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Subscribe to RSSCOLUMBIA, SC -- Back on the stump for the first time since Saturday night's debate with his GOP rivals, Mitt Romney wasted little time in turning his focus back to President Obama, lashing out at the president for making "disparaging" comments about Americans.
"Sometimes, I just don't think that President Obama understands America," Romney said. "I say that because this week -- Or was it last week? -- he said that Americans are lazy. I don't think that describes America. Before that I think it was in October, he was saying we have lost our inventiveness, and our ambition. Before that he was saying other disparaging things about Americans. I just don't think he understands -- he was saying we just weren't working hard enough. I don't think he gets what's happening in this country."
Romney was referencing remarks made by the president at Saturday's APEC summit in Hawaii, where he was asked about government policies that serve as impediments to foreign investment in the United States, not about Americans generally.
"I think it’s important to remember that the United States is still the largest recipient of foreign investment in the world. And there are a lot of things that make foreign investors see the U.S. as a great opportunity -- our stability, our openness, our innovative free market culture," Obama said. "But we’ve been a little bit lazy, I think, over the last couple of decades. We’ve kind of taken for granted -- well, people will want to come here and we aren’t out there hungry, selling America and trying to attract new business into America."
Later in his remarks, Romney hit the president again, perhaps a bit more gently, for his broader economic policies.
"Now I don't want to be too critical, the president came in, and I think never having worked in the private sector, he went to work trying to make things better. And remember that old Ronald Reagan line - he says the most frightening thing you could possibly hear are, 'I'm here from the government and I'm here to help,'" Rommey said. "And so he did almost everything, in my view, wrong."
The balance of Romney's speech, which followed an introduction by his wife, Ann, was focused on his own economic and fiscal policy. He touched on his plans to shut down various government programs, and send Medicaid back to the states, but spent the most time on labor policy.
Speaking on the floor of Colite, a non-union sign factory, Romney tailored his speech to reflect the anti-union sentiment among Republican voters here, fueled by a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) lawsuit charging that Boeing built a factory in South Carolina to punish striking workers in Washington State.
Romney said that President Obama paid unions back for helping him get elected by appointing “stooges to the NLRB.”
“You know something about that in South Carolina,” he said, alluding to the NLRB/Boeing case.
Romney said that American workers were entitled to protections including the right to a secret ballot, the right to 30 days notice before a union election, the right to resist mandatory unionization and the right to work in a non-union state.
*** UPDATE *** Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt responds: “Only Mitt Romney would criticize the president for encouraging CEOs to promote the United States abroad in order to create American jobs and attract investment at home. Maybe that’s because when Mitt Romney was a finance executive, he was more focused on outsourcing American jobs and creating profits for investors without any regard for the impact of his decisions on middle class families.”
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Mitt makes me think of a guy who is called up from the minor leagues in September. With his team up by 10 runs in the 9th inning, he's put in as a pinch runner on third with one out. He manages to score on a sacrifice fly to deep right field then celebrates like he just hit a walk off home run.
Mitt -- you have NO IDEA what kinds of problems 99.99999% of Americans face every day. The one who doesn't understand American is you because you never had to.
He is calling Obama out of touch? Isn't Romney the one who said the foreclosure crisis should just run to bottom, thrown everyone out of their homes and let people buy the homes to rent? Well, if that isn't out of touch with middle calss America then I do not know what is. This guy would be dangerous in the White House. I find it scary that he as a stage to run for President. Obama not much better but he is in better touch with Middle Class America than Romeny even wants to be. The guy is an elitest to serve big business and the ultra rich. He does not care about 90% of America except for he wants more from them.
He doesn't understand America but put some $100 a pound steak and champagne in front of him and he can focus like a laser!...: )
What would happen if he actually became President? Could you imagine? So many new tax breaks for busines would be added that GE could make their same profit and would not even have to make or sell anything! All they have to do is provide Romney and his buddies those $100 steaks. The good news is that it wouldn't last for his whole term because the middle and lower calss which pay for all that would be broke by year 2.
