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Subscribe to RSSAs Mitt Romney's long, hard-fought race for the presidency came to an end, the campaign faced a stinging loss – and at one point even cut out the audio on broadcast screens in the campaign's election night ballroom as the results poured in. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
As Republicans sort through what went wrong for former Republican nominee Mitt Romney on Tuesday, they might look back ruefully at four words that became forever associated with the GOP nominee: "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt."
There are varied reasons for President Barack Obama's re-election to a second term, from changing demographics to superior campaign organization and beyond. And Obama's broad margin in the Electoral College meant that no single state was responsible for his victory over Romney.
David Goldman / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrives to his election-night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 7, in Boston.
But as Republicans begin to pick through the aftermath of Romney's loss, Romney's struggles to address his opposition the 2009 rescue of General Motors and Chrysler stymied an effort to gain a foothold in Obama's Midwestern "firewall," and turn his attention to other key battleground states.
Related: Romney's chances in Ohio tied to softening auto bailout stance
It was an issue with which Romney struggled for the duration of the campaign, as Obama traipsed across Midwestern states, hammering away against his Republican opponent on the issue, while touting the resurgence of GM and Chrysler following the billions in aid provided to the companies.
A strong majority - 60 percent - of voters on Tuesday in Ohio said that they had approved of the auto bailout, and Obama beat Romney among those voters by a healthy 73 to 25 percent difference.
In Wisconsin, another state that composed Obama's firewall (along with Iowa), a majority of voters - 53 percent - said they had approved of the bailout. Obama bested Romney among those voters, 79 to 20 percent.
Republican political strategist Mike Murphy joins Chuck Todd to talk about Mitt Romney's struggle to court the popular vote.
Those numbers suggest that Romney's effort over the past year to recast his opposition to the bailout, put bluntly, failed.
Romney's New York Times op-ed opposing then-President George W. Bush's efforts to extend aid to the troubled automakers came just weeks after the 2008 election -- four years ago next Saturday, to be exact.
And while it's unlikely that the former Massachusetts governor himself wrote the provocative headline that would stick with him through his 2012 campaign, he wrestled and struggled with the issue throughout his battle with Obama.
Even in the primaries, Romney's conservative challengers argued it was callous for him to have supported the Wall Street bailout while opposing the auto rescue, especially as a native son of Michigan whose father ran a car company when Romney was young.
Romney reasoned that the managed bankruptcy endured by GM and Chrysler was actually his idea in the first place. And then he pivoted to argue that bondholders and dealers were shortchanged in that process, to the benefit of autoworkers' unions, which had backed Obama in 2008.
But neither of those arguments seemed to resonate in the long term, prompting Romney in the closing weeks of the campaign to address his deficiency with a deeply misleading pair of radio and TV ads stoking fears that Jeep was planning to move production from the U.S. to China.
Those ads were ostensibly an effort to make gains with swing voters in the outlying areas surrounding Toledo, the home to a major Jeep production facility.
But Obama carried Lucas County, which includes Toledo, last night by the same margins as 2008. The president also carried nearby Ottowa and Wood Counties (albeit by a slimmer margin than '08), despite Bush having won both in 2000 and 2004.
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No Surprise
Give the 47% plus union mentality and black vote a chance to vote and they will vote for themselves.
But no OBAMA will have to clean up his own mess. Lots of luck.................
the so-called bailout of GM was a bribe to the UAW......GM is about to go under again....you libs are so awesomely stupid....you just re-elected santa claus......sad
obama will be impeached or indicted......LIBYA hasn't gone away.......obama is a coward and a traitor....
You must be smoking some funny stuff...Many of the Ditto Heads last week were saying "libs,wait for Nov 6"...Don't hear too much from them today....Hmmmmmm!
hey bill.....just wait.....it ain't over
As far as I remember, Obama won...Therefore,I assume the election is over.Correct me if I'm wrong.
So what you're saying, mc-wacky, is that you want Joe Biden to run the country. Be careful what you wish for.
