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Obama Slams Romney for Lying to the American People at the Debate
By: Jason EasleyOct. 4th, 2012more from Jason Easley
President Obama wasted no time taking advantage of Mitt Romney’s web of debate lies, by calling out the numerous falsehoods that Republican nominee uttered at the first presidential debate.
Video of Obama in Denver:
Transcript:
OBAMA: Now, the reason I was in Denver obviously is to see all of you, and it’s always pretty, but we also had our first debate last night. And when I got on to the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney. But it couldn’t have been Mitt Romney because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn’t know anything about that. The real Mitt Romney said we don’t need any more teachers in our classrooms, but – don’t boo, vote – but the fellow on stage last night, he loves teachers, can’t get enough of them. The Mitt Romney we all know invested in companies that were called pioneers of outsourcing jobs to other countries, but the guy on stage last night, he said that he doesn’t even know that there are such laws that encourage outsourcing. He’s never heard of them. Never heard of them. Never heard of tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas. He said that if it’s true, he must need a new accountant. Now, we know for sure it was not the real Mitt Romney because he seems to be doing just fine with his current accountant. So you see, the man on stage last night, he does not want to be held accountable for their real Mitt Romney’s decisions and what he’s been saying for the last year and that’s because he knows full well that we don’t want what he’s been selling for the last year. So Governor Romney may dance around his positions, but if you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth.
So here’s the truth – Governor Romney cannot pay for his $5 trillion tax plan without blowing up the deficit or sticking it to the middle class. That’s the math. We can’t afford to go down that road again. We can’t afford another round of budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy. We can’t afford to gut out investments in education or clean energy or research and technology. We can’t afford to roll back regulations on Wall Street or on big oil companies or insurance companies. We cannot afford to double down on the same top-down economic policies that got us into this mess. That is not a plan to create jobs, that is not a plan to grow the economy, that is not change, that is a relapse. We don’t want to go back there. We’ve tried it, it didn’t work and we are not going back, we are going forward.
Now, I’ve got a different view about how we create jobs and prosperity. This country doesn’t succeed when we only see the rich getting richer. We succeed when the middle class gets bigger. We grow our economy not from the top down, but from the middle out. We don’t believe that anybody’s entitled to success in this country, but we do believe in something called opportunity. We believe in a country where hard work pays off and where responsibility is rewarded and everybody’s getting a fair shot and everybody’s doing their fair share and everybody plays by the same rules. That’s the country we believe in. That’s what I’m fighting for, that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States, and that’s why I want your vote.
Well, that didn’t take long. When Mitt Romney decided that he was going to lie his way through the debate, he not only presented Obama with a strategic opportunity, but Romney also confirmed America’s suspicions that not a single word that comes out of his mouth publicly can be trusted. Mitt Romney stood up in front of about 50 million Americans and lied repeatedly. It is as if the Romney campaign thinks that America is that dumb, and doesn’t remember anything he said before last night.
If Obama would have confronted Romney and called out his lies, he would have risked not seeming presidential, elevating Romney to his level, and making the contest a choice between equals in the minds of some voters. Mitt Romney is trapped in a box of his own making. When Romney tries to move to the right, as when he said he would end the subsidy to PBS, he loses the center. When he moves to center by claiming that he supports hiring more teachers, he makes the right edgy.
Obama gave Romney all the rope he needed to hang himself with last night, and now the president is tightening the noose.
The fundamental question of this election is can voters trust Mitt Romney. With his performance last night, the candidate himself delivered a resounding no.
President Obama’s campaign isn’t centered on national polls. The Obama campaign is based on targeting swing states. For months, Obama has been hammering Romney’s character in states like Colorado, Nevada, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, and New Hampshire. Romney’s debate festival of lies served to advance the president’s narrative for him. While the mainstream media and their pundits obsess over national polls, the Obama campaign is running a largely ignored and highly successful secondary campaign in swing states.
It doesn’t matter what kind of debate points Romney scored if voters, especially in swing states, came away with maintaining their belief that they can’t trust him.
Mitt Romney may be the first candidate in history to “win” a debate and be buried in factchecking bad press the next day. President Obama is on the attack, and he is not going to let America forget that Mitt Romney can’t and won’t tell the truth.