Mr Rommey Obama does understand America thats why he wants to destroy us. The liberals do not realize that yet but when they do it will be to late. Obama is in bed with big business also.
Romney is just another corporate puppet. Bought and paid.
No true'r words have been spoken ... I think that really does sum it up , I like B.O , he is a nice man .... I would buy a car from him but it is clear he is driving this country into a ravine , we all hate each other , we are rioting in the streets , for the first time in my life I am considering purchasing a gun to protect myself from all of these OWS hooligans, oddly enough I still recall Fathead Ed , Chris ( I love B.O ) Matthews to name a few criticizingGlenn Beck 2 years ago for suggesting that under B.O we would have crazy spending, rioting in the streets , credit downgrades ... just to name a few ... now as much as some may despise Mr Beck , if you went back you would recognize that all he said has come true ..... don't take my word for it please check ... We are now a country divided
" we all hate each other"
Glenn Beck has certainly done his part to make this come true by all the falsehoods, guilt by loose association, and accusations of "communism," "marxism," and "muslim." So does it count as a 'prediction' if you actively work to make it happen?
Maybe he should have said he does not understand the average American's issues. But he does not either. Starting to see the problem? No one in Washington will change a thing - Vote 'em all out and if the new crew does not work out vote 'em out and keep going until they get it.
Well Romney, I have news for you "America does not understand Romney" and if anyone has any sense at all Americans will not believe one word that comes out of Romney !!!!
Cracker man ..... what is it you don't like about Romney ????? or for that matter what is it you like about B.O ???????
"...Romney tailored his speech to reflect the anti-union sentiment among Republican voters here.... "
And if he were speaking to union members, he'd tailor it to pander to the union - when are we, the hard working voting public, going to get a representative that actually cares about our country instead of their pocket? - Probably never.
OBAMA is the DEVIL that will DESTROY AMERICA !!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way: I have to make another comment - the people who actually think that Obama is "dividing the country" plus the comment that "Obama is trying to destroy us" should take the time to read and watch what the GOP are doing !!!! They are the ones who are trying to destroy you and divide you. Cannot you see or understand what their intentions are???? The GOP candidates who are running for the Presidency are the worst group of so called politicians I have ever heard. They are an embarrassment to the country. Their knowledge of world affairs is abysmal - I am sure that a ten year old coulddo better !!!
You should be thankful that you have a person such as Obama - count your blessings !!!!
Cracker,
Oh yes, can't wait for another 4 years of nothing as our debt goes higher and more and more jobs are lost as Obama blames all the problems on the Republicans. We have never been more divided as a country as we are now as Obama galavants around the country blaming the Republicans especially when the Senate Democrats refuse to address one bipartisan bill because it was written by the Republicans. He seems to forget that for the half is presidency. he had a democrat congress and still, nothing got done except for a health care bill that no one wants. Oh yes, I forgot, it is also the fault of the "Lazy Americans. I don't know how this does not offend you or any American. Yeah! I am so thankful of Obama! lol!!
PATRIOT: I suggest you go check the numbers on the day Bush assumed office and what he left us 8 years later.
Obama' "blames" the GOP for our problems??? You're god damn right I blame your party. They couldn't spend enough money when Bush was in office and now they are such fiscal conservartives. How convenient. Too bad they didn't think about this problem when they started their UNFUNDED wars and huge tax cuts they couldn't pay for.
Your party did the same thing to FDR. They spend 15 years wrecking the economy, caused the Great Depression and then blamed Roosevelt for not fixing their massive screw ups over night.
hockey4um - do not be so stupid !!!!! What a really dumb thing to say.
Obama is a brilliant man - and he actually has a brain!
Romney changes his mind like he changes his underwear. Plus he opens his mouth and says things to suit whoever he is talking to at that present time.
