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LANSING, MI -- Mitt Romney made one of his most direct efforts to date to pivot to the general election, framing President Obama as an "old-school" liberal in a bid to court independent voters.
Back in his home state of Michigan, the state where Romney's primary win allowed him to begin putting away his Republican challengers in the battle for the Republican nod, the presumptive nominee cast Obama as even further to the left than Bill Clinton, the previous Democratic president who'd achieved political success by courting the center.
"President Obama chose to apply liberal ideas of the past to a 21st century America. Liberal policies didn't work back then, they haven't worked during these last four years, and they will not work in the future," Romney told an audience of several hundred at a community college here in Lansing. "New Democrats had abandoned those policies, but President Obama resurrected them, with predictable results."
The rhetoric was part of an effort by Romney to lay claim to independent voters as his general election effort begins to hit its stride. The former governor sought to accomplish that task, in part, by invoking Clinton -- one of the country's most popular politicians whose political standing has only improved since leaving office.
Recapturing Clinton's winning 1992 coalition -- which included women, suburban voters, moderates and independents -- could be critical for Romney if he wants to repeat Clinton's difficult feat of unseating an incumbent president, and of winning here in his home state of Michigan, which last went Republican in a presidential race in 1988.
"President Clinton, remember, he said the era of big government was over. President Obama brought it back with a vengeance," Romney continued. "President Clinton made efforts to reform welfare as we know it. President Obama is trying to tirelessly expand the welfare state, with promises and more programs, more benefits, and more spending."
The Obama campaign fired back, reminding Michiganders of Romney's push for a bankruptcy for GM and Chrysler (Romney didn't mention autos in his speech), and invoking Clinton for their own purposes.
"Now he wants to bring back budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and letting Wall Street write its own rules—policies that President Clinton compared to the failed economic policies that created the crisis, but ‘on steroids,'" Obama spokeswoman Lis Smith said of Romney. "The American people won’t be fooled -- they know that this is the same economic scheme that crashed our economy and punished the middle class in the first place.”
Romney also touted his own biography as proof of his ability to guide the U.S. through a changing world in addition to his efforts to portray the president as a liberal.
Romney, who has long battle GOP and Democratic foes alike over characterizations of his business career, spun his time in private equity and management consulting as a career "at the leading edge of change and dynamism."
"Finding solutions and opportunities in an environment of change and turbulence is what I learned during my career and it’s something I want desperately to bring to the presidency. We can’t look backward," Romney said. "We have to look for those opportunities in a changing world. This is a time for new answers, new ideas and a new direction.”
And to sell his own forward-looking agenda, Romney assailed the Obama campaign's latest tech-savvy tool -- the online "Julia" game simulating a life's worth of effects on a woman -- as a model for government-guided life.
"Old-school liberals envisioned government guiding and providing every need of every citizen. Government would be at the center, the most important player in our lives. Have you seen by the way the president’s vision for the future?" Romney asked.
"To help us see it, his campaign has even created a little fictional character. It's on the website, living an imaginary life filled with happy milestones for which she will spend the rest of her days thanking President Obama. It’s called “The Life of Julia." And it’s a cartoon," Romney said. "By the way what does it say about a president's policies when he has to use a cartoon character rather than real people to justify his record? What does it say about the fiction of old liberalism to insist that good jobs and good schools and good wages will result from policies that have failed us, time and again?"
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Debt added by previous 43 U.S. Presidents since 1789-2008 6.3 Trillion
Debt added by Obama in less then one term 6.5 Trillion and growing.
There is a Old Hillbilly saying, that I heard one time.
"You can't get the water to clear up, until you get the Pig out of the creek".
Damn. Bill Clinton's looking better to me all the time! Compared to Barry that is. And I voted for Bush and Dole. Compare to Obama, Clinton was a reasonable man while in the White House. He articulated the problems of big government. Obama embraces mega government. It's all about being power hungry. Keep kicking Barry's ass, Mitt.
I just can't wait to see the Grand Temple of the Moroni erected in DC if Mitt "If It Looks Good On Paper" Romney becomes the Potus. Talk about religious cult agendas. Romney wants everyone to be millionaires, ceptin for all the companies he shredded while making his fortune on the backs of others at Bain. I'll take Obama any day!
