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SARASOTA, FL—Mitt Romney seized on remarks delivered by President Obama today, attempting to seize the role of “change” candidate after the president seemed to suggest in a televised forum that he could not change Washington from the inside.
"We face a Washington that’s broken, that can’t get the job done. The president today threw in the white flag of surrender again. He said he can’t change Washington from inside. He can only change it from outside,” Romney said. “Well, we’re going to give him that chance in November. He’s going outside!”
Romney was referring to an answer President Barack Obama gave to Spanish-language broadcaster Univision at a forum in Miami just a few hours before Romney took the stage. At the forum, which Romney attended last night, the president was asked to name his biggest failure.
The president told the forum’s moderator that he felt his biggest failure was in not passing comprehensive immigration reform, then pivoted to lessons-learned.
“The most important lesson I've learned is that you can't change Washington from the inside. You can only change it from the outside,” bama said. “That's how I got elected, and that's how the big accomplishments, like health care, got done, was because we mobilized the American people to speak out.”
Romney campaign aides, on the defensive for much of the last week over Romney’s surreptitiously-recorded comments in a May fundraiser, began blasting out the comments on social media, while other aides brought them to Romney’s attention on the nine-minute drive from his lunchtime fundraiser to the afternoon rally.
Taking the podium under sweltering conditions, Romney attacked.
“This is time for a new president. He went from the president of change to the president who can’t get change,” Romney said. “I heard it from the reports that came out and they said the president of the United States says he can’t change Washington from the inside. Isn’t that amazing?”
“No wonder he’s had such a hard time over the last four years his first two years he had a Democratic house, Democratic senate, he got to do whatever the heck he wanted to but he says he can’t change it from the inside,” Romney continued. “Well I will. I’ll get the job done, we’ll change Washington we’ll restore the economic strength."
Republicans quickly flagged Obama's line as indicative of Obama's failure to deliver on high expectations he created as a candidate in 2008. The GOP argued that Obama's comment amounted to a concession that business persists as usual in Washington.
Noting that Obama regularly refers to change in Washington as slow-moving and a goal that must be sought for from outside the capital. "Change is hard" has become a refrain for Obama in his campaign stops, his plea to supporters from 2008 whose enthusiasm has waned.
The Obama campaign quickly labeled Romney’s comments as “wildly out of context,” and called the attack built on them an act of desperation.
Nevertheless, the Romney campaign, sensing an opening, made the concept of Romney-as-change-candidate the centerpiece of today’s rally here in a county John McCain won by only a few hundred votes four years ago, but where Republicans see an opportunity to run up large margins this November.
“Now I know that the people of America have a choice. They can choose thecurrent incumbent. He represents the status quo. If we reelect Barack Obama you know exactly what we're going to see,” Romney said, adding that a vote for the GOP ticket this fall would be a vote for “real change.”
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Jamie R
I agree with you about the tax loopholes, but they are available to people at every class. This is our system. I agree that the tax code needs changing. However approx 48% of the population pays no Federal Witholding Taxes. I happen to be one of them and I do not think that is right either. I do believe that corporations would bring back jobs and start hiring more if they felt secure about the future. To much uncertainty at this time. Giving an across the board tax break to individuals and corps would stimulate growth and investment. Do you feel that the government is a wise steward of your tax dollars and deserves more?
You mean like the across the board tax cuts by Bush stimulated growth and investment? He did it twice and then we went into the 2nd worst economic disaster in our history. What we got was growth of the unemployed and growth of the homeless. We also got growth of off shore bank accounts.
change, seriously, Change from side A to side B or changed the magic underwear. How about I grew a backbone and really stand up for something, or I don't hold half of the American Population in utter contempt and mean it, nah not possible, probably one of the $$ told romney no more $$ if he didn't perform properly. Jeez.
obama 2012
First...Romney must not be paying attention that he's getting his ass kicked in the polls right now and the only thing he will be changing after the election is what he always does which is his underwear and socks. Second...Romney and his very rich friends will have to actually pay their "fair share" of taxes for a "change". I guess the good news for Mitt and Ann is that they will have more time to spend with their dancing pony. They really should since they took a $70,000 write off on their taxes for that special privilege.
Ass Kicked ??? The Obama is barely leading in some polls. Pretty bad when you considered he's the incumbant and has the Media totally on his side.
Tangent:
Game Over. Continue to spend more of your hard earned cash on Romney Ads. Game Over. See you in 2016.
I agree with Romney's policies every other day.