He actually opens his mouth before his brain is in gear and this is extremely dangerous ; especially when dealing with other countries.
Obama had a lot of baggage to deal with when he took the office and he has done a fantastic job. Stop looking at people as either GOP or Demacrat and begin looking at the person who is trying to run your country for the people.
.
Cracker,
It's hard for us to stop looking at people as GOP and Democrats since Obama makes it a point to remind us every day about the "bad" obstructionist Republicans getting in the way of progress. He's not setting a good example is he?
As a 100% Service-Connected Combat Veteran I think Romney needs to be arrested for TREASON for all the factories he sent to China, and all the technology Romney gave China.
And those that support that Anti-American piece of garbage show be prosecuted as accessories to TREASON.
Maybe our enemies in Iraq will give Romney a medal for all the damage he has done to our country buying American companies and sending them to China, as he also give China our techonology.
What Anti-American pieces of garbage the Republicans are.
I am a 100% Disabled Combat Veteran with a wife and two children to support and I paid MORE taxes then 31 Republican Corporations that made billions in profits.
And they wonder why the 99% of slaves in America are rising up, occupying Wall-Street, and demanding that the super rich 1% that are bribing our government with lobbyists pay taxes like the rest of us.
Billy,
What is a Republican corporation, would GE be one, or Google both supporters of the President that paid no taxes and as a combat veteran talking about sending jobs to China what about the President selling Hummer the company that makes military vehicles to a Chinese company
JERRY: Jeffrey Immelt is a registered Republican.
Yes, those you mention as well as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to name a few are Dems as well. Perhaps the Right will stop calling us Commie's now, though I doubt it.
The fact remains, the GOP is the best friend corporate America and the uber rich ever had. Both parties are corrupt but yours has refinded it to an art form. You miss Billy's point entirely, that being that a combat vet pays more taxes than a major corporation. But then, corporations and the rich are the "Job Creator's". LMFAO.
Go check the statistics for the disparity between the rich and the middle class as well as working poor. It has grown dramatically since the time of Reagan and it's no secret why. The GOP has given the rich everything they could possible ask for. The GOP congress would stop a bullet for these people because they are bought and paid for the these bastards. With the advent of the Citizens United ruling, it will only get worse, thanks to your party.
I agree that corporations should be paying taxes but the only way for that to happen is if the rate is lowered so profits made overseas are brought back and invested here, which honestly will not happen.
I also understood his point but he said Republican corporations and as both parties have had control at different times since the 80's neither one has done anything to stop this so to blame one party is ridiculous.
I think there are other reasons for the disparity growth but do acknowledge the problem and hope that congress can find a solution but this does not seem likely
Romney is just like George W. Bush, born on third base to wealthy, influential parents, but so delusional that he thinks he hit a triple.
The only thing Romney understands about Americans is how to exploit them for his personal wealth and gain and that of his wealthy sponsors.
McKeating: you mean to say that Willard is not just like you and me???
You don't live in a 30,000 sq foot house and belong to the same country club???
Not only is Obama out of touch with America and it's historical productivity. So are most people in this forum. I doubt any of you create, package and distribute anything but vocal manure. Your weak, demanding and entitlement minded nonsense creates nothing, absolutely nothing.
"Your weak, demanding and entitlement minded nonsense creates nothing, absolutely nothing."
On the other hand your blithering ravings creates the impression you are completely deranged. I don't see an improvement there, BD.
Still living in your parents basement?
I understand how difficult that must be for you BD, but making asinine comments like that isn't going to help you move out. You need to get a job, rent an apartment, and cut the apron strings...oh yes, and develop some critical thinking skills. I mean, damn.
Is the THC content doing it's thing tonight? Your in a hazey mental cloud like most Obama disciple's.