Oh hell yeah. The Pope was a member of Kennedy's Cabinet as I recall. They were thinking of moving St. Peters to D.C.
Really!!!
Why can’t these politicians just tell us what they are going to do for us, with out bashing each other? I want to vote for someone that at least sounds like they are on the right track to fix some problems
I don’t need there opinions of how wrong the other guy is, just tell me how you will fix the problems.
Bob - Wouldn't it be nice if Romney laid out a plan?
When you elect someone with expertise in Constitutional Law and Community Organizing and want economic answers, your just kidding yourself. Obama has been great at making speeches and manipulating the Constitution to serve his agenda and terrible at creating jobs. That all being said obama has surrounded himself with clueless idiots who have never worked in the private sector or created one job there.
Romney has a proven record of job creation and could only help our struggling economy.
Yes it would. He is, however, not yet the nominee. But, he should be more specific.
"Why can’t these politicians just tell us what they are going to do for us........"
lol.......maybe because doing something for US is not on their agenda?
Bend over, drop your pants, and pray that they use a lubricant if you are a member of the middle class.
The Democrats want to take your money and give it to the poor, the Republicans want to take your money and give it to the rich.
Kinda makes you feel loved, don't it?
I can't comprehend why any woman or any man who loves a woman would ever vote for a Republican on any level. It's the primary reason I left the Republican party and became a Democrat.
And those reasons would be?????
And you breed?
Charles - Ever heard of Women's Rights? I remember the days when a woman couldn't get a loan, a credit card, a mortgage without her husband's permission. Even if that woman owned her own business and made the majority of the money. I've no desire to go back to having to work twice as hard and long and be more capable than men for less money. I remember when abortion was illegal and women died seeking sleazy back-alley doctors to help them out. The Republicans want to put us back in the kitchen bare foot and pregnant without rights. Enough reasons?
Repubicans are bullies. Small man complexes.
They love to sling it.
Nonsense.
Summertime, President Obama has been outspoken in his criticism of “paycheck discrimination” that has women earning less than men for the same jobs, but a new report shows that female employees in the Obama White House make considerably less than their male colleagues.
According to the 2011 annual report on White House
staff, female employees earned a median annual salary of $60,000, while the
median salary for male employees was $71,000 — about 18 percent more.
“Women are Obama’s base, and they don’t seem to have enough
people who look like the base inside of their own inner circle,” former Bill
Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Meyers told the New York Times.
Summertime: I can't for the life of me comprehend anyone voting for President Obama. Take a look around 24 mil unemployed still, it's not just about your social issues. It's the economy and the failure of this administration to get our economy moving.
Hmmmmm. Could it be because the GOP is the reason those 24 mil are unemployed to begin with?
the libs should look at different state economies, and economies of other countries. the working examples are there to see, should you choose to look. alas, failures too, AHEM OBUMMER FRANCE GREECE SPAIN ITALY
Obama spokeswoman Lis Smith said. "The American people won’t be fooled.
Not again I hope. The American voter proved by putting Obama in office that we aren't racists. Now lets hope we prove we aren't stupid and put someone more competent in there.
Republican debt....the song that does not end.
They break it Dems fix it always has been.
Republicans are malarky. Bullies bad.
Ubsurd.
Blamo - Do you mean absurd?
R's absurd dear.
Damn. Summertime. The A and the U aren't anywhere near each other on the keyboard! It's not often that I am the victUm of a gotcha like that. You win.
USSR was once communist. didnt work. people embrace capitalism there. theyre kicking our ass financially, but thats what you libs like isnt it? to be second best, or worse.no thanks. bye! take care!
right is right - I spent two weeks in Russia last spring. The staff on the river cruise shared their experiences under Communism and with the Free Market Society. According to them. It was good under Communism because one had time for theater, dance, the arts, concerts, friends - everyone worked and their old folks were assured a place to live and income. At the switch over, the old folks had to move in with the kids. The kids had to work two jobs for an average income of $12,000 a year. They could say what they wanted to and go where they wanted to, but couldn't afford to do much and had no time for friends, theater, dance, concerts, arts, etc.
