PRESS
RELEASE
from
DNC
November 21, 2011
Fact Check - Mitt
Romney's Attack Ad
Mitt Romney's first television ad continues a pattern of dishonesty and
a lack of credibility on issues that matter to the American people.
Once again, he completely distorts the President's words, this time
taking a quote the President used while actually quoting Sen. John
McCain's campaign advisor. Just this week he received "Four Pinocchios"
for distorting another quote from the President. He claims he will
create jobs but he was 47th in job creation as Governor. He attacks the
President on the foreclosure crisis but said he would do nothing to
help homeowners and would let foreclosures 'hit bottom.' But this
is
just more of same. Mitt Romney will do anything to get elected - he's
"running for President, for Pete's sake!"
FACT: ROMNEY'S AD DISTORTS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WORDS, HE WAS CRITICIZING
WHAT A MCCAIN CAMPAIGN ADVISOR SAID
Romney's ad distorts President Obama's words. In fact, he was referring
to a quote from a McCain campaign advisor.
President Obama Was Quoting A McCain Campaign Advisor When He Said "If
We Keep Talking About The Economy, We're Going To Lose." At an event in
Londonderry, New Hampshire, then-Sen. Obama said, "Even as we face the
most serious economic crisis of our time; even as you are worried about
keeping your jobs or paying your bills or staying in your homes, my
opponent's campaign announced earlier this month that they want to
'turn the page' on the discussion about our economy so they can spend
the final weeks of this election attacking me instead. Senator McCain's
campaign actually said, and I quote, 'if we keep talking about the
economy, we're going to lose.' Well, New Hampshire, last night we had a
debate. I think you saw a bit of the McCain attack strategy in action.
But here's what Senator McCain doesn't seem to understand. With the
economy in turmoil and the American Dream at risk, the American people
don't want to hear politicians attack each other - you want to hear
about how we're going to attack the challenges facing middle class
families each and every day. You want to hear about the issues that
matter in your lives. You want to hear about how we're going to bring
about the change that we desperately need for our country. That's what
the American people want to hear." [Obama, Londonderry, New Hampshire,
10/16/08]
Romney's Own Ad Backup Confirms Obama Was Referring To Sen. McCain's
Campaign Advisor. From Mitt Romney's press release on his attack ad:
OBAMA: “If we
keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.”
•
Obama: “Senator McCain’s
campaign actually said, and I quote, if we keep talking about the
economy, we're going to lose.” (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks,
Londonderry, NH, 10/16/08)
FACT: ROMNEY’S ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AS GOVERNOR WAS ONE OF THE WORST IN
THE COUNTRY
Romney claims he will make America a "job creating machine," but his
record as governor was one of the worst in the nation. Under Romney,
Massachusetts ranked 47th out of 50 in job creation.
During Romney’s Tenure As Governor Massachusetts’ Economic Performance
Was “One Of The Worst In The Country” On “All Key Labor Market
Measures.” “As Mitt Romney pursues his bid for the presidency, his
record as Massachusetts governor will come under scrutiny, including
how the state’s economy performed during his administration. Our
analysis reveals a weak comparative economic performance of the state
over the Romney years, one of the worst in the country. On all key
labor market measures, the state not only lagged behind the country as
a whole, but often ranked at or near the bottom of the state
distribution.” [Boston Globe, 7/29/07]
Factcheck.org: “Romney’s Jobs Record Provides Little To Boast About” As
Massachusetts Only Gained 1% In Payroll Jobs Over His Term Compared To
5.3% In The Nation As A Whole. “Payroll jobs in Massachusetts hit their
low point in December 2003 at the end of Romney’s first year in office.
And the number of jobs declined in seven of the remaining 36 months of
his term, as measured by total nonfarm employment, seasonally adjusted,
which is the standard measure of payroll employment used by economists
and journalists. The claim that jobs increased "every single month" is
false… Furthermore, Romney’s job record provides little to boast about.
