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Obama seeks to undercut Romney's record on jobs

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    Richard Fowler and Flip Pidot debate who has been the most successful

  • Duration 13:28
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Turning in -- on that point to the economy.

You've seen in recent weeks what.

Republican.

Opponents and the president -- -- -- to sort of that the shiny object campaign we go from.

Contraception fights this -- about treatment of household pets most recently the -- to gay marriage but now.

-- this week both campaigns seem to be turning back to what -- voters have long been most focused on that being jobs in the economy.

And a new micro website and and campaign commercial from the Obama team seeks to undercut Romney clearly on.

His.

Record of job creation in in the private sector.

Focusing on on steel -- this opening salvo in and anecdotally going to some people who lost their jobs.

From a steel company there was majority owned by being what what do you make of this story in particular and in general does this.

Does this or telegraph a shift in focus from the Obama campaign from social issues from distractions.

Back to jobs and and and how that play with that with with the president's job record.

What -- hopefuls are really important flip but I gotta tell you I think we all know that Mitt Romney has slowed -- quick to fire at the end of the day all of us that -- down to when it comes to the president's commercial the president commercial really highlights.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- We haven't seen any policy that Mitt -- that's -- -- -- them until it actually do that.

-- focusing on the shiny objects off flip I gotta tell you so we think that we saw Mitt Romney out this weekend -- speaking at Liberty University which is though the university founded by Jerry Falwell -- so it doesn't it -- really trying to pander to the religious event evangelical right or is this just the Mitt Romney being a president the GOP nominee.

Right and you -- the Liberty University speech was sort of high profile opportunity for.

-- Romney to.

Answer I guess on this on this most recent.

Shot the shiny object and and trust it.

Consolidate some favor within his base that -- course during the protracted primary was slower take to come to to Romney's.

-- then then to -- this primary competitors.

But on the island on the jobs front again all all -- service a couple of they counter what's the what's your making and and the Obama campaign sound.

What's called attack on on Obama on Romney is job creation Boehner finds.

One would be that you're during during the auto bailout that the Obama campaign wants to point to as as an indication of his ability to.

Understand and and support the us economy.

That sort of very top down.

Administration controlled.

Bailout.

Led to the layoffs of thousands tens of thousands I think even of local dealership workers.

Now the administration's defense reasonably I think would be well this is an industry in trouble in her say that -- there was a lot of fans that need to be trimmed.

But I think that would be the same valid defense from Romney from being from other.

Turnaround or or or work out specialists.

-- -- be -- failing enterprises are failing for reasons -- they need to be turned around not just with liquidity injections as as Spain and Greece are finding out as I suspect General Motors will eventually find out.

You can't solve -- solvency.

Or -- structural problems with liquidity.

Sometimes whether -- steel industry whether it's an airline whether it's car manufacturer you need bankruptcy you need to renegotiate.

Contracts it then and and you need layoffs.

And I think it is the second -- counterpoint today to the administration's argument on the jobs front -- -- -- Romney's record would be.

-- it it's in his decades of being capitalist decades of existence has been a strong net job creator.

Despite the fact that that of course is not actually their job Romney's job is as head of Bain Capital was not create jobs it listed.

Return.

Make it greater return on investment for his limited partners -- or -- -- -- way I mean c'mon we'll certainly you don't give me money long term just by firing people the company noted that this is the sort of sort of led -- experiment the first and it's kind of Marion private equity with management consulting their idea was -- their management consulting expertise was good enough.

They -- put their own money behind these turnaround situations.

In some cases.

A lot of really hold -- -- gun -- on a second now flip I think when you -- when talking about the auto bailout this is definitely a topic that we've -- come up a lot.

We've seen Mitt Romney first say that you should let Detroit go bankrupt in the New York piece on the New York Times article -- or 2008.

-- -- and a couple of days ago we've seen Romney take credit for the auto bailout even though he said he would have not in that -- -- that he would never bill that he would never given a check to the auto industry but the truth of the matter is that the proof is in the -- now flip at the end of the day we've seen both.

We see our auto we've seen all of history rebound and as the number one production for the number one -- our producer of cars.

In the world are and so we think that I think the president made a wise bet here.

Do you really think of that Mitt Romney is Mitt Romney flip flopping on president he's really tried it -- -- where is this credit coming from a why isn't gonna get credit for this if he says he does.

Site I think he has said that he deserves some credit in that some pieces of the advice that he gave to the president ultimately were followed I think he -- -- credit I think he should say look GM is not fixed.

It is flush because taxpayers gave -- a huge capital infusion and because the Obama administration overly broad the valid contracts with senior bondholders in favor of the unions it has enough cash -- to operate in weather this storm.

But -- got -- in -- trouble was not this lack of cash it was the overhang.

Of of frank would become parasitic.

Union labor obligations.

-- million in tough economic times company like GM.

Can't thrive and in some cases France can even can even survive.

That problem has not been fixed that no problem continues to get worse I think Mitt Romney should say.

Look that it Chapter Eleven wouldn't have been.

With the liquidation that would have been restructuring and plenty of manufacturers airlines others certain service -- in manufacturing companies have.

Gone through bankruptcy come out much stronger GM was.

Strung along kept alive -- liquidity infusion but the underlying problem is not fixed that up it's harder.

What message to sell but I think that's what -- -- about and say is that Obama took the wrong path.

It looks okay now sort of been bandage but ultimately the hemorrhaging we'll Nextel look -- -- little right now.

I I agree everything here I would've rather seen -- take that position and -- that he did take and I think that is the problem that.

Both the GOP -- Republican voters as well as independents or -- -- -- is that we really don't know who the real Mitt Romney is because he will.

Fuel change positions he's like a Johnny come lately you know he's always changing thousand our -- who.

The real Mitt Romney is and I think if you giving me is that you just stated.

It would -- worked a lot better for him the incident did did which was.

I'll take credit for that on the same goes for how -- -- that immigration which he changed on -- How he feels about all the abortion which he's changed on -- how you feel about gay marriage which -- also changed positions on so I really think.

That that's Mitt Romney's biggest problem.

Going into Tony twelve I think Republicans can agree can't -- -- IE IA would.

Disagree I think Obama's most recent shiny object that McCain and I wanted to because they must Indo that I mean the question my whether or not -- around.

Changes positions you just said he knew she shouldn't have to say he did they could -- really didn't help bail out the war but bill -- the auto industry.

When you're saying that you know it has nothing to do with Obama does Mitt Romney have.

You know who the -- Mitt Romney probably does -- have an identity problem.

He he may -- certainly does among some voters but I think if you're looking at a position.

Or series of position taking taken over decades can you really say well Obama is the principled.

Leader with that no I wouldn't say I already had an argument Romney is not and I don't think I would make that I would I think -- -- -- recent you know active political courage coming out in favor of gay marriage.

He was in favor of it sixteen years ago before he decided for political reasons to be against it running Thursday.

No I don't forget the president's at all I think with the president said was.

I'm not really sure my stance on this he's always -- -- my stance of the ball and I'm not -- for example my stance is -- -- -- -- wears a Mitt Romney has clearly stated abortions a great example 2002 he said but I'm poor woman's right to -- and then in 2007.

Is that I have always been