Tangeant2, the media can't keep up with Romney's missteps.
I don't know anymore if all these really are mis-steps. I'm beginning to think Romney is a closeted Democrat. Which would also explain why he's afraid to show his tax forms; he probably donated to the dem party in the past few years and didn't want the repub base to know.
shortly after president obama was elected, mitch mcconnel a republican, said that he would do everything he could do to see that this president fails, if anyone outside of government would have said that, he or she would currently be in prison, no one prosecuted mr mcconnel, or any of the other members of the republicans that have all joined in on the continued effort to sabotage everything in the last 3 and 3/4 years,
a government of the people and by the people, is no longer functionial, it has become a war within government itself of us versus them, and winning does not come by deliberate sabotage.
Obama sabotaged his own presidency by not acting like a president. He is so far out of touch that he couldn't even get his own party to back him on the hill for alot of his socialist ideas.
The Chicago Machine " My way or else " doesn't work well in DC.
Tangent:
Doubling of Middle Class Tax Cuts (vs W), 1000 less/year thanks to leaving the banks out of my student loans. New job opportunities thanks to the acceptance of a changing economy. Healthcare that doesn't bankrupt a family?
What are you upset about?
tangean - Why are you really against Chicago? What your Faux Maggots have told you? I was raised in Chicago - graduated University of Chicago - best second Financial City after New York - so little tangean - vomit when you hide behind these preposterous names
Where have you traveled - where are your credentials - lay them out little boy - what is your worldly view of the world
Do you even know where these countries are located - can you identify them on a map?
Listen kid - go to your local library - pick up a book I know that's foreign to you then come back and post
There are adults here and your just a junior player - and frankly you don't even deserve a yawn - my grandchildren are smarter than you they all have degrees and I made sure they traveled and learned about the rest of the world
Change? Oh, you mean next week. Wait till next one, we'll see something else.
Romney is definitely the change candidate...it seems he changes every few days, if not every few hours.
Reading some of these posts is quite comical! The polls mean nothing at this time they are all skewed either over or under sampled mostly in favor of the liberal side.
Most of you people have a short memory. Do you remember 2010 elections? One of the worst Democratic drubbings in history at every level of government. A complete repudiation of Obamas policies and leadership.
Why do you think it is different now? We are still here, just as motivated as ever and Obama is even a worse President at this time. Why would the outcome be any different?
Ah yes. Desperation at it's finest.
Obama/Biden 2012!
At this rate Romney is going to run out of straws to grasp at.
I just noticed that when Romney dunks his head in a bucket of black hair color, he not only misses his side burns, he is missing the bottom of the back. I guess he can’t see that in the mirror. You would think that Ann would tell him.
Tangeant2...I will say again...Romney is getting his ass kicked. Just look at the political posts being made right now on multiple sites. Get a calculator and count for yourself pro and con for Obama and Romney. Your boy is getting pummeled!!!The party is over...and getting more over by the day. If "gaffes" were an olympic event Romney would be even richer than he is because he would have a boat load of medals..and the debates are yet to come. LOL Can't wait to see how many more times he can stick his foot in his mouth between now and November. It's not a matter of if...it's a matter of how many. LOL, LOL, LOL.
Some candidates "evolve" during a campaign. Mr Romney revolves. That man has done so many 360's it's a wonder he hasn't corkscrewed himself into oblivion. Then again maybe he has.
I'm not sure if any poster mentioned this but didn't Willard look fabulous in his spray-on tan? I'm sure he thought that if he just had a darker skin color he'd be more acceptable to Latinos and then they would have no reason not to vote for him. Now that's pandering.
Obama/Biden 2012!
Like I said, a COWARD is what COWARD Romney is.
Today he has changed his mind about the 47 % after 2 days and 2 nights bashing those 47 % and now just TODAY, COWARD Romney says that he is, wait for this, FOR THE 100 %
COWARD Romney will not release his taxes of 10 years.
COWARD Romney ran from an American WAR to France.
COWARD Romney wouldn't let any of his big strong sons serve in America's military because they were helping COWARD Romney win elections. But COWARD Romney will send your kids to WAR in another land
COWARD Romney hides his American money in off shore accounts and yet has the nerve to try and label Pres Obama a FOREIGN or says that it is Pres Obama who is doing FOREIGN THINGS.
