EXCLUSIVE – Romney on Debates: Obama Will ‘Say Things That Aren’t True’

[cali]

So rMoney is pre-emptively accusing the President of lying in the debates. Piece of shit.

With the first Presidential debate less than three weeks away, Mitt Romney is spending lots of time getting ready behind closed doors. In his first comments on that debate prep, he told me that Sen. Rob Portman is a tough stand-in for a President who basically lies in debates.

“I think the challenge that I’ll have in the debate is that the president tends to, how shall I say it, to say things that aren’t true,” Romney said. “I’ve looked at prior debates. And in that kind of case, it’s difficult to say, ‘Well, am I going to spend my time correcting things that aren’t quite accurate? Or am I going to spend my time talking about the things I want to talk about?”

The former governor told me he’s tempted to use Ronald Reagan’s famous line against President Carter in a 1980 debate, “There you go again” — the same line that Bill Clinton turned on Romney and the Republicans at the Democratic convention in Charlotte.

When I asked if Portman was crushing him in early debate preps, Romney was coy.

<snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/exclusive-romney-on-debates-obama-will-say-things-that-arent-true/

[BeyondGeography]

1. Talk about projection

What a joke.

[cali]

2. get this. later in the interview, the gormless twit described middle income this way:

Romney defined middle income as $200,000 to $250,000 a year.

[leftynyc]

6. How can THAT not be a top story?

If that doesn't show how out of touch he is, I don't know what will.

[highplainsdem]

7. That was what jumped out at me, so I posted a topic here in GD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021341009

I do think it will be a top news story later today. But I couldn't post a headline with the quote in LBN when I first saw it since it was only in that blog post from Stephanopoulos, and the transcript, buried in the middle.

[cali]

9. I'm glad you did. It jumped out at me as well.

It's pretty startling.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. Wow!

We're "poor" by THAT standard! Geez!

[Douglas Carpenter]

37. I guess that makes a family of four living on less than $100,000 living in poverty - I hope they are

eligible for food stamps.

[avebury]

8. Agreed! nt

[JHB]

18. Projecting like a lighthouse...

...sending the batshit signal.

[Hubert Flottz]

3. Obama should counter with a statement like.

Mitt RobMe wouldn't know the truth, if it pulled down his magic panties and slapped his lilly white little candy ass.

Edit to add candy.

[alterfurz]

40. candy ass...heh.

One of dear old dad's choice pejoratives was "candy-assed piss-ant." No one fits the definition better than MittWit!

[Hubert Flottz]

41. I'd like to see Obama and Mitt square off at the debates.

I'll bet you a quarter that Willard"KKKid Candy ASS" RooooooooooooooobMeeeeeeee, would fold his magic tent before the end of round one! Mitt might not butt heads, but he's for sure, a butthead. I'd pay per view to watch a DeBout like that! Stick and move Mr. president!

Hard not to like an old boy like Mittens though...not many people have such a great sense of humor like Mitt, heck he can just grin and laugh out loud when he's talking about our own countrymen and women are being blown into eternity. It just kind of reminded me of Little George Bush's Smirking, "Bring It On" moment of old.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

4. Translation...

I'm gonna LIE my fv@#ing ass off.

[highplainsdem]

5. He's also preemptively excusing his plan to just recite talking points, rather than respond to

the President when he points out Romney's lies and flipflops.

Romney and his incompetent team must have already decided that he can't really debate -- can't win a debate -- so he's just going to repeat the same talking points over and over.

[crazylikafox]

11. Sounds like he's going to pull a Palin.

Just reciting talking points was how she "won" her debate with Joe Biden.

[Gman]

13. Plain did the same thing

And looked pretty bad. The election will likely shape up that the only people that vote for Romney are the worst of the racists and haters. We'll have a good count nationally for how many there are.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. ??? excusing his plan? or sticking with it (recite talking points?). Romney's got a hell of

a lot more to explain away than Obama does. I watched a bunch of flip flop videos yesterday on youtube ...It's just amazing. He has changed on virtually everything there is to comment on....everything! At least Obama only has a handful of stuff to have to defend or explain.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. This is good in a way. It gives the Obama team the opportunity to come up with rejoinders

on everything Obama ever said that didn't come to pass. You KNOW he will bring up that Obama said UE would be lower, that Guantanamo would be closed, that things would be different with Washington (getting along).

Most important that Obama team objectively look at every single weak point and have a cogent response.

The hardest thing to explain will be able cooperation and getting along. He can blame that on the intractability of the republicans, but that's tricky, because they aren't going away in all likelihood. So, how do you avoid the question - how do you change that in the future - or are we in for 4 more years of partisanship gridlock.

[Mopar151]

12. Is his campaign (and its canidate!) so f*&% stupid?

As to beleive that Barack's debate prep team does'nt read the news? Our man will have 5 carefully crafted one-liners all tuned up, possibly including one from Chris Rock... Or will go with his gut. Either way, Mitt's pants will be on fire, on live TV "It's like a sauuna in here! No mas pantalones."

