Mitt Romney photo

Romney Campaign Press Release - Obama's Five Worst Lies & Exaggerations

October 23, 2012


President Obama's Five Worst Lies & Exaggerations From The Third Presidential Debate

NUMBER 1: President Obama Claimed Sequestration Was Not Something That He Proposed — But His Advisers Devised The Defense Cuts:

President Obama: "The Sequester Is Not Something That I Proposed." OBAMA: "First of all, the sequester is not something that I proposed. It's something that Congress has proposed. It will not happen. The budget that we're talking about is not reducing our military spending. It's maintaining it." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Boca Raton, FL, 10/22/12)

Politico, On The Architect Of The Defense Cuts: "In Fact, The Idea May Have Come In Part From Obama's Current Chief Of Staff, Jack Lew." "In fact, the idea may have come in part from Obama's current chief of staff, Jack Lew. The Washington Post's Bob Woodward reported in his book 'The Price of Politics' that Lew, then-Office of Management and Budget director, and White House Legislative Affairs Director Rob Nabors broached the idea of a defense sequester as a threat to Republicans during negotiations over raising the debt ceiling." (Josh Gerstein and Darren Samuelsohn, "Fact-Checking The Third Presidential Debate," Politico, 10/22/12)

President Obama's Administration Was Behind The Idea Of "Massive Defense Cuts." "The book 'The Price of Politics,' by Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward, makes it clear the idea for the draconian spending cuts originated in the White House — and not in Congress. According to the book, excerpts of which were obtained by POLITICO ahead of the Sept. 11 release, President Barack Obama's top deputies believed the prospect of massive defense cuts would compel Republicans to agree to a deficit-cutting grand bargain." (Austin Wright, "Bob Woodward Book Could Bolster Republican Attack On W.H.," Politico, 9/7/12)

Vice President Biden, On The Prospect Of Military & Veterans Cuts: "This Is A Dangerous Area ... But We Should Look At It." "The military was sacred, and it could be political suicide for Democrats to consider cuts for vets. 'This is a dangerous area,' he acknowledged, 'but we should look at it.'" (Bob Woodward, The Price Of Politics, 2012, p. 115)

NUMBER 2: President Obama Falsely Claimed He Didn't Want A Status Of Forces Agreement In Iraq:

President Obama, On His Administration's Attempt To Secure A Status Of Forces Agreement In Iraq: "That's Not True. ... What I Would Not Have Done Is Left 10,000 Troops In Iraq..." ROMNEY: "Number two, with regards to Iraq, you and I agreed, I believe, that there should have been a status of forces agreement. Did you —"OBAMA: "That's not true." ROMNEY: "Oh, you didn't -- you didn't want a status of forces agreement?" OBAMA: "No, but what I -- what I would not have done is left 10,000 troops in Iraq that would tie us down. That certainly would not help us in the Middle East." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Boca Raton, FL, 10/22/12)

The New York Times: "Obama Sought To Negotiate A Status Of Forces Agreement That Would Have Allowed United States Troops To Stay In Iraq After 2011." "Mr. Obama sought to negotiate a Status of Forces Agreement that would have allowed United States troops to stay in Iraq after 2011. ... The role of the American forces would be to train Iraqi troops, patrol Iraq's skies and help Iraqi commandos fight Al Qaeda." (The New York Times, 10/22/12)

  • "Initially, The Obama Administration Was Prepared To Keep Up To 10,000 Troops In Iraq." (The New York Times, 10/22/12)

"Several Parts Of The Administration Appeared To Try Hard To Negotiate A Deal For Thousands Of Troops To Remain -- And Failed." "The Obama administration is claiming it always intended to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of this year, in line with the president's announcement today, but in fact several parts of the administration appeared to try hard to negotiate a deal for thousands of troops to remain -- and failed." (Josh Rogin, "How The Obama Administration Bungled The Iraq Withdrawal Negotiations," Foreign Policy, 10/21/11)

Foreign Policy Headline: "How The Obama Administration Bungled The Iraq Withdrawal Negotiations" (Josh Rogin, "How The Obama Administration Bungled The Iraq Withdrawal Negotiations," Foreign Policy, 10/21/11)

NUMBER 3: President Obama Said He Will Ensure Iran "Will Not Get A Nuclear Weapon" — But His Policies Have Left Iran Even Closer To Nuclear Weapon Capability:

President Obama: "As Long As I'm President Of The United States, Iran Will Not Get A Nuclear Weapon." OBAMA: "But to the issue of Iran, as long as I'm president of the United States, Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. I've made that clear when I came into office. We then organized the strongest coalition and the strongest sanctions against Iran in history, and it is crippling their economy." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Boca Raton, FL, 10/22/12)

President Obama's "Early Overtures To Iran Were Rejected" And Iran's Nuclear Program Has Expanded. "Obama's early overtures to Iran were rejected, and the expansion of Tehran's nuclear program, which it says is purely peaceful, has created tension between Washington and Israel, which sees a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to its existence." (Matt Spetalnick and Mark Felsenthal, "Obama Warns Iran On Nuclear Bid, Containment 'No Option'," Reuters, 9/25/12)

Iran Has Succeeded In "Adding Thousands Of Centrifuge Machines To Its Underground Facility" And Has Grown Its Uranium Stockpile. "No firm dates for new negotiations have been set, and Middle East analysts say no breakthrough is likely until after the November election. Meanwhile, Iran's success in adding thousands of centrifuge machines to its underground facility — and the inexorable growth of its uranium stockpile — continues to stoke fears of an Israeli airstrike. It has also left the White House vulnerable to Republican charges that administration policies, while well-intentioned, have ultimately been fruitless." (Joby Warrick, "Obama's Policy On Iran Bears Some Fruit, But Nuclear Program Still Advances," The Washington Post, 9/24/12)

The Washington Post: "The Result Is That President Obama Is Not Even Leading From Behind On Iran; He Is Simply Behind." "The result is that President Obama is not even leading from behind on Iran; he is simply behind. At the forefront of the Western effort to pressure Tehran is French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who issued a statement Monday calling on the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada and 'other willing countries' to 'immediately freeze the assets of Iran's central bank' and suspend purchases of Iranian oil." (Editorial, "More Half-Measures From Obama Administration On Iran," The Washington Post, 11/22/11)

NUMBER 4: President Obama Claimed He Insisted "China Plays By The Same Rules" — But He's Failed To Label Them As A Currency Manipulator:

President Obama: "My Attitude Coming Into Office Was That We Are Going To Insist That China Plays By The Same Rules As Everybody Else." OBAMA: "But with respect to China, China's both an adversary but also a potential partner in the international community if it's following the rules. So my attitude coming into office was that we are going to insist that China plays by the same rules as everybody else." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Boca Raton, FL, 10/22/12)

Under President Obama, The United States Treasury Department Has Refused To Label China As A Currency Manipulator Seven Times. (Don Lee, "U.S. Declines To Label China A Currency Manipulator," Los Angeles Times, 5/25/12; Pedro Nicolaci da Costa, "U.S. Again Says China Not Currency Manipulator," Reuters, 12/28/11; Gregg Robb, "Treasury Says China Isn't A Currency Manipulator," Market Watch, 5/27/11; Sewell Chan, "China's Currency Avoids "Manipulated" Ruling Again," NYT, 2/04/11; Gregg Robb, "Treasury Does Not Cite China As Currency Manipulator," Market Watch, 7/8/10; Martin Crutsinger, "Administration Declines To Cite China On Currency Manipulation," USA Today, 10/15/09; Glenn Somerville and Doug Palmer, "U.S. Again Declines To Brand China Currency Manipulator," Reuters, 4/15/09)

  • This Month, The Obama Administration Announced It Would Delay Yet Another Opportunity To Label China As A Currency Manipulator. "The Obama administration is delaying a decision that had been due Monday on whether China is manipulating its currency to gain trade advantages. The Treasury Department says the decision will now come after global finance officials meet in early November." ("Administration Delays China Currency Report," The Associated Press, 10/12/12)

President Obama Said He Wouldn't Declare China A Currency Manipulator Because He Didn't Want To "Go Out Of Our Way To Embarrass" China. "President Barack Obama, addressing questions Wednesday about China's alleged trade abuses and currency manipulation, said the United States must push back against unfair practices but not 'go out of our way to embarrass' the country." (Henry J. Gomez, "President Barack Obama Warns Against Embarrassing China On Trade Complaints: Plain Dealer Interview," The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/27/12)

Senator Sherrod Brown: "The U.S. Treasury Department Has Given China A Free Pass When It Comes To Its Currency Manipulation." "'Once again, the U.S. Treasury Department has given China a free pass when it comes to its currency manipulation,' Brown said. 'While we're seeing American manufacturing rebound, China is stepping up its efforts in a number of critical sectors, including clean and solar energy, advanced manufacturing, and auto parts.'" (Senator Sherrod Brown, "Treasury Giving China A 'Free Pass' On Currency Manipulation," Press Release, 5/25/12)

NUMBER 5: President Obama Falsely Claimed Mitt Romney Would Not Have Provided Government Assistance To U.S. Auto Companies:

President Obama: "You Were Very Clear That You Would Not Provide Government Assistance To The U.S. Auto Companies Even If They Went Through Bankruptcy." OBAMA: "You were very clear that you would not provide government assistance to the U.S. auto companies even if they went through bankruptcy. You said that they could get it in the private marketplace. That wasn't true. They would have gone through." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Boca Raton, FL, 10/22/12)

FactCheck.org: Mitt Romney "Said That The 'Federal Government Should Provide Guarantees For Post-Bankruptcy Financing...'" "He argued against a bailout but for a 'managed bankruptcy' in which he said that the 'federal government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk.'" (Brooks Jackson, et al, "FactChecking The Hofstra Debate," FactCheck.org, 10/17/12)

Time's Michael Scherer: "Obama Is Wrong. Romney Supported Guarantees In Bankruptcy. 'The Federal Government Should Provide Guarantees For Post-Bankruptcy Financing'" (Michael Scherer, Twitter Feed, 10/22/12)

Fox News' Chris Wallace: "At The End He Said: The Federal Government Should Provide Guarantees For Post-Bankruptcy Financing  ... Romney Seems To Have Had The Record Straight." WALLACE: "Finally, very briefly on the auto bailout, in an editorial that Romney wrote in November of 2008, which had the headline he didn't write it, let Detroit go bankrupt. He did argue for bankruptcy, a managed bankruptcy but at the end he said: the federal government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk. So at least on that point, again, Romney seems to have had the record straight." (Fox News, 10/22/12)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - Obama's Five Worst Lies & Exaggerations Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/303208

Simple Search of Our Archives