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clarence swinney
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
“My first act will be to defund Planned Prenthood”
PP prevents more abortions than any unit. It provides precventative health care for the poorest of poor women.
It is heartless. It is cruel. It is unamerica, It is unlike Christ.
He does not deserve an office. He has no heart for lesser of thee.
Tom
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Back to the good ‘ole teleprompter and speeches written by his staffers. How about Obama continuing to make up numbers? A $5 trillion tax cut? When? Where? If you lower the overall rate and eliminate the adjoining deductions there may be $5 trillion decrease in revenues, but its the same on the deductions. Can’t liberals do algebra, or were their teachers too busy protesting pay increases during depression economic times to complete that lesson???
Rc
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 3:06 am
20 percent across-the-board reduction in marginal tax rates, elimination of the estate tax and AMT. About 456 billion a year we lose as revenue and over Romney’s 10 year plan that my friend is about $5 trillion. Any more questions?
RD
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
what does basic math and facts have to do with anything? ;-)… Excellent analysis done in an easy to read manner.
Markoshark
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 10:22 am
Tom, I see you’ve swallowed Romney’s “new math” hook, line & sinker. Even the best tax experts and accountants can’t make Mitt’s meandering budget ideas work!
Rocky in Texas said...
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Romney is a Pathetic Liar and I will never believe anything he says.
James Threadgill
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Romney’s repeated lies, distortions, and rudeness are more than sufficient to overcome his aggressive stance. They provide rich fodder for ads I’m certain the Obama campaign is working on at this moment. And as the multiple prevarications are exposed he will lose even more ground.
Further, the GOP has recently had an administration with a Yosemite Sam caricature and we all know how well that worked. Posturing is easy, leading not so much. That said, Obama could step up his game a bit without hurting himself.
regressivewatch.org
LeRoy Bishaw
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 6:22 pm
What took him so long and why didn’t he call Romney out during the debate like Romney called obama out during the debate. Was he afraid that Romney would school him again?
majii
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:49 pm
I think the president made a choice to use the debate to promote his own record, LeRoy. I also think he used the debate as an opportunity to appeal to independent and elderly voters, and he definitely scored when he explained how Romney’s plans to voucherize Medicare and turn Medicaid into a block grant program would impact not only our elderly in nursing homes but millions of disabled Americans. Had he confronted Romney head on, I think the MSM, but especially Fox News and other RW media, would have been shouting “Angry Black Man!!!” at the tops of their lungs. Pundits are saying the president lost the debate, but I don’t agree with them. One would score the debate for Romney only if one were willing to ignore truth and substance. IMO, it would have done the president no good to get into a televised cat fight with Romney. I think that’s what Romney was looking for, but our level-headed president denied him that opportunity. Even David Gergen, a republican, noted the many lies Romney told.
Magiclynx
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:02 pm
Majii, hats off to you! Eloquently said – I couldn’t agree more – you nailed it!! ;-)
buckeyewill
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Yep, Obama has to deal with the angry Black man thing Fixed News uses to scare White people.
Susan Hampson
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Well put
Al
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Did it ever occur to you that Obama was letting Romney run his mouth with his blatant lies and put his foot in his mouth? Obama used the same tactic back in 2008 when he ran against McCain. McCain won the first debate and Obama came back in the last 2 debates and slammed McCain with hard facts. Romney took the bait, Romney gave Obama all the ammo he needs to really slam Romney at the next two debates. With Romney’s record of flip flopping he will contradict himself at the next 2 debates from what he said at the first debate. Trust me the 47% comment that Romney made will come up again.
SinghX
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
“…Was he afraid that Romney would school him again?”
Oh on the contrary…Romney wasn’t schooling anyone; he was using Bradshaw’s model on classic dysfunctional toxic shame/blame game. Mittens thought he looked like the “adult” in the room, only he came off like an abusive, bullying parent who blames everyone but himself for his bad behavior and failures.
That is why many people today say they got a “sick” feeling when listening to him…nobody was school, but everybody felt the ugly he had going on.
Clark
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
If I could debate Obama, I’d ‘slam’ him for murdering innocent people with coward-drones.
Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
I guess that goes for the air force, artillery, bazooka’s, missles, anti tank TOW missles, and a hundred other stand off weapons we use?
Travis
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Yes, sending unmanned drones to save American soldiers lives is very cowardly. I couldn’t agree more (heavy sarcasm). Oh, and did you forget that those wars were started by the previous president, and that millions upon millions of innocent people were killed because of his wars, one which was started based upon lies to the American people, one that was started so W. could appease dear old dad?
Better to remain silent when thought to be a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Kurt
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Why the hell didn’t Obama challenge Romney on his lies LAST NIGHT… when it mattered?
Wendy Pennak
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:20 pm
I applaud the President for not stooping to that level of Mr Romney. I would have been disturbed if he had. The man is brilliant. He understands where we need to go. Mr. Romney is only try & keep the rich safe.
Glendy
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:31 pm
So, have you heard more buzz today about Romney kicking ass last night? Or, more about all of the lies he told, especially regarding Big Bird and Planned Parenthood? There have been many more posts regarding BB, PP and fact finders going nuts over all of the lies Romney told than there have been saying how great he did! Hmmmmm……maybe that was the plan all along??? Smart guy, huh?
Justin
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Its called strategy. Obama now has enough fuel, I’m sure that Biden even has some now too, to continue slamming Romney in the next two debates. Besides that, Obama has never been a super aggressive speaker, and he probably was prepared for Romney to lie like he did.
All that aside, statistics have proven that the Presidential debates aren’t as important as people think. Most voters are already decided. The debates MIGHT pull swing voters to one side or the other, but swing voters tend not to vote anyway. The debates is a peeing contest at best.
Barbara
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 1:21 am
“Swing voters don’t vote”. Eh? Why call them swing “voters” then? Swing voters decide elections. They matter, big time.
Tom
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Its really sad you liberals are so nieve. Talk about lies, you have been lied to the first four years idiots. Just because Obama showed how weak he really is when confronted all you people don’t have a clue. If anyone lied last night it was Obama. Look at him not even looking straight and relying on what some one wrote for him. He showed how nervous he was, and scared he got dominated. Even your own liberals noticed it. Get a clue or stay out of the way, because you are the ones hurting this country.
Glendy
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Once again I am asking, how is the President hurting this country??? Everything is going up and is most definitely better than 4 years ago! Like your candidate, you can’t say anything unless it’s a lie. The truth and proof sre on our side and if you say I’m wrong you have not looked at the actual numbers, you are just believing what the right has been telling you!
Alex
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
He walked in to a failing system… and yes, he HASN’T done everything he said he would, this is true, but the house can shoot down just about anything they don’t like and most of them are…. *ding ding ding* conservatives who believe that only a select few (those white males with a few million in their pocket) are created equal… For another thing not rising to name calling and pointing fingers is not weakness, it’s called being MATURITY and that aside I’m sure all comments made will be brought up later when Mitt’s standpoint changes AGAIN to try and please another donor… As far as showing fear, I don’t see it and being dominated? That is all in your mind… Having key notes for a speech is no big deal for that matter and as far as liberals needing to get a clue and get out of the way? Open your own eyes, see that there is more going on than just fixing our economy using tax breaks… If Romney wins we will suffer more AND be set back at LEAST 20 years in human rights, education and most horrid, laws that protect the American people…
And for the record I am not a liberal. I am white. I am borderline upper class. But I see past dem or repub to what matters… If Mitt wins (and I pray he does not!) I will not suffer in the slightest… But I know our country and it’s people WILL.
So I feel sad for YOU and YOUR naivety (it’s naive by the way) for only seeing “conservative good, liberal bad” nobody should blindly follow ANY party because they are never for THE people but for THEIR people and Mitt could give a crap for anyone but the straight, wealthy, white, males of this country… But it’s not the 20′s anymore, that WON’T work, we are a minority now and the suffering of the masses is not an “ok” price to pay for our continued comfort… We will face economic collapse if another leader seeks to aid the wealthy at the cost of the middle and lower class…
EyeRoller
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 8:23 am
Yesyes, it’s a familiar tune. “Republicans lie and break promises, they’re evil! Good wholesome Democrats lie and break promises? Oh…uh…Republicans fault! We are pure as the driven snow!” *yawn*
mary dirks
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Here’s the difference between people like you and people like me, Tom…. When we say that Romney lies, we can give actual examples, and plenty of them. We can offer up facts. But people like you? You say the President lies, or that he’s ruining this country, but can’t give ANY example that’s based in reality or truth. Ya got one??? Let’s hear it!! But remember the rules….
