After reporting on President Obama's auto-industry rescue for a few years, I thought I'd heard just about every Republican argument. Mitt Romney, however, has a new attack that I, must admit, I didn't see coming.
In this new commercial, we're introduced to Al Zarzour, who owned a car dealership in Lyndhurst, Ohio. When the Obama administration intervened, some dealerships were closed as part of the restructuring, and Zarzour's was apparently one of them.
In other words, according to the attack ad, Obama rescued the American auto industry and saved millions of jobs, but some dealerships were scuttled, which means the policy was bad ... or something. (That every dealership would have been closed had the president failed to act is apparently irrelevant.)
But the galling aspect of this is Romney's unmitigated chutzpah. The Republican initially condemned Obama's rescue policy. Then Romney changed his mind and took credit for Obama's rescue policy. Now, the former governor is back to condemning the policy he recently tried to say was his idea all along.
Even by Romney standards, this is twisted, and more than a little ridiculous. It's almost as if he assumes voters are such hopeless fools, Americans will believe literally anything.
Obama for America spokesperson Frank Benenati said this morning, "Let's get this straight -- the very person who argued for the US auto industry to go bankrupt, something that would have caused more than a million jobs lost and utter economic devastation in the Midwest, is now trying to attack the President on how it was handled? This ad in Ohio is a new low for the Romney campaign."
I'd add, by the way, that Romney might want to avoid lines of attack that involve closing businesses and laying off workers. Just saying.
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Yeah, I don't understand it either. Barack Hussein Obama is also responsible for plastic in the ocean, greenhouse gases and kickback on rifles.. Oh, and anything bad that ever inconvenienced you..
Obama is clearly responsible for hemorrhoids, psoriasis, Nexflix popups, and the lingering menace of unused desktop icons on Windows XP computers.
That's right...
Especially when you think that this guy would still have his business growing and thriving to no end if we let "Detroit go bankrupt". Real job killer that Barack Hussein Obama!
Don't you know that when he took office President Obama sign a disclosure that say he is "retroactively responsible" for all the bad that happen to this world the past 50 years? ;)
I don't think Trollop has been paying attention to the alternate universe FoxFacts: 1) there is no problem with humans dumping their mega-waste on the only planet we have, and 2) greenhouse gases? so what?
Oh, Obama is also behind those annoying new popup ad band things that appear across the bottom of your screen until you read down to them and have to hunt around for the "get this gorrum thing the $%!@ out of my way!" button.
You know, I thought the record heat and widespread drought this summer has been a wide spread Democratic conspiracy created by the Obama administration.
I get that the Exalted Independents, the people who are insufficiently civic minded to pay attention but too civic minded to just say the hell home on election day, are dumb when it comes to politics and the economy (however bright they may be about other stuff). But How can there possibly be people dumb enough to buy this idiocy who aren't already in Romney's corner?
Careful there, you're going to be guilty of overestimating the intelligence of the American people, and unlike those who have never gone broke underestimating that number, you could indeed go broke.
Doesn't that describe every wingnut you know, too? Or are the wingnuts simply civic-minded enough to have encyclopedic knowledge of everything that isn't true and willing to die in the effort to act on that alternate universe?
The wingnuts are at least quasi-informed. Their heads may be full of toxic sludge spewed out by Fox and Limbaugh, but at least they're full of something. They are nothing if not avid, indeed obsessive, consumers of simulated news.
In some ways, I'd rather every election be a death match between the avid consumers of objective reality and the avid consumers of toxic propaganda than have the balance of power held by those eff-bombing people who "hate politics," read no papers, watch no news, and think campaign commercials contain useful information every single time.
Yeah, I agree. There's probably nothing more nauseating than the irresponsibly inattentive jac kass patting himself on the back with his self-affirming, clueless Responsible Mature Citizen act and the both-sides-are-responsible meme. Hey, I just described 90% of the press.