BD: This the best ya got buddy, for a pointed, biting comeback??? "You must be high" or "living in your parent's basement"??? What inciteful, objective, undistorted and thoughtful observations you make. You'll have to make more cogent arguments then then these lest you reveal yourself to be the mindless, partisan hack that you so clearly are.
Facts would be a good place to start when attempting to make a point.
Your so stoned you would vote for Robert Mugabe for president. And tell your friends to do the same. And then suffer a brutal dictatorship and say it feels good.
Well said, Ozzie. The mention of actual facts probably has ol' BD curled up in the fetal position. Good work!
No fetal, I work Seven days a week. Take care of my family. I actually produce a product and do quite well. And I am sick of you and all of you who think alike. Your laziness and aloof deserves to wallow in misery. But don't take me with you because I will never go.
If we took you with us, who would put the fries in the bag with the burgers? Not that we really wanted you with us anyway, you understand.
Say hello to your mom for us.
IC, you have the headset on at Burger King and your doing personal stuff while working. Sorry to interrupt your latest order.
When I was 16 my first job was fast food. From high school I road my bike to a taco stand and worked the noon hour. Then raced back to class barely making it in time. Occupy Wall Street is a homage of losers, crooks, lazy people and spoiled brats. Just the electoral that got Obama elected.
The Native Americans have a name for the type of American Mitt. Romney is, that is one that speaks with a forked tongue.
I think Obama understands America all too well. Judging from the debates, the Republican candidates obviously have not learned anything from history. It's as if the whole Iraq debacle never happened. I think Obama is representing the U.S. well in the world. The last U.S. president to address the Australian Parliament was Dubbya, and he was booed offstage. Obama did well the other day. The man has class, a quality totally absent from most of the Republican candidates. All the Republicans have left is Romney and Gingrich. Romney is living in his isolated, rich white boy world and Gingrich is as slippery and phoney as they come. So far, the Republicans have offered nothing and have done nothing. Maybe if they could get beyond their hatred of Obama, some things could be done for the benefit of the American people.
People were basically duped in the last election. It seemed like a novel idea to elect obama, sort of a new America with an unknown leading the way. It didn't work, we are one heck of a lot worse off than anyone predicted possible. It turns out we knew really nothing about this obama character (emphasis in the actor) and things are getting worse every single day. The economy is very dismal, jobs for the now graduating group is non-existent shattering all hope of the future.
The interesting thing is obama still has control over his liberal media base and their credibility hangs on salvaging him in office. With that notion any Repub is going to be hard pressed to avoid getting slammed and stories created by this very liberal media focused on lynching anyone running against their beloved messiah of the masses.
Let me give you a prediction, it won't matter who the Repubs run, people such as Chuck Toad (a lifetime democrap) will be there to create stories and try to tear down any the GOP put up for election. The good news: the Tea Party, though not real obvious to the news, is doing its work and will elect the right man for the job. So, don't lose your hope, the noisy OWS and ranting liberal media are a minority and we will prevail! obama doesn't understand America!
ROC: I concur completely. We were duped in the 2010 elections. Your party ran on a platform of "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" and up until this day have yet to pass a single piece of legislation toward that end.
Spare me the "liberal media" crap. That is so tired and worn out a cliche it's past being funny. Go and watch your Fixed news and believe all the tripe that Roger Ailes and his cast of make believe "reporters" feed you.
Do you actually have a point to make or did you just want to rant about the "media". Fox boasts constantly that they are #1 in cable news. If that is so, it must make them part of the "Lame Stream Media" that Sister Sarah constantly goes on about. And how do you know what party affiliation Chuck Todd has??? If you do, it's not commonly known and he is pretty objective in my book, dare I say "Fair & Balanced" LMFAO. A hell of a lot more than the actor/newspeople over at Faux News, that's for damn sure.
