The Romney campaign will begin to aggressively push back against President Obama’s accusations that the Republican was an “outsourcing pioneer” today, a source privy to the the campaign’s strategy told BuzzFeed.
In a conference call Monday morning, senior staff said Romney’s surrogates would stop shying away from the word “lie” in responding to Democrats’ attacks on his business record, and plan to go on TV to call Obama a “liar,” the source said….
Say liar again, say liar again, I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, say liar one more goddamn time.
Shinobi
Wait… wait… they are going to go on tv and call OBAMA a liar? I guess I should stop being surprised that we live in a bizarro democracy.
Maybe I’ll re watch newsroom and pretend that it is real and feel better.
Brian R.
Yeah, be sure to scream “you lie!” at the president. That’ll certainly make voters think that Romney and the Republican Congress are wholly separate entities.
Peregrinus
You do that, Mittens.
Remind me, which one of your kids went birther again?
Spaghetti Lee
“Five bucks says I won’t eat this worm! I’m gonna do it! I’m really gonna do it!”
David Koch
That’s it?
That’s the best they got?
If Obama keeps pimp slapping them they’ll counter by saying “stop it”.
That’s it?
If that’s it, then Mitty is toast.
Peregrinus
@Spaghetti Lee:
Please. That’s just offensive.
Romney eating a worm for five bucks? Maybe if you mean the deer.
Brian R.
@David Koch:
It really telegraphs weakness, doesn’t it? The press might seize it, but voters definitely will.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@David Koch: You can’t expect actual policy arguments. The whole schtick is “get a white guy back in the White House” to save the nation. And of course, there’s a significant market for that. Sigh.
David Koch
Next Mittens will go to the White House and demand a retraction.
lamh35
Dude, chalk this up to another white people think differently than black people, but when I hear “I Wish A Mutha…would”…I think Cedric The Entertainer not Pulp Fiction.
Sorry to interrupt, but I had to share the first thought that went to my head…back to the real subject of the post.
This strategy sure seems stupid and yeah desperate to me.
smintheus
Debating his record at Bain will sure help Mittens’ campaign to regain traction.
I think it’ll be edifying for Americans to hear more about the various scandals Romney was involved in through Bain…like his Medicare fraud problem during the years he and Bain controlled Damon Corp. That’s going to be a good story when the media finally gets around to telling it.
Calouste
Why don’t they just skip straight ahead and go for another word that ends in an ‘r’? You know they want to.
Culture of Truth
“Oh….oh… you were FINISHED…?!?
!
“Well, allow me to RETORT…!!”
satanicpanic
Did anyone not see this coming?
Next up:
Obama belongs to a funny religion that wears funny underpants
Obama is a rich guy, not like you
Obama owns a dancing horse
Obama has a car elevator
Seriously, at least 2 of these will happen, I guarantee it.
Old Dan and Little Ann
When the first debate is over I hope Mittens resembles Uma Thurman after she snorted the heroine.
Cacti
I think team Rmoney is on the edge of a full on panic.
He’s lived a life free of any serious scrutiny up to now. The fact that his social, religious, and racial lessers are asking questions about his slush funds, shell corporations, and foreign bank accounts pisses him off something terrible.
He’s fulfilling the White Horse Prophecy, goddamn it! How dare you question that?!
Turgidson
…at which point the Obama campaign refers Romney and the media to Steve Benen’s 2,000 page (and counting) compendium on Romney’s lies.
I mean, that exact scenario won’t happen, but does the Romney campaign really think it’s wise to go there? Someone in the upper rungs of the campaign must realize that Romney’s entire campaign is premised on lies and it might be best to keep that quiet.
Brian R.
@satanicpanic:
Shit, they already made fun of Obama for going to Harvard, where Mittens got two degrees.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
all those backseat drivers who think McCain should’ve talked about Rev. Wright, who wanted Christie or Gingrich ’cause they wanted someone who would be a bully to Obama… I’d like to think it will blow up in their faces, but the way the media has just kinda “Oh well”ed about Romney skipping around the country hand-in-hand with Donald Trump. Who the fuck knows what will happen. I know Mark Halperin will blame Obama for forcing Romney to go negative.
Violet
Obama’s been hitting them on their strengths. A GOP strength is lying. They’ve also been good at getting away with it due to our milquetoast both-sides-do-it media.
