nation?
How about it? Heck i would love it if you chose to end the NEA…Just end some of tis Government over reach!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »OhioPat
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:47pmThe RNC are all idiots. All they need to do is tell the truth about everything. When they exaggerate it makes it so no one will believe anything they say. I guess communists trying to take over the country isn’t sensational enough for them!
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:55pmVerrilly sounded awful even without the “creative” editing. When evena CNN reporter sympathetic to Obama and Obamacare says the testimony was a train wreck by Obama‘s counsel then this doctoring of Verrilli’s voice means nothing. One can argue that the audio as it stood was awkard enough for Verrilli. This doesn’t bother me in the least.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:46pmGod has a way to tongue tie those who are lying. So they cut out the middle lies he managed to speak.
Like the Democrats never took partial statements and strung them together to support their agenda? Please, don’t even begin to insult me.
Report Post »RobMac68
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:54pmyea, but with the dems, they try to pass their’s off as real and uncut. They would never admit to it being a ‘mash-up”.
Report Post »SandyfromChesterfield
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:44pmI see nothing wrong with the ad. This is done all of the time.
Report Post »SpeckledPup
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:32pmso funny, it sounded just like obama’s lapdog verilli to us!!!
Report Post »RobMac68
Posted on March 30, 2012 at 4:46pmI too thought it was funny and to the point. Spicer aknowledged it was a ‘mash-up’ to make the point. Not like they were trying to be dishonest and cover it up. It’s a parody.
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