GM and Chrysler went bankrupt anyways and now we all own GM and Fiat owns Chrysler. Good for the people that were able to keep their jobs. Too bad for the thousands that lost huge chunks of their retirement accounts, too bad for all of those dealerships that were shuttered. The last numbers that I saw were that the gov stands to lose about $27million on the GM bailout. This is good, and this is forward progress. yea
how in the feck did this ahsshole obama get re-elected??..oh yeah libs believe in unicorns, magic carpet rides, and santa claus.......pathetic.....this country may be too far gone.......sad
Actually, mc_wacky, we believe in the right to vote. If this country is so far gone, maybe you should just leave.
Actually cowpaddy he was re-elected cuz we believe in America ... and we believe (along with rest of the world) that OBAMA IS THE MAN !!!! ... get over it ... nothing u can do now ... hehehehehehe ... take your cowpaddies and shove em where the sun don't shine ....
Political parties will never control voters within minorities groups
by ignoring demographic changes nor by showing apathy and indifference on daily issues affecting those groups throughout the nation.
Embraced minorities leaders, will Gide theirs constituencies to follow party’s platforms’
That is inclusive and beneficial to all, or you will not find a partner
So let political parties not forget that 2 are needed to tangle.
I find it rather disturbing someone like Romney could come so close to winning the election and garner 48% of the popular vote. Not because I think he's a bad person. Rather, he's someone who wanted to win so badly he wouldn't run on his own values and instead adopted the platform of a political party just so he could be on the ballot.
I think we've reached a stage where having political parties does us a disservice. Why not make everyone run on their own platforms? As it is now, I think 95% of actual voters vote for a party and not the ideals of a candidate.
Governing the country isn't football. We shouldn't root for political parties like we're at a game. And yet, I see that all the time from both sides.
it is completely disturbing that you moron libs re-elected this asswipe obama....
mcpaddy- are you channelling Limbaugh? why cant you ever present an argument supported by facts and not your opinion? Every ass has an opinion.......
Hey mc_wacky, thanks for the praise. It was my personal pleasure to completely disturb you.
lmfao ... too funny gent ... cowpaddy disturbed ????
to paddy
you are laying down and spitting when you say the things you say about our President.
It is most exciting knowing the House of Reps has to compromise and work with the President!! Now, we can get things done with our President's well earned political capital!
We are moving FORWARD while you lay there and spit.
'
Mcpaddywick here is another song for you it's called the rodeo song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC4Av2aUah8
A few well earned Goodbyes :
Buh-Bye now Myth Romney Presidential wannabe and total LIAR.
Buh-Bye Republican Senator Scott Brown FORMER Senator of Massachusetts.
Buh-Bye Republican Congressman Joe Walsh FORMER Congressman of Illinois.
Buh-Bye Republican Congressman Allen West FORMER Congressman of Florida.
Buh-Bye Republican Senate Hopeful Richard Murdock.
Buh-Bye Republican Senate Hopeful Todd Akin.
Lets see which radical righties doing nothing for anyone else other than themselves and their BIG money backers are Next?!?!
Now To the republican congressional house who got lucky and the rest of the Republican governor's, mayors and such ...
THIS IS NOT OVER,IT HAS JUST BEGUN!!! GROW UP and WISE UP! America has had enough of yourself serving radical out of touch obstructionist Bullsh!t! You’ll either get the message and stop your political BS this time round or WE (America) will MAKE DAMN SURE you do next time around!
Romney never overcame the vitriolic bias of the media. It was unashamedly mean-spirited, slanted, untruthful, and unrelenting. On the other hand, Obama was afforded just the opposite with nothing but praise. Shame on us for buying into their blather and not thinking for ourselves. A nation of sheep bleating out "obaaaama".
sure sue- its the polls, its the media
ir sure as hell isnt our message. we are right we are right we are right
if it wasnt for gerrymandering you would have lost the house also
its not us we are right we are right
keep on talking to yourself
Sue ..... mean-spirited, slanted, untruth, unrelenting, citriolic bias of the media ... me thinks you are talking romney's camp .... that's all the reasons he LOST ..... he built that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder how many of the people who voted for Romney voted for him because they thought he was wonderful, or if they voted for him just because he wasn't President Obama? The unbridled, irrational hatred of the president is unbelievable.