By the end of his four years in office, Massachusetts had squeezed out
a net gain in payroll jobs of just 1 percent, compared with job growth
of 5.3 percent for the nation as a whole.” [Factcheck.org, 1/11/08]
• In Romney’s Four Years As Governor Massachusetts
Ranked 47th
Out Of 50 In Jobs Growth. “The Republican contender was the
governor
of Massachusetts from January 2003 to January 2007. And during that
time, according to the U.S. Labor Department, the state ranked 47th in
the entire country in jobs growth. Fourth from last. The only
ones
that did worse? Ohio, Michigan and Louisiana. In other words, two
rustbelt states and another that lost its biggest city to a hurricane.
The Massachusetts jobs growth over that period, a pitiful 0.9%, badly
lagged other high-skill, high-wage, knowledge economy states like New
York (2.7%), California (4.7%) and North Carolina (7.6%). The national
average: More than 5%.” [Marketwatch, 2/23/10]
• PolitiFact “No Matter How We Sliced The Data”
Massachusetts Was
47th Out Of 50 States In Job Creation Under Romney. PolitiFact said of
the statement: When Romney was governor, Massachusetts ranked 47th out
of 50 states in job creation, “Indeed, federal jobs numbers indicate
that, no matter how we sliced the data, the state was 47th.”
[Politifact, 6/22/11]
FACT: UNDER ROMNEY, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FELL ALMOST $2,000
In addition to his poor job creation record, median household income in
Massachusetts also declined under Romney.
Under Romney, The Median Household Income In Massachusetts Decreased
$1,963 In Real Terms. In 2002, the median household income in
Massachusetts was $55,266. Adjusted for inflation, this amount
was
$61,932.33 in 2006 buying power. In 2006, the median household
income
in Massachusetts was $59,963, a decrease from the inflation adjusted
median household income from 2002 of $1,963.33 [Census.gov American
Community Survey, 2002 Median Household Income And 2006 Median
Household Income; BLS Inflation Calculator, 2002-2006]
FACT: ROMNEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO STOP THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS
Despite attacking President Obama on foreclosures, Mitt Romney said he
would do nothing to stop the foreclosure crisis, and foreclosures
skyrocketed while he was governor.
Romney: "Don't Try To Stop The Foreclosure Process. Let It Run Its
Course And The Bottom." Romney: "As for what to do for the housing
industry specifically, and are there things that you can do to
encourage housing? One is don’t try and stop the foreclosure process.
Let it run its course and hit the bottom, allow investors to buy homes,
put renters in them, fix the homes up and let it turn around and come
back up. The Obama administration has slow-walked the foreclosure
processes that have long existed and as a result we still have a
foreclosure overhang." [Las Vegas Review Journal, 10/17/11]
Foreclosures In Massachusetts While Romney Was Governor Went From 4,200
In 2003 To 19,500 In 2006. “Nevada Democrats quickly pounced on Romney,
casting his appearance as an April Fools joke and pointing to
foreclosure rates that rose in Massachusetts during his four years as
governor. There were about 4,200 foreclosures in the Bay State in 2003,
Romney’s first year in office, compared with 19,500 in 2006, his last
year in office.” [Boston Globe, 4/1/11]
• Foreclosures In Massachusetts In 2006 Totaled
19,487. [Business Wire Press Release, ForeclosuresMass, 2/6/07]
• Foreclosures In Massachusetts In 2005 Totaled
11,493. [Business Wire Press Release, ForeclosuresMass, 1/30/06]
• Foreclosures In Massachusetts In 2004 Totaled
8,689. [Business Wire Press Release, ForeclosuresMass, 1/30/06]
• Foreclosures in Massachusetts In 2003 Totaled
4,167. [Boston Globe, 1/20/04]
FACT: UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA’S LEADERSHIP, AMERICA HAS ADDED 2.8 MILLION
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS OVER THE LAST 20 MONTHS OF CONSECUTIVE JOB GROWTH
The U.S. Economy Has Added 2.8 Million Private Sector Jobs In The Last
20 Months. [
data.bls.gov,
accessed 11/4/2011]
Private Sector Job Growth Has Continued For 20 Consecutive Months. [
data.bls.gov, accessed
11/4/2011]
GDP Has Seen Positive Growth For Nine Consecutive Quarters. [CEA,
10/27/2011]