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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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President Obama couldn't change all he wanted because the republican/tea party obstructed him at every turn. YOU PEOPLE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THAT YOU CAN GET ELECTED BY DOING A GOOD JOB, & BEING HONEST. Maybe you could try that for the next 4 years, & when you run in 2016. Try being real!! Try caring about your constituents instead of your stupid rich donors & lobbyists. This would be the shortest way to gaining your beloved control. Remember you're working for the american ideals, not rich people getting richer & giving you more money. GREED DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK. Intelligent people see through your evil!!!
"Change"? Is this because he changes his stance on everything bi weekly??? Time to head to France Willard,it's over..
It always has to be a struggle and a battle with consevatives. They oppose any ideal that is progressive and it can work good but they spends years trying to undo it. Conservatives opposed civil rights for blacks and equal rights for women and the list goes on and on. Can anyone tell me of one thing they have supported that advanced Western Civilization.
Romney is a candidate of change, no doubt about it. Four years of Romney and ninety percent of the U.S. population will have nothing in their pockets but change.
Obama/Biden 2012
Romney/Ryan 1040
As opposed to now? Unemployment over 8% for 4 almost years. Record number of people on food stamps. I wouldn't mind change in my pockets it would bee an improvement over the past 4 years.
President Obama has not failed to pass anything,Congress has,and it just so happens that it is a Republican majority House.They are trying to fail the President,but they are actually failing us.It's so petty,and they do not care who they drag down with them.The Republicans have made it clear they will never play nice, and do their jobs.The Democrats will regain the House again and a GOP pick would only cause more Deadlock.When the President gets his Democratic House back,it will begin the annihilation of the defective policies that are halting progress.
Like all he did in his first 2 years when his own party had to be bribed to vote with him?
His "bribes" help everyone, not just himself.
Yes indeed he is the candidate of change - He changes his line every day but (of course) he never changes his mind.
Even though Bush was a disaster Democrats treated him much better than the Republicans have treated Pres. Obama.
Romney really agrees with Obama. Here's what he said. Etch a sketch in action
“I believe that at this time, to change Washington, it would be helpful to have somebody who comes with more private sector skill, experience outside Washington. I don't think you change Washington from the inside. I think you change it from the outside,"
Romney said in late 2007,
If your campaign is directed by Fox News, you don't expect anyone to fact check or look for old recordings that contradict what you just said because Fox News has sheeple for an audience. And if you do fact check or point out contradictions, Fox News will shout you down or change the subject. Now that Bishop Romney has turned over his campaign to Fox and Drudge, expect things to be in their MO.
Every candidate who ever ran for national office promised to "change Washington." It's the most over used campaign promise cliche. No one ever does. The only thing Romney will change is his mind on where he stands on any given issue. Yesterday, he didn't care about the 47%, today he cares about 100%. The guy must get whiplash every time he opens his mouth.
Romney has some kind of file of Pres. Obama's comments because he repeats just about everything he says at one time or other depending on the group he is talking to.
Romney, Ryan, McConnell, Cantor, Boehner, Palin, Bachman, Hannity, Limburgh, Tea Bag Suckers.
And anyone would wonder why the Republican's are dangerous and out of touch?
OBAMA/BIDEN 4 Sure 4 More
I don't believe Romney needed to publicly announce that he is the candidate of change. I cannot think of any position he has taken that he hasn't changed depending on the audience. You either have to believe that or believe that he is a guy in his sixties who has not learned to express himself. Of course, you can always buy into the communist media theory which is that only conservatives get asked the tough questions. They don't deny the answers-just resent the questions. I wish the republicans would have nominated Huntsman but he is too moderate for them and I am too.
rom;nuts is such a liar he doesn't remember what he has said in the past. He said the exact same words verbatim on more than one occasion. I think the Obama campaign has been picking staements out of old rom;ney recordings and then President Obama says the words and rom;nuts with a knee-jerk reaction and without aiming shoots off his mouth and then the tapes all surface of rom;ney saying the very words for which he is trying unsuccessfully to attack President Obama. Where I am from it is called snooker.
The circular logic is amazing. "Im an outsider, so vote for me because Washington cant be changed from the inside like the President said" without realizing that if he becomes President, he wont be an outsider any longer. Sad part is that many people will fall for it.
GOPeaParty:
It is becoming clear your defeat in 2012 may rival or exceed that of 2008. So, your goal of making President Obama a one term president will likely be a lost cause.
On November 7, you will face a new choice: continue sabotaging our economy or put our nation above party politics. Of course, you should do the latter. Otherwise, nations (.e.g. China) will continue to prosper while our U.S. struggles with ceaseless internecine political wars.
