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Subscribe to RSSRepublican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he "repudiates" a PAC plan to attack President Obama's link to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Mitt Romney convened a rare press conference Thursday to explicitly distance himself from a controversial, racially-charged ad campaign reportedly planned by a Republican super PAC.
His campaign subsumed by a political firestorm first sparked by a New York Times report on a proposed campaign attacking President Obama for his ties to the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Romney appeared on camera to disavow the strategy.
"I want to make it very clear that I repudiate that effort. I think it's the wrong course for a PAC or a campaign," Romney told reporters after his rainy event here today. "I hope that our campaigns can respectively be about the future and about issues and about a vision for America."
First Read: Race front and center in 2012 campaign
The press conference -- a rarity for those following the Romney campaign -- reflected the urgency with which Romney and his advisers felt compelled to distance the candidate from the controversial proposal. Romney had initially passed on commenting this morning, saying he hadn't seen the story, before taping a radio interview this morning condemning the proposal.
Mary Altaffer / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaks May 17 at the River City Brewing Company in Jacksonville, Fla.
The plan, which was presented by Strategic Perception and GOP ad man Fred Davis to Joe Ricketts, the owner of the Chicago Cubs, earned heavy backlash from the Obama campaign and many Republicans on Thursday. By mid-afternoon, Ricketts had disavowed the plan, and Strategic Perception had taken sole responsibility for the proposal, on which they said no action was taken.
Ricketts: I'm not going to use Jeremiah Wright
Vice President Joe Biden, campaigning this afternoon in Pennsylvania, condemned the proposed ad campaign, saying its proponents "act like it's 1942."
"I think these guys like that so misunderstand the state of the nation," he told reporters at an unscheduled stop at a Washington, PA BBQ restaurant. "They act like it's 1942. I mean, I think the public is so far beyond that."
Biden said that he'd heard reports that the proposed ad had been rejected by Ricketts.
"I mean look there are certain things that are sorta so morally clear and straight and straight-lined about it," he said. "You almost don't even wanna comment."
Republicans anxiously discourage racially-charged super PAC strategy
But for as much as Romney's press conference served ostensibly defensive purposes, the presumptive Republican nominee used the moment to go on the attack, as well.
Romney said he was "disappointed" in what he claimed was the president's campaign of "character assassination," complaining that ads recently released by the Obama campaign attacking Romney's work at the helm of Bain Capital were inaccurate and unfair.
Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty talks about a GOP Super PAC's idea to bring back into the spotlight President Barack Obama's link to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
"There's this fiction that some have that somehow you can be successful by stripping assets at an enterprise and walking away with lots of money and killing the enterprise. There may be some people that know how to do that. I sure don't," Romney said. "Our approach was always to try and make the enterprise more successful. And the purpose of the president's ads are not to describe success and failure but to somehow suggest that I'm not a good person or not a good guy."
But the controversy of the day largely overshadowed Romney's bread-and-butter campaign speech about the economy. And for the political class, the Wright controversy also sidelined a more favorable story about the Romney campaign's fundraising success last month.
In Jacksonville, Romney argued the election ought to turn on who has the best plan for "jobs and kids," a catchphrase he was first heard using at a fundraiser last month in Palm Beach, where he will return later this evening for another fundraiser.
The Sunshine State has been good to Romney's campaign financially. Pool reports from his fundraisers show he raised more than $2 million apiece at stops yesterday near Tampa Bay and Miami. Romney declined to say whether Florida was a "must win" for his campaign, but closed his press conference by saying it was a state he was "counting on to be successful in."
Carrie Dann reported from Washington, Pa.
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Mit Romney has as much imagination as he did in his CEO days sell off the parts of the company, jobs, buildings, land, stocks, pension plans, 401k's and lets make the fast buck because running the company take brains, But he is lacking them just like someone else we knew.Wake up He is running another bush campaign he lets the underlings act as stupid as they want to. while he shakes his head with an "I can't believe what they are doing" look on his face ,like the American public is as dumb as he is... the evil looking commercials are right out of the Karl Rove mud slinging handbook It is George bush all over again no issues No debates No intelligence just the core of the candidate Mit Romney the same brute without style or integrity a typical C.E.O. He will leave our country in the same condition Bush did and without remorse. Instead of letting him run for president we should arrest him just the way we arrested this brown out buddies from Enron
A much better tactic is permanently connect Obama with OWS,with their hate and destruction.Let the occupiers do our work for us. Get obama out of the W/H
L
Great Mitt you had the perfect chance to EXPOSE Obama and finally give him the VETTING he should have gotten in 2008, and just like in 2008 Obama gets a "pass on his past", simply because he's black. Don't wanna go there, don't wanna be labeled by the left as a racist. COWARDS. And the left is collectively wiping the sweat off their collective brows, and rejoicing because Obamas "skeletons" will never see the light of day. But "airroll" and your statement, "evil looking commercials" and "mud slinging handbook", really? But Romneys "past" is relevant, right? So let the DNC air all the Chicago-style "hit pieces" it wants on Romney, but the RNC ads had better portray Obama in a "God-like" manner, spreading "hopey" changey with the wave of his hand, as his masses kneel before HIM and faint at the sound of his voice. Again COWARDS............
