Weeks after Sean Hannity was caught selectively editing a clip of President Barack Obama to paint him in a negative light, the Fox News channel has done it again.

The latest clip, aired by Fox & Friends Tuesday, has the president appearing to say that he could not give tax cuts to the richest Americans.

“It is an irresponsible thing for us to do. I can’t give tax cuts to the top two percent of Americans…” Obama said before being cut off in mid-sentence by the morning show’s editing.

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But in the full context, it’s clear that the president said that he couldn’t give tax cuts and lower the deficit at the same time.

The Hill reported Obama’s full quote as it aired on CNBC Monday.

When asked if he would modify his position on the Bush-era tax cuts to only increase taxes on those making at least $1 million, President Obama on Monday said the country simply could not afford it. “I can’t give tax cuts to the top two percent of Americans — 86 percent of that going to Americans making $1 million or more — and lower the deficit at the same time,” he told CNBC. “I don’t have the math.”

Fox News’ Steve Doocy and Andrew Napolitano spent the remainder of the segment blasting Obama’s tax policies.

“It’s theft,” Doocy told Napolitano.

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“It is a form of theft,” said Napolitano. “I mean, it presumes that the government decides how much of what we own and what we earn we’ll be permitted to keep.”

“Did you hear the words of the president? ‘I can’t give the wealthiest two percent or three percent a tax cut,'” Napolitano continued.

“We start with the presumption that what we earn is ours. So, the president should say, ‘I want to take money from them.’ Not, ‘I can’t give them a tax cut.'”

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Doocy and Napolitano failed to mention that lowering the deficit was a condition of not giving tax cuts to the richest Americans.

Later in the speech, Obama indicated that tax cuts for the rich were possible as the economy improved. “However, Obama did leave the door open for tax cuts for the wealthy after the economic crisis subsides,” The Hill noted.

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Just days ago, Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart called out Fox News’ Sean Hannity for similar editing of a presidential clip.

“It’s a fun and easy way to make people you disagree with say things that make them unelectable,” said Stewart.

CNN’s Howard Kurtz called the editing “deceptive.”

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This video is from Fox News’ Fox & Friends, broadcast Sept. 21, 2010.



