Romney Camp Defends Poor Jobs Record: He Inherited A Bad Situation

[Lakhota]

By Pema Levy

Mitt Romney has been dogged by an unfortunate statistic for his entire campaign: When he was governor, Massachusetts ranked 47th in job creation. President Obama’s campaign has ramped up the attack this week in response to Romney’s assertion that he knows how to create jobs — a fact he says is backed up by his record in the private sector. Sunday, Romney’s campaign struck back with a new line of defense: Romney stepped into a serious situation and improved it.

If it sounds familiar, it should — it’s the same line of reasoning that Obama is using to persuade voters to stick with his policies.

Twice on Sunday, Romney’s advisers appeared on television armed with different numbers than the ones wielded by the Obama campaign. On ABC’s “This Week,” Obama’s deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter and top Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom duked it out over Romney’s Massachusetts record.

Senior Romney adviser Ed Gillespie had a similar exchange with “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace. “When [Romney] took office it was No. 50 in job creation. Actually 51 if you count the District of Columbia,” Gillespie said.

Wallace: “We will check out the numbers.”

Gillespie: “Well, check it out, OK? And when ended his term in office, his four years in office, it was number 30. So, he moved it dramatically.”

Wallace: “Over the four years, it was 47th. There was no question about that.”​

More: Romney Camp Debuts New Jobs Numbers To Defend Massachusetts Record | TPM2012

 

[Lakhota]

Perry Brown · Top Commenter · Utah

Romney says that his job numbers sucked because he inherited a bad situation, and the MSM buys it. Yet any suggestion that Obama's lousy job numbers are the result of having inherited an economy in total free fall from GW followed by a do nothing Congress is dismissed as preposterous. That's rich, just rich.

Romney Camp Debuts New Jobs Numbers To Defend Massachusetts Record | TPM2012

 

[Greenbeard]

Romney's a nice guy but he was in over his head.

 

[Leweman]

I thought only Presidents could create jobs ... haha.

 

[Leweman]

They were 30th by the end of his tenure. Not bad I guess.

 

[Lakhota]

CHART: Bush Vs. Obama On Private And Public Sector Job Creation | ThinkProgress

 

[ClosedCaption]

Did he really blame the previous admin? Serious question?

 

[Leweman]

CHART: Bush Vs. Obama On Private And Public Sector Job Creation | ThinkProgress

That chart seems to show that Private Sector Job growth was bouncing back under Bush and then really took a crap when Obama got in then started to recover again.

 

[Lakhota]

They were 30th by the end of his tenure. Not bad I guess.

30th? According to Chris Wallace in the OP, they were 47th during all four of Romney's years as governor.

 

[Leweman]

Did he really blame the previous admin? Serious question?

What other state moved up 20 spots in Job Growth in that time span?

 

[Lakhota]

Did he really blame the previous admin? Serious question?

What other state moved up 20 spots in Job Growth in that time span?

Where's your credible proof that he moved up 20 spots? Chris Wallace says Mass. was 47th all the way.

 

[Darkwind]

I can't remember who it was that said it, but Obama with the longest run of high unemployment in US history, would kill for Romney's alleged poor job performance.

 

[Lakhota]

Wallace cited statistics showing unemployment numbers in Massachusetts increasing under Romney. Gillespie disputed the data, arguing that rather than ranking highest among all states in unemployment during his four years in office, he managed to get Massachusetts ranked 30th in job creation. Wallace shot back saying “there’s no question” Massachusetts ranked 47th throughout Romney’s term.

Chris Wallace Grills Romney Adviser On Romney’s Job Creation Record As Mass. Governor | Mediaite

 

[The T]

I can't remember who it was that said it, but Obama with the longest run of high unemployment in US history, would kill for Romney's alleged poor job performance.

Romney has hired more by his actions...and Obama has FIRED more by his.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Did he really blame the previous admin? Serious question?

What other state moved up 20 spots in Job Growth in that time span?

Where's your credible proof that he moved up 20 spots? Chris Wallace says Mass. was 47th all the way.

This is strange. Lewman read the OP but was able to block out information unfavorable to his canidate and retain the false information.

 

[Darkwind]

I can't remember who it was that said it, but Obama with the longest run of high unemployment in US history, would kill for Romney's alleged poor job performance.

Romney has hired more by his actions...and Obama has FIRED more by his.

Yes. Right now, America is telling themselves that at least Romney managed to improve the job situation without having to have people drop out just to improve the numbers. His numbers were people, actually going back to work.

 

[Listening]

From Politifact:

Again, there are lots of ways to present jobs data. And jobs statistics can often be manipulated by political campaigns, so that it's possible for competing campaigns to point to equal and opposite statistics -- as is the case with Romney and job creation as governor. For example, the Romney campaign provided data showing that Massachusetts' rank in terms of the percentage of job growth improved from 49th out of 50 during 2003 to 36th during 2006. And, they note, Massachusetts added more than 47,000 jobs over the course of the Romney Administration -- a gross number that does not factor in job losses during the period Romney was governor, as the Associated Press did in citing the 24,400 job number.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...ay-when-mitt-romney-was-governor-massachuset/

 

[The T]

I can't remember who it was that said it, but Obama with the longest run of high unemployment in US history, would kill for Romney's alleged poor job performance.

Romney has hired more by his actions...and Obama has FIRED more by his.

Yes. Right now, America is telling themselves that at least Romney managed to improve the job situation without having to have people drop out just to improve the numbers. His numbers were people, actually going back to work.

Precisely...and Obama on such a grander scale.

Can't hold a candle...and We're NOT talking about gubmint jobs...Private sector.

Obama is at war with them.

 

[uscitizen]

CHART: Bush Vs. Obama On Private And Public Sector Job Creation | ThinkProgress

That chart seems to show that Private Sector Job growth was bouncing back under Bush and then really took a crap when Obama got in then started to recover again.

Umm that would seem to coincide with a recession, the housing bubble bursting and the finiancial fiasco.
All of which were in gear before Obama took office.
Remember Bush passed TARP.

 

[Leweman]

CHART: Bush Vs. Obama On Private And Public Sector Job Creation | ThinkProgress

That chart seems to show that Private Sector Job growth was bouncing back under Bush and then really took a crap when Obama got in then started to recover again.

Umm that would seem to coincide with a recession, the housing bubble bursting and the finiancial fiasco.
All of which were in gear before Obama took office.
Remember Bush passed TARP.

ooooooooooooooh ... okay