These ad's should have run in the 2008 election...so that people could see the real Obama...
Romney is smart. The last thing Mitt and the Mormon Church need is a review of how Mormons have historically treated Blacks in America. Good move Mitt! Get this off the table as fast as you can, before people start researching the Mormon Church vs. Black Americans.
But ignore the radical racism of Rev. Wright, no one is allowed to "research" that. Nope, the media simply dismisses the 20 years Obama spent in Wrights church, claims he sat so far back in the pews, he heard nothing. And now Obama has a "white" spiritual adviser and Rev. Wright disappears into obscurity. And all these people who "advised" Obama in the past, influences which form the basis of his beliefs are off limits. Even your comment "smells" of the hypocrisy of the left, your "ominous" claim of Romney had better hope that the DNC doesn't expose "Mormons VS Blacks". But its hands off groups such as the New Black Panthers or Rev. Wrights church because thats "racist". Yeah real smart Romney..........
I suspect that Obama dismissed Wright's silly racism as well as the silly religious BS. ALL racists are idiots whether in church or not.
P.S. Have you ever been to a church that wasn't racist? NO churches are the epicenter of racist, intolerance, and BS!!
Romney being a Mormon is irrelavent.
Morman's are not killing Christians muslim/islamiist are.
IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT OBAMA IS A MUSLIM JUST ASK HIM OR BETTER
YET JUST WATCH AND HE WILL TELL YOU!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#t=28<http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?
Who cares which silly superstition they claim? There is no "good" religion.
There are less than 7 months until election day when the people
will decide who will be the next
President of the United States .
The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the
Democrats or the Republicans.
It's time that we all need to come together, Democrats and Republicans alike,
in a bi-partisan effort for America :
If you will support Mitt Romney, please drive with your headlights ON during
the day.
If you support Barack Obama, please drive with your headlights OFF at night.
Together, we can make it happen. Thank you!
I think most Americans have already decided and,,,,,,, No one supports Romney
As Republicans called Wright's rants........"Black Liberation Theology"
Exactly what is the opposite or argument against "Black Liberation Theology" ????
According to your picture BO, you are white, and it doesn't matter if you are a "bleeding heart liberal". According to "King" Shabazz, you need to bring your off-spring down and offer them up on the alter of the New Black Panthers, so he can kill him some "cracker babies". But statements such as those are not "racist" according to "fast and furious" Holder, because they are black it is impossible for them to be accused of racism. Or maybe because of your "politics" Bo you believe Rev. Wright wasn't screaming about.........YOU?
Or maybe, simply because when you were born, you ended up on the "genetic roulette wheel" as white, something no one has control over, but because you were born white, you now carry the "guilt" of the past, and you must now spend the rest of your life "ashamed" of your "color"?
No Bo, you get a "pass" cause you are a liberal, so any "anti whitey" racial remarks made in Rev.Wrights church weren't aimed at YOU, Bo. After all you aren't like those OTHER white people, you know those racist Republicans, now their WHITE.
In the interview Mr. Wright claims Mr. Obama tried to bribe him to keep quiet. He also said Mr. Obama told him his (Mr. Wright's) problem was that he always had to tell the truth.
It's the economy, we really could care less about this Obama crap.
We need a new coach and America will deliver Hope and Change from this train wreck of an administration.
Hard to make a car move with no driver. He can't reach the pedals or steer.
We're adrift with no leader.
Nuf C Nuf !
All for, the depression was Bush's (his ownership initiative guaranteed 13% mortgages to unqualified borrowers that were obviously going to fail, it was that guarantee that forced the government to pay out on the credit default swaps). Obama has worked to restore prosperity based upon science and logic, encouraging infrastructure spending and expiration of the Bush's tax cut to wealthy. The GOP has acted to stop these logical and reasonable solutions.
Sorry folks, Not a "bleeding heart", Not a Liberal, Not even a Democrat, However I am a realist and an American
Every single American, Black, White, Brown, Gay, Straight, SAME rights, SAME laws
Telling a Gay person they have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex is like telling a woman she has the right to a prostate exam or vasectomy (Sorry,,,,,Not Gay either, hahaha)
Obama's chickens..... are coming home to roost!
Obama is no longer the change and hope Candidate, He is the Division and envy President, He has no record to run on, He has failed miserably at restoring the Economy, He has done nothing but blame and point fingers for almost four years, It time for a change.
NOBAMA2012
Nothing is the wrong course for Mitt Romney if it gets him in the White House.
