CHICAGO – Obama for America released the following statement from Campaign Manager Jim Messina in reaction to tonight’s debate:
“The President spoke directly to voters tonight about his vision for an economy that grows from the middle out, while Mitt Romney spent the night on the defensive, doubled down on the same bad ideas that crashed the economy, and got testy when he was pushed on specifics. Romney confirmed that he opposes a single dollar in new revenue from the wealthiest to reduce the deficit and continued to hide the details about how he’d accomplish his plans because he knows they don’t add up and are bad for the middle-class. He was unable and unwilling to explain the math behind his $5 trillion tax cut favoring the wealthy, refused to say what rules he’d put in place to protect consumers after repealing Wall Street reform, and didn’t offer a single idea to protect families from insurance company abuses after repealing Obamacare. Tonight the American people saw the clear contrast between where the two candidates will take the country in the next four years.”
Facts matter and Mitt Romney is unwilling to give them to the American people.
What People Are Saying:
CNN’s David Gergen: “Romney was just sort of flat out lying.”
Los Angeles Times: “The Romney campaign has refused to say which loopholes it would close, and Romney did not clear up the question Wednesday.”
Bloomberg News: “Romney’s tax plan can’t add up.”
CNBC Fact Check: “Romney again tonight did not say specifically how he would pay for his proposed across the board tax cut.”
The Washington Post: “Mitt Romney needs to spend a little more time with his budget reports.”
Los Angeles Times: “Fact check: Romney repeats erroneous claims on healthcare”:
Chicago Sun-Times:“If, however, you score Wednesday’s debate on substance — accurate facts and honest arithmetic — Obama more than held his own.”
Fact Check@factcheckdotorgRomney says he will pay for $5T tax cut without raising deficit or raising taxes on middle class. Experts say that’s not possible….
Rachel Weiner @rachelweinerwp Fact Checker: Romney says “six other studies” have found his plan can be revenue neutral, but he’s wrong about that.http://wapo.st/UGjQeh
Matt Yglesias @mattyglesias Romney’s tax plan is basically 2+2=5.
Los Angeles Times @latimes Fact check: Romney’s tax claims challenged by nonpartisan report:http://lat.ms/RBZyUT (via@LisaMascaroinDC)
PolitiFact @politifact We looked at whether five studies back up Romney’s tax plan. Mostly False. Our review: http://ow.ly/ecKPd #debate
PolitiFact @politifact Reputable study found Romney’s tax plan can’t reduce overall rates AND raise same revenues. Our check:http://ow.ly/ecpR4 #debate
PolitiFact @politifact Is Romney plan for future Medicare a voucher system? Mostly True. http://ow.ly/ecMuu #debate
Fact Check@factcheckdotorgRomney said Obama “cut” Medicare by $716B but cuts in the future growth of spending prolong life of Medicare.http://ow.ly/ecMJ8
PolitiFact @politifact From the archives: Rick Santorum said Romney adviser admits Romneycare was blueprint for Obamacare. Mostly True. http://ow.ly/ecNPm
PolitiFact @politifactObamacare is a government takeover of health care? That was the 2010 Lie of the Year. http://ow.ly/ecO9V #debate
Michael Crowley @CrowleyTIME Romney closes with pretty dishonest warning about defense cuts
Jonathan Cohn @CitizenCohn Sigh. Romney not telling the truth here. Pre-existing conditions NOT covered under his planhttp://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/107049/romney-pre-existing-condition-obamacare-repeal-gregory-meet-the-press …
Ezra Klein @ezraklein Around 89 million Americans would likely be left out of Romney’s “preexisting conditions plan,” such as it is.http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/10/who-would-be-left-out-of-romneys-preexisting-conditions-plan-about-89-million-americans/ …
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial:Editorial: Romney wins on style, Obama on facts
Los Angeles Times:Fact Check: Romney’s tax claims challenged by non-partisan report
Bloomberg:Romney Tax Plan Needs Growth to Add Up: Reality Check
Washington Post: Romney off on deficits
Los Angeles Times:Fact check: Romney repeats erroneous claims on healthcare
Talking Points Memo: Romney Backs Away From Own Tax Plan
rikyrah updating here: About that CNN Debate Poll? Look at the Crosstabs.
