On Wednesday I ran the audio of Barack Obama telling Bill O'Reilly that he "absolutely" denied he was interested in redistributing wealth.  This, of course, was the most ridiculous thing he could have said.  Even those on the left took issue with the lie.

MSNBC's self-professing socialist Lawrence O'Donnell seemed incredulous when asking Howard Dean about the comment.  Both men agreed that Obama was not being honest given that he had actively sought a tax hike on the wealthy only.  In case you don't follow, hiking taxes on the wealthiest Americans and not everyone else...then taking that money and putting it into programs that benefit the poorest Americans, that is the very definition of redistribution. 

O'Donnell was ticked Obama was being a coward and not defending it.  Dean was more upset, suggesting that it's the government job - it's entire purpose - to redistribute wealth.

Columnist Erik Rush commented on Obama's shocking denial this way:

Perhaps I ought to be beyond surprise at this point, but I'll admit I was slack-jawed with astonishment. Obama, who has gone on record numerous times advocating redistribution of wealth - from the notorious "Joe the Plumber" footage from the 2008 campaign to his interview faulting the Constitution for not including provisions for same - unequivocally denied supporting this policy.

 

His words also contradict most of what he's proposed and executed since taking office, since nearly all of his policies, legislation and executive orders have had wealth-redistribution components. In fact, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed last year (and crafted in part by hard-line Marxists) is one of the largest wealth-redistribution plans ever proposed.

 

As far as taxes go, Obama was compelled to compromise on taxes in the wake of the 2010 midterm election; his intentions were to raise taxes on everyone making over $250,000 a year - people whom progressives label as "the rich." His mendacity was quickly exposed by taxpayer advocacy groups that thoroughly documented the fallacy of his statement.

Rush also expresses disappointment that O'Reilly did not push Obama on this point, asking,

But we have numerous instances of you on audio and video advocating for redistribution of wealth, of faulting the Constitution for not providing for it. All of your mentors, advisers, everyone who works for you, have been dedicated to the redistribution of wealth. What do you have to say about that, Mr. President?

Republicans are fools if they do not spend the next 20 months running with this obvious deceit.  Obama has revealed his Achilles Heel.  He does not have the stomach or the ability to defend what he believes.  He doesn't because he knows that the American people are not on board with socialism.  That's precisely why Republicans can't give him a pass.  The more they force him to lie about who he is and what he believes, his fellow believers will continue losing patience with his refusal to stand up for their shared convictions.

If Republicans truly want to defeat Obama in 2012, he has just given them all the ammunition they need.