DougJ
@lamh35:
It is Cedric but I’ve already linked that a million times. This also works well with “liar” and “what”.
satanicpanic
@Brian R.: Ha! I almost forgot:
Obama is a flip flopper
Obama isn’t from the heartland
Obama is popular with rich banker types
Obama never served in the military
danielx
Oooh, they’re actually going to use the “L” word? That’s like calling a lawyer after a domestic dispute, the irrevocable step. Let’s see, after that can we dive right into how the Ryan Plan is going to “strengthen” Medicare? Or…the list is endless.
Valdivia
Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies…
I hate this mf’ucker.
Violet
@satanicpanic: I think it’ll be both “Obama is popular with rich banker types” AND “Obama isn’t popular with rich banker types.” Both will be explained as bad.
Frankensteinbeck
Yes. THIS will TOTALLY be the time when the Romney campaign takes aggressive action. They mean it! We’ll all be sorry!
lamh35
@DougJ: alright then DougJ. u still my brutha from anotha mutha…
DougJ
@lamh35:
There’s one thing Cedric is wrong about: northeastern white people wish a motherfucker would too. There is no way anyone could wish a motherfucker would sit in their seats (or whatever) more than my mom and her siblings do.
mainmati
I agree with Violet. The media just want buzz for their own interest and vast revenues from Citizen United. The outcome is irrelevant to them; they win in all scenarios. So, that means the strategy of messaging becomes very important.
Getting on top of Romney becomes critical now because it is important to embed the image of him now – not after his coronation. The Romney campaign response of “liar’ will appear weak and defensive as well as, of course, not actually true since they have been nearly 100% lying.
As always, it only matters whether any of the relevant voters in the relevant states are paying any attention, which they probably aren’t.
And so that’s why we need to get rid of the Electoral College.
piratedan
well I think they’ll follow the tried and true philosophy of finding one small kernel of truthiness and smothering it with layers of deceitfullness and then rinsing and repeating ad nauseum. Jobs suck, economy stagnant, congress in deadlock, and who’s in charge… never mind who’s to blame, who’s in charge…..
lamh35
@DougJ: ha. ur moms and her siblings sound like my kind of people…lol.
PeakVT
Yeah, bring on the l-word. Even for our shitty media that’s chum in the water.
The Dangerman
@Cacti:
It feels that way, doesn’t it?
Someone, somewhere, posted that Romney came out today and said all his overseas investments shouldn’t be scrutinized as they are in blind trusts. That just screams desperation to me.
Steve in DC
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
It’s about getting out the base. I don’t think Romney has a chance on pulling over independents, his record is horrible and he’s a fool. However he does have a chance to rallying the troops to storm out looking at November as if the world will fucking end if he isn’t elected.
Joeyess
This one oughta win you a Moore Award.
Jay C
So, a month away from the Convention, THIS is the latest brilliant Republican strategy to set up the frame for the campaign? Have Romney’s “surrogates” (and who would that be: Zombie Andrew Breitbart?) run around the country squawking “Obama’s a liar! Obama’s a liar” to anyone who’ll listen?
I’m with Cacti (@ #16) – this IS the smell of desperation: and it ain’t pretty….
lamh35
If R-Money and the R-Money millionaires are gonna do this they betta get on the good foot, cause the Olympics start soon and it will take all the oxygen from the room and aside from us crazy pol addicts ain’t nobody gonna be paying attention.
I personally think that R-Money is just talking big to a media outlet who seems to be sympathetic to their outlook.
I dont’ believe they’ll do it either. Which brings us back to what ya said DougJ…”I wish a mutha would…”
I’m off to bed, now. I’m beaucoup tired. Tomorrow is day 6 of my 7 day on and I’ve been trying to regulate my sleeping habits so that I’m not so tired during the 7 days I work.
Good night BJ.
amk
Talk about being stuck in the panic room. Good luck mittbot.
Punchy
Sullivan never lies….
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@The Dangerman: Dick Durbin made a great point on Ed Schultz– If Romney were in Congress he would have to disclose all those foreign investments.
I keep coming back to two points on this: 1) the guy who called his landscapers to make sure there were no undocumented workers blowing his leaves thought this would fly 2) how much money is he making/saving by having these accounts? if he had moved the money two years ago they could just keep saying “old news! old news!” and David Gregory would moo and move on to talking about The Deficit!
kay
They can just go to the offshore accounts. Moving on!
