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WEST LEBANON, NH -- Mitt Romney emerged from debate rehearsals in Vermont today to pick up some pizzas, and to deliver his own analysis of the first night of the Democratic National Convention, which he said could not make the claim Americans were better off after President Obama's first term.
"You've heard no one stand up and say that people are better off than they were four years ago," Romney told reporters traveling with him as he picked up several extra large pies at a pizza joint here. "They really can't say that. They can't say it in all honesty. Particularly with the news that has come out this week."
Wednesday: David Gregory previews tonight's speech by Former President Bill Clinton at this week's Democratic Convention in Charlotte.
"That news: The national debt tripping $16 trillion dollars for the first time, and the number of Americans receiving food stamps topping 47 million, up 15 million from when President Obama took office," Romney said.
Recommended: Ryan tries to draw wedge between Clinton, Obama
"The American people are not doing better and this president understands that and I think that's why people are reluctant to even talk about it because they know the American people know better," Romney said, echoing his campaign's latest line of attack against the Obama administration, after several top Obama advisers fumbled the "are we better off" question on last Sunday's talk-show circuit.
The comments to reporters marked Romney's emergence from a day of strenuous debate preparation at the secluded Vermont estate of his former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey. Romney and a small coterie of aides gathered at the house yesterday morning for a series of mock debates with Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who is playing the role of President Obama for Romney.
"I'm just glad I won't be debating ... Rob Portman in the final debates," Romney said. "He's good."
Slideshow: Democratic National Convention
Here in the mountains, with limited cell phone and Internet service, Romney said he did not watch Michelle Obama's address to the Democratic convention in Charlotte last night, and that regardless he only had praise for the first lady.
"I didn't see her speech, but I certainly respect the first lady and think she's, she's done a fine job as our first lady," Romney said. "Lovely person and I respect her."
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If this election was based on Obama job performance then he would not win ONE single state. Unfortunately people like him because he is a cool dude.
Some Micheal, should the Republicans be voted out of office since they not only failed in their performance but didn't even try? They made it their top priority to make Obama fail and the people voted them in to create jobs. So by your standards they failed so they should be voted out!
Obama has had significant sucess, and deserves another term with Dems leading the way. Republicans have proven themselves to be only interested in obstructing job creation. Look at the headlines 4 years ago. America was on the verge of a depression one that would have drawfed the 1st one, our banks were failing, the auto industry was on the verge of collapse, millions were losing their homes to foreclosure (which Mitt Romney wanted to expedite and then take the forclosed home and sell them to wealthy investors he said that would be best for the middle class) we were bleeding 800,000 jobs a month.
Obama has brought us back from the brink of extinction!! He got us moving FORWARD again! Now Mitt wants to go down the same path as before hoping for different results. The definition of stupid, is doing the same thing over and over and thinking you'll get different results!
romney did not have much competition in the primaries but now there will be a lot more attention focused on his past, his words, and his policies. I don't think he will be able to handle the pressure.
President Clinton made one remark last night that says it all. "the Republicans hate President Obama, and refuse to compromise for the good of the country" That is so true, and kind of pathetic. Bill Clinton was able to work with Republicans, Ronald Regan was able to work with Democrats, neither was right all the time, but worked together. Why is it the the GOP has been hijacked by such right wing extremists, that the good of the people, is only for "thier" people. I think the GOP will implode. They can't get on common ground with anything. The next generation will reject hard line extremists from both parties. Maybe a new Libertarian Party will grow, if they truely stay to thier core beliefs to be socially tolerant, fiscally conservative, and personally responsible. I'd buy into it.
The pronlem is, both Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney are so far apart, that whoever gets elected (or re-elected) will most likely accomplish nothing, with the opposing party blocking anything and everything they propose. Pathetic..
Shawn, history has proved that Dems will sit at the table and compromise, but your right the new "righties" it is all or nothing. It scares the heck out of me if these people win. How they will prevert this country with their definitions of freedom, liberty and even justice. They want to give eggs rights, with no mercy for a mother, they want to take away BC because now life begins at fertilization, God doesn't even think that, that is why most miscarriage occur in the first three months! They don't care about the working class, only that the ruling class has freedom to lie, cheat and steal to make money. They want to put hard working people behind in their bills in debtors prisons. And then they claim they are true believers in Jesus Christ, who would never approve of any of the tactics the Republicans use.
