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Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks during news conference in front the shuttered Solyndra solar power company's manufacturing facility Thursday.
SAN DIEGO -- The Romney campaign has moved quickly to exploit the candidate's unannounced visit to bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra, producing a web ad entitled "Symbol of Failure," designed to highlight the president's role in the failed business.
The ad intersperses audio from national news broadcasts' coverage of the bankruptcy and subsequent federal investigation of Solyndra (including NBC's coverage), with clips of Barack Obama visiting the plant in 2010, and Romney's press conference there Thursday.
Graphics highlight what the Romney campaign is presenting as the vital statistics of the Solyndra failure, which took place after a series of federal loan guarantees were put in place which Republicans decried as the height of cronyism: 1,100 employees laid off, $535 million in taxpayer dollars spent.
After Tuesday's Texas GOP primary, Mitt Romney was able to clinch the party's nomination with more than the 1,144 delegates needed. Vanity Fair's Carl Bernstein and the Washington Post's David Ignatius join a conversation on why the race between Romney and Obama is so close. The panel also discusses Romney's recent hits against Solyndra.
The quick-turnaround ad comes as the Romney and Obama campaigns are concluding a week spent battling over Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts, and the salience of his role as CEO of Bain Capital when it comes to expertise creating jobs -- not just wealth for investors.
Thursday, the political theater reached its zenith (or nadir - depending on your perspective) with dueling press conferences on the East and West coasts, as Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod attacked Romney's record as governor in Boston, and Romney attacked the president's record, standing on a highway median in front of the vacant Solyndra headquarters in Fremont.
“Two years ago, President Obama was here to tout this building and this business as a symbol of the success of his stimulus. Well you can see that it’s a symbol of something very different today. It’s a symbol not of success, but of failure,” Romney is shown saying near the close of the 1:38 second web video, as uplifting music begins to play.
"I can tell you that my experience in the economy tells me how it is businesses make decisions to hire people in America. I want to use that knowledge to get Americans working again. The idea of 23 million American families out of work or stopped looking for work or underemployed is unacceptable and crony capitalism like this did not help,” the ad concludes.
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That's only one symbol of Jugheads failure but Mitt Romney can't spend a week pointing all of them out.
Man, the libtards sure are getting desperate...
Our economy could tank overnight into another deep depression, and they'd still be blaming Bush, and saying "Thank Barry, that we're in the shape we're in, it would be so much worse under (fill in the blank).
There is nothing Barry could do, or not do, to keep the lemmings on this site to depart from supporting their Dear Leader.
Fortunately, things will change in November, just as they did in the 2010 mid-terms.
Funny, there's no mention on NBC about the emails PROVING back-room deals and negotiations with the Pharmaceutical industry to kiss their asses to support Obamacare.
Televised on C-Span? Total transparency?
Like all Democrats, biggest bunch of ignorant hypocrites on this planet.
All you liberal lemmings, spouting the DNC talking points about the "demon 1%", as Campaigner-in-Chief Barry holds out his hand asking them for his Super-Pac contributions.
Pick one side, or the other. Bunch of idiots.
Blah, blah blah
How many shut down boarded up businesses can Romney claim for his own?
Tim J, none that I'm aware of. Bain Capital was an investment group, it wasn't a sole proprietorship owned and run by Romney. Furthermore much of Solyndra's funding was done by Madrone Capital, RockPort Capital, the George Kaiser Family Foundation, CMEA Capital, Redpoint Ventures, U.S. Venture Partners and Virgin Green Fund. All venture capitalists and all supported Obama financially.
Mike, that's some real cerebral stuff...