The poll numbers are against you, roc. So are the pundits. The American people aren't swallowing your nonsense, either, and the GOP's pathetic band of wannabe candidates are strong evidence that your ravings are just fantasies. Furthermore, the liberal media doesn't have to do anything to discredit the Republican Party's bottom feeding wannabe candidates because they are publicly self-destructing all by themselves: scandals, stupid remarks, religious bickering, pointless attacks on each other...it's embarrassing, Roc. With opponents like these, Obama will win the election in 2012 by default.
Fail.
OB: Must say I'm disappointed in your lacking knowledge of Toad. He worked for Tom Harkin while still in college, married to a democrat operative, he is, as I stated a life long embedded dimwit. He cannot be anything other than bias as I noted previously. I had hoped I could have a discussion with something other than another brainwashed liberal nut job, my bad. You confirm my thoughts of the typical dimwit poster, you are so consumed with the handout party and what it means FOR you and yours, you completely fail to understand anything other than your government style welfare. I hope you and Sailcat get your gift certificate from Target for your posting your garbage, your just like the harry reid dimwit machine in Vegas.
Sailcat & OB, your butt buddy,
Sorry about handing you facts, you both seem to cherish the notion of them,only from your opponents as you're both absent any. Why don't you both tell everyone how much better America is today from say, 2005. I know that must be taxing the sh!t out of your brain to reach that far back but, given your ranting about your messiah I knew you must have a leftist dimwit fact sheet you use to try and garner more recruits for that noble cause.....you know, robin hood welfare style government.
What facts, Roc? You have provided absolutely no facts to support your ravings. Until you can make some sense, your nonsense is merely background noise.
To put it another way, assertions made without evidence can be safely dismissed.
Fail.
What America does Obama not understand? You mean because he doesn't do away with all govt. regulations on businesses that protect the consumer? Is this the America Romney is referring to? So by doing this it's suppose to create millions of jobs out of thin air huh? I know business will get more profit from it for sure. They'll also do whatever the hell they want to do. There will be less quality control I guarantee. Romney can't be talking about us average, common Americans? Because Obama was never a CEO makes him a poor president? We have a CEO among the GOP candidates that I'm not sure knows where Libya is, does he? Did he ever acknowledge what continent it was on? This is the same ole Republican rhetoric from 35 years ago, all GOP contenders are required to take Teflon Reagan 101 course. Exact same verb age recycled over and over again.
Paul, you're just joking, right? Zero experience at managing or running anything and now you see the results! This country is so much worse off than 5 or 6 years ago when the dimwits took over congress with a lame duck Repub pres, it's hard to even imagine how bad it is now. The markets are completely in the toilet, layoffs continue every f--king day, there are so many that were on unemployment for 2.5 years and now they don't show on the jobless rates any longer. The rate is actually about 18 or 19 percent. I thought from listening to obama during the campaign he must be a fairly intelligent guy, sh!t was I wrong. This guy is nothing but a jeremiah wright, george soros and the unions puppet. He can't do anything on his own, he even looks awkward when he walks. I'm even starting to feel sorry for him, damn, even his ugly wife may leave him when all of this is over. How's that union job of yours, sorry I didn't ask earlier?
I would remind you that the DOW reached to 6,000 points in early 2007, under GEORGE BUSH and 53% of my investments, went by-by, it's come up to some respectability during the Obama years around 12,000, go back and look at your investment portfolios. And, you watch too much Hannity & O'Reilly, quit waching FOX and read the Wall Street Journal occassionally. Or get a subscription to the Economist.
Are you listening to chuck toad or brian williams to get DOW numbers of 6000 in 2007. You mean it was at 14,000, man if you continue letting your union tell you when and how to breathe they're going to kill you. When obama got the dimwit nod in mid-Sept 2008 the market crashed and its not much higher today. No one has regained their $$ except for the wall street boys. You only get the liberal spin day in and day out....you need a change Paul.
I'm sorry to lay facts on you man, that's got to be hard to sallow.
