Revealed: Obama's Baseless Smear Campaign

“President Obama continues to talk out of both sides of his mouth. While lamenting negative ads and calling for a debate on the issues, his campaign is running a dishonest, shameful smear campaign with no plans to get Americans back to work. The American people deserve the truth and they certainly deserve better from their president.” –Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Days After Accusing Governor Romney Of Being A Felon, The Obama Campaign Now Professes To Want A Real Debate On The Issues:

• Obama Campaign Spokesperson Jen Psaki: “Of Course The President Wants To Have A Highbrow Debate About These Policy Issues And What The American People Actually Care About.” (Politico, 7/14/12)

How Can President Obama Have The “Highbrow Debate” He Allegedly Wants? Don’t Spend $100 Million On Overwhelmingly Negative Ads…

• The Associated Press: “A Sustained Early Barrage Designed To Create Lasting, Negative Impressions” Of Governor Romney.“President Barack Obama's campaign has spent nearly $100 million on television commercials in selected battleground states so far, unleashing a sustained early barrage designed to create lasting, negative impressions of Republican Mitt Romney before he and his allies ramp up for the fall.” (“Obama Spending On Attack Ads Soars,” The Associated Press, 7/14/12)

Don’t Allow Your Campaign To Accuse Your Opponent Of Being A Felon…

• FactCheck.org: “No Basis For The Obama Campaign’s Claim That Romney Committed A Felony.” “But we see little new in any of these SEC filings, and a University of Pennsylvania Law School professor we spoke to sees no basis for the Obama campaign’s claim that Romney committed a felony.” (Brooks Jackson, “Romney’s Bain Years: New Evidence, Same Conclusion,” FactCheck.org, 7/12/12)
• CNN’s Wolf Blitzer: “Before You Make An Accusation, Shouldn't There Be More Investigation When You Start Raising The Possibility, In [The Obama Campaign’s] Words, Of Committing Felony…?” BLITZER: “So, the question is: why would Stephanie Cutter jump to this felony accusation? No one has ever suggested Mitt Romney did anything ever criminally wrong. … The question is, before you make an accusation, shouldn't there be more investigation when you start raising the possibility, in her words, of committing felony – potentially this is a felony? That's a serious accusation.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 7/12/12)
• Former Governor And DNC Chair Ed Rendell: The Obama Campaign “Went A Little Bit Too Far With The Felony Business.”RENDELL: “I think Carol also made a very good point about all this attack may be hurting the President's brand a little bit, too. I think our supporters went a little bit too far with the felony business.” (MSNBC’s “NOW With Alex Wagner,” 7/13/12)
• Syndicated Columnist Charles Krauthammer: “When You Get The Obama Campaign Accusing Him Of Being A Felon, You Have Jumped The Shark.” KRAUTHAMMER: “But when you get the Obama campaign accusing him of being a felon, you have jumped the shark. … So when they accuse him of deliberately lying to the SEC and committing a felony, they are then retroactively questioning all the series of charges up to then. That's jumping the shark. That is a mistake.” (Fox News’ “Special Report,” 7/12/12)

Don’t Repeat Baseless Attacks That Have Been Thoroughly Debunked And Discredited…

• The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker”: “The Obama Campaign Is Blowing Smoke Here … The Weight Of Evidence Suggests That Romney Did In Fact End Active Management Of Bain In 1999.” “The Obama campaign is blowing smoke here. … Meanwhile, the weight of evidence suggests that Romney did in fact end active management of Bain in 1999.” (Glenn Kessler, “Do Bain SEC Documents Suggest Mitt Romney Is A Criminal?” The Washington Post, 7/13/12)
• FactCheck.org: “None Of The SEC Filings Show That Romney Was Anything But A Passive, Absentee Owner During That Time, As Both Romney And Bain Have Long Said.” (Brooks Jackson, “Romney’s Bain Years: New Evidence, Same Conclusion,”FactCheck.org, 7/12/12)
• Fortune Magazine: “Mitt Romney Did Not Manage Bain Capital's Investments After Leaving To Run The Salt Lake City Olympic Games…” “Mitt Romney did not manage Bain Capital's investments after leaving to run the Salt Lake City Olympic Games, according to confidential firm documents obtained by Fortune. … As Fortune wrote earlier, Romney left Bain suddenly … In the interim, he continued to fulfill legal obligations such as signing certain documents – but actual investment and managerial decisions were being made by others.” (Dan Primack, “Documents: Romney Didn't Manage Bain Funds,” Fortune, 7/12/12)
• CNN’s John King: “It Doesn't Appear That What They're Saying About Governor Romney Is True.” KING: “Well, in some ways, inside the Obama campaign, they might say they're winning, even as we have a conversation in which we say it doesn't appear that what they're saying about Governor Romney is true. Why? Because we're not talking about the broad U.S. economy. We're not talking about four months in a row of rather dismal job reports.” (CNN’s “AC360,” 7/12/12)

Don’t Allow Your Advisers To Run A “Kill Romney” Campaign…

• For Months, The Obama Campaign Has Been Preparing “A Ferocious Personal Assault On Mitt Romney’s Character And Business Background…” “Barack Obama’s aides and advisers are preparing to center the president’s reelection campaign on a ferocious personal assault on Mitt Romney’s character and business background, a strategy grounded in the early-stage expectation that the former Massachusetts governor is the likely GOP nominee.” (Politico, 8/9/11)
• “‘Unless Things Change And Obama Can Run On Accomplishments, He Will Have To Kill Romney,’ Said A Prominent Democratic Strategist Aligned With The White House.” (Politico, 8/9/11)

• “Obama Appears To Have Resorted To Some Of The Same Tactics He Once Opposed.” “Now, in the throes of a sluggish economic recovery and tight general election race, Obama appears to have resorted to some of the same tactics he once opposed.” (ABC News, 7/10/12)

• “An Unhappy And Intensely Negative Way To Run For Re-Election.” “Romney’s wealth will be the cornerstone of the Obama campaign strategy and he will do everything he can to cast Romney as the villain in this play – the heel who the audience will love to hate. It’s an unhappy and intensely negative way to run for re-election, but given the state of the nation and voters views on his policies, it’s Obama’s best chance to hold the White House.” (Fox News, 4/11/12)

… And Take Responsibility For Your Record In Office – As You Once Promised You Would:

• President Obama, In February 2009: “If I Don’t Have This Done In Three Years, Then There’s Going To Be A One-Term Proposition.”  OBAMA: “That's exactly right – and you know, a year from now I think people are going to see that we're starting to make some progress. But there's still going to be some pain out there. If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition.” (NBC’s “The Today Show,” 2/2/09)
• President Obama, In 2009, On Taking Responsibility For The Economy: “That’s Fine. Give It To Me.” OBAMA: “Now, my administration has a job to do, as well, and that job is to get this economy back on its feet. That's my job. And it's a job I gladly accept. I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, well, this is Obama's economy. That's fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Warren, MI, 7/14/09)
• The Associated Press: “With Four Simple Words — ‘Give It To Me!’ — President Barack Obama Took Possession Of The Economy.” (Jim Kuhnehenn, “Give It To Me! Obama Takes Charge Of Economy,” The Associated Press, 7/15/09.