Can't wait until the adults are back in charge.
I for one am glad that the white house and congress have come to a grinding halt... You can't make a U-turn going 100mph in one direction. I don't know how anyone could disagree, liberal or conservative, that our government has become over-sized, under-efficient and stacked towards perpetual cronyism.
Mr. Obama, aside from all of the heresay about his perported socialist goals, does not speak towards fixing the problems I listed above. Even if he was handcuffed by Congress, he should at least be shouting from the top balcony of the White House regarding our need to decrease size, spending, upgrade efficiency of process, and break-up the beltway. I imply his silence on these points as evidence that he's for "biggering and biggering" our government's reach.
As such, no matter what kinda tarted-up nonsensical rhetoric you wann toss at me, I'm voting Romney.. And I'll continue to vote for less government heft until it finally happens. I'm not worried about abortions or gay marriage, because those issues are permanent fixtures either way you vote.
He didn't shout about us losing hundreds of thousands of jobs per month, He made a U turn and has created over 4 million jobs
He didn't shout about decreasing Government size, His combining of similar offices and reduction of waste has saved over $200 billion while reducing the Government payroll
Vote for whomever you want but do some research and quit posting BS
By the way voting steadily for policies that have done NOTHING to achieve your goals while creating massive debt could be considered slightly insane, Romney's economic policies are to go back to what we had 4 years ago, Massive debts built upon massive debts, built upon endless wars built upon taxcuts for the richest of the rich, IT DOES NOT WORK, IT HAS NEVER WORKED
Sorry, but my research doesn't come from whacked-out agenda-driven half-truth websites... I wanna barf when BOTH candidates talk about "creating jobs", they can only create environments.
And when you're talking jobs, if you don't specify public or private sector, you immediately out yourself as being a party-line drone...
Oh yeah, regarding those great "tax cuts" I've been supposedely awarded... By the time I pay my Federal, various state (I've got businesses in multiple states), local, property, etc, my effective rate is just shy of 46%... I hand almost 50 cents of each dollar I generate to fund government. WOW, WHAT A DEAL!!! I'm not paying my fair share!! Tax policy is another topic that both parties are dancing around to fit their own agendas rather than speaking truthfully about it...
Private sector versus public sector jobs, Hmmmmm,,,,,,Maybe you are thinking about the Republican Governors who have dropped 100's of thousand of employees (mostly firemen, police, teachers, etc) and are now crying because of all of the damage done by forest fires that COULD have been avoided if the firemen were on duty clearing the fire breaks and access roads before the fire season started?
Ohhhh LOORRRD!!!! That's good, that's good... That was a good laugh... Yes, all those fires that could have been AVOIDED had it not been for Republicans getting rid of fire fighters.... WOW!! All the people on this site, and I found the finest stone-cold-loon in the bunch. One of my best friends from high school is a fire fighter and medic... I'm going to have to copy/paste your post for him, if you don't mind. They get bored sitting around the firehouse, and could use a laugh.
Bo you are clueless. Obama has hired more government jobs since taking office.. not decreased. I think what you mean is he government is less productive per job. Most of those "new" jobs don't do anything. Just jobs created by obama to give friends a paycheck.
Shawn D -- Both parties hate each other and have for some time with neither acting in the best interest of our country they both stonewall each other for their own political motives vs doing the business at hand. I'll say it again in a different way this is the most fractured state of America, both in the civil population and in the Whitehouse that I can recollect. Whether you agree or not, it concerns me a great deal
Romney is planting the seeds of his defeat. Obama plays the game in a mean viscious manner. He does not say Romney is a nice fellow and I respect him. Obama does not compliment Ann Romney in any manner. When Romney makes these statements he is placing Obama in a place of acceptance and enhances Obamas political goals. Republicans think being a respectable person and painting everything with a honey brush will enhance their image. the exact opposite reaction is assumed by the voter. They view these statements as weak and sign of despair. Get some balls Romney and save America. No more milk toast comments about what a nice guy Obama is. Obama is the worst president this country has ever seen..........say it....mean it.....
In bizzaro world maybe!! Sorry I don't respect out and out liars. Ryan even lied and was called on it by his own brother, about running a marathon. He is so use to creating lies and his own truths that he can't help himself. His missah Aynn Rand was the queen of the "I got mine, scr$w anyone else!" "Do whatever it takes because the reward justifies the means!" and Ryan very much channels her, in his speeches and in his budget.
