There's been some debate on the web as to just how out of line North Carolina Democratic Congressman Bob Etheridge was when he was confronted by self-described students with video cameras. Those inclined to defend Etheridge point out that the original video was heavily edited. Here (lifted from Doug Mataconis' 'Outside the Beltway' blog) is the unedited version of the videos, a separate film from each camera. As you can see, Etheridge's defenders lose one line of argument. While it was obviously planned as a set-up of some kind, Etheridge mindlessly seems to fall into the trap (for which he later apologizes). If these students wanted to be another James O'Keefe of ACORN video fame, they couldn't have hoped for a better result.
Update: These videos originally posted at Stephen Gutowski's Eyeblast.tv blog
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The unedited Etheridge video
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4 comments:
It is simply incorrect to call it the "unedited" "original" video if the face of the "student" is blocked out and the origin (who took the video) is still unaccounted for.
Obama is the one who set the tone... he’s the one with "get in their face", "hit back twice as hard", and gonna "kick ass" while Salazar puts his "boot on their throat". What the HELL is this, the Third Reich?
Now this arrogant clown Etheridge thinks it OK to get violent with an innocent reporter asking a question… and in the most polite fashion imaginable.
What a horrible example Team Obama and allied union thugs have set for their minions.. who now feel free to lash out like punks at any who dare question them.
And anyone who still considers Obama some sort of unifier ought to have their head examined-
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
They are not reporters. Reporters identify themselves when asked who they are. They don't say, "We're just students." Even when Bill-O sends one of his lackeys out, the young man has the courtsey to say who he is and who he works for.
Having said that, the Rep is wrong for his reaction. There is still more to this story than we know.
While as a 7 term congressman Mr. Etheridge should have handled himself better, on a personal note, I can't help but reflect that if it had been me and a couple of college kids confronted me on the street and stuck a camera phone in my face, the first part of the video would have been them sticking the phone in my face and the second part would have been an impromptu proctology exam. Ambush journalism works because it's a whole lot easier to base your voting decision on a two minute video than a 14 year record. I wouldn't vote for Mr. Etheridge, but it is because of the issues, not because some wannabe Heraldo got into a confrontation with him. Why don't we just have American Idol type auditions for candidates and let the viewing audience decide who we want representing us.
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