…while at the same time eviscerating Barack Obama. Below are two video clips, and the relevant transcript. I created a shorter and a longer version: some people like the thirty second clips, and some people want the full version for full effect. Also, note that I’ve cut out the bit where Romney hammered Obama for lying about Romney’s contraception position, and the bit where Obama whined about not having yet more time to say nothing in particular: while important in general, neither bit is relevant to this specific discussion.
Enjoy! I certainly did – and I like George W Bush, mind you. But the way that Romney pinned Bush’s deficits to Obama’s insanely higher ones was choice. Bet you Obama never contemplated that he was going to have to defend his predecessor there, afterwards…
Moe Lane (crosspost)
Longer video:
Thirty-second clip:
Transcript (oops: link):
CROWLEY: I want to move us along here to Susan Katz, who has a question.
And, Governor, it’s for you. QUESTION: Governor Romney, I am an undecided voter, because I’m disappointed with the lack of progress I’ve seen in the last four years. However, I do attribute much of America’s economic and international problems to the failings and missteps of the Bush administration.
Since both you and President Bush are Republicans, I fear a return to the policies of those years should you win this election. What is the biggest difference between you and George W. Bush, and how do you differentiate yourself from George W. Bush?
ROMNEY: Thank you. And I appreciate that question.
[snip of contraception lie debunking and Obama whining about time]
OBAMA: Governor…
ROMNEY: Let me come back and — and answer your question.
President Bush and I are — are different people and these are different times and that’s why my five point plan is so different than what he would have done.
I mean for instance, we can now, by virtue of new technology actually get all the energy we need in North America without having to go to the — the Arabs or the Venezuelans or anyone else. That wasn’t true in his time, that’s why my policy starts with a very robust policy to get all that energy in North America — become energy secure.
Number two, trade — I’ll crack down on China, President Bush didn’t. I’m also going to dramatically expand trade in Latin America. It’s been growing about 12 percent per year over a long period of time. I want to add more free trade agreements so we’ll have more trade.
Number three, I’m going to get us to a balanced budget. President Bush didn’t. President Obama was right, he said that that was outrageous to have deficits as high as half a trillion dollars under the Bush years. He was right, but then he put in place deficits twice that size for every one of his four years. And his forecast for the next four years is more deficits, almost that large. So that’s the next area I’m different than President Bush.
And then let’s take the last one, championing small business. Our party has been focused too long. I came through small business. I understand how hard it is to start a small business. That’s why everything I’ll do is designed to help small businesses grow and add jobs. I want to keep their taxes down on small business. I want regulators to see their job as encouraging small enterprise, not crushing it.
And the thing I find the most troubling about Obama Care, well it’s a long list, but one of the things I find most troubling is that when you go out and talk to small businesses and ask them what they think about it, they tell you it keeps them from hiring more people.
My priority is jobs. I know how to make that happen. And President Bush has a very different path for a very different time. My path is designed in getting small businesses to grow and hire people.
Never forget that GWB at one time had a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. And then never forget what he did with that unusual situation.
Never forget.
You say you like GWB. Fine. Some people like to eat the chicken feet from the Dim Sum carts.
That doesn’t make them arbiters of good taste.
The Bush question was totally bogus. The follow up should have been, “Mr. President, how are you different from Jimmy Carter?” Instead, he was given a chance to pile on. That disgrace is on Candy.
Bush was a lot of things but though out everything he was a stand up guy. He took responsibility. He truly cared about the people and the military. He acted presidential. No one will every agree with all of his choices but he made them and for the best part the USA was better for his choices.
We sure got change.
Liking George W. Bush and liking all of the policies of his administration are two separate things. I believe that I would actually enjoy going to a function with GWB, but I can’t say the same thing with Gore, Kerry, Edwards, or Obama. Likewise Obama had a Democrat majority in both the House and Senate. What did he do with that? Even Obamacare was passed when the Democrats did not have control of the House (but that is another story and I definitely won’t forget that).
Paul:
If you were surprised by Dubya, you didn’t pay attention to his record in TX nor who his father is. He was always the Compassionate Conservative who got stuff done by working with Democrats. It’s just that DC Dems are a different breed than Austin Dems (or, at least, were).
It’s 100% his fault for not understanding the forces he was compromising with, nor the media arrayed against him, but he was and is a fundamentally decent man. Ask Africans about the comparison between Dubya and the current occupant.
i like GWB and would gladly swap the malaise and lack of hope we feel today for his evil 4.5% unemployment, low gas prices compared to today and robust economy except for one period of six months over 8 years (aka a business cycle)
lets not forget in three short yrs obozo has ruined a large portion of our us population, industries and run up deficits faster than any other president i am aware of
Paul, we will not forget … the days of simply voting based upon (D) or (R) and going home are OVER.
We will keep them honest … without throwing out the baby with the bathwater to do so, which was the risk of opposing him back then. We bought enough time to give Iraq a fighting chance by doing so, instead of it becoming a total quagmire like Libya and Egypt have become thanks to “leading from behind”.
Principled conservatives were not united back then, the way they have been united by the Tea Party movement during the last four years. That intensified the risk above.
I’m glad the question was asked and answered, and snswered well and clearly.
One area where Romney would be the same as GWB: if elected, whatever he walked into, he would not spend one second whining about the mess his predecessor left behind. And what a relief that would be!
Paul,
And what did Bush do? Essay question: compare what Obama did with his majorities. For extra credit, explain what Obama failed to accomplish with his majorities.
Barry Rose:
“Even Obamacare was passed when the Democrats did not have control of the House (but that is another story and I definitely won’t forget that).”
It’s hard to “forget” something that isn’t true.
The Democrats became the majority in the House after the 2006 election. Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House in January 2007. She remained Speaker until January 2011, after the GOP retook the House in the Nov. 2010 election. The House of Representatives passed Obamacare November 7, 2009, 220-215. Not one Republican voted in favor of it. The Senate passed a different version of Obamacare in March 2010 (again without one Republican vote in favor). The House passed the bill with a vote of 219 to 212 on March 21, 2010, with 34 Democrats and all 178 Republicans voting against it.
After the Democrat Congress shoved Obamacare down the throats of the American people against their wishes, the electorate booted them from the majority in the House in November 2010. Obamacare is why the GOP retook the House.
Don’t forget THAT, because it’s what really happened.
You seem to be forgetting something, Paul:
Never forget that Barack Obama at one time had a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate. And then never forget what he did with that unusual situation.
Never forget.