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posted at 5:21 pm on February 20, 2017 by John Sexton

NBCs Katy Tur interviewedGOP Rep. Francis Rooney today about how tough (or not) President Trump would be toward Russia. When Rep. Rooney brought up former President Obamas 2012 statement, to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, that he would havemore flexibility after his re-election, Tur said she didnt know the incident to which Rooney was referring.

I think hell treat Russia more firmly than Obama, Rep. Rooney said early in the exchange. Asked by Tur why he had that confidence, Rooney replied, Hes got a lot of conservative people in the government. Rooneywent on to say that keeping America strong and safe meant, dealing with Russia.

Tur challenged the congressmansaying, He also has a number of people that werein his administration until last week who were friendly with Russia. General Mike Flynn being one of them. Glancing down at her notes, Tur continued, His former campaign CEO was Paul Manafort whos got ties to Russia. His Secretary of State was given the Medal of Friendship by Russia. You say theres a lot of conservatives who are going to push back on Russia but I see a lot of folks within Donald Trumps administration who have a friendlier view of Russia than maybe past administrations did, Tur said.

Well, I think it was Obama that leaned over to Putin and said Ill have a little more flexibility to give you what you want after the reelection,' Rep. Rooney responded.

Tur replied, Im sorry I dont know what youre referring to congressman.

Remember when he leaned over at a panel discussion or a meeting and he said Ill have more flexibility after the election. No one every really pushed the President on what he meant by that but I can only assume, for a thug like Putin, that it would embolden him, Rooney said.

Rooney is referring to a widely reported incident in March 2012 when President Obama was caught on a hot mic speaking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Obama said, This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility. Medvedev replied, I understand. I transmit this informationto Vladimir.

The fact that Rep. Rooney mistakenly put Putin in the roomrather than Medvedev doesnt really help explain Turs failure to recognize this incident. Anyone who was paying attention to the news in 2012 would have heard about Obamas widely reported flexibility remark.

The issue which Obama apparently wanted flexibility on was a missile defense system in eastern Europe. Obama had previously been criticized in 2009 for cancelling a missile defense system the Bush administration had planned to install in Poland. In 2012, when Obamamade the comments caught on the hot mic, there was some concern he was abandoning any future missile defense in eastern Europe. But in 2016, after Russias annexation of Crimea, a missile defense system was set up in Romania.

Heres the exchange between Tur and Rep. Rooney. This clip courtesy of Mediaite:

Finally, this Associated Press clip shows the hot mic exchange between Obama and Medvedev:

Read more here:
Katy Tur not familar with Obama's 'more flexibility' remarks to Russia - Hot Air