[Laura PourMeADrink]

19. the real Chris Rock? or the fake one on twitter. Either way, both good. nt

[Donald Drunksfeld]

16. That's hilarious, Mittens is setting up his lies pre- debate.

That feckless turdsack is trying to bait and switch the mouth breathers that support him.

[reformist2]

17. Moderates/undecideds won't like this, since they like Obama as a person.

[tjdee]

20. This is a dangerous tactic for our country.

They are playing a very dangerous game.

Romney LIES. And now he is framing the debates in a way that attempts to paint the truth as false.

This is very, very, very scary and sets our country up to have politicians that flat out lie to them for their own purposes. Politicians historically aren't a truthful bunch, but flat out lies like this are extremely dangerous for this democracy.

[cali]

21. I'm not sure I agree. This clearly isn't working for him

[Cosmocat]

22. It is the next DE evolutinon

of the Republican Party.

They are just at an all time low.

It is not working for Romney in that he is not "winning" but it IS working in that he is a gaffe a minute, unlikeable clown in over his head, and this election is A LOT closer than it should be.

The republicans are about 20 years, since they got the house back in the early 90s, period where they have exponentially gotten more brazen in flat lying and spewing nonsense to a media that is increasingly less inclined to call them on it.

It is NOT going to get any better.

[cali]

27. I totally disagree that the President should be running away with this.

The economy is bad. History tells us the challenger should be way up in the polls. Mitt isn't because he's such a terrible candidate. And don't forget that we're still a pretty racist country.

And yes, it will get better. Demographics dictate that.

[Cosmocat]

38. The economy is relative

Mid level unemployment and stagnation of income is relative to our general affluence and what struggles we have now are relative.

We had the worst economic downturn since the great depression and it had 1/1,000 if the impact on people's lives compared to the great depression.

Whatever racism may be involved - that floor on that is last election, if people were not going to vote for him or vote against him because of his race, they would have done so the last time.

Romney is the most bumbling, halfwit, moron to run for president in my life.

He makes McCain look steady and sure.

BO is an incumbent who has been really strong on foreign policy - supposedly what we had to vote on up until 2008, and has been solid on the economy. He is likeable and civil beyond any possible expectation.

I am not saying it should be a 10 point spread, but there is NO reason it should have been with BO tied or up one or two points for month on end until the conventions.

[tjdee]

26. I'm not going to be sure about that until Obama is re-elected.

If it doesn't work for him, to the point that he loses, I'll be in agreement with you.

I think it's still up in the air whether it is working, but even the attempt is frightening, IMO.

[gollygee]

23. People are listening to the fact checkers

He's lied so much and been called out so much. It's only the people who wouldn't vote for Obama if he fed a huge crowd with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.

Only those who wouldn't vote for Obama no matter what are believing him at this point, and I think even they are having to do some mental gymnastics and work at it.

[CJCRANE]

24. The Repubs are going full-on with the Rove tactics.

It's sickening but predictable.

[nanabugg]

25. Well we have a recent record that Mitt will lie. nt

[pinto]

28. Pretty tacky. Pre-emptively calling the President a liar. And, how shall I say it,

chickenshit.

[jayjayusa]

29. He's scared shitless

He's not gonna answer to Obama exposing his lying tax cheating ass! HAHAHAHAH Love it!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. This "liar" meme is rampant. on twitter #describeobamainoneword, the word

liar was posted many, many times.

Exactly what do they think he "lied" about? He may have promised a couple things, that for various reasons didn't come to pass, is that what they are talking about? (i.e. UE rate, guantanamo, working things out with congress)....but what else?

Absolutely nothing, ergo the Rovian ploy to attack your opponent for your own weakness?

[jayjayusa]

31. I can already tell some of the answers.

"I'm not gonna answer that, I'd much rather talk about the issues then these so called allegations that I want to turn medicare into a voucher system, the truth is you killed grandma!"

[ananda]

32. Projecting much, Roms?

LOL

[Jennicut]

33. I bet Rob Portman is kicking his ass.

Which is sad, because it's Rob Portman.

Romney has no personality and I find it hard to watch him drone on and on. I bet anyone could beat Romney in a debate.

[Thrill]

34. lol.Everyone knows that's Reagan's line

Anyone who tries to use it will look like a damn fool

[woodsprite]

35. They'll probably create a "false flag op" in hopes to interrupt or cancel them. n/t

[JBoy]

36. LOL. I remember trying that with my mother once.

When I was about 10, my sister saw me smoking a cigarette with a friend. She said she was "gonna tell mom".

I raced home and tried to pre-empt it by telling my mom about how my sister was going to be telling lies about me.

Didn't work.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

39. Pre-emptive excuse for why he'll get his ass kicked