Cherry
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 12:54 am
Um, excuse me, he’s the PRESIDENT. He has issues to deal with, and was probably up all night trying to deal with Syria and Turkey bombing each other, you stupid Conservative.
DiamondJim
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Where are you from……Lol…
Vassil
Oct. 6th, 2012 at 11:49 pm
Tom, will you please state any facts? Just saying something doesn’t make it so. When we say that Mitt is laying we can actually back it up with facts that are easily verified. In fact if you choose to open your eyes you may actually see those facts for yourself. I suppose it is much easier to pretend that you didn’t see or hear anything. Brace yourself because Obama WILL be president for another 4 years.
Matthew
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
“Export more jobs.”? Fruedian slip?
Brenda
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 8:23 pm
“Never get into an argument with an idiot. He’ll bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.” — Source Unknown
Mitt did nothing but lie, whine and bully last night. That wins a debate?
Jayme
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
I thought the president handled the first debate wisely. It is difficult to debate against one who is a champion at lieing, bullying, and has a non-stop running mouth.
Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:45 pm
I agree. I think he laid back on purpose to let Mittens do his lying. Its unbelievable, right on tv in front of millions
Rachel
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 9:09 pm
He was taking notes n referring to them not reading notes…
W. Craig Endler
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Besides all the lies Romney’s tried to put over on everyone. Did anyone notice, whomever spoke first, Romney had to have last word? He was very arrogant and pushy. I think O’bama just wanted to accent on the fact by being calm and laid back.
Tom
Oct. 4th, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Back to the good ‘ole teleprompter and speeches written by his staffers. How about Obama continuing to make up numbers? A $5 trillion tax cut? When? Where? If you lower the overall rate and eliminate the adjoining deductions there may be $5 trillion decrease in revenues, but its the same on the deductions. Can’t liberals do algebra, or were their teachers too busy protesting pay increases during depression economic times to complete that lesson??
Anne
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 12:22 am
There you go again, repeating the same tired spiel to deflect from the fact that Willard is a consummate liar who says whatever he thinks his audience wants to hear at that moment. Since teleprompters are widely used by folks of both parties, that “argument,” if you can call it one has gone stale. One thing is certain–all Willard’s lies are providing plenty of fodder for the Obama campaign to use effectively against him.
mags
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 12:19 am
That video shows the Obama I know and love!!!
Linda
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 6:32 am
So good to read these comments, I heard Mathews on program tonight complaining about our President and it made me sick. These pundits, even the liberal pundits, are treating the debate like it’s a football game. Facts don’t matter just ramming the ball down the field as aggressively as possible. Great way to run a country. Oh and by the way refs that make bad calls don’t do much for the game. Romney spent the entire time changing any of his previous statements in order to throw Obama off or get him angry. What a accomplished liar he was. Our President showed the restraint and sophistication that have enabled him to make to find and finish Bin Laden, start a reasonable health care plan that covers millions, funds health care clinics and save the auto industry. And this was done with a congress filled with republicans that didn’t care about the country and us, only about making our President appear weak. Let’s show them that we are smart and we do pay attention. The comments on this and other websites have given me a lift. Thank you.
Janice I Falk
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 7:40 am
I agree Linda, and I came away after watching the debates with a completely different take-away. Watching MSNBC I was angry with Chris, Rachel and of course, the always vile Steve Schmidt (why is he there?). Rev Al was the only one who seemed to have a reasonable response. What I saw: Mitt Romney’s doppleganger (which one was he that night?) seemed hyped up on some substance (some say sugar..) with the usual assault of complete lies. Obama was measured, calm and knowledgeable to me. He attempted to explain to the American public. The pundits see this as weakness, it isn’t. Bluster isnt leadership, these are the same tactics as the morons who saw Dubya as “decisive”. I do not understand this at all. Decisive, when you make the wrong and most damaging decision is wrong. Bluster, when you are lying is wrong. We know nothing more about Romney after the debate except that he can scream over a moderator.
