The Edwards campaign contacted me to point out that the video clip that circulated yesterday showing Edwards answering the “licenses for illegals” question left out the very end of the exchange.
The video ends with this:
EDWARDS: I heard her say two different things. I don’t know what she’s calling for. I mean she said the first time she was asked she said one thing and then when Senator Dodd said something, she said something different. That’s what i heard.
STEPHANOPOULOS: but she says that any kind of — it all has to be done within the context of comprehensive immigration reform.
HRC: i believe we need to get back to comprehensive immigration reform because no state no matter how well intentioned can fill this gap. there needs to be federal action on immigration reform.
STEPHANOPOULOS: she says that’s the ultimate answer. you’re saying the same thing, right?
EDWARDS: That’s true…
But the actual exchange ends like this:
GEORGE: But you’re against that plan too, the Spitzer plan.
JOHN: I am — I am against that plan.
GEORGE: Let me move to Iran.
I’m not sure if this additional dialog actually helps Edwards. (It sounds, to my ear, like he’s espousing pretty much exactly what Hillary “ultimately” got to: He’s for it in general but he’s against it in the Spitzer particular.) But it was a relevant omission.
On looking at the transcript, I found this omission even more relevant: The video cuts on “it’s true” — making it look like Edwards has definitively agreed with Hillary. But that cut is in the middle of a sentence. The full response is not particularly eloquent, but it does indicate that Edwards was not simply agreeing with her.
EDWARDS: That’s true, [[here’s where the Sunday video clip ends]] but I think she was asked — again, don’t count on me for this.
(LAUGHTER)
You should read the transcript.
But what I heard standing next to her was, she was saying that — she was asked about the Spitzer plan, and she sounded supportive of it.
And then Chris Dodd said he was against it, and she chimed and said — he referred to her being for it — and chimed back in and said…[[they play a clip from the debate]]
EDWARDS: So, within literally three minutes, she said two different things.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you’re against that plan. The Spitzer plan.
Am I parsing?