Pingback: Video 2012 Presidential Debate With President Obama & Governor ... | News 47News 47
MoveOn.org@MoveOn
BREAKING: Obama blasts @MittRomney’s debate candor: “If you want to be president-you owe the American people the truth” http://j.mp/RDUMWI
So CNN left out BLACKS & HISPANICS from their winner’s poll/ NO SURPIRSE OF CNNFOXLITE
CNN
Rolling Stone@RollingStone
Mitt Romney’s five biggest lies in last night’s debate: http://bitly.com/RfrnA6
Romney Admits Pushing Misinformation In Debate | ThinkProgress http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/10/04/960881/romney-admits-pushing-misinformation-in-debate/ …
PBO gave Lyin Romney all the rope he’ll ever need to HANG HIMSELF.
I really can’t believe what I just watched
I’m still digesting the debates, but it is clear what went on here. It is also clear that Mitt Romney’s singular debate strategy was to lie, lie and then lie some more–making it impossible for President Obama to engage in substantive or rational discourse.
First, Romney lied about this tax policy and his tax-cut plans–which would cut $4 trillion in taxes for upper-income millionaires and billionaires. Romney has run on this tax policy for more than a year, and he has also run on the his plan to voucherize Medicare. Romney also denied that.
Romney lied about this healthcare plan, revealing tonight that he had a plan to cover people with pre-existing conditions even though he has promised to repeal Obamacare on day one.
Obama’s head must have been spinning–and that was the plan. Romney knew they couldn’t win on substance and that their ideas would be rejected. So they decided to just deny the basic tenants of their campaign.
Listen folks. This was a very deliberate strategy. Romney would lie and frustrate Obama–and it worked. No one, including the President–expected such sheer depravity.
When you agree to debate an opponent–you expect that they will stand up for the ideas on which their entire campaign has been based. Romney didn’t even ADMIT his ideas! He called Obama a liar for spelling out Romney’s own ideas that he’s beens showcasing for years.
So congratulations, Mitt Romney. You win my vote for bully of the year, liar of the year and manipulator of the century. You may have frustrated President Obama into some corners, and I’m sure you practices those lies and the faux outrage plenty of times with uproarious guffaws from your handlers, “Can you imagine the look on Obama’s face when we deny our own tax policies and our own Medicare plan–and then argue that we are for Obamacare now?! We’ll be golden!”
Oh, I bet they howled with delight.
We all know one of the basic tenants of conservative politicking is to accuse your opponent of doing the very thing that you are doing. Republicans are masters at it. And look what they spent the past two weeks insinuating that Obama would do during the debates—lie. They said it repeatedly–Obama will lie.
And that’s exactly what Mitt Romney stood up there and did.
No, Obama didn’t lie. Obama presented Mitt with his own longs-held ideas and tried to debate him. Romney lied and said they weren’t his ideas.
You could see the look of frustration on Obama’s face. Fifteen minutes into this debate and it was very clear to our President that they were game playing. But you know what? That’s the look of a President who is not about games. Obama wanted to have a substantive debate, but couldn’t, because his opponent chose rancor and nonsense over wisdom and sincerity. That’s the look and frustration of a President who wants to have an honest, rational discussion with America–but can’t because his opponent is too busy playing oneupmanship with lies.
Tonight was all about convoluted manipulations, horrendous lies and a labyrinth of games in which Mitt Romney denied his own campaign promises and policy stances. So, congratulations to Mitt Romney. He won by out politicking his opponent–and by dodging, distorting and denying.
Mitt Romney cheated. He not only cheated by lying; he cheated the American people out of a real debate. This was not a debate. It was a big game and the only winner was Mitt Romney, but everyone else in America who should have heard the truth about the issues–lost tonight.
I am proud of our President. Yes, it wasn’t a commanding debate performance, but at least President Obama is honest and has integrity and enough good sense to never play games like the ones we saw Mitt Romney play tonight.
Link and attribution to this great essay- CoffeeCat
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021465405
The Internet Responds to Mitt Romney’s Plan to Cut Big Bird:
http://boldprogressives.org/romney-corporate-tax-cuts-public-broadcasting/
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151249290881942&set=p.10151249290881942&type=1&theater
http://savebigbird.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/BigBirdRomney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iuk2wVejqgU&feature=youtu.be
“I’m sorry, Jim, I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too. But I’m not going to — I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That’s number one.”
MONEY QUOTE:
Presidentr Obama: “And at some point, I think the American people have to ask themselves is the reason that Governor Romney is keeping all these plans to replace secret because they’re too good? “
Mitt Romeny’s GOT NOTHING, NADA, ZERO, ZILCH!
REPOST: How many times do we have to post this video for the hand-wringing, parental-leaning, lefties who want PBO on go all SHAFT on everyone.