Many towns and counties can issue tax-free Industrial Development Authority bonds. This is one of the ways to attract businesses to relocate to their county or town. The tax-free IDA's have a much lower interest rate, so instead of the company borrowing money by having a corporate bond issue which have a much higher interest. And, guess what, the company can't lose if the company fails. The folks that live in the jurisdiction and allowed these company's to borrow money, gets stuck with debt they can't recover when the company goes bankrupt and the bonds default. So the town has lost the revenue the company was supposed to bring in. They lose the jobs that the company was supposed to create. Meanwhile, Bain makes out like a bandit, because they have no skin in the game. The employee pensions go to the Fed. and the poor cheated town has to take the loss of the, now worthless, defaulted muni bonds. Then the bondholders file a class action suit to try to recover some of their loses. But Bain makes millions on this scenario, because either way if the company sinks or swims, they make sure they get paid....a LOT! This is the kind of "business" that Bain's in. Do you really want a president who's only goal was to make his filthy rich clients even filthier....who has never wasted a thought about the great unwashed (us), let alone actually helping anyone in the ever-dwindling middle class. When he was with Bain, he would lie through his teeth...he would make promises that he never intended to keep. He would say anything he needed to say---to close the deal. Do you really want Romney in the White House? He has 16 uber-wealthy supporters, if he gets the White House the country will be divided 16 ways. That's what he's promised the 16. Romney has to do away with any and all government regulations. No more FDA food inspectors, the FDA--an agency that should be funded to the max--will be elimated. The National Parks will be sold and privatised. The FAA will be privatized. The EPA will be elimated. All of the police departments in the country will be privatised to make a profit, we would have to pay huge fees or the police and the fire departments won't come unless your fees are paid. Watch the original "Robo-Cop" and you'll see what happens when law enforcement is privatised. You know, I don't think any of you read my tomes--they are too long and have too many big words.
Romney is the Symbol of failure of the Republican Party. Anyone who believes in Magic Underwear and can convince people to vote for him,is a known shyster, just like the Republican party. I read in another article where the Republican Party are NOW focusing on knocking Obama on jobs, instead of Social Issues. Americans had better not forget what the Republican Party has been preaching. The Republicans have been telling America that they Want another war, preferably with Iran. Republicans are telling Women that the Republican Party Will take away Womens rights. Some more of the Republicans favorite things are to Raise Taxes on the Middle Class and the poor, take away Unions, take away Medicare, take away Social Security. The Republicans also want to lower wages for Police, Firemen, and School Teachers. I just do not understand why ANYONE who is not a multi-millionaire could possibly vote for any Republican.
Romney , failure is when as Governor of Mass, the state ranked 47th in the nation where jobs are concerned . As Governor, you are running away from it. You run from your health care and from Bain failure , stand up like man and admit you FAILED. Pointing out Solyndra is not going to help you.
Willard forgot to identify why Solyndra failed.
It seems that the Chinese are underselling the market by a bout 30%.
90% of all solar panel installs are Chinese panels.
Until we hold the Chinese accountable or dumping products into our markets, American Manufacturers will never be able to compete for this business.
The jobs report is Obamas symbol of failure.
Why isn't Romney standing in front of General Motors or the New York Stock Exchange? Didn't he forget to mention that government spending increase, under Obama is the lowest in 60 years and private sector job growth has been increasing for each of the past 26 months?
The elephant ate his homework. He smiles at bankruptcy.
America's state at this time is a Symbol of Republican Failure. ROMNEY=Bush's 3rd Term.
Obama is a thief; he should be in prison for stealing from American Taxpaying Citizens.
Too bad Obama was not more like Mitt and made a couple hundred Million Dollar$ loading the company up with debt and forcing the American Government too pay retirement too the workers...
And then taking the profit's, avoiding American Taxes, putting them in off shore banks and Switzerland....
This is what the 1% call true Americans....and what us True Americans refer too as Traitors!
Well...
Good going romney...
Investment skeletons hiding inside Mitt’s closets
By Dave Wedge
Thursday, December 1, 2011
GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has hammered President Obama for his administration’s tax-funded investment blunders — but when Romney was governor, the state handed out $4.5 million in loans to two firms run by his campaign donors that have since defaulted, leaving taxpayers holding the bag.
The two companies — Acusphere and Spherics Inc. — stiffed the state on nearly $2.1 million in loans provided through the state’s Emerging Technology Fund, a $25 million investment program created while Romney was governor in 2003 that benefitted 13 local firms.
Acusphere, a biotechnology firm headed by a Romney campaign donor, got $2 million in 2004 that it was supposed to put toward a $20 million manufacturing facility in Tewksbury, which never became fully operational. Calls to Acusphere’s headquarters in Lexington were not returned.
http://bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2011_1201investment_keletons_hiding_inside_mitts_closets
There had to be advisors to the administration who raised red flags about Solyndra to Obama. Advisors who were not listened to. The man at the helm is so socialistically ideolistic that he believed that government would just will a company and a product to be successful.
It is so laughable that the die hard leftist posters here want to "spread the blame" by insisting that the governments involvment and support of Solyndra started years earlier and that republicans share the blame....There is no way that you can twist this into being anything other than an Obama blunder....There is no way that you can twist the fact that Obama got a huge donation from this failed company...
Advisors? Try the Treasury...the issued a report urging that the money NOT be given to the company. But Barry looks out for his friends. That's the Chicago way. Certainly is a transparent administration.