Mitt your lying, lies,Lies of the GOP & Paul Ryan TeaWackers, Mitt R. Bain, Citizens United and all the Alec corps : that pays off the RepublicanPUKES Politicians. Its all about the Wealthy getting richer and the middle class getting poorer.....They don't want to help the poor...Who are the one's that leach off the taxpayer. The Wealthy: they get welfare both for themselves an for the Corps. ...But it seems that the Wealthy get away with it ..They steal billions and the few poor steals a few thousands. So what does the GOP want, is Screw the MIddle Class to get even with the few. As I say its the me me me and F everyone else.... The failures of the Republicans party trying to take away SS & Medicare & Health care for Woman so they can give their wealthy Blackmailers more money...To hell with the Poor and Needy. Let them freeze in the winter and stave the Old and Babies,let them die from bad water, do away with the EPA and thats what you'll have, just like all you Tea baggers want...You make me sick with your Me Me Me altitude. Greedy and you all call yourself a REAL Christians, Mormans. What a laugh: Wake up...Sounds like Mitt!!!!!!Fuss up your tax Return: Stop your lieing RYAN:
I am a Democrat and I am MUCH better off today than I was 4 years ago. Under the Bush administration I went bankrupt, once President Obama took office and the economy leveled out I found employment and now I am debt free, a home owner w/2 new cars, all acquired under President Obama.
Debt free? So you bought a home and 2 new cars with cash? Wow, you must've landed one hell of a job!! I'm betting you financed all that new stuff, borrowed a bunch more money that you don't have adequate assets to collateralize, and if your boss walks in this afternoon and says "I've told you about screwing around on the internet, you're FIRED!" you'll be marching right back into bankruptcy... Congrats on your new debt that you don't think is debt...
well I have lost my job and house and two cars since Obama took office. Of course you are going to say its not Obama's fault.
Maybe your manage money very poorly? Do you expect the government to save you when you can't manage your own finances? Here is proof that Republiancans really are the party of handout and freeloading!
Jeff Lebowski,
I too have improve my finanical outlook since Obama took office. I work in sales and much of my income is commission based. 4 years ago I was earning 6% above my wages in comissions. I am now earning 22% above my wages in commission. So, YES, I am doing much better and think most people are since if things were better then people wouldn't be buying. Are things were they should be, NO, but if the Obstructionist Republicans are replaced by sane people who know that compromise is the only way to get stuff done, then things will be much better.
I don't care if you vote Republican, find a good sensible Republican, do NOT vote for someone who has spend two years trying to make the President fail instead of trying to get the economy moving!! When Republicans vote AGAINST their own bills, because they may have a chance of working, then those PEOPLE need to be gone!!
The republicans got there azz whooped last night and they are either to thick headed or scared to admit it. It is the beginning of the end for the Romney campaign...bye bye Mitt
Shawn D - The "New repugnican Party" has imploded. A large portion of the party - the moderates like myself have left the party. I did so, after being a proud republican all of my voting life - because I could not stomach the hate, greed, selfishness and corruption that is going on now more then ever. There are liars, cheats, etc. in every party...that is just the way things go when you have people making a career out of government rather then seeing it as a public service - but the NRP, new repugnican party, (I call it thus as I do not believe this party is the one that I joined and supported for so many years) - has now gone extemist. They are no longer a party concerned with the success of America.
A country will not be sucessful when it's citizens are not educated, healthy or happy - look at the third world toilets that exist. A democracy relies on it's citizens to be empowered and educated enough to choose the best alternatives. If we continue to split our citizens into have and have nots - without proper care and education to allow them to become good citizens - we will see this country implode also.
The biggest misconception of the NRP is that all people want to do is be lazy and get a handout...that is the furthest from the truth...the large majority want to earn a decent living for themselves and their families and just want to be treated fairly and equally - and given the opportunity are some of the worlds best workers and providers. The reason America has gone so far towards success is that it allowed it's citizens the hope and provided the opportunities to succeed. We need to step up this process, not erode it. We need to cooperate not condemn. My biggest hope is that this election will not start us down the road to distrust, greed and selfishness that I see so prevalent in the current GOP. That is why I am now an independent.