I heard Dan Senor on the radio today. He said that everyone should remember that Romney himself disclosed the offfshore accounts, as he was required to. That was Senor’s defense.
I was surprised they don’t have anything better than that. I don’t know what they COULD offer, the accounts either exist or they don’t, but I thought they’d have some “class war!” slogan to distract, or something.
freelancer
@Shinobi:
The newsroom is real. Last night’s ep was McAvoy tearing into the hypocrisy that is the Tea Party astroturf by highlighting American for Prosperity. I found it more edifying when I watched Maddow do it in realtime. In real life.
I loved watching Rachel tear the president of AFP a new asshole on live TV, and I could swear that Sorkin is aping her reporting to highlight her awesomeness to a wider audience.
David Koch
Mittens: “If you don’t stop, I’m telling teacher!”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@kay: I saw clips of the little weasel on Morning Schmoes defending the bigger weasel with the “He did nothing illegal!” which, to me, is precisely the point. Mitt Romney’s entire platform is that he and his kind pay too much in taxes and are crippled by overregulation. I wish I saw more evidence that the “common people” are connecting his finances to his policy proposals.
OT question: I also see that Mike Barnicle seems to be a regular Morning Schmoe. Is he still stuck in the Blue Collar Guy Voting Red schtick? He pretty much decided he was a victim of the liberal media he used to be a part of, right?
amk
@kay:
Gibbs on msnbc
kay
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
That’s silly though.
The question was never “is it LEGAL?”
The question was “why does Mitt Romney put his money offshore?” Most people don’t. He does.
It’s a good question, and he still hasn’t answered it.
He could have just come out swinging and said “I apologize for none of it! It’s legal! I’m rich!” but he
didn’t. He acted as if the mere MENTION of his putting his money in offshore accounts was personally offensive, an insult.
jcalchemist
“WHAT DOES BARACK OBAMA LOOK LIKE???”
Lockewasright
I’d go on tv and say: “WOW! Mitt’s camp would rather change the subject back to Bain than talk about his off shore bank accounts and tax returns!”
MikeJ
@kay:
Matthew 6:21
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
TG Chicago
@satanicpanic: They’ll do it.
Have all of you forgotten 2004? When the GOP took the most obvious strength of the Democratic candidate (actual war service vs. W’s shirking) and turned it into a liability?
This is classic Rove. Attack the opponent based on your own candidate’s weakness. It worked in 2004, so don’t assume it won’t work in 2012.
Don’t get me wrong — I think the response should be a full on “ROMNEY IS A LIAR” assault with video and everything else. But the media will spin it as “both sides”. That’s what they do.
If you think this is a ‘gimme’ from the Romney camp, you must have been in a coma back in 2004. This requires HARD pushback.
(peace be upon Steve Benen, who has been chronicling the Romney lies for many months now)
Hill Dweller
@The Dangerman:
Now the Obama campaign can run the video of Willard repeatedly attacking Ted Kennedy for his blind trust.
Mike G
@David Koch:
No, he’ll have his butler deliver a proclamation on a scroll.
piratedan
1st segment of TRMS, focused on all of Mitty’s fundraising friends and the quotes reported in threads earlier today… I will be one upset sob if that dickweed gets elected
elisabeth
I thought the washington post started the whole outsourcing poineer thingy. would that not make them the liars. cannot capitalize or punctuate on phone.
Calouste
@kay:
For Mitt, putting money in offshore accounts is what one does. It’s healthy for one’s finances. Mitt probably feels he is being criticized for brushing his teeth twice a day. By people who don’t have teeth.
MattR
@Calouste: Which is why John Edwards’s “Two Americas” theme would have been perfect against Mitt if it wasn’t so thoroughly tainted by his behavior.
The Bobs
@David Koch: Would moving into the White House be a downgrade for Mittens? Is there a car elevator?
satanicpanic
@TG Chicago: Yeah, this is not easy. I don’t want to go the opposite “this is good for Barack Obama because now he can call Romney a liar.”
amk
ABC News/Washington Post Poll. July 5-8
“Who do you think will win the presidential election this year: Obama or Romney?”
Obama – 58% Romney – 34%
Of course, the same peeps said mittbot (48%) would handle the economy better than Obama (47%). / eyeroll.
cmorenc
@smintheus:
That “when the media finally gets a round tuit” part is the problematic qualifier here.
