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'You didn't build that': Obama regrets syntax, not substance

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    President stands behind meaning of comment

  • Duration 3:54
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So was afraid is that kicked off a political firestorm.

Business.

Now President Obama walking back that you didn't build that comment -- bet.

That provided Republicans with the theme of one night of their convention last week in an interview yesterday he said quote obviously I have regrets for my syntax.

But not to the point because everyone who was there watching knows exactly what I was saying.

Joining us now talk about this former democratic senator of Indiana Evan Bayh a Fox News -- senator good to have you here welcome.

-- great to be with you make of of this exchange -- that the president sort of felt the need he hasn't really talked about that comment by the White House and said it was taken out of context but he he now says he regrets the syntax -- -- but not the meaning.

You know everybody is in public life from time to time makes a mistake so something they don't really mean in the wrong kind of way.

And it's better to just admit that and tell what you really meant and then move on and I think that's what the president did yesterday.

If they've always argued that was taken out of context but when you look at the full context of -- he says you know.

You didn't build it be you know he hit the highways all of these different industries that the government -- helped you get there.

And and I think even announced voter contacts there's plenty of small business folks in this country who were very offended by we heard.

But some people on the floor of the Republican Convention who said you know I had run for President Obama last time around but that's comment really -- -- -- -- it hit people where they -- Some cases you know it did resonate with a lot of small business people and middle Americans and that's why I think it was important that he came out yesterday and said look I just made a mistake here.

And what he was trying to say is that things like roads and bridges and airports you know help all of us.

Things like the original investments made in the Internet.

Space program which led the miniaturization which is what -- you know I devices help us and that's the point he was trying to maybe just made it in an in artful way.

So it you know in terms of the larger message you know it it feels it and having been in Tampa and at this convention as well.

The message in Tampa was clearly.

You know sort of it self empowerment you know that that people work hard.

And they are they succeed in life that success is something that really needs to be embraced individual success should be embraced that that's a very American value.

Here -- we're hearing a lot about shared responsibility.

And shared prosperity.

Very different message I think is interesting that headline that for Bill Clinton that said you know it -- -- big decision about what kind of government will kind of country do we want to live and both sides have said the exact same question is at stake here.

-- Martha I think that's a very good way to put it and there are two great strains the American tradition one as rugged individualism personal responsibility.

Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps the other is that in some ways we are all in it together in -- occasionally when you're down on your luck you might need a helping hand.

The party that's most successful on the table to reconcile those two and -- just synthesis.

And so that's what we need to look -- coming out of Charlotte and getting back to the president's comment I think it's important for the Democratic Party to say we understand that jobs are created by the private sector.

That small businesses drive job creation that government tends to operate at the margin it's not really the force that creates economic growth I think it's important for us to say that.

Otherwise you do run the risk of being misinterpreted.

Yeah it's interesting because when things it was said about former president Clinton's speech last night was that he didn't you know bash corporations he didn't bash company is.

He didn't talk about being capital he did none of that.

And and that's being cited as sort of going back to 21999.

And in a sense in terms of the would get messages out they're very different last night.

Well let the country has become more polarized and it was in 1999.

But the other thing is Bill Clinton -- -- governor I was the governor.

You have to have favorable business conditions in your state -- work with companies to grow otherwise they go someplace else so.

If that's a party -- background you tend to understand the business dynamic a bit more -- senator -- thank you so much pleasure that I did receive in a moment here.

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