Dan Patrick Wants "Full Tape" of Town Hall Appearance Released

CLEVELAND — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants ABC to release video of his full appearance at a town hall last week with President Barack Obama, saying the video was deceptively edited by the news network.

In remarks here at the Republican National Convention, Patrick told Texas delegates that ABC aired only "about 40 percent of my give-and-take" with Obama at the town hall on race relations, which was Thursday in Washington, D.C. Patrick appeared most outraged at the network's decision not to include a moment in which he addressed Obama while standing alongside Cameron Sterling, the son of a man who was fatally shot by a police officer this month in Louisiana. 

"Remember this town hall was to be about unity, and here is a 15-year-old, African-American young man who has lost his dad, standing with this 60-year-old-plus, white, conservative Republican from Texas, and both of us are there and said, 'Mr. President, will you stop the violence?'" Patrick said. "And ABC cut that out. That's media bias." 

According to a transcript of Patrick's full exchange with Obama, the lieutenant governor did indeed tell the president to "stop the violence" while apparently standing with Sterling. The White House released the transcript Friday to the Austin American-Statesman and PolitiFact Texas. 

"Take the hateful rhetoric out of this and stop the violence," Patrick told Obama. "That has to be first. We both ask you to do that, Mr. President." 

Obama replied: "I appreciate that, Lieutenant Governor.  Let me just — and Cameron — you can have a seat, Cameron. And you can, too, Lieutenant Governor."

The president then went on to insist he has "been unequivocal in condemning any rhetoric directed at police officers," a remark that made it on air. 

Patrick got a rowdy reception Wednesday in Cleveland from Texas delegates at their daily breakfast as he called for the release of the "full tape" of the moment. Delegates cheered in approval, banged on their tables and rose for a standing ovation. 

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