Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 11:49 am
While speaking at George Mason University today President Obama coined the term Romnesia to describe Mitt Romney’s shifts, flip-flops, and lies.
Here is the video:
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Obama said,
But now that we’re 18 days out from the election, Mr. “Severely Conservative” wants you to think he was “severely kidding” about everything he’s said over the last year. He told folks he was “the ideal candidate” for the Tea Party, now suddenly he’s saying, “what, who, me?” He’s forgetting what his own positions are, and he’s betting that you will too.
I mean he’s changing up so much – backtracking and sidestepping. We’ve gotta name this condition that he’s going through.. I think it’s called “Romnesia.” That’s what it’s called. I think that’s what he’s going through.
Now, I’m not a medical doctor but I do want to go over some of the symptoms with you because I want to make sure nobody else catches it.
If you say you’re for equal pay for equal work, but you keep refusing to say whether or not you’d sign a bill that protects equal pay for equal work – you might have Romnesia.
If you say women should have access to contraceptive care, but you support legislation that would let your employer deny you contraceptive care – you might have a case of Romnesia.
If you say you’ll protect a woman’s right to choose, but you stand up at a primary debate and said that you’d be “delighted” to sign a law outlawing that right to choose in all cases – man, you’ve definitely got Romnesia.
Now, this extends to other issues. If you say earlier in the year I’m going to give a tax cut to the top 1 percent and then in a debate you say, I don’t know anything about giving tax cuts to rich folks – you need to get a thermometer, take your temperature, because you’ve probably got Romnesia.
If you say that you’re a champion of the coal industry when while you were Governor you stood in front of a coal plant and said, this plant will kill you – that’s some Romnesia.
So – I think you’re beginning to be able to identify these symptoms. And if you come down with a case of Romnesia, and you can’t seem to remember the policies that are still on your website, or the promises you’ve made over the six years you’ve been running for President, here’s the good news: Obamacare covers pre-existing conditions.
We can fix you up. We’ve got a cure. We can make you well, Virginia. This is a curable disease.
Women, men, all of you. These are family issues. These are economic issues. I want my daughters to have the same opportunities as anybody’s sons. I believe America does better, the economy grows more, we create more when everybody participates, when everyone’s getting a fair shot, everybody’s getting a fair shake, everybody’s playing by the same rules, everybody’s doing their fair share. That’s why I’m asking you for another term as President of the United States. I need you to help me finish the job.
President Obama has coined a new and humorous way to call Mitt Romney a liar. Not only was Obama calling out Romney for not telling the truth, he also threw a jab in there about this being a “preexisting condition.” That was a little hint to voters that the political shape shifting and lies they are currently seeing from Romney is who the candidate really is.
If there was any doubt left about just how much President Obama dislikes Mitt Romney, that should be erased now. Throughout the 2008 election and his presidency, Obama has never openly mocked an opponent in the manner that he has with Mitt Romney. John McCain deserved the respect that Obama gave him in 2008, and no matter how nasty things became during the Obama/Clinton Democratic primary, then candidate Obama never showed his feelings about Hillary Clinton as openly as he does when it comes to Romney.
Of course, Mitt Romney has a way of bringing this out of people. Newt Gingrich, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee all openly loathe the guy. It seems that anyone who has ever shared a political stage with Romney comes away with an intense dislike for him.
The Obama campaign seems to have an endless supply of nice or humorous ways to call Mitt Romney a liar without sounding mean, nasty, or negative.
His sense of humor is one of the reasons that many Americans find President Obama to be so likable.
It turns out that behind the charm the million megawatt smile, the Obama sense of humor can also be a dangerous political weapon.
Obama has the permanent cure for Romnesia, and it is going to be administered in about 17 days.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
