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Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
Updated 3:02 p.m. ET: COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Obama dropped the gloves against Mitt Romney on Saturday, leveling his most direct criticism to date of the presumptive GOP nominee while making the case for a second term.
On a two-stop trip that took him to two swing states — Ohio and Virginia — intended to launch his campaign, Obama assailed Romney and sought to link him to unpopular Republicans in Congress.
"Governor Romney is a patriotic American who has a wonderful family, who has much to be proud of. Ran a financial firm and a state. But I think he has drawn the wrong lessons from his experiences,” Obama said to a crowd of 14,000 at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
“He sincerely believes that if CEOs and wealthy investors like him make money, the rest of us will automatically make money as well,” he continued, reading off the same script at Virginia Commonwealth University in the early evening, as the crowd of 8,000 cheered.
The president started to draw contrasts against Romney heading into the general election by dredging up some of the former Massachusetts governor's most cringe-worthy moments in the primary.
"Corporations aren’t people. People are people!" Obama exclaimed, making reference to an early quip by Romney in Iowa that, "Corporations are people, my friend!"
Prosecuting the case for his own re-election, the president emphasized the gains his administration has made so far on a host of policy ares, including the revival of the auto industry, repealing "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell," ending the war in Iraq and killing Osama bin Laden.
In this week's address, President Obama speaks about his recent trip to Afghanistan, where he met with U.S. troops and signed an agreement that will help put an end to the war.
Obama nodded to the challenges facing him in his battle for a second term; an anemic jobs report released Friday underscored some of Obama's challenges.
But the president defied a traditional metric for an incumbent — "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" — and turned the question on its head.
"It’s not just about how we’re doing today, but how we’ll be doing tomorrow," Obama said.
The Romney campaign was quick to remind voters of the struggles in the economy.
"No matter how many lofty campaign speeches President Obama gives, the fact remains that American families are struggling on his watch: to pay their bills, find a job and keep their homes," said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul. "While President Obama all but ignored his record over three and a half years in office, the American people won’t. This November, they will hold him accountable for his broken promises and ineffective leadership.”
Melissa Harris-Perry and her panelists discuss President Obama's new campaign slogan of "forward," and how Republicans are reacting to his message.
Both the Romney and Obama campaigns are treating Ohio and Virginia as swing states that could tip in their favor.
Some polls indicate Romney is catching up to Obama in the Buckeye State; a Quinnipiac poll released May 3 show Obama leading Romney by two points, 44 to 42 percent, whereas he had a six-point margin at the end of March.
Obama’s trip to Ohio State came just a day after Romney penned an open letter to the president in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer Friday, accusing him of being “out of your depth” on the economy and telling him, “what you are offering Ohio now is too little, too late.”
Romney also appeared in Ohio last week, appearing with Gov. John Kasich at an event at Otterbein University in Columbus, just 20 minutes from where Obama spoke today.
Romney also bracketed the president’s trip to Virginia, where Obama has a 51-44 percent lead according to a new Washington Post poll. Romney campaigned earlier in the week with Virginia’s Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, thought to be on the short list of Romney’s vice presidential options.
The chairman of the state Republican Party’s “Victory 2012” campaign also delivered a response to the president’s VCU speech directly after Obama spoke.
It’s not just coincidence that Obama kicked off his campaign in Columbus and Richmond; according to the media trackers at SMG Delta, the cities are just two of 17 swing media markets that George W. Bush won in 2004 and Obama won in 2008.
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does it matter anyway Blowbama has spent every nickle this country has got
America's broke ....
Thanks to Obama ....
Guess Mitt can make some more money since he promise his doners their money back in time.
Y'all got some nerve, talking all that lying BS about Obama, do y'all think I was born yesterday, I was alive for the whole 8 years when Bush 43 was president, you know
Is Bush running again? I didn't think that was allowed.
People lets not forget what Donald Trump told republicans:
Donald Trump To Republicans: Don't Raise Debt Ceiling, Default Will Prevent Obama's Reelection
Donald Trump To Republicans: Don't Raise Debt Ceiling, Default Will Prevent Obama's Reelection. Today on aol. and this man wants to be president. Host Brian Kilmead pointed out that Americans currently blame Republicans more than Obama for the debt ceiling crisis, but Trump responded that, in the long run, the blame will fall on Obama, not Republicans.