But. They were no longer afraid of their own shadows. The music is no longer state approved music, they can go to a different country if they don't like it. Just like here..
Now they are afraid of the mob.
Free market too fast.
Wow! The ignorance on this board is unreal.
lahater - Clinton didn't raise taxes on the rich because the taxes were much more fair and balanced when he was in office. Obama is only trying to get back to a more balanced playing field and get the numbers back to where they were more or less. Taxes are lowest in this country than they've ever been since the great depression. You can thank G.W. for that one and also thank him for the lost revenue and fighting wars that couldn't be paid for. If you want to talk about irresponsibility, look at the guy who created this mess (G.W. (tax cuts)) and also look at the current GOP field who feel as though raising taxes to a fair level for all is morally and economically wrong.
Let's get real people. We live in a society. Lighten up and realize that things don't go the way everyone wants them to. They need to work in a way where everyone has a fair shot and everyone has a chance to say what they feel.
Romney is very smart.
Smart enough to buy and sell and dismantle businesses for all the write offs he could get, not including his tax free offshore bank accounts.
Romney is a smart con-artist, made 200 million working every possible angle, laying off people on businesses he bought and dismantled so he didn't have to pay taxes on the others.
Romney is part of the problem that got us into this mess in the 2000's while Bush was in office.
He will cut taxes on the filthy rich, and raise taxes for the working man.
As bad as Obama is, Romney will be the straw that not only breaks the camels back, but will kill it.
Obama is a racist and only gives to the blacks and protects their rights. And he supports the Obamacare system and welfare to get the votes. My friend had only 10% of her heart working and couldn't work. They had no insurance but do you think the system helped her? NO! She just recently died of a stroke because she couldn"t afford to go to a doctor. Obama only protects his own. Obama has shown favoritism since he has been in office. We are pass due for a new President!!
Obama is a hack Markist, controlled by a much more evil person in George Soros and company. Obama, is a means to an end.
Story time at propaganda U.
Bully trick.
Typical small man syndrome.
Past 43 presidents since 1789-2008 combined for 6.3 Trillion total debt
The Obamanation 6.5 Trillion in less then one term and growing.
That is not true, google Bush's debt, he inherited approx 5.2 trillion, and counting the first bailout passed before he left office, took it to 10.2 trillion.
You don't have a clue what you are talking about.
Mental illness runs rampant among uniformed "Moocher Lefties"
I guess you are afraid to google the truth. Typical of haters and the extreme right, twist and twist untill it fits what you want, not what is historical fact. I hope you don't vote.
First of all, Mr. Romney, you are only trying to get Obama's goat about something that you differ from Obama on, when you won't have to worry about being President, because, come November, Obama is going to win the election, so you can't just tell your rich buddies, they are going to have to pay their share of taxes so the poor people like me, pay for their way in this country. That's why the economy and everything else isn't going good so far, it's because the Republican House doesn't want to work with Obama on jobs and the economy, they rather worry about their rich buddies getting their tax breaks. No way, that is wrong and if they paid their way the economy at least would be better because of all the taxes you should have paid in the last year, but no not in this country because Politicians are crooks and most of them get away with what some of them do, but still complain. This country needs to legalize marijuana and poof, there goes the economy problem, the deficit and jobs. This is the answer, put a lot of Americans beck to work in all kinds of marijuana places there would be,. putting these people back to work in every state. That will change the way this country is doing.
Yep, we can balance the budget by taxing pot and the rich; forget about cutting spending!
Good try Msnbc. Youu wiil go to bed a dumbass, ans wake up tomorrow morning the same way.
Failed liberal ideas... like the ones that got us out of the great depression???
As opposed to the tried and true trickle-down voodoo economics that got us a giant deficit and an economy in the tank, right?
Romney and the rest of the republicans are so willfully clueless about history it's difficult to take them seriously or listen to them talk, let alone engage them in dialogue, discussion, or debate. Might as well try talking to someone who thinks that aliens killed Abe Lincoln or something like that.
Or maybe talk to a community orgagnizer and part-time freshman senator about the economy and a BUDGET!!!