I hope you're right, Steve; we all hope you're right. If things go as they should, indies and other swing voters will pick up on his sociopathic lying. (It's way beyond mere flip-flopping, which is indecision. He has no beliefs or positions, other than his ego's desire to be President, so he says anything he thinks will help him in a given situaton.)
By the way, I don't think independents are dumb or uncommitted, and we should avoid speaking of them or treating them in that way. The "You're wrong and evil if you disagree with me" approach is what defines the forced birth and anti contraception zealots, and should never define us.
Well, those who would vote for him, after all...
Question - there's an important matter relating to his lack of disclosure re his tax forms which I haven't seen much reporting on. I'm hardly surprised that the usual "villagers" haven't reported on it, but I am a bit surprised that it hasn't (yet) seemed to get more attention even in generally reliable venues like TRMS:
Exact number of COMPLETE tax returns released to the public by Willard Rawmoney = 0
There is a form detailing overseas bank holdings which is REQUIRED by the IRS from anyone, such as Rawmoney, who might have such holdings. This is the:
This form is conspicuous by its absence from the "one" tax return Rawmoney has condescended to allow us "little people" to examine. Every time he encounters a reporter the questions should be asked: Where is it? Why haven't we seen it? Why can't we see it? When will we see it? What are you trying to hide?
From what I "hear" he's a crook, and I'll believe that until he produces the evidence to the contrary (i.e. multiple full tax returns). I think his money (and thus his influences) are "foreign". As comedian and political commentator John Fugelsang says, I want to see the long-form "worth certificate"!
The FBAR isn't part of his tax returns and isn't filed with them. It's more like a 1099 or a W-4, a reporting requirement separate and apart from the duty to file a return.
Unfortuantley for those who are against Obama (and not necessarily with Romney but they have no other choice) do not listen to reason. They do not care about facts. They only want what they want. Their version of America, where its every man for himself. If your not 'successful' by thier standards than its an automatic fail. Such a horrible way of thinking. If I thought that way about everything I did, I would be depressed all the time.
Vote for the white guy. They do not want to keep a black president since technically his mixed-race...but it comes down to skin color.
Can you explain the motivation for signing Executive Order #13489 sealing all records of your identity, passports, school attendance, college records, Selective Service registration, etc.?
I've heard murmurs that Willard didn't pay taxes for 10 years. Hmm, that would make it hard to produce the documents, huh? He told a reporter on TV he has reported the tax records that are necessary & has no intention of producing any more. The filing he released was 500 pages long. His reasoning why he won't release anymore: it will give the Democrats too much information to go thru with a fine tooth comb, be able to twist & misrepresent the results. I'd lmfao, but it's sickening how he's taking all of us for fools.
MsDragonfire: You can file a return which shows that, under the exemptions and deductions allowed by law, you owe no tax. You can file a return, which discloses amounts and sources of income, without paying, or having to pay, any tax.
He can produce the documents, he just won't. It may be because he made fortunes, year after year, but paid little or no tax.
Seriously, Romney wants to go there? And exactly how many jobs has Mitt outsourced? How many people has he put on the unemployment line, just in the state of Ohio alone? And wasn't it Mitt. Who had workers build a stage, just so he could walk out on it. And tell the same workers and everyone else in the plant. That they were now fired. Seriously Mitt, you want to go there?
Mitt can run ads like these for now. Because he doesn't have to answer for them. But when the debates starts. I'd love to see exactly how he handles these ads. Which raises more questions about him and his business practices. Than it does about the President.
Oh wait never mind. Expecting Mitt to actually answer a question. Is something I wouldn't hold my breath on to begin with.
A reporter asked Willard a question & he answered with a question. The reporter told him he wants an answer, not another question. So he says I've got to ask this question before I can answer your question.