Mr. Romney,
Solyndra is just ONE Comapny. But In Massachussetts, there were over 500 Companies when you were presiding as Governor with the ranking of 47th out of 50th in job creation. The score is now Obama with one comapny loss to your 47th ranking of 500 losses on the scoreboard...........
Obama....1 loss
Romney.....500 losses.
January 20th, 2009 when I looked at Bush Presidency, he was a disaster. SHow me one good thing he did for the country. Under his watch, the 9/11 happened (six months into his presidency), he ignored intelligence warnings, the economy was in shambles, the auto industry was desperate, the housing market collapsed, we had highest unemployment, the country got into unnecessary war with Iraq, mismanged war in Afghanistan, what good happened in the hands of a Repulsive Republican party. What good to expect from another party representative sitting in the WHouse? Obama had fixed as much possible in three years. Don't tell me that he did nothing. Clinton gave 3 Trillion surplus.. what did Bush leave for the next president? Greatest economic depression and BIG B*** S****!!
To those ignorant of historical facts
please go back and read if you can find without the rewritten version by the
progressive liberals; the house and senate have been controlled by liberal
dimocraps for nearly all of the past 40 years....try to let that soak in....the
big government all controlling big spending immoral dimocraps have had us all by
the throat because they are friends with the lamestream media non reporting
slanted news folks
Pissedoffperson ... if you want anyone to take your seriously ... try not sounding like a twelve year old school girl on your way home from the mall. If your obvious bias wasn't already a clue you woudl be lol'ing yourself right out of credibility.
What Willard forgot to mention in his speech is that he had the same exact thing except with 4 companies instead of one in Massachusetts when he was Governor. He gave them a lot of taxpayer money, and they went belly-up. Obama should go talk about that part of Mittens history in front of those 4 buildings. He also took his State from 37th to 47th in job growth during his term. So how is he going to make America better when he already failed miserably as a Governor???
surprised there is any semblance of an intelligent debate happening on this site. I mean this is the MSNBC, propaganda machine for the Obama administration. I had assumed that the only people frequenting this biased brand of 'news' (can we even call it that?) would be those liberal loons looking to be spoon-fed Obama awesomeness. Line up behind Sean Penn, Rosie O'Donnell & Lady HaHa.
The loan was started under Bush. The government backs new technologies and frequently get some losers. Romney only knows how to drain companies.
Romney also told an outright lie which wasn't reported at all in this article. Why not MSNBC?
The Bush administration chose not to invest in Solyndra because it was too risky but Blamo saw 'Green' and Solyndra gave to Blamos campaign. Romney actually saved companies which is more than what Obozo did for Solyndra.
Mr. Romney should also do a sneak press conference, standing on the steps outside the House of Representatives, who refuse to pass legislation for our nation's infrastructure, in turn creating 2 million jobs. The Congressional Republicans WILL NOT pass one single jobs bill that will support job creation before the November election. America is watching, listening, waiting for the jobs plan. America does not just want to hear the word Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, we want to know the Plan, the how, the when, the where, the what. America already knows the why. Is the why - - that loud noise of Mitch's GNOP Song - NO NO NO?
Mr. Romney does not say one word about China dumping low-cost solar panels on the market. Nor, does Mr. Romney, say one word about the fact that Staples, and Wall Mart, by low-wage - low-cost products from China, rather than from American manufacturers. And, maybe, just maybe, Bank of America should change its last name to "Sell-Out".
If Romney claims Solyndra is Obama's 'Symbol of Failure,' then maybe Greedy Corporates are Robbney's 'Symbol of Failure.'
Romney's shared symbol is "Take it from the low and middle and give it to the top."
Obozo IS the symbol of failure. Oblamo's shared symbol is 'make everyone poor' because he's clueless. Romney would then be giving to Odumber since HE is at the top too. Along with Polousy,Dingy Hairy, Boxer, Feinstein, Frank, Dodd and on and on they go.
Where do you think the money came from that was flushed away at Solyndra? That wasn't Monopoly money, that was money from the 'low and middle' as well as inbetween as well as the top given to the 'TOP' execs at Solyndra who walked away with bonuses using my money and closed the company down anyway. They all made more money than I could make in 1000 life times. That was my tax money. All because they contributed to Oblamo's campaign and this was the pay off. And Solyndra was only one of many failures who contributed to Obozo. Obozo will say anything for a vote and distract from his record.
Solyndra is just a drop in the bucket. I want my money back for all the failed Obozo 'investments'.