WW2 got us out of the Great Depression. Most economists agree that FDR's policies only exasperated the problem. Much like Obama"s.
Any economist will tell you WW2 was a temp fix for the depression.
WW2 created a deficit.
Econ 101 principle. Having guns and butter was a fallacy. Can't have both. Pay too much for guns, no more butter.
Take econ???
By Neal Boortz
Oh … I just love this one. Obama’s new campaign slogan.
Obama’s propagandists are good at spinning their version of history, but perhaps they should have delved further into the history books before coming up with their 2012 election slogan: Forward. I told you about the video released yesterday by the Obama administration documenting seven whole minutes of Obama’s accomplishments. You can watch it for yourself to see if you agree with the categorization of those facts as “accomplishments.”
But later in the day people began to realize that this “Forward” slogan seemed familiar. Then it hit .. ah ha! .. I know where this is from. Brutal Chinese murderer Mao Zedong once engaged in his Great Leap Forward. It is described as a period of “forced collectivization and industrialization,” which happened to result in the death of 45 million people. Also, Spring Forward was apparently a slogan used by Communist dictator Vladimir Lenin.
Way to go Team Obama! But then again, maybe the Mao reference doesn’t faze them. After all, Obama’s former chief communications director Anita Dunn once proclaimed that Mao was one of her “favorite philosophers.”
Also, take a look at the importance the word “forward” carries for socialists, as well as left-wing newspapers.
If you don’t have time to read the links .. just tune into the show today. I’ll cover more of this. The “Forward” word has been associated with Communist movements and governments for generations. My guess is now that this particular bucket of beans has been spilled we’re going to see the “F” word fade into the background.
Desperately seeking ropes and strings???
Falling off your imaginary unicorn?
This is election time and he should be focusing on a plan of what he is going to do. I am so tired of this guy pointing fingers and saying lies. The propaganda machine is working overtime. For instance Obama is not a citizen or has a birth certificate? When I hear ignorant statement like that I feel that as a country we are failing. The greatest country in the world . I hate to say it but it sounds like a hate mongering stick the the issues, Or go back to left field Mitt.
Vote Communist in 2012 for Obama with no verifiable background, or vote American in 2012 for Mitt Romney that will undo the "Obamanation", and the Socialistic regime.
You need to google communist and socialist, you don't have a clue how each operates, and we are not close to either.
Why do you spout off not knowing anything? To show your low IQ??
Why let people think you are stupid when you can prove it.
Republicans are first and foremost about thier tax breaks.
Bottom line greed.
For R leaders... Middle class pockets = gravy. Lick it till it's gone.
Lick it and then kick it till it's gone.
Only Republicans get tax breaks? When did that happen, Einstein?
Oh, what you mean is, I worked for my money, and you did not? Now, I should give you my money?
Lets all pay in the same proportion.
I pay plenty...why not Romney?
He can park his dollars here in the US too.
Paying is a responsibility, grown ups do this.
Wouldn't it be nice if people had to actually stick to facts instead of spouting off their delusional fantasies. It would be even nicer if after their delusions were proven to be nonsense that they would quit spouting off said nonsense, but yet posters like Jim and his RWNJ friends keep on and on and on with the same tired false delusions. The fact is no matter what Obama did during the last 4 years he was not going to be able to fix this mess, the GOP screwed things up so bad we are looking at decades before we are back to normal. That is assuming of course that another RWNJ doesn't get into the white house in which case things may never get fixed and will likely get even worse. Things could be sped along if we also clean out Congress and elect some people who actually want to fix the country rather than play games at our expense.
So you spouting off nonsense sounds better?
The GOP messed things up so bad the people elected an unknown black man out of nowhere.
The GOP still doesn't get the message.
I bet he look's like you too Hoodie?
The repubs are extreme right, the dems extreme left, and the working person is in the middle.
Extreme doesn't work for this country.
Obama, has destroyed the Middle class fool. Stick with crayons and coloring books.
The middle class has decreased under Obama and the poverty rate has increased. Can you guess when some of the previous middle class families are now?