TigerLily
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
When the President doesn’t speak ..especially when you’re attacking and lying about him? Beware. You need to be real nervous. Pres Obama has shown us time and again every time these fools think they have him..he’s quiet..reserved..letting it sink knowing he’ll come back. Trust me Pres Obama WAS paying attention. I strongly suggest we wait till he breaks out his surprise like he did at the dinner..all the while we were killing OBL. But at the next debate? I feel for Romney. Obama is not gonna let him do that to him again. He will MOP the floor with MittTheTwittLiar.
Kerri
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Wow! I must have seen a different debate and live in a different country all together! Someone explain to me how we are better off than we were four years ago?!?! Unemployment is up ( that’s a measurable fact), poverty is up (1 in 6 Americans and also a fact with real numbers… ). We have no respect from foreign leaders anymore. Yes Obama inherited the largest deficit in history, but he has added to it every year. He said he was going to cut the deficit in half right after he was elected and he has added more to it each year! But Obama doesn’t lie right? Obama acted the way he did because he can’t defend his record!!!!!!! It had nothing to do with being respectful to anyone! And he was saying things that were untrue and Romney called him out in it! That’s not rude!!! That’s what ur supposed to do!! Oh and he did “so well” the day after the debate in Denver bc there was no one there to call him out on HIS OWN BS!!! Geez people!! Get a clue! If you seriously think we r better of than we were 4 years ago give me some hard numbers that prove that! Mitt was wrong about one thing though… If Obama says something over and over again people do start to believe it!! Weak minded people! Everyone has the same thing to say! “Romney told this many lies in so many minutes”!!! Blah blah blah. All of his loyal sheep just repeating all of the bs rhetoric! Some of these so called lies were things like Romney calling the reviews on his tax plan “studies”, when they were articles or research done by Harvard and Princeton economists about his tax plan. Really?!?! So petty!! And healthcare costs only going up by 1700 on avg rather than 2500. It’s still a dramatic increase people!! None of those numbers are completely accurate anyway!! Obama inherited the debt from the wars but he also increased the number of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan under his watch!! That’s his debt!! And also a measurable fact in black and white!!!
JAY Dude Mac
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
What planet are MOST of you people from? ALL THE LIBERAL media is up in arms because ROMNEY handed NObama his head at the debate!!! Without his teleprompters and the liberal media spinning his lies and attacking Romney NObama HAS NO GAME!!
ESPECIALLY when he has to run on his MASSIVE RECORD OF ONE FAILURE AFTER ANOTHER….!!! The economy – foreign policy…just to name a few…
Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 9:48 pm
LOL, unemployment down, Wall street way up. People who couldnt get health insurance before can get it now, you cant be dropped if you get sick. And about a hundred other little things like your taxes are the lowest they have been in a long long time
Where is the failure?
I fin d the fact you cant pick out Romneys lies about his own tax plan, his immigration plan and everything else he has said for 18 months pretty funny
Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 5th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Well Jay? No answers?
jocelyn stoller
Oct. 8th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Stop being in denial.
The effect of letting Romney run on like that has been devastating to the Obama campaign, as seen in recent Gallop polls. This has also hurt the Senate and House races for Democrats.
For “low-information” Swing voters, this debate was possibly the only time they were focused on the two narratives. By letting Romney lie without direct rebuttal, Obama has ceded the framing to a blatant liar.
In studies of media persuasion, it does not matter what the truth is . . .we hold on to misinformation and dig in our heels—unless there is an instant confrontation with a powerful refutation of clearly-stated facts.
Obama assumes that evidence will win out and that people are rational–this has always been his blind spot. His advisors are doing a disservice to him and the nation by not understanding how the mind works and applying knowledge of cognitive biases, social psychology and neuromarketing.
Having a supply-side, deregulating, climate change-denying government with no checks or balances, is terrible for this nation and the world.