This guy is the biggest Flim-Flam say nothing of any substance Presisdential Candidate of my life. You don't where this clown stands on any issue.
So the Birther Obama claimed in 1991 that he was born in Kenya via a brochure that was created by Acton & Dystel, which was promoting Obama as the author of the never-produced "Journeys in Black and White."
Don't worry, you Birther President Obama, Whether you were born in Kenya or in the United States doesn't change the fact that you are is NOT a natural born citizen! Your father, being an alien, disqualifies you of being a natural born citizen. According to the original intent and the common understanding in the Law of Nations, to be a natural born citizen, the person has to be subjected to the jurisdiction of the US only. However, when You were born, you Birther Obama, since your father was a British national at that time, you are subjected to the British jurisdiction. Also, natural born citizen means that the person has no other allegiance issues coming from his parents, that means both his parents need to be US citizens at the time of of the child's birth. Hey, you Birther Obama, this also includes you.
Kurt: Leave it alone. You sound crazy. I'm a conservative and you are making us look bad and stupid.
Atticus, the GOP has courted the delusional and now your just another one of them.
check out this guys, if you have any doubt that rabid racist crazies form the core of the GOP, and the vanguard of the far-right.
sounds pretty typical to me....
Never give up on the US Constitution as indented by our Founding Fathers no matter what kind of Politcially Correct Revisionists History the Media Elite spins it. The Fact is our Founding Fathers used the definition of Natural Born Citizen when ratifying the US Constitution in 1787 from the Law Of Nations (1758) meaning to be a Natural Born Citizen is to be born to TWO (BOTH) parents who are ALREADY citizens at the time of the birth of the child. The fact is the fact then there is the Politically Correct Revionist History of the Media Elite to protect their Annoited One illegally occupying the Oval Office.
Here's part of Obama's bio from the 1991 brochure: (This was determined to be incorrect in 2007 by the publisher and corrected) See Silver Spoon description below :)
This type of thing does not matter at this point folks.
We are paying significantly more for most everything now than we were 4 years ago. The unemployment rate is higher than it was 4 years ago. More people are out of work than 4 years ago.
More people are on government support than 4 years ago. Our economy is dismal. This is Mr. Obama, our president's economy.
He can't get the job done! We need a more vibrant economy and he can't deliver.
NO MORE Years! We need a new coach! One who can bring us back to being a winner. Being a loser sucks!
We can't take any more years of this train wreck.
Nuf C Nuf !
Hummm...This type of thing does not matter at this point folks.
If you had something written and being distributed about you promoting your literary work, in 1991 that you knew was in error, particularly of that magnitude....
It's completely understandable why a person would wait until 2007 to request that it be corrected. I agree with you.
Obviously your reading skills are lacking so I'll excuse your name calling. You should try to enjoy life and learn to read a bit better.
Mr. Obama, our president has failed to move our economy in the right direction. Excuses, finger pointing, the blame game and promoting Hate and Anger have not worked for him.
We need a new leader, a new coach. :)
NO MORE Years!
We are not better off than we were 4 years ago!
Nuf C Nuf !
So question is... Was Obama lying then or is he lying now regarding where he claims to be born? For the Honolulu choice, he has claimed to be born in two DIFFERENT hospitals, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children and The Queen's Medical Center. Of course, in the end in makes no difference because no matter WHERE he was born, he can NEVER be a Natural Born Citizen as the father he claims was never a US Citizen (unless of course, he is lying who his real father is)
Clinton frontman James Carvel had it right.....It's the Economy Stupid!
In which case, We are looking at 4 more years of Obama
Romney pivoted away from the economy when it became clear we have had over 2 slow years of economic growth
Rpmney pivoted away from jobs when it became clear we have had over 2 straight years of slow job growth
Romney will pivot away from the debt when Americans find that Obama add'd $5.6 trillion to the debt,,,,,,,,$3 trillion his first month in office (Bush's undisclosed war debt) $2 trillion as a direct result of the Bush taxcuts, $1 trillion as a result of the Bush wars,,,,OOPS,,,,,That is $6 trillion, So,,,,,,Obama has reduced the National debt if you subtract debts directly associated with Bush.
Where will Romney pivot to next?
Lol got to take that as BoBo-nomics!
Good one! Funny :)
How is Mitt discussing the actions of his super-pac not illegal? It is an obvious attempt to control the super-pac. Why was the ad in the hands of a Romney staffer (who gave it to the NY Times.) The GOP can't stop acting illegally, it seems they believe themselves above the law.
Hot off the presses.. look before the left collapses it.
