Fox Manufactures Obama Veto Threat For Replacing Spending Cuts

Written by David Shere

Published

Fox News is cropping a statement President Obama made in November 2011 to falsely claim he threatened to veto any replacement for the scheduled across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration. But in that statement, Obama called on Congress to pass “a balanced plan to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion” to replace the cuts in the sequester.

Obama In 2011: Only Way To Replace Sequester Is With “A Balanced Plan”

President Obama: “The Only Way these Spending Cuts Will Not Take Place Is If Congress Gets Back To Work And Agrees On A Balanced Plan To Reduce The Deficit By At Least $1.2 Trillion.” From the president's November 21, 2011, statement on deficit reduction:

Now, the question right now is whether we can reduce the deficit in a way that helps the economy grow, that operates with a scalpel, not with a hatchet, and if not, whether Congress is willing to stick to the painful deal that we made in August for the automatic cuts.  Already, some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts.

My message to them is simple:  No.  I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending.  There will be no easy off ramps on this one.

We need to keep the pressure up to compromise -- not turn off the pressure.  The only way these spending cuts will not take place is if Congress gets back to work and agrees on a balanced plan to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion.  That's exactly what they need to do.  That's the job they promised to do.  And they've still got a year to figure it out. [The White House, 11/21/11]

Fox Crops Obama Statement To Claim He Threatened To Veto Any Replacement For Sequester Cuts

Fox's Doocy: “Republicans Have Been Trying To Talk [Obama] Out Of This Stupid Sequester For A Very Long Time,” But Obama “Threatened To Veto It.” On Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy claimed that “the Republicans have been trying to talk him out of this stupid sequester for a very long time.” Doocy added: “Here he is threatening to veto it back in 2011,” before playing cropped video of Obama's November 2011 statement. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 2/20/13]

Fox's Hemmer Plays Cropped Video, Asks “How Do We Square” Obama's Veto Threat “With What's Happening Now?” On America's Newsroom, co-host Bill Hemmer introduced the cropped video by saying Obama pledged that “any effort” to undo the sequester cuts “would ultimately be vetoed by him.” After the video played he asked, “how do we square that with what's happening now?” [Fox News, America's Newsroom, 2/20/13]

Fox's Kelly: Obama Said If GOP Tries To “Get Rid Of These Cuts” He'd “Veto It.” America Live host Megyn Kelly said of President Obama's position on the sequester cuts:

The Republicans tried to roll [sequestration] back twice after they agreed to them, by the way. And he came out and said I'll veto it. If you do it, try to get rid of these cuts, I'm going to veto it. And now to hear him yesterday it's as if he had nothing to do with these cuts. He's outraged. [Fox News, America Live, 2/20/13]

Fox's Hannity Denies Obama Wanted A Deal To Replace The Sequester. On his Fox News show, Sean Hannity introduced the cropped video by saying “let's go back to 2011, Juan Williams, shall we? Let's listen to the president himself, speaking in what he now views as in apocalyptic terms, the sequester. He supported it. Watch.” After Fox News contributor Juan Williams said Obama “wants a deal, he wants someone to negotiate with,” Hannity said: “That's not what he said then.” [Fox News, Hannity, 2/20/13]