It is the GET THE MEDIA TO CHASE THEIR OWN TAILS romney gop campaign , you can get romneys comments on an issue , then witness him flipping back and forth on it 2 times in one 24 hour news cycle
I would imagine these are the same tactics applied in his business ventures , just confuse the crap out of the people your are dealing with , then stab them and the community in the back while they are trying to figure out what the hell you are talking about , by using never ending deflections and excuses , snake oil salesmen
Patango,
You're probably spot on because how does one become a nominee without having SOME smarts, but it could also be that the Rmoney campaign is having a horrible time staying on message because haven't decided/defined what the message is or should be. They haven't figured out how to keep the Tea Party happy all the time while saying things that will get them the moderate and independent votes they need to win.
I don't think Romney or his campaign staff are that sophisticated. Try these:
Romney is just an amateur politician who has learned nothing from his previous campaigns.
Romney's campaign staff is a bunch of amateurs.
Romney is ignoring his campaign staff's advice and direction because he thinks he is smarter than the staff.
Romney's sense of entitlement has deluded him into thinking that people would be awed by his business success and no one would dare question his logic or statements.
Romney thinks this is a coronation instead of an election because he thinks his success and wealth entitle him to the office of president and he thinks Obama is an easy target.
Romney thinks there are enough anti-Obama votes so he can say anything he wants and win.
Romney thinks his campaign money and superpac spending is going to overwhelm Obama's campaign.
Any one or all of them are contributing to these gaffes which will continue until election day.
more than a little truth in what you say
It's really all the Republicans/Romney have. Seriously. The whole campaign consists of manufacturing silly little transparent lies about what Obama and Democrats say and think and about hiding the consequences of their own ideas and policies for which we have mountains of evidence exposing their toxicity.
it is not that the general populace will believe just about anything, it is that the GOP-Zombies already believe that everything is Obama's fault and enough of the undecideds might actually fall for this ruse that scares the hell out of me.
yes, i am dissatisfied with our president's performance, mainly in the area of being too appeasing to the GOP obstructionists whose only aim is to see that he accomplishes nothing as president. he should have realized after the first vote in congress that he could get nothing done WITH their support, as it was never going to materialize, and just concentrated on accomplishing stuff WITHOUT their support because it was never going to materialize. still, i am not stupid enough to think that voting in Romney would make anything better, as some of the anti-Obama ads are now saying i should. i am not ready to jump a leaky ship in mid-transit from Bristol to Newport. I've got my bucket and I'm bailing as fast as i can.
It's almost as if he assumes voters are such hopeless fools, Americans will believe literally anything.
Well, I am now the third person here to use the above quote, and I definitely agree with what the others have said, particularly DisgustedWithItAll. But if one reads "Drift" (which I have just completed and highly recommend) and looks at all the lies and b.s. that has floated downstream the past 40 years, all of which has been believed by a majority of the American people, I think the case can be made that the majority of Americans are hopeless fools. Right now, we have reports of focus groups who see proposed ads that explain what Romney has said he wants to do and they disbelieve them even with people there to explain to them what the facts are!
So yes, in this election, I am sticking with Mencken: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."
Romney has the flip-flop dance down to a tee. He's like a fish that's just been snagged by a hook - he's conditioned to do the dance. The man can't help himself!
The GOP is crazy-making! How is it that I'm against basically everything they uphold and yet we are both human?!
Does it matter? A Republican made the claim that Obama's policies closed this American's business down. It's now Truth. And if you claim otherwise you hate America. Simple as that, really. The fact that the auto industry did not go bankrupt and is now thriving is not germane to the fact that Obama killed a man, because corporations are people. Obama's a murderer. And what do murderers get in America?
Look, I'm just writing what people who aren't thinking are thinking.
FUBARRomney has said it himself, he just needs 51% to win. If some distractive b.s. like this can sway enough low/no comprehension voters long enough to fill in the bubble for FUBARRomney, mission accomplished.
