Pat Robertson Says He Was Misinterpreted

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Aug 24, 4:55 PM (ET)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson insisted Wednesday that he did not call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, despite comments broadcast on his program two days earlier.

"I didn't say 'assassination,'" Robertson said Wednesday on his Christian Broadcast Network show "The 700 Club" about remarks reported by The Associated Press and other media outlets.

"I said our special forces should 'take him out."Take him out' could be a number of things including kidnapping. (IS HE KIDDING)

"There are a number of ways of taking out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP, but that happens all the time."

But a video of Monday's telecast shows that Robertson's exact words were: "You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war, and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."

He continued: "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

When the AP called Robertson on Tuesday for elaboration, spokeswoman Angell Watts said Robertson would not do interviews and had no statement about his remarks. On Wednesday, Watts did not respond to two telephone messages, three pages and a fax seeking further comment.

Chavez, whose country is the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush. He accuses the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

On Tuesday, the State Department called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate."

Rick, for once, I agree with you.

We'll see what happens if we declare war against Fidel's little buddy (Chavez/Venezuela) for cutting off our oil supply or for jacking the prices up to unprecedented levels.

Will this potential incursion be a "walk in the park" like Granada or Panama?

Or will we needlessly endanger many young lives AGAIN?

Put away your personal hatred of this man and look at the big picture.

IMO, he was politically incorrect but he WAS correct.

PS: Baby Hugo is in the process of blackmailing oil companies for billions of dollars or he will nationalize the industry. In the meantime, he's practically giving it away to his caribbean buddies while he thumbs his nose at us AND half of the Venezuelan population which is being terrorized with beatings, property theft, etc.

bloody spaniard

i rarely hate the person. it's what he does that i find fault with.

spadesman

watch yourself. you don't want to get carried away with my rhetoric.

Blood,

Panama wasn't a walk in the park for a few guys that I "knew."

I understand your point though......

Adroomi, that's why I used quotation marks.

It was reported as a quick "walk in the park" by the media, but I'm sure that the injured and the family of the dead feel differently.

*Last line of Rick's post: On Tuesday, the State Department called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate."

RESPONSE: The only thing that the State Dept finds appropriate are lame, politically-correct comments which can be perceived as ambiguous at best or as sugar-coated lies at worst.

Rick, I know that you're not really the hating kind but for some reason you and a host of REAL haters are jumping on this Pat Robertson band wagon when you should be focusing on our real enemies.

Oh, and maybe you should reassure all of those poor souls who are posting threads about their fears... LOL!!

blood,

Now I see the "".

Thanks

Maybe "Take him out" meant dinner and a movie?

or hips pr lips?

I'm selfish and all about "me".

If killing this bad guy will make oil prices go down, why is he still breathing?

That is the problem with the whole open mouth, insert foot thing. If you are going to say something wacky, then have the guts to stand behind it. Otherwise don't say it. Especially when millions of people can hear you! That is at least one thing old Bobby Byrd got right.

Heather

yeah, pat might have made a mistake here. his words may make any attempt on our part to intervene in their government -- covert or not -- very difficult. i suspect the whole world is waiting for something to happen now. they're at home practicing their new anit-US chants. they may get an opportunity to put them to use in the near future.