Clinton’s Iran Soundbite: Obliterated
I’m sure no one will take this out of context - over and over and over:
“I want the Iranians to know that if I’m the president, we will attack Iran,” Clinton said. “In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them.”
Why would ABC clip it that way? For full context: she was responding to this question:
Clinton further displayed tough talk in an interview airing on “Good Morning America” Tuesday. ABC News’ Chris Cuomo asked Clinton what she would do if Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons.
“I want the Iranians to know that if I’m the president, we will attack Iran,” Clinton said. “In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them.”
An Iranian nuclear attack on Israel is a pretty extreme circumstance made all the more fanciful by the fact that Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons, presumably the point of Clinton’s ‘next 10 years’ remark. Faced with an Iranian-instigated nuclear war against a major ally, I imagine any president would attack them.
I haven’t seen the interview - it doesn’t air for a couple hours - but this is a really awkward structure. It seems intentionally designed to make her sound like attacking Iran is in the cards. Other media and blogs are completely going to lift that quote without the sentence before it.
Which is not to mention the headline makes it sound like we’re ready to go today:
Clinton on Iran Attack: ‘Obliterate Them’
I assume ABC is still riding high from the positive reactions to their debate coverage.
I can’t decide if this is just bad or if it’s intentionally making Clinton sound more hawkish for the conservative, rural Pennsylvanian voters.
Link:
Clinton on Iran Attack: ‘Obliterate Them’ [ABC]