The Repubs are way left of JFK. How can that be extreme right? The Dems are about like the new Socialist President of France, Hollande. Calling them as I see them.
Arizona, you are a blithering idiot, the middle class started losing their equity and 401k's in 2006, and snowballed for the next 3 years. I know, I lost 162K in equity and stocks before Obama took office, guess you don't remember when the bottom fell out on the stock market in 2008.. while bush was prez.
You need to graduate from crayons and coloring books, you know so little about recent history. Have you ever thought of looking anything up before you open your mouth??
It was the sub prime mortgage scam that did it. Courtesy of the comedy team of Frank and Dodd. It did, however, happen on Bush's watch. Plenty of blame to go around.
Blamo.
The Bush tax breaks did it.
That came after Clinton cleaned up daddy bushes mess.
The deceit pattern goes back to Nixon. He wrote the manual.
Then Ford pardoned him.
Oh and then memories... Grandpa bushes ill got nazi gains.
American republican guilt quilt. Extreme?
Romney's basic philosophy is “creative destruction.”
Those that rise from the ashes will be stronger.
You just have to be willing to wait out the difficult middle transition phase.
All entities -even states - can fail completely, but they will inevitably rise again.
Romney and the Republicans think that is a hopeful message? The middle class and poor are going to be the "transaction costs" of his policy.
And he compares Obama to Clinton - I love it!
A Clinton/Obama style economic policy is better than going back to a Bush economic policy on steroids(as Clinton so aptly phrased it.)
Obama's and Clinton's economies are polar opposites. You are at least ignorant. Hopefully not worse.
Blamo - I'm not the one trying to tie Obama's domestic policies to Clinton.Romney is trying to build up a public perception of what he thinks is a negative. It doesn't matter if their policies are opposite or exactly the same.
If Romney wants to draw a correlation between the two, then I think it's great because our country was in better shape economically with Clinton that W. Bush. And I think more independent voters will view Clinton's domestic policies in a positive light.
So I say go ahead Romney - make that correlation to Clinton.
You Democrats and Obama lovers need to get your head out of your asses. I did not vote for Obama nor do I intend to. However, when he was elected into office, I wanted to believe the best. All those promises for "Change" nothing but smooth talking hogwash just so that he could get into office. The guy is nothing but a politician. He rather devote precious time in the middle of a economic meltdown to go campaign than to do things to stimulate the economic growth and create jobs. And now I have to hear that he is using taxpayer money as his personal piggy bank to fund his campaign. Not sure about you, but that's a crook either way you spell it. He obviously cares more about his self-image and his popularity polls. The guy just doesn't get it! Meanwhile, three years later and my health insurance premiums are through the roof and climbing. He didn't improve or fix anything. And do you know why? Because he doesn't have any answers and with his politician background and mentality, he never will. This year is a time for CHANGE. Its time to pass the reigns to someone who knows what the heck he is doing and understands how the economy works and has solutions to fix it. If you reelect Obamination, then you might as well move to Europe because that is the direction he is pushing us to, a socialist society.
It's the republican's who abuse the tax system to get that xtra.
Bullies resort to using A words.
Wonder if Mr. & Mrs. "Entitled Ones" have measured up the White House for the new drapes yet? Mittens better not be counting on my vote, as I don't think I can vote for anyone who makes a practice of telling his audience what he thinks they want to hear. And I don't quite trust a guy who hides his millions/billions in off-shore accounts, while wanting to cut the tax rates of his fellow millionaires/billionaires, and raising taxes on us little guys.
It's going to be a scary thing if Obama gets four more years. The massive divide that he has brought to this country is amazing! And I think he is proud of it. I personally CANNOT afford to have other people have sex, go to the doctor every time they get a hangnail and pay for other's peoples groceries because they actually DO better NOT working. Just today, I was at Sam's Club and was behind a lady who had FILLED 3 carts of food. The total bill was $768. When the cashier handed her her receipt, this DUMB A** actually said, "I love my country." As she started to walk away, I said to her "You're welcome!" Obama is breeding lazy, ignorant people who think they are entitled to their homes, health and food.
ROMNEY 2012!!! Get the freedom killer out NOW!!!