Our economy is in an awful shape today, people are on unemployment, people can't find jobs. The debt is over 16 trillion. A lot of people want to throw the blame on former president Bush but he is not our president now, Obama is, and he was supposed to do what he stood up and promised the United States of America that he would do. Instead What Obama is doing is he is turning this nation away from everything that it was founded on. Our founding fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others from way way back stood on Godly principles. Obama does not stand on Godly principles. Obama is making these United States a place where people can live anyway they want to and do whatever they want, no morals. Under Obama anything goes, Abortion is ok, same sex marraige is ok they say love who you want to love, it'ts fine to let the government run everything, Obama has brought socialism in. Obama has let things come into the United States that God says are wrong. God is the judge and there is a judgement day coming from the ultimate judge God himself. These are the reasons our nation is in the shape it is in. As long as the nation keeps going this way nothing will be better. God cannot bless a nation that turns its back on him. If people will stand for what God stands for then God will see to it that the economy, jobs, the debt and all of this straightens itself out but not until. I hope and pray that all the christian people out there in the United States will vote on Nov 6. I hope they will not just stay home and not vote at all.
Your rant does not make sense? This country is a melting pot for many religions, not just christianity. That is why the founding fathers decided on a division between church and state - to not allow any one religion to be favored against the others. As for what god says is right and wrong - who are you to tell someone this - the creator is in all of us....and is not a voting democrat nor a republican....nor are you the creator but some misguided egotist that thinks they have all the answers and know the creator's plan. Get real.....the creator allows people to freely believe what they want to....why can't you do the same.
Obama did not anticipate a Republican do NOTHING Congress that made it their goal to make America fail!
Our founding fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others from way way back stood on Godly principles. Actually Washington was a deist and Jefferson was agnostic. They both blended many religions into the foundations of this country not just Christainty. Doesn't it bother you that Ryan is Anti-Christian? He studied and adopted the philosophy of Aynn Rand who herself was Anti-Christian. She felt that Christian were stupid and simple minded easily manipulated people. It was her and now Ryan's philosophy that there should be 2 classes of people wealthy and severants. She did not believe in Charity and believed if you practiced Charity your were an idiot. Look at Ryan's budget through Rand's eyes, tax cuts for the rich, tax hikes on the poor, cutting social services , giving more money to corporations, it is Aynn Rands vision, and as Anti-Christian as you can get! Thanks for voting for the true Christian, Obama!
This is a secular democracy and we all have religious freedom. Why do Jesus freaks think they own the country? I practice my religion, but that's a private matter. President Obama is doing nothing to undermine religion. As a constitutional law professor, he knows what his job is. Morality can have many faces. Our president believes in respect and justice for all, a high moral mandate. Republicans want respect only for themselves and justice for a few chosen ones. Want a country ruled by religion? Try Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan.
Easy credit was the prime reason for the mess we are in. Wall Street certainly added to it, but easy credit increased demand for housing thus driving up prices. Too many refianced and took cash out to finance a lifestyle far beyond the means of the taxpayer. New cars, vacations, luxuries and overspending drove people into debt way over their head. With the idea that housing prices would just continue to escalate and fund this debt explosion people were not prepared for the bubble to burst. Now people are stuck with houses they cannot afford, debt they cannot pay and they all want to blame the other guy. "They said I could afford this" is the cry of the greedy fool.
Wow, a lucent post... Yes, easy credit, pushed by politicians who wanted to make home ownership "more accessible" (and you know who those politicians were), and signed-off on and borrowed by morons who don't read their loan papers and understand how to budget their income... THAT was a huge contributor to the housing bubble, which really kicked this whole sh** storm off. Blaming tax cuts on the recession is just a smoke screen, just go the GAO and track revenues over the years... It ain't rocket-science people..
Jeff Lebowski,
You do know it was GW Bush who said "....To open up the doors of homeownership there are some barriers, and I want to talk about four that need to be overcome. First, down payments. A lot of folks can't make a down payment. They may be qualified. They may desire to buy a home, but they don't have the money to make a down payment. I think if you were to talk to a lot of families that are desirous to have a home, they would tell you that the down payment is the hurdle that they can't cross. And one way to address that is to have the federal government participate."
It was Bush who pushed us into the housing mess that nearly brought down this country!!
"And so we've called upon Congress to set up what's called the American Dream Down Payment Fund, which will provide financial grants to local governments to help first-time home buyers who qualify to make the down payment on their home. If a down payment is a problem, there's a way we can address that. And when Congress funds the program, this should help 200,000 new families over the next five years become first-time home buyers."