Romney ...want to change, prove it and direct your jerk Republican House Leader to pass the damn farm bill now. You want to wait until after the elections, I say we lock you a$$hole republicans up in the room with no food or water until the bill is passed. If you can't provide food for people who are in need, then you need to know what it is like to be without. Anyone left alive will be given rations of bread and water after 7 days, the rest can be thrown into the dumpster provided for removing the trash.
Today, I a saw a guy scraping a Rommey sticker off his car,it was Paul Ryan.
Leno
Did you see the "Romney doesn't want to be president" commercial on Leno?
I guess Romney didn't understand that Obama was talking about getting the dirt bag republicans out of congress so he can get some jobs bills passed. Republicans have blocked anything and everything that would help the economy. And it looks like they have fooled about 43% of the voters. Vote straight democrat to get this country moving again.
Republicans filibustered a veterans jobs bill yesterday. I remember several years ago when they blocked a health care bill for the first responders of 9-11. Money and power is all they care about.
Indeed, I couldn't believe that the republicans filibustered that Bill. 4 republicans who co-wrote that bill voted against it. Can you believe that? One of them is Pat Toomey, the embarrassment that a majority of my fellow Pennsylvanians voted for in 2010.
Mitt Rmoney is once again being a fool. We, the voters are those who can and will change Washington, not a pretentious fool whose policies will simply perpetrate the status quo. Mitt Rmoney always danced the Lambada with Ann Rmoney for 15 minutes, every time Mitch McConnell and the GOTP blocked President Obama's jobs bills in the Senate. They believed that by keeping the unemployment high and a sluggish economy, that would help him and queen Ann be the next residents in the WH. Mitt, "we people' will end your political career on November 6th.
Thanks Bulboja you just saved me a lot of typing! Good post & i totally agree.Altho a question for all,And it is
Who the heii IS Mitt Romney??
Not over till its over,lets not get over confident,Get out and VOTE.
Yes! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote! vote!
Here Mitt, I am giving you 1 final chance to state some kind of change that makes sense and hasn't been tried and failed. Vague answers like: reducing taxes on the top 1%, reduce regulations, open all the oil wells in the USA, and sign where Grover Norquist and the Republicans want me too are just not good, complete, thought out ideas and promises I can see might work. You have failed in 2 Presidential elections to state anything that an American voter can say I like his idea and promise because it at least has been thought out thoroughly, may work, and hasn't been done without failing. If Romney's only promise is to lower taxes on the top 1% and he can't state a single other tax break tied to some contingency to spur job creation in the USA, only, then he has clearly not put any real thinking into a real plan. So Mitt, state some real change that you can say:" that was my idea" or prepare to fail at being the next President
Get smarter he gets no more chances from me! After all this guy has been running for president for six years now! he can't even run his own campaign without screwing up everything he says let alone does.I'am afraid he would be a total wreck as our president & really mess things up.
I'am going with Obama & so is the rest of my voting age family.
yvonne stevenson - Tonight on MSNBC - Lawrence O'Donell had a former Mormon supporter that saw the tapes and said this man sickened his stomach
This man has even alienated his own Church - how low can you get?
Poor Mitt he has such a hard time keeping up with his lies, ahmm I mean changes....
Good A.M. to you progressives posting on the site. It is refreshing to read comments from people who think for themselves and make informed choices and decisions. I was practically black and blue from my last discussion with the conservatives. Has everyone seen Romney's commerical begging for money.
Black and blue Prog? When I converse with the braindead righties, their blows kind of tickle because all their comments are so idiotic I can't stop laughing. If we could somehow bring in minimum IQ requirements for voting, the entire republican party would be finished once and for all!
Problem is Flip-Flop Mitt won't get specific about what the change will be before he's elected
Republicans for Obama
Because the GOP just can't seam to put anyone worthy up there to vote for!
Romney the change candidate? I'll bet the Republican party wishes they could change the candidate.
I'm not a repub, but I do wish Romney would get real, step down....and let someone else run for these last few weeks. Obama needs to be challenged.
Replace him Jon? With one of the OTHER clown candidates?? Believe it or not Romney probably IS the best candidate other than Jon Huntsman who stood no chance whatsoever because he worked for the devil himself, Barack Obama. Would Newt Gingrich have been a better candidate, or crazy Michelle Bachmann? That half-wit Rick Perry? The entire republican party are nothing but a gang of corporate thugs out to bleed every last drop of blood that they can out of ordinary Americans. This is their problem, not Romney. They are, quite simply, no longer a viable choice.
He should run on a hope and change platform, it seemed to work on all of you sheeple
the only change will be the missing change from your pockets and piggy banks which will make repubs richer.