Honesty and rationality are out the window, not to be seen again on the FUBAR side of this election. There's more than enough evidence out there for FUBARRomney to be seen as a nothing more than a profoundly dishonest a-hole, but the polling says they are close. This disingenuous crap just gives nitwits, with their latent grievances and prejudices, something to hang their hate on. There's no shortage of them, and this blatantly false propaganda is a bonding exercise with his self abusive, (and lovin' it), base.
Well, not really 51%. We still have the Electoral College. And wouldn't it be poetic justice if Romney won the popular vote but Obama got a second term by winning the electoral vote? The House would then waste more time and taxpayer money introducing 600 bills to eliminate the EC, pass them all, and they'd fail in the Senate.
More Ohioans have jobs at car dealerships now than before the bailout.
You said: "It's almost as if he assumes voters are such hopeless fools, Americans will believe literally anything." I'm fearful that many voters will believe almost anything and vote for this man to be President of the United States. The Republicans have most Americans - Republicans and Democrats alike - right where they want them: too busy trying to find a job, or working as many jobs as they can, to make ends meet.
It is typical of all Romney commercials. Never an alternative plan. Why? Because the alternative plan is always worse than the reality of what happened. In this case, your dealership would have closed anyway, along with every other one in the neighborhood and the businesses that count on those dealerships for their business. Lunch counters, auto parts, shuttle drivers, financiers, Red, White and Blue Balloon-makers, direct mail marketeers, etc......Now, Bankruptcy, that would have really kept y'all afloat! Why there would have been balloons enough for everyone!!!
I think we need to be careful of what we say about Willard for the next month or so. After all, it's not too late for delegates to the Republican National Convention to realize what a buffoon he is and to change their minds about nominating him.
Exactly what weird Noot and wacked out Michelle are praying their little black hearts out for.
I see Mitt's shaking the dependable ol' etch-a-sketch again.
This ad might be effective for the .5% of the population which might be sympathetic to car dealers.
Yes, GM closed down Saturn as part of the restructuring so if the dealership only sold Saturn they likely closed down. A few years ago when GM shut down Oldsmobile our local Oldsmobile dealer also sold Honda so it thrives today as a Honda dealership. Same thing when Pontiac shut down because that dealership also sold Suburu. I'm sure there was some temporary hardship but risk is a passenger along with reward. This weak line of attack also invites more Bain attacks and when exactly did Romney leave Bain and what was the severance package. This just seems like a loser for Romney but anything, I guess, is better than what happened when Romney was overseas.
Mr.Steven Benen congratulations,your short article is right on the money.
Had GM gone under he would have lost his dealership anyway - dope! Has anyone noticed this guy is standing in an auto dealership? His new one maybe? Maybe for a vehicle other than a GM? Just wondering?
Thinking out loud.
Going back on Memory Lane,the stage he asked to be built by the workers of the plant.Does anyone needs a stage to tell another person "You are fired"? Can that be said at ground level? Even to a large group,oh yes it could be done.So what was the deal with the stage,specially if is going to be use once,for few minutes.I'm not trying to read much into.It just baffles me these 'stuck ups' stupid behavior.So up there! Oh yes! They wanna be so up there!
Okay, seriously?
The street scene at 0:05 in the commercial is in Oklahoma City, OK. Why use stock footage from a place so far away from Lyndhurst, OH? Perhaps the campaign doesn't care about being misleading. What else is false in this ad?
If Romney were to win, the Cataclysm will have begun and all Aliens will arrive and the Mayans would be right. Gee I hope Obama wins by a landslide!
this is ridiculous.
Willard said LET DETROIT GO BANKRUPT.
the people making these ads don't care what they put in them...they only wanna be able to submit the invoice.
A couple of bad jokes about Mitt the Twit: (BAD but TRUE)
If Mitt Romney were a Bulls eye, it will be the most difficult event on the London Olympics. How can you hit (agree with) anything that keeps moving to the left, then up, then to the right, then down, etc.?
If Romney were a woman' heat flash, the poor lady would be half burn and half snow white.