A solid victory for President Obama should prove to you that the American people have not been fooled by your Machiavellian chicanery. The dismal approval rating of the Tea Party dominated HOR provides additional proof. It seems the only ones fooled by your antics is......you.
It is past time for you to do more than simply pay lip service to patriotism. Stop holding this country back. Join with President Obama in moving this country up and forward. If you cannot do that, then please just step aside.
One last thing: Prepare now for 2016. Find yourselves a decent, honorable, and competent set of candidates. No doubt you realize, your primary choices in 2012 were dismal.
Can I get an "Amen"/
I think it's obvious that Romney is a smart man.
How can he say such "Stupid Things"?
Obama/Biden 4 More 4 Sure
Give him Credit! By election day he will have "Stood For It" "Supported It" "Opposed It" "Denied It" "Thought of It", or "Forgotten It"
Obama Biden 4 More 4 Sure
This Romney is a stupid man, he himself in a video some weeks ago said he couldnt change Washington. What a FRAUD , he is the Minister of Confusion among other things too much to mention. I am afraid of him
Control of Congress is more or equally as important as the presidency. So in order to get things done and move this country forward,
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!...
...Vote Democrats in and vote Republicans out.
I'm sure Mutt would try to make many changes, after all the Republicans in congress would be on his side. The problem is that most of his "changes" would in all likelihood be detrimental to the middle class. You know, the middle class who built this country, defend it, repair it, feed it all those necessary things!
Romney's last chance to show America he wants to be President.
I think there is only one solution that Romney has left if he wants to become President of the United States.
He has to give up ALL of his possesions and all of his assets either in a bank or otherwise.
This means if will have to sell off everything he owns and give the money that he has raised to those in need in America and other hard hit areas of the world.
By Romney liquidating ALL of his assets and coming before America as a man of truth and means and not just money perhaps Americans would see him fit to be a President.
If Romney cares so much for America then losing what he has will mean nothing to him as his possesions are merely objects with a monetary value.
Once in office he will receive a paycheck just like any other President.
What a test of loyalty and service to America.
Giving up all of wordly possession to be seated by the American people as the President of the U.S.
Romney has to give it ALL up.
He can't keep anything in holding or vaults nor can friends buy up his posessions and then return them to him after his time in office is up.
Do you think that Romney would go to such lengths to be the leader of the U.S.?
Such a leader would never before have been seated in the history of America.
So whats more important Romney?
Your posession and status and wealth or serving.....
America?
And he changes over and over again.This man is not presidential material.Queen Ann should try to get them on one of the housewives show.That should'nt be HARD for them!!!!
It would be change, all right. Women's rights--gone. Your sons, grandsons sent to war(??Iran) but not his family who have never served their country(5 sons)& of course himself(he hid out in France for 2 yrs. behind his church.to avoid Vietnam)... Your job--gone; remember he likes to fire people and send your job to China. Your little bit of money--gone; remember he likes to enrich himself and the rest of the 1% at your expense. Do you like to work for Walmart wages; remember he likes to demolish unions, so be prepared when your huge corporations decide to pay you crumbs. Remaining middle class is unlikely; do you like poverty better?? If the right wing conservatives take over our country, they'll destroy it. Think environmental pollution, global warming--yes, they want no regulations!!
To the person who said Obama did not lie us into a war................No he just lied us into a TAX (Healthcare) when he said NO NEW TAXES during his campaign, he lied about not fixing immigration laws (and then he does not even have the balls to support the states who tried to since the federal government would not do their job), because of him they are lying to us about the terroism in Libya, Syria etc..........we were attacked not because of the video that had been out for months...........it is because of Obama we are seen as weak and that he supports Muslims because he is one--------the people in Libya etc do not have free access to TV and internet as we Americans do....there stuff is censored and they are only allowed to view government approved stations and government approved internet sites. They only see what their government allows them to. They don't get utube and a lot of other social sites. We saw all the same things when Democrat Jimmy Carter was in office as to the terroism, highjackings etc. Carter was not a strong leader as seen by the rest of the world...........Obama is not seen as a strong leader to the rest of the world and that my friends will get us into more trouble than housing, unemployment, recessions, economy etc........our dems are not democrats they are Progressives and if they continue their agenda we will all be jobless, praying to Allah and worshipping Muhammed.
Moron!
That would be an insult to morons. Debbie is in a sub-basement category all by herself.
turn off Faux News you imbecile!
He has been changing for the last 8 years that he has been campaigning for president!!!lololololol