I couldnt bring myself to vote for either one so I had to go third party. Big government lazy bum in the white house who never put a budget forward in years nor reigned in any banks or a wants to rip you off completely and put you in the company town in the waiting. Not much of a choice. Not easy.
Deb.....it is very rational concern about Obama's policies that don't let us vote for him. It has nothing to do with hatred.
Here's something useful you can Wonder about!
The United States Credit Rating was lowered for the first time Ever because of Radical Republicans in congress claiming OUR DEBT THAT THEY CREATED, WAS TOO HIGH ! DO You rigthies remember Paul Ryans vote on ANY of this that America & President Obama got saddled with and had to pay ??? Or have your MEMORIES CONVIENTLY FAILED YOU AGAIN??
Bush Tax Cuts (2001-08), Ryan's Vote: YEA, Deficit Cost:$1.7 TRILLION
Extend Bush Tax Cuts, Ryan's Vote: YEA, Deficit Cost: $620 BILLION
Bush's TARP, Ryan's Vote: YEA, Deficit Cost: $700 BILLION
Military Force in Iraq, Ryan's Vote: YEA, Deficit Cost: $853 BILLION
ATTNTION REPUBLI-DUMBS THAT ARE WHINING ABOUT OBAMA'S SPENDING ! THATS $3.873 TRILLION PAUL RYAN & REPUBLICANS VOTED TO ADD TO THE DEFICIT EVEN BEFORE OBAMA TOOK OFFICE!! SO LETS TALK ABOUT THAT IRRESPONSIABLE RECKLESS, OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING!!!
...and that is what you call a slam dunk argument. Thanks RE
Fact: not one job was created by obstructionist republicans in 2 years! but 39 votes to end abortions (even in the case of rape and incest) were voted on and passed by the radical republican house!
Congrats to President Obama , and ,My First Read friends . As an Independent Voter , And yes ,I really am an Independent voter . I only came here because , I was sick and tired , Of Repubs lies . Yes , I am only here , to watch Gop/TP Heads EXPLODE . I may not have always been nice . I hate LIARS .
romney lost cause he is a bad candidate all around. You want to cut capital gains tax to zero when most of your income is derived from it? THis bailout thing, he wanted to scuttle and industry while the banks got a way with roberry. 47% are losers. I mean, obama is not much but this guy is a real piece of work. Money or not. He is not for anyone but himself.
....well the bail out comment plus calling 47% of all Americans bums. Plus changing his mind on every topic on a weekly basis. Plus wanting to give millionaires even bigger tax breaks. Plus having a dangerous foreign policy (when ever there was a hint of a policy). Plus raping the middle class and sending their jobs overseas. So the bailout comment was only part of the problem.
Your right. He doesn't represent average americans. But then, either does obama so what you gonna due - buy the dips I guess.
Put Romney and Obama side by side. Who looks like a President of the U.S.? Thats right, Romney.
Good thing , WE don't elect our leaders on looks then .
I thank GOD enough people had the brains to see through that huckster. I am appalled by the number of people who supported him, this should have been a slam dunk for Obama.
How many of them, I wonder, ever plugged Mitt's tax plan into their own 2011 tax returns? The simple truth is, a flat 20% extra off the top, that is paid for by eliminating deductions or credits, can ONLY shift the tax burden downward. In simple terms, deductions are everything if you earn less than a million, and deductions are nothing to you if you earn many many millions. What was YOUR break even point, where deductions you would lose equal that pretty little 20% off the top?
These morons of America would have taken on more tax burden, and for what? Not debt reduction, no. Only so Mitt could personally pocket more. What did they think he was going to do with all that extra, besides sock it away in off-shore accounts?
It was close because obama has no ideas and no agenda for the future except big govenment. So, negative ad's make it close. It was a hard choice - it was risky to vote for romney who gives a strong impression that the entire nation would be working in his company town if he had his druthers. Not a guy I want to be around.
"Romney never overcame bailout opposition"
Or
"Auto workers payed by Obama with taxpayer money surrendered their votes as promised"
Do you really think Ohio wouldn't have went to Romney if he was the one who handed them $500 billion?
Unions have always voted for whoever pays them, always will.
And this is why I have a really hard time buying a union made car. I will NEVER buy a GM product. They can stick their cars and their $28/hr salary plus benifits up their ying-yangs.
