Obama campaign to target Romney's record as governor

[Omaha Steve]

Source: REUTERS

By Jeff Mason and Andy Sullivan

CHICAGO, May 24 (Reuters) - After weeks of painting Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney as a job-slashing corporate raider, President Barack Obama's campaign plans to broaden its focus to Romney's time as Massachusetts governor, arguing his policies hurt the state.

The move, described by campaign officials, marks a sharp strategy shift from the campaign's recent focus on Romney's time as a private equity executive at Bain Capital in a bid to cast him as more concerned with the wealthy than the middle class.

The Obama team's approach on Romney's work at Bain has faced some criticism. Some saw it as hypocritical at a time when the campaign was seeking donations from private equity executives.

And while the attacks have been part of a strategy to define Romney as out of touch with most Americans, the presumptive Republican nominee has been rising in recent polls, most of which show the race in a dead heat.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/24/usa-campaign-obama-idUSL1E8GOGWJ20120524

[Tiggeroshii]

1. He was 47th in job creation. He barely beat Louisiana, which was hit by a HURRICANE!

His record is something that Romney refuses to run on, and something that we can easily win on without feeling overly dirty.

[edcantor]

2. As a Mass Resident during some of Romney's term...

I can tell you, he's nothing !

He left the state more in debt than when his Republican predecessor left office.
He left office when the housing bubble hadn't yet burst.
He left the state with bridges almost ready to collapse.
He left the state having raised college student fees by over 60%
He raised fees on everything by 50-160%
He hardly ever met with the Democratic-majority legislature.

He supported a repeal of Gay marriage rights after the state supreme court approved it.

Other than Romneycare, which was and is a huge success in getting over 98% of the population into some sort of health insurance system, (a plan developed by the Democratic majority legislature, and which assured profits for insurance companies) Romney is not remembered for anything positive in his 4 year, one term tenure as Governor of a state that previously liked to have some Republican executives to balance out the Democratic legislative majority.

Most Republican legislators in Mass are moderates, fiscal conservatives, and social liberals. Romney was fiscally conservative, and pretended to be a social liberal for 4 years. Now, he doesn't want you to know that, because he wants you to vote for him just because you are afraid of a smarter guy who is in the White House now.

If Romney is elected President, following his devotion to the Ryan budget plans, the USA will lead world to sink into a huge depression, making 1929-32 bread lines look like a picnic in the park

But you already know all this.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. Basically incompetent

[edcantor]

11. Expect the Obama administration to concentrate upon..

what Romney promised when he ran for Gov. and what he FAILED to deliver!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. good

[edcantor]

18. Like, for instance, JOBS!!!

When Romney ran in 2002, the Feds were cleared out by the Bush admin from creating new jobs and lots of grants to the many colleges and universities in Mass, (about 1000 grants to colleges and universities in Mass in any year, reduced by Bush to only the defense-related ones).

Then there was the closure of military operations at 3 key locations in the state, another few tens of millions lost.

Despite there being a Republican Gov. Mass had voted for Gore solidly, in 2000, and many other states in the South and Midwest were hungry for jobs and federal grants for homeland security and the buildup for the war in Iraq.

Romney promised jobs to the mini-recession in Mass, where a few tens of thousands of jobs had been lost in 2002...

Romney failed to deliver, in fact, he did worse than 46 other states out of 50 in delivering jobs. But that didn't stop him from spending lots of time away from Governor's job, in NH, Utah, Calif, DC. NY.

[wordpix]

13. it will be interesting to see Rmoney take credit for Romneycare, while denying it's different from

the Dem health care act.

[qwlauren35]

21. Can I quote you?

I have some friends who need to see this in writing.

[edcantor]

22. You are free to copy and paste

I'm no expert on Mass politics, but I did live there for many years, some under Romney.

[Thrill]

3. About time. There is a reason a former Governor

never talks about their record as Governor

[edcantor]

4. There's a reason he didn't run for re-election, too!

The reasons are one in the same!

[siligut]

5. Hit him with anything and everything

That this guy is even running for POTUS is so absurd.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. This is the time to define

[wordpix]

14. but he's rich! and he's next in line according to the repug air apparent rules

[edcantor]

6. Rev. Al Sharpton did a piece on this tonight!!!

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/politicsnation/47558318#47558318

Worth a look.

He was Governor, but he "didn't inhale"!

[NoMittens]

7. ROMNEY'S STAFF ALSO STOLE/DESTROYED THE HARD DRIVES FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WHEN LEFT OFFICE

What did Mr. Bain with no brain have to hide?

[Fearless]

12. Yep... link for those interested...

http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/16/9481422-romneys-missing-hard-drives-raise-questions-over-government-records?lite

[Auntie Bush]

8. Glad to hear that. The media keep saying his stint as governer is sort of off the table just

like Mormonism. However, ReThugs have had plenty to say about Obama's Christianity... or lack of it and how it effects his judgement and policies. So why can't we discuss how Romney's Mormonism will effect his decisions...especially regarding blacks. If I were black...I'd want it right up front and on the table in front of everyone.

[IamK]

15. will he go after RomnyCare..... n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Romney and Obama will use the same excuse for their performance

"the other party held the legislature"

[tclambert]

19. Romney sure hasn't been bragging about his record.

He hardly ever mentions his time as governor. You get the feeling he's ashamed of his record.

[liberal N proud]

20. This is going to be good