As part of his efforts to help Mitt Romney, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the former Bush/Cheney budget director, as a habit of making claims with no meaningful connection to reality. We saw this a couple of weeks ago, and were reminded of the problem again yesterday.
Talking to CNN's Candy Crowley, Portman insisted, "Ohio's economy is not doing well.... [T]hings aren't going well." The Republican added that the unemployment rate in the state is "almost 10 percent" if you twist the numbers a certain way.
Let's give the GOP senator a hand. I even made it easy for Portman by creating a chart.
Portman's own home-state ally, Republican Gov. John Kasich, has spent much of the year boasting about how much Ohio's economy has improved in recent years. To be sure, Kasich doesn't want President Obama to get credit for Ohio's recovery, but he nevertheless concedes that the state's economy is vastly better off than it was a few years ago.
Either Portman isn't aware of the economic reality in his own state -- usually, sitting senators make more of an effort to keep up on these basic details -- or he's hoping voters won't know the difference. Either way, to suggest economic conditions in Ohio aren't improving is deeply silly.
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Just more gotp bullMitt. See Mother Jones 11/5/12 "Campaign 2012:The End of Political Truth?" It effectively skewers Romney with his own lies including a nod to "Chronicling Mitt's Mendacity". Values as exhibited by Mitt's campaign, are rare to nonexistent.
why are you trying to bring reality into this Benen?
you should know better when it comes to the GOP
I recently was privy to an advance copy of Portman's remarks, prepared for Nov 7th:
"It was a very close race! Even though Romney came in second, Obama finished next to last."
But... your graph proves it: Ohio's going downhill!
Outstanding show last night, Rachel. People (Republicans) should be strapped to a chair and forced to watch it. Nah, forgedabodit! Wouldn't do any good! ;)
I find it laughable that these republican governors like to take credit if their states economy is doing well.But when it was bad it was all Obama's fault.I would hope that voters in these states are smart enough to know the difference truth and spin.
It's amazing to sit here in Ohio and listen to our elected officials actively deny that the state economy is doing better. In a world ruled by reason they would be happy about it but they've chosen to be slaves to narrative over facts.
All that the GOTP has at this point is "made up stuff". They have a terrible candidate, no message other than "tax cuts for the job creators & deregulation" - and WE are still digging out from under the crap the last guy that went down that same road left US! Face it people, the GOTP don't care about America or working Americans and they really are only working for the 1% (which in some cases includes them) - time to remove them all from public office, they have betrayed our trust!
'We're Not Going to Let Our Campaign Be Dictated by Fact-Checkers"
you were expecting something different maybe...
morning Dragoon21b
is that Old Bill?
Scouts Out!!!
If we allowed our campaign to be run on facts we have no campaign!
R/R 2012
What God says: If it's creative it's from me, families, marriage where two people can join me in the creative process, humble-ness, giving personally to others, love, forgiveness, working hard, being self sufficent. What Satan says, broken families, men marrying men, women marrying women, dependency on others, addictions, serving yourself first. God wanted us to have Judges but we want Kings to open the government storehouse and share the grain. Tomorrow is the day to start rebuilding the storehouse, when empty it will serve no-one. God Bless America
Yo Fred: Does your god cover pre-existing conditions? Just wondering since you paint god as a micromanager.
I can't believe what's going on in Florida. I think the long lines would be a perfect place to start a recall of Gov. Rick Scott. Great way to show him who he WAS working for.
Long lines in Florida seem a perfect place to start a recall of Gov. Rick Scott. He has forgotten who the heck he's working for. Start collecting signatures now!
Unemployment would have been even lower had the Republican House of Reps not decided that obstruction was more important than helping the country get back on it's feet.
Just another example of the Romney Campaign's behavior where it is clear that the "ends justify the means" no matter the facts. My fondest hope is that the electorate does not forget or forgive the planned tactics of Republican governors, state houses and assemblies who actively attempted to suppress voter participation and early voting (not to mention redistricting).....simply shameful.