Right paul...Big business is doing great and the little guy has taken it in the shorts. Way to go dims....the party of the people. Maybe you should stop reading the wall street journal, and switch to a local paper. Jobless recovery...HA, there is no such thing in a consumer based economy. The only reason business is doing well is that they are currently flooding new markets with free trade agreements. That doesn't help anyone here but wall street.
Pretty much sums up the republican platform. Stupid hurts, don't it.
Yeah, president of a bunch of friggin left-wing nut jobs. This guy has zero possibility of energizing or stimulating anything other than handout for his welfare crowd, and that includes the government so-called jobs. The unions and soros are pulling the strings on his skinny little arms. He even looks like some kind of pretzel like clown.
If you're completely brain dead, obama must look really good to you, he has plans for better food stamps.......wow! Another big mac coming your way!
Roc, your posts are all noise and no signal. You are presenting no facts or evidence to support your dark fantasies, you cannot demonstrate that any of your wild ravings are based on logic or reason, two principles with which you obviously entirely unacquainted. Therefore, your blithering statements can be disregarded as being little more than lies. Of course, you are used to being called a liar by now, though, aren't you, Roc?
Fail
You use the same posts to almost everyone you disagree with, you never state facts, you always claim others state no facts. I list in my post many deliberate themes and facts that you completely miss. You commonly end your post with Fail, I think we are all seeing a little bit deeper into you Sailcat. You have an inferiority complex, your desire was to be a psych teacher but you failed. Now you're just an unemployed loser, I feel sorry for you........stick with obama, its a mandate.
BTW, the tag on the license plate on your home has expired, very bad....tell you mom you need a few shekels to take care of that.
If you cannot support your nonsense it can and should be disregarded. Your ravings are based on insults and are devoid of any value. You have not earned anyone's respect so you shouldn't snivel because you're not getting any.
Obama will win because the GOP is publicly self destructing and you will have a ring side seat to witness the proceedings, Roc.
Oh, and by the way...fail.
Sailcat-Do you really want another four years like the last three that bad? Really????? Publically self distructing? Why? the liberal media is trying its best to demonize and make the GOP candidates look stupid. You might think obama was stupid if all you heard about was "57 states" or racist if all you heard about was "typical white folk". Obama would lose to a rock at this point.
So, informed, how do explain the dismal polls for your Republican clowns who are vying for the nomination? How do you explain the spectacular failures of these clowns at the debates, as they make stupid statements one after the other, as their scandals are exposed by their colleagues, as they bicker over their religions...all on national TV? The poll numbers clearly show Obama would walk over any and all of them if the elections were held today...I can produce the most recent polls if you would like to see them...and the primaries haven't even heated up yet. These primary elections will be bitter, expensive, destructive and very, very public, informed. These wannabe candidates are already eating their own young and it hasn't even gotten good yet: Perry is obviously barely equipped to utter full sentences, but he has enough campaign money to duke it out will Romney, who does not have the support of the GOP's religious right because of the fact his is a Mormon. Gingrich has many skeletons in closet waiting to be exposed by any number of past associates and ex wives who have old scores to settle...you have no idea how hated this man is inside and outside of his own party. Cain and Bachmann will flounder for a primary election or two before they fold their hands, but not before they claw at the eyes of the front runners, especially Cain whose dark past was exposed by one of his GOP colleagues. This will be an embarrassing primary season for the GOP, informed.
Your fantasies about Obama cannot be supported by anything except wishful thinking and an willful ignorance. He is sitting on a pat hand and the numbers prove it. The GOP is collapsing and its bottom feeding candidates prove it every time they open their mouths or as yet another scandal hits the media. And all you have is 57 states. Good luck with that, informed. Obama will win by default in 2012.
Read 'em and weep.
Obama would lose to a rock at this point...face the facts.
I can produce poll numbers that say Obama is ahead of every major GOP wannabe, Informed. That is a fact, a principle with which you are lamentably unacquainted, it seems.