The racist and bigots have been the dependable go-to factor for the Republicans since their fabulous 2008 defeat. They sought to rebuild their party from the ashes, opening the door wide and handing out the scripts, with a wink and a nod, to which the neo-confederacy could safely vent their racism: He's not born in America" "He's from Kenya or Indonesia (or some other place where people aren't white) " He's a Muslim" "He's not American"
The racists of America didn't magically disappear on January 20, 2012, they simply put on tri-cornered hats like their white English forefathers wore, and began delivering diatribes on the defense of the Constitution, some how ignoring that their forefathers were slave-owners, and that the constitution designated another race as sub-human at the time.
Their denial that racism plays a significant role in the opposition to Obama is constantly belied by the actions, statements and posts from right-wing supporters, in defense of THEIR AMERICA, and the renewed and ferocious focus on immigrants, going as far to outlaw the teaching of Spanish culture courses in border states.
Of course they aren't racists- they are hypocritical, lying racists.
Playing the race card is so worn out that no white guilt exists anymore... and for anyone to try to paint Romney, the former Gov or the 2nd most Liberal state in the union is ridiculous... now all you're left with is pitiful class envy.... I know... "punish the successful!" "corporations are BAD!" "Republicans are mean and want the poor to starve to death"... all the usual Liberal tripe....
YEAH- liberal tripe, similar to the dish served to Louis XVI by the liberals of that time- guess he should have listened more attentatively
By the way- we don't give a rat's posterior about your "White guilt"- it doesn't have any value, while you're sitting at the to of the heap, reaping generations and generations of social and economic dominance.
You guys are cooked, as the demographics shift- and you know it. We aren't coming hat-in-hand to ask you for anything, we're going to take it at the polling booth.
And that's what disturbs you so much about Obama being president, it shows how much the country has shifted from your historical domination.
It's only playing the race card if it isn't true.
So much more presidential than the Mudslinger-in-Chief...
Poor Obama, he keeps getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He can't hide his record though.
It seems the only people Obama has hidden his record from are Republicans, LOL
Record of being tough on terrorists, saving this country from falling into the depths of Hell, saving GM, and being extremely....Cool! It isn't hidden....republicans are just too blind to see or admit it.
Mr. Obama, our president, from day one has been a 100% "Do as I say, not as I do" president.
The sand in his Filp Flops could fill every childs sandbox in Chicago and DC. :)
Back in February, Mitt was on Hannity, talking about Obama's faith. He just wants to cut Obama off, so he doesn't come after his Mormonism.
You are about 100 years behind there dog.
Prove that it is wide spread in the Mormon communities today.
http://www.delsjourney.com/close-ups/us/travels_sw/mormons_and_polygamy.htm
"The Polygamy Issue
Does polygamy still exist in Utah? You bet it does. Utah was admitted to the Union in 1896 but only under the condition that the Mormon Church ban polygamy, which they agreed to do. The Mormon Church remains opposed to polygamy to this day and immediately excommunicates any member who is discovered to be practicing polygamy. There are several ultra-orthodox offshoots of the Mormon Church though, especially in rural parts of Utah, which quietly practice polygamy today basically under a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Most polygamists just want to be left alone and don't want notoriety."
Did anyone else fall down laughing when Mitt Mormon declared marriage between one man and one woman?
I can't help but wonder what Mitt's FIVE Paternal Grandmothers thought about that, LOL
bo if thats your [picture beside your name you need to go take a bath and get a hair cut
Bo: I think the point is that he didn't have four grandmothers and no grandfathers.
lol Bo so true 1 man 1 woman yeah right 1 man 5 women...This whole staged event on this ad was a plan so flipper could look good to his base denouncing ads of this nature hmmm I wonder how newt and santorium feel about flipper and all his attack ads on them flipper and the gop set this up so later when the super pacs flood the TV and air waves with attack ads against Obama he'll be able to say he was against this line of attack so dont blame me I have no control over what they do, kinda like his off shore dodging tax blind trusts he claims he has no control of this guys evil and will destroy our and the worlds economy the only reason the right has to vote for him and are mislead by their leaders about the true outlook of his economic plan.the ryan plan and all thats in it,truth is the plan will only hurt 98% of the voters who will vote for him,WHY would anyone vote for something that will hurt them their family and friends....
as of today i dont have to vote for the bumber but if he gets reelected we probably wont have free election any longer know what you are voting for come nov
THE BAIN EXPERIENCE '' IS WHAT AMERICA'S BEEN TRYING TO AVOID '' , FOR GOD SAKES !!!!!!! ; bring on the debates , pleaseeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course he does....don't want to talk about the fact he has 5 paternal grandmothers.
and you have a brain the size of a pimple
Jock....such an impressive comeback. Did you have to look that one up?
i knew you would be impressed dont take much for supporters of the bumber
About time for another Slime attack from the left..........
Demean, name call, isolate and ridicule...
Top 4 traits of a liberal, though they do try hard to hide them....
(Doesn't take much to bring it out of them) ha ha lol :)
Stop the train wreck that is Mr. Obama, our president!