Obama did not throw the “act of terror” line away. He said it clearly and defiantly, as though he knew he could get away with it. Feigning outrage, Obama then told of how he manfully greeted the caskets as they arrived at Andrews Air Force Base and how he was offended at the very suggestion that anyone on his “team” would “play politics or mislead when we have lost four of our own.”
Sensing an opening, Romney moved in for the kill over Crowley’s protestations that he respond “quickly.” Romney looked straight at Obama, raised his eyebrows quizzically, and asked, “You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror? It was not a spontaneous demonstration, is that what you are saying.”
Now back on his stool, Obama answered uncomfortably, “Please proceed. Please proceed, governor.” Romney turned back to Crowley and said that he just wanted to get Obama’s response on record. With the camera still on Romney, the TV audience heard Obama say off-camera, “Get the transcript.”
The camera then moved to a wide-shot and showed Crowley waving a piece of paper. Several of my correspondents — and, I am sure, many others — believed that to be the transcript and wondered how Crowley just happened to have it.
“He did in fact, sir, call…” said Crowley hesitantly to Romney, “so let me call it an act of terror.”
“Can you say that a little louder, Candy?” said a suddenly revived Obama while the Obama fans in the audience, Michelle included, cheered in violation of the rules.
She deserves prime docket space at the Treason Trials for that...