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Romney Campaign Press Release - Four Years Later: The Incredible Shrinking Campaign

October 24, 2012


With Two Weeks Left, President Obama Resorts To The Same Small, Stale Tactics He Once Decried

Four Years After Running On Hope And Change, President Obama Has Been Reduced To Recycling Campaign Ideas In "A Glossy Compendium":

President Obama's So-Called Second-Term Agenda "Contains No New Proposals." "Mr. Obama tried to address what polling has shown is a consistent question among voters: What kind of agenda does he have for a second term? He released a 20-page booklet encapsulating previously announced policies and contrasting his positions to those of Mr. Romney. The document contains no new proposals, and was derided by a spokesman for Mr. Romney as a 'glossy panic button.'" (Michael D. Shear and Helene Cooper, "With Debates Over, Candidates Race To Clinch Vital States," The New York Times, 10/23/12)

The Obama Second-Term Agenda Is Merely "A Glossy Compendium Of Previously Released Proposals." "Obama's aides then briefly considered putting it out before the second debate, but they decided it would serve the campaign better as a tool to motivate volunteers and focus media coverage in the final two weeks. But the hour is getting late. Obama has a mere 13 days to sell a shrinking group of undecided swing-state independents on his plan — a glossy compendium of previously released proposals on small business creation, manufacturing policy, green jobs and education proposals that he'll send to 3.5 million voters starting this week." (Glenn Thrush, "Hit Mitt Not Enough For Obama Win," Politico, 10/24/12)

"Democrats Had Publicly Demanded The Obama Campaign Put Out A Plan..." "At the first debate, Romney unveiled a gauzy five-point economic recovery platform, and has blasted Obama at all debates for attacking him instead of presenting his own 'agenda.' Other Democrats had publicly demanded the Obama campaign put out a plan, but Obama's top advisers pride themselves on sticking to the course they navigate without outside interference." (Glenn Thrush, "Hit Mitt Not Enough For Obama Win," Politico, 10/24/12)

MSNBC's Luke Russert: "Looking Through This Pamphlet, There Is Not A Lot Of New Ideas Here. ... A Lot Of These Ideas Went To Die On Capitol Hill." RUSSERT: "Now mayor, looking through this pamphlet, there is not a lot of new ideas here. I cover Capitol Hill. A lot of these ideas went to die on Capitol Hill. Why is President Obama putting out this type of literature 13 days before the end of the campaign? Shouldn't it have been earlier if this really was his big idea?" (MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," 10/24/12)

MSNBC's Willie Geist: "Not A New Word In It." GEIST: "I'll just read one line from The New York Times write-up, 'the document contains no new proposals.' Not a new word in it." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 10/24/12)

The Wall Street Journal: "His New Ambitions Look A Lot Like His Old Ambitions, Except Stuck On Repeat. ...  It Isn't New And Barely Qualifies As A Plan." "Two weeks before Election Day, we now know why. His new ambitions look a lot like his old ambitions, except stuck on repeat. On Tuesday Mr. Obama finally tried to give the future more definition with a new plan, except it isn't new and barely qualifies as a plan." (Editorial, "A Second First Term," The Wall Street Journal, 10/23/12)

And It's Not Just Repackaged Ideas — President Obama Is Also Resorting To The Types Of Political Attacks He Once Campaigned Against:

"Many Democrats And Observers" Think President Obama Has Relied Too Heavily On Petty Attacks Instead Of Telling Voters What He Will Do In The Next Four Years. "Obama officials publicly claim the plan was in the works all along and doesn't represent a major change. But many Democrats and observers see the Tuesday messaging switch as proof Obama leaned too heavily for too long on a negative 'Hit Mitt' strategy, at the expense of a sustained push to convince skeptical voters the president deserves another four years." (Glenn Thrush, "Hit Mitt Not Enough For Obama Win," Politico, 10/24/12)

BBC's Katty Kay, On President Obama's 2012 Campaign: "It's So Far From What It Was In 2008 ... It's Sort Of Depressing..." KAY: "It's so far from what it was in 2008, right? When he was talking at this stage in the campaign, two weeks before the election, and he had all that momentum and he was talking about all the things he was going to do in the country. And that was an agenda campaign. He was promising to change the way Washington works, to change the way politics works here. ... I think you're right, it's sort of depressing if that's what it comes down to." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 10/24/12)

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, On President Obama's Current Campaign Strategy: "Am I The Only One Depressed Here?"SCARBOROUGH: "I'm a little depressed right now. I wonder, Katy, if Barack Obama thought five years ago when he knew he was going to have to sacrifice so much time away from his children and wife — a terrible decision for him and make all the horrific personal sacrifices one has to make to be president of the United States — if he could imagine in a million years, five years later, that his re-election would depend on giving speeches like that thirteen days out. Am I the only one depressed here?" (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 10/24/12)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - Four Years Later: The Incredible Shrinking Campaign Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/302887

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