Steve
I don’t get these people. All day long they go around saying that if Obama wins, it’s the end of freedom in America, yadda yadda yadda. And now they’re acting like they’re finally taking the gloves off by calling him a liar? Give me a break.
MattR
@Steve: I can’t wait until August when Mitt breaks out the “he dresses funny” line of attack.
RadioOne
At this point, I’m going to side with the conventional wisdom. Obama is probably going to get re-elected. I know that there will be plenty of times when the CW shifts between now and November. I hope the drama that ensues will cause more people to donate some money to down-ticket competitive races we need to win for Obama to have an effective second term.
For a VP pick for Romney, I expect that Romney, like McCain, will pick an untested wild card in an attempt to “change the media narrative.” His pick won’t be as bad as Sarah Palin, but it won’t be a game changer, either.
xian
@Cacti: they’re inside his OODA loop
Marcellus Shale, Public Dick
doug always picks the wrong song
this is more like it
Joel
Romney mouthpiece Molly Ball was pushing the same angle in the Atlantic this weekend.
Boudica
I happened across Bay Buchanan on Anderson Cooper and she was quite forceful in her defense of Romney. He was an honest man who has done nothing wrong and it’s all wrong how the Obama camp is focusing on Romney’s character when the argument should be all about policy and his failed 3.5 year presidency.
Rhoda
This tax shelter shit is GOLD. Pure gold. When you are stuck saying “I’m not a crook” then (a) everyone hears “I’m a crook” and (b) you probably did other crooked shit. It also helps that Romney has dead eyes and is incredibly awkward on TV. The facts are simple and clear and the mocking endless; and the fact that he gave 23 years worth of tax info to the McCain campaign and they went with PALIN is a dagger. Gibbs slipped that line in yesterday and the look on Dan Senor’s face as he’s getting out-spun was just wonderful.
There comes a point when money won’t fix a problem; the Republicans elected a candidate that they can’t fix monetarily. I read the story in Politico about the House GOP making the DEMS take all these votes that will haunt them in the fall blah blah blah blah blah; and one new fact that was illuminating was that House GOP polling showed for the first time the House Democrats ahead in the congressional ballot. That should have been a story! Not buried on page 2 in some GOP bullshit that I struggled through. If that’s accurate; Romney is screwing it up for the party as a whole and depressing his own voters. I read in the write up of the ABC/WashPo poll that a quarter of his own supporters find the President more personable.
This guy needs a billion to stay in the game AND a massive assist from the media; and the best that’ll get him is not being massacred in the fall. And really, the fact that the President is black has more to do with that than anything else.
rumpole
This really worries me. It’s rove 101. The fact that he calls obama a liar will be news. The fact that nothing he says is true will not be. And once he makes the charge, the media (a) will flyspeck everything that Obama says (a la Kessler), and (b) anything that Romney says will fall into a “both sides do it” type story.
Bad news if this takes off.
rikyrah
this always cracks me up. Because I’m always reminded of Cedric the Entertainer saying how Black folk live by the WISH creed
Commenting at Balloon Juice since 1937
Romney was not an “outsourcing pioneer”. He has never had an original thought in his life.
RP
I’m sure others have pointed this out, but the biggest problem with this is strategy is that it gives everyone license to use the “L” word. If Obama starts calling Romney a liar, the press would tut tut and say that he was being uncivil — that term just isn’t used in presidential campaigns. Because of the typical IOKIYAR double standard, they probably won’t be as hard on Romney, but just putting the word out there demystifies it and removes it from the list of dirty words. Obama can say “as long as we’re talking about lies, Romney lied about X. He lied about Y. He lied about Z.”
And, of course, he’s just drawing attention to the subject of the supposed lie — bain and offshoring.
Spectre
The Romneyites have come screaming back: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/romney-surrogate-laughs-at-andrea-mitchell-as-she-attempts-to-defend-obama-administration/
lless
Prediction: We will shortly be adding the words “outsourcing pioneer” to the lexicon of magic message mangles by the brain trust of the Romney campaign. Enjoy!
Richard Pryor
Now, see, that’s the difference between white people and black people. White folks say “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessay sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” (audience giggles.) Black folks say “ENGLISH, Motherfucker, DO YOU SPEAK IT???” (audience laughs loud and long)