(Mitts)Truth in Advertising
Here’s a new “ad” ThinkProgress released today:
That’s right, you heard Mitt Romney say:
“We should just raise everybody’s taxes!”
“There’s nothing unique about the United States.”
“Government knows better than a free people how to guide an economy.”
“Fiscal responsibility is heartless and immoral.”
“Let us just raise your taxes some more. We just need a little bit more.”
“America’s just another nation with a flag.”
Did Mitt Romney actually say all of these things? Yes.
Is it accurate or honest to present those statements as Mitt Romney’s own personal views or beliefs? Yes*
*according to the Mitt Romney standard of accuracy, as relayed by the campaign’s senior adviser in New Hampshire:
“He did say the words. That’s his voice.”
Romney’s Blatantly Dishonest Ad
Yesterday, Mitt Romney released his first campaign ad, which quotes President Obama saying, “If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.” But those weren’t Obama’s words; he was quoting a strategist for Sen. John McCain in 2008.
And worse yet — Romney’s campaign openly admitted they’d been dishonest on purpose! Why? In defending their dishonest ad, they made the stunning — and absurd — claim that President Obama refuses to talk about the economy.
President Obama has, as anyone who has watched the news or picked up a newspaper in the last few month knows, been talking about almost nothing but the economy and his jobs plan, which independent economists agree will put millions of Americans back to work. Even a cursory review of the president’s recent remarks at official events posted on the White House website underscores the president’s eagerness to discuss the economy and ways to get it moving.
Mitt Romney may wish to distract the public from his own economic plan — trillions in new tax cuts for the wealthy and corporation while slashing Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security — or his oath to Republican lobbyist Grover Norquist, but his campaign shouldn’t turn to intentionally dishonest tactics to do so.
IN THREE WORDS: Pants. On. Fire.
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed
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