That would explain why telling them to "go bankrupt" wouldnt work very well...
Btw, what have you got against people making a decent wage? They dont owe you a cheap car.
Yo alan, that's right. Just keep on buying those jap and german cars. That's so good for America......NOT.
What the hell is wrong with the state of Floida? What a bunch of f**k-ups. They still don't have their votes in yet. This happens every four years. Why can't they get their sh!t together? We should give them to Cuba. LOL
Miami and dade county is a bananna republic. What do you expect from fence jumpers and ghetto.
This is kind of sad. If the truth was out there, people would understand that this really isn't an issue. Romney plan was pretty much the same things as the bailouts (GM and Chrysler both went bankrupt) anyways. The only difference is that Romney's plan would have not involved the government buying stock. Instead it would have been bought by private individuals.
Romney's plan wouldn't work, because there was no private money to borrow. Its a fallacy that they could go bankrupt and some bank would bail them out. The banks were failing too.
The only people looking at the industry were vulture capitalists like Romney. They would be shipping those assemply lines to China once they sold it all off piecemeal.
LMAO BREAKING NEWS Obama wins Florida 55 % To 45% . Thats my state BTW . We will remove Rick Scott and the rest of The Flea Bags next .
That's good to know since the pictures of people waiting in line for hours in 90+ degree heat to vote was an embarrassment to this country with an almost 250 year unbroken history of holding public elections. I don't know what happened in Florida (or Ohio for that matter - well actually I do but in the spirit of bipartisanship lets pretend we don't know) but this needs to be fixed, fast!
So Mitt was probably one of the worst candidates in the history of Repubican campaigns at the end of the day, but he did make history.
He lost Masachusettes, the state in which he was governor, by the largest majority in modern history. He also lost the state in which he was born, and all the states in which he owns homes. What a loser!
Oops ... put my glasses back on ... that's Massachusetts
... too funny grandall ... just too funny ... but soooo true !
All the talk of Romney the businessman - well, that's what business people do. Bankruptcy is a business decision not a personal one. Romney's purpose - from reading the article - is that the auto companies due to high union negotiated benefits, primarily pensions, needed to be "re-negotiated." By letting the companies go under the unions would then be forced to downsize demands and the federal government would take over the pension fund (not the "smaller" government that helps those in need and proposed by Romney but the part that helps takeover capitalists streamline a business by absorbing their obligations to protect workers.)
By Romney's reckoning if the auto industry were to go bankrupt then companies like, say, Bain Capital could swoop in, buy it pennies on the dollar, strip worker benefits, charge millions in consulting fees then resell it at a profit with non-union or outsourced workers attached.
By all reports there were no loans available to the industry at that time and doors would be shut and workers would lose all in a matter of hours. President Obama said car manufacturing is an iconic American industry, we can't let it go. It was a huge gamble and had it failed he would not be president next year. That's extraordinary leadership, making tough decisions. Romney, as a businessman, weighs the odds. It's not that he wins every time but the risk factor is based on numbers. Obama's risk was betting on the American people and he believed that was no risk at all.
Here is your candidate, your wingnut. Now THANK GOD OBAMA WON.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2012/11/romney_s_mormon_abortion_video_he_shows_his_real_self_only_when_no_one_is.html?google_editors_picks=true
Romney did not get our vote for a lot more than the auto bailout opposition: His uncanny ability to contradict himself on every issue of any importance every time he opened his mouth; his VP selection, not to mention his: 47% nonsense, binders of women nonsense, backing of other Republicans who spoke out publicly with far right extremist sick views on women's rights and race (which the rest of this country already reformed and moved past many, many, many years ago).
And don't forget BIG BIRD/PBS! If this is now the Rep's strategy to "cut wasteful government spending", then these folks have already gone way over the edge of the upcoming "cliff".
The task ahead now is going to be getting the Congress to actually work together in a non-partisan fashion to resolve the real issues at hand with our budget and economy -- not PBS and Big Bird or women's reproductive rights and not by penalizing small businesses either.
This is going to take a lot hard work, focus and true leadership of all of our elected officials, regardless of party affiliation -- something we haven't seen out of Washington in a very, very long time now.