Robertson Claims He Didn’t Say What He Said. Let’s Go to Tape:
Pat Robertson, who is being condemned internationally for calling for the assassination of president Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, now says he didn’t say what he said.
CNN reports, “I didn’t say ‘assassination.’ I said our special forces should ‘take him out.’ And ‘take him out’ can be a number of things, including kidnapping; there are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP [Associated Press], but that happens all the time,” Robertson said on “The 700 Club” program.”
Two paragraphs later in the story, CNN quotes Roberston’s actual words and links to the video of the original broadcast:
“‘If he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it,’” said Robertson on Monday’s program. “‘It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.’”
Robertson seems to have forgotten about the video. But CNN didn’t. Neither did Media Matters for America which posted the assassination comment video in the first place.
CNN didn’t say it; but Media Matters put it in their headline: “Robertson lies….”.
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