Secondly, affordable housing is a problem in many neighborhoods, particularly inner-city neighborhoods. … I'm doing is proposing a single-family affordable housing credit to encourage the construction of single-family homes in neighborhoods where affordable housing is scarce.
Over the next five years the initiative will provide home builders and therefore home buyers with -- home builders with $2 billion in tax credits to bring affordable homes and therefore provide an additional supply for home buyers. …
And, of course, one of the larger obstacles to minority homeownership is financing, is the ability to have their dream financed. Right now, we have a program that all of you are familiar with, maybe our fellow Americans are, and that's what they call a Section 8 housing program, that provides billions of dollars in vouchers to help low-income Americans with their rent. It encourages leasing. We think it's important that we use those vouchers, that federal money to help low-income Americans go from being somebody who leases to somebody who owns; that we use the Section 8 program to not only help with down payment, but to help with continuing monthly mortgage payments after they're into their new home. It is a -- it is a way to help us meet this dream of 5.5 million additional families owning their home.
And we've got to set priorities. And one of the key priorities is going to be inner-city America. …
Another obstacle to minority homeownership is the lack of information. You know, getting into your own home can be complicated. It can be a difficult process. I had that very same problem."
Humm, it sounds like everything you blamed on Obama actually came out of the mouth of GW Bush, 10 years before Obama took office.
I am better off than I was 4 years ago. The reason Romney said no one says they are better off than 4 years ago is because he is not listening.
Please tell me Mitt Romney: Are you better off now then 4 yrs ago?
Cause last time I checked the Dow Jones has climbed 50+% since Obama took office. I'm guessing he doesn't want to show his tax returns because it will show, among others, that Romney's personal wealth grew tremendously under Obama.
Is Romney really this dumb or is he acting?
Oh Lordy....... t he comments here SCREAM....... "Ya Can't Fix Stupid"
November can't come fast enough........... tic toc.......
Dow is back to pre-crisis! Way to go Obama!
Boring speech from Obama. Nothing new move on.
not like mittens exhilarating speech, right?
another whopping LIE from Mittens...i heard that we are better off several times...Mittens, why are you such a degenerate liar?
The President hit a home run tonight! Sorry, Tea Baggers, your 'candidate' was rediculous to begin with and now he's practically history, bad history at that. They didn't want him in Massachusetts and the people in this country won't want him for president. He has no plan, no vision and the same old Republican trickle-down-trust-me economics. We are better off than 4 years ago. We have gone from losing 750,000 jobs per month under Republicans to gaining 200,000 a month today under Obama. Oh yeh, lets go back to the idiots that wrecked this country!
So Romney thinks Russia is are biggest enemy? What happened to Al Qaeda? Oh that's right, Romney never heard of Al Qaeda and 9-1-1? And you Republicans nominated this bozo? Good Luck with that one. Right - It's 'old news' but you still got some debates ahead, and bozo isn't going to get any smarter.
Mitt, you just need to go away, sit down somewhere and be quiet. No one that matters is listening to you any more. My suggestion; you and Paul should back out of the debates; you guys are in way over your head. You and Paul are toast.
Yes, they are crispy critters whose donors should save their campaign money for better uses. I don't think it helps the Republican case to ask the American people if they think they would've been better off if McCain/Palin had been directing the conversation!
Umm...Mitt, hate to break it to you, but if the Republicon congress would put aside politics and do what's right for this country those numbers wouldn't be near that high. But that would go against policy of non cooperation with a Democratic President.....especially one who's a man of color.
Umm Joe, obama had full control for 2 years. Do some research homie and quit listening to everything obama and the democrats shove down your throat.
Always play the "race card" when you have nothing relevant, or true, to say.
We are thankful that the Republicans have been doing what is best for America the last two years. Too bad they weren't more successful the first two years of Obama's disastrous administration.
Hey Bernie, and who exactly do you THINK Willard plans to have making all those SACRIFICES, his sons???? LMAO NO YOU AND YOURS! Just as others sacrificed their pensions, wages, benefits so that WILLARD and HIS VULTURES could have a hundred million in THEIR retirement accounts.
Bernie go watch the HUNGER GAMES and ask if THAT is the FUTURE YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILDREN, because that movie is the Republican VISION for America.