"I don’t care about polls," Trump said. "When it comes time to default, they’re not going to remember any of the Republicans' names and what wrong they did.. They are going to remember in history books one name, and that’s Obama
Thats what republican want us all to think. That they have nothing to do with the no votes going on. We are not stupid, we all see what is going on . we need new people looking out for us on capitol hill. You republican want President Obama to go down looking bad. But we know what devils are causing and stopping the rest of us from having jobs, health care and more.
I despair at the ignorance of the right-wing comments.
I lord obozo will now allow you to gaze lovingly at my nostrils during my next speech
And imagine since Obama is far worse ...
And the far left depresses me. I am an independent who voted for Obama last time. I will not make that mistake again. He is horribly devisive and encourages spending money like water. The polls all say that the country is headed in the wrong direction.
Hey Obama, Who is funding your campaign? Those wealthy CEO's and Corps that you want to tax? And you promised them nothing in return? Smells like Bull@!$%# to me!!
unlike Mitt who is using the bail out money from goldman and sach. instead of paying the money back, they give it to Mitt and he told all his donors they will get their money back in due time.
It was an excellent speech laying out the stark difference between our President and romney.
People are people.
Romney's response is just what you would expect from someone with a foreign bank accounts.
Many 401K's have funds over seas ....
and no tax returns until they can fix them
People seem to be really caught up in this class warfare thing but I'll tell you something. Corporations are not just large companies. I own a business, it is a corporation, I am a person. The 22 people who work for me rely on me running a profitable business so that they continue to have a good job. I will fall into the group making over 250k a year. That is 250k before taxes! Once all the government agencies and state and local municipalities get done with me there is much much less left. Also remember this, every time my business taxes go up it is a pay cut for me because I am the owner. The profit is my pay. Would anyone think it was OK for me to call one of my employees into the office and tell them I have to cut thier pay $2 an hour because I am spending more money than I am making and I wont stop?? Well that is what the government does every time they raise my taxes...they just take more and more because thay cant stop spending. Tell my 22 employees the corporation is not people.
Exactly
Romney makes it way to easy to go after him with the class thing, The man does not have a clue how most of us live.
minjazx, are you saying your taxes are higher now than they were in 2008?... your not taking advantage of any of the current tax breaks?... your not making a profit?
I too have been an owner, of a corporation. Made a nice living for many years. Was dam glad I had income to pay taxes on.:)
Quite simply both Romney and our President are not going to deal with jobs taken overseas for corporations or the next scam coming from Wal Street or banks. What has happened in the last thirty years cannot stop the decline of our competitiveness and decline of middle class. I have absolutely no FAITH WHEN THIS POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BROKEN WITH BIG MONEY AND LOBBYISTS RUNNING AROUND IN WASHINGTON CONTROLLING THESE UNPATRIOTIC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE. All we have is big business and fossil fuel industry protecting their status quo. We need a bully like Teddy or Franklin Roosevelt for a New Middle Class Marshall Plan.
obozo says...I'm number two!!
A vote for Romney is a vote for Milton Friedman. You like Friedman's style of economics then don't expect much.
Not shown in the photo, it was a half-empty venue. He's one and done. http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/05/obama-empty-arena
Who could really want to vote for Obama anyway .... ??
Hey Ben
Where are Mitt's tax returns? How about his birth certificate? Come on big shot, where are they? People are expecting him to present these things. Where are they? How long do we have to wait? Is he just doctoring them? Come on big shot, tell us.
You're just another shill Ben, we all know it.
I've seen bigger crowds at a High School debate. lol
Romney's birth certificate won't be a bad forgery. And I'm sure folks would like to see Obama's school transcripts. You know, the ones that say he is a genius.
I and Obama, and the moon are neighbors, such as the rise of the first American human being on the moon, the rise of Obama, the first human being a black American to the presidency of the U.S..................................................................... In both cases the world has been stayed surprised open mouth and eyes could not be pursuing this wonderful development..... humanitarian, scientific and political over every wall of mind and will
Too bad he failed at it huh ....
Iran supports OWS. Russia supports OWS. China supports OWS. Hugo Chavez supports OWS. See a pattern here? Dictators and communists endorse OWS.
Know who else? Democrats and Obama!
Birds of a feather...
Here they are:
RICHARD HOLBROOKE - Afghanistan Czar
Ultra liberal anti-gun former Governor of New Mexico. Pro-Abortion and legal drug use. Dissolve the 2nd Amendment
EDWARD MONTGOMERY - Auto Recovery Czar
Black radical anti-business activist. Affirmative Action and Job Preference for blacks. University of Maryland Business School Dean teaches that US business has caused world poverty. ACORN board member. Communist DuBois Club member.
JEFFREY CROWLEY - AIDS Czar
Radical Homosexual.. A Gay Rights activist. Believes in Gay Marriage and especially, a Special Status for homosexuals only, including complete free health care for gays.
ALAN BERSIN - Border Czar
The former failed superintendent of San Diego. Ultra Liberal friend of Hilary Clinton. Served as Border Czar under Janet Reno - to keep borders open to illegal's without interference from US.
DAVID J. HAYES - California Water Czar
Senior Fellow of radical environmentalist group, "Progress Policy". No training or experience in water management whatsoever.
RON BLOOM - Car Czar
Auto Union worker. Anti-business & anti-nuclear. Has worked hard to force US auto makers out of business. Sits on the Board of Chrysler which is now Auto Union owned. How did this happen?
DENNIS ROSS - Central Region Czar
Believes US policy has caused Mid East wars. Obama apologist to the world. Anti-gun and completely
pro-abortion.
LYNN ROSENTHAL - Domestic Violence Czar
Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Vicious anti-male feminist. Supported male castration. Imagine?
GIL KERLIKOWSKE - Drug Czar
Devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal. Former Chief of Police in Liberal Seattle. Believes no American should own a firearm. Supports legalization of all drugs
PAUL VOLCKER - Economic Czar
Head of Federal Reserve under Jimmy Carter when US economy nearly failed. Obama appointed him head of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board which engineered the Obama economic disaster to US economy.
Member of anti- business "Progressive Policy" organization
CAROL BROWER - Energy and Environment Czar
Political Radical Former head of EPA - known for anti-business activism. Strong anti-gun ownership.
JOSHUA DuBOIS - Faith Based Czar
Political Black activist-Degree in Black Nationalism. Anti-gun ownership lobbyist.
CAMERON DAVIS - Great Lakes Czar
Chicago radical anti-business environmentalist. Blames George Bush for "Poisoning the water that minorities have to drink." No experience or training in water management. Former ACORN Board member (what does that tell us?)
VAN JONES - Green Jobs Czar (since resigned)..
Black activist Member of American Communist Party and San Francisco Communist Party who said George Bush caused the 911 attack and wanted Bush investigated by the World Court for war crimes. Black activist with strong anti-white views.
DANIEL FRIED - Guantanamo Closure Czar
Human Rights activist for Foreign Terrorists. Believes America has caused the war on terrorism. Believes terrorists have rights above and beyond Americans.
NANCY-ANN DePARLE - Health Czar
Former head of Medicare / Medicaid. Strong Health Care Rationing proponent. She is married to a reporter for The New York Times.
VIVEK KUNDRA - Information Czar
Born in New Delhi, India. Controls all public information, including labels and news releases. Monitors all private Internet emails. (Hello?)
TODD STERN - International
Climate CzarAnti-business former White House chief of Staff- Strong supporter of the Kyoto Accord. Pushing hard for Cap and Trade. Blames US business for Global warming. Anti-US business prosperity.
DENNIS BLAIR - Intelligence Czar
Retired Navy. Stopped US guided missile program as "provocative" . Chair of ultra-liberal "Council on Foreign Relations" which blames American organizations for regional wars.
GEORGE MITCHELL - Mideast Peace Czar
Former Senator from Maine. Left wing radical. Has said Israel should be split up into "2 or 3" smaller more manageable plots. (God forbid) A true Anti-nuclear anti-gun & pro-homosexual "special rights" advocate
KENNETH FEINBERG - Pay Czar
Chief of Staff to TED KENNEDY. Lawyer who got rich off the 911 victims payoffs. (horribly true)
CASS SUNSTEIN - Regulatory Czar
Liberal activist judge believes free speech needs to be limited for the "common good". Essentially against 1st amendment. Rules against personal freedoms many times - like private gun ownership and right to free
speech.
JOHN HOLDEN - Science Czar - Fierce ideological environmentalist, Sierra Club, Anti-business activist. Claims US business has caused world poverty. No Science training.
EARL DEVANEY - Stimulus Accountability Czar
Spent career trying to take guns away from American citizens. Believes in Open Borders to Mexico. Author of statement blaming US gun stores for drug war in Mexico.
J. SCOTT GRATION - Sudan Czar - Native of Democratic Republic of Congo. Believes US does little to help Third World countries. Council of foreign relations, asking for higher US taxes to support United Nations
HERB ALLISON - TARP Czar - Fannie Mae CEO responsible for the US recession by using real estate mortgages to back up the US stock market. Caused millions of people to lose their life savings.
JOHN BRENNAN - Terrorism Czar Anti-CIA activist - No training in diplomatic or governmental affairs. Believes in Open Borders to Mexico and a dialog with terrorists and has suggested Obama disband
US military.
ANEESH CHOPRA - Technology Czar - No Technology training. Worked for the Advisory Board Company, a health care think tank for hospitals. Anti-doctor activist. Supports Obama Health care Rationing and salaried doctors working exclusively for the Government health care plan.
ADOLFO CARRION JR. - Urban Affairs Czar - Puerto Rican born, Anti-American activist and leftist group member in Latin America . Millionaire "slum lord" of the Bronx, NY. Owns many lavish homes and condos which he got from "sweetheart" deals with labor unions. Wants higher taxes on middle class to pay for minority housing and health care
ASHTON CARTER - Weapons Czar Leftist - Wants all private weapons in US destroyed. Supports UN ban on firearms ownership in America. No Other "policy"
GARY SAMORE - WMD Policy Czar - Former US Communist. Wants US to destroy all WMD unilaterally as a show of good faith. Has no other "policy".
OWS is a communist revolution taking place right in the good ol' U.S.A..
YOU OBAMA SUPPORTERS ARE MAKING A GRAVE MISTAKE!!!!
We will be in the grave if we vote Mitt
crystal425,
Promises, promises.
OK, how about some proof to back this garbage up? You know what that is don't you? Not some tea party phoney web site either. A real source.
people just could not afford afford the gas to get to the BS show
come on nov 2012 lets get the white house back to the people and kick the joker and his ugly partner out right now!!!!!!!!!!
have a good day
Obama is desperate. Obama is a Loser!
I'm still waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on Obama's legitimacy for holding Office as our President.
Y'all got some nerve, talking all that lying BS about Obama, do y'all think I was born yesterday, I was alive for the whole 8 years when Bush 43 was president, you know
And what was unemployemt then and what is it now! You must have skipped economics and math in school.
I'm well-aware that Bush 43 drove the bus till the wheels came off and then the bus flipped three time and land in a ditch
This is simple ideology that can be traced to facts: Look at the red states-Republican Governors jobs. low taxes prosperity. Look at the blue states: budgets about to burst, dispair and unemployemnt at the highest level--Democratic governors.
Texas good, California bad. Just one example!
Obama 2012 or Etch a sketch
We wish we could erase Obama's massive debt and deficit .... "LOL"
What are the facts? Unemployemnt, debt and discontent is at it's highest level ever in this country-----excluding the great depression.
Michelle sounded like she was almost begging for people to vote for Obama ....
President Obama 2912!! Virginia will be blue in November!
The whole country is blue from disparity ....
Did the last 3 GOP presidents sign TWENTY deficit riddled budgets that added over $11T to the national debt??? YES!!
Did bush leave Pres. Obama with a $1.3T deficit for FY 2009 BEFORE Obama was sworn in??? YES!!
Did the economy crash under bush and the republicans?? YES
Didnt the republicans, DESPITE the financial and economic crisis worse than any other since the Great Depression, when the country was in CRISIS, decide, BEFORE the inaguration, to adopt as their first priority to make Obama a 1 term president--- NOT to improve the economy, NOT to create jobs, NOT to lower unemployment, NOT to ease the suffering of the unemployed, NOT to help the suffering of Joe America????
Sen. McConnell said so. What say YOU? My sense is that republicans across the country will pay dearly for sabotaging the recovery from the Great GOP Recession! Perhaps worse then 2008!
It's 16 Trillion soon in 3 and half years. SO whats your point!
Nope, The Democrats held both the senate and congress when the economy collapsed! This has been a terrible 3 1/2 years on most americans.
ummm..... GEORGE.... the TOTAL debt will soon be $16T. of that, the GOP ran up $11.9T by the end of FY 2009. They also left Obama WITH A $1.3t DEFICIT before he even took office!!! That is the major driver of the "obama deficits". It didnt magically disappear. And when Obama propoSed $4T in budget cuts, the GOP WALKED AWAY to protect the tax cuts for the rich and the corporate loopholes.
My point?? This is almost all debt attributable to the last 3 GOP presidents. They deliberately created this debt crisis so they could privatize SS and Medicare, and funnel all that money into the hands of the same people who crashed the economy. Grover Norquist proposed this plan , called "starve the beast" and raygun went along.
Addressing the assertion made one day earlier, Romney told Fox News, "My dad's dad was not a polygamist." He added, "My dad grew up in a family with a mom and a dad and a few brothers and one sister. They lived in Mexico and lived a very nice life there from what I understand and then when he was five or six years old there was a revolution in Mexico. They escaped. I believe they went to El Paso first, and were helped by the government to get on their feet and then his dad went around the country, Los Angeles, I think Idaho, Utah, went broke more than once. My dad had a very tough upbringing."
Schweitzer didn't back down after sparking controversy with his comments. Eric Stern, senior counselor to the Montana Democrat, said in a statement to The Daily Beast:
"The governor believes exactly what he said: that Romney is in a pickle. He’s in serious trouble with Hispanics because he took a crazy, extreme position on immigration during the primary (deport even those who may have come here illegally 50 years ago who have children and grandchildren who are naturalized citizens)…Romney will probably not choose to highlight his own family’s connection to Mexico as a way of reaching out to Hispanics, because that history involves a polygamy colony, which is something that Romney doesn’t like to discuss."
Factoid, Romney has stock in Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. Anyone want to prove me wrong.
So what if he does ....
Obama's given them billions ....
Hey Ben
Where are Mitt's tax returns? How about his birth certificate? Come on big shot, where are they? People are expecting him to present these things. Where are they? How long do we have to wait? Is he just doctoring them? Come on big shot, tell us.
You're just another shill Ben, we all know it.
I've had enough of the Republicans. The hardest times of my life and trying to make a living has been when Bush Sr. and Bush Jr ran this country. Seems Republicans only care for the wealthy or corporate elite and getting into other wars in countries. 12 years of the Bush's and I won't ever vote republican.
The elite in this country are people with an education, skill and desire to suceed. If you have sat on your laurels and not retrained, kept up on your education then that's why you are having a tough time.
I made more money in one year during the Bush years than I made in the last 3 1/2 years and I'll bet the farm most americans are in the same boat!
BUDDY.... bush giveth, and bush taketh away, blessed be the name of bush! I bet the 1% didnt lose much money in this crash!
Stop backing the wrong horse before you lose everything!
Another couple years of this and I will!
I read, must say with amusement, many, many comments. Some informed and some not so informed. Those informed comments either have been educated in ecomnoics or have learned solid economics thru life experiences. Those uninformed comments just seem to be drawing upon their own misery and wanting someone to "pay" for their way out. Orunusintothegroundbama and the rest of the Demos will promise anything, anytime to garner votes. Can't pay for it, but they'll promise it. The Republicans aren't much better EXCEPT they'll at least but some constraints upon their spending promises. Let's vote them all out of office.
We need to make deep cuts in all areas. Raising taxes on the 1% that pays most of our liabilities is not the answer as doing so will not solve our over spending problem. In fact, if we were to raise taxes on the "RICH" to even 40%, the current interest on our debt will not be paid by that increase.
We as Americans need to belly up, take a hit and sacrafice for the next several years to get our act together! Otherwise we're a Greece, a Spain, or any other socialistic country. Our social security system is bankrupt, medicare, medicade is bankrupt, the Postal Sytem is bankrupt, State and soon Federal pensions will be bankrupt (unless you willing taxpayer will fund the those pension systems by even higher taxes).
Eliminate the IRS (no tax returns, 10's of thousand gov't. employees we no longer pay for, thousands of trees saved, etc) Eliminate social security tax, medicare tax so on an so forth. Everyone above the "Poverty Level" pays 20% income tax (including companies). No loop holes. No excuses.Will raise untold revenue AND EVERYONE PAYS THEIR FAIR SHARE!!!!!!