What Romney should have learned at Bain
By Ezra Klein, WashPost, Monday, May 21, 9:04 AM
Poor Cory Booker. It turns out that it’s easier to rescue old ladies from burning buildings than to step into the 2012 election without, well, stepping in it.
Booker, the Democratic mayor of Newark, N.J., appeared on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on NBC to act as a surrogate for President Obama’s reelection campaign. And he did a perfectly serviceable job. Asked about the allegations that Obama is anti-business, he said that “over 90% of Americans have seen tax cuts under this president,” which is absolutely true. Asked about the auto bailout, he said that Mitt Romney “would have let the auto industry fail,” which is mostly true. And asked about tax reform, he said “the president’s put forth a bipartisan plan,” which is not, as far as I know, actually true, but certainly makes Obama sound good.
But then he got asked about Obama’s attacks on Romney’s record at Bain Capital. And Booker made the mistake of being honest. “I have to just say from a very personal level I’m not about to sit here and indict private equity,” he said. A few moments later, he said that “this kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both sides.”
Republicans were delighted. “Thank you Mayor Cory Booker for the straight talk this morning,” tweeted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Booker, who had spent most of the program criticizing Romney, seemed unprepared for the firestorm over his few remarks distancing himself from the Democratic attacks on Bain. Within hours, he had released a YouTube video partially walking back his comments. “Mitt Romney has made his business record a centerpiece of his campaign,” he protested. “He has talked about himself as a job creator. Therefore, it is reasonable for the Obama campaign to examine that record and discuss it.”
Politics ain’t beanbag, as the saying goes. Romney spends much of his time on the campaign trail lying about and misrepresenting Obama’s record. He says Obama “went around the world and apologized for America,” which isn’t true. He says Obama is “ending Medicare as we know it,” which is laughable. He says “we’re inches away from no longer having a free economy,” which is risible. So it’s hard for me to get particularly exercised over the Obama campaign running heartwrenching ads over people who lost their jobs because of decisions the company Mitt Romney actually ran actually made. But here’s the ad. Judge for yourself:
(More here.)
Poor Cory Booker. It turns out that it’s easier to rescue old ladies from burning buildings than to step into the 2012 election without, well, stepping in it.
Booker, the Democratic mayor of Newark, N.J., appeared on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on NBC to act as a surrogate for President Obama’s reelection campaign. And he did a perfectly serviceable job. Asked about the allegations that Obama is anti-business, he said that “over 90% of Americans have seen tax cuts under this president,” which is absolutely true. Asked about the auto bailout, he said that Mitt Romney “would have let the auto industry fail,” which is mostly true. And asked about tax reform, he said “the president’s put forth a bipartisan plan,” which is not, as far as I know, actually true, but certainly makes Obama sound good.
But then he got asked about Obama’s attacks on Romney’s record at Bain Capital. And Booker made the mistake of being honest. “I have to just say from a very personal level I’m not about to sit here and indict private equity,” he said. A few moments later, he said that “this kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both sides.”
Republicans were delighted. “Thank you Mayor Cory Booker for the straight talk this morning,” tweeted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Booker, who had spent most of the program criticizing Romney, seemed unprepared for the firestorm over his few remarks distancing himself from the Democratic attacks on Bain. Within hours, he had released a YouTube video partially walking back his comments. “Mitt Romney has made his business record a centerpiece of his campaign,” he protested. “He has talked about himself as a job creator. Therefore, it is reasonable for the Obama campaign to examine that record and discuss it.”
Politics ain’t beanbag, as the saying goes. Romney spends much of his time on the campaign trail lying about and misrepresenting Obama’s record. He says Obama “went around the world and apologized for America,” which isn’t true. He says Obama is “ending Medicare as we know it,” which is laughable. He says “we’re inches away from no longer having a free economy,” which is risible. So it’s hard for me to get particularly exercised over the Obama campaign running heartwrenching ads over people who lost their jobs because of decisions the company Mitt Romney actually ran actually made. But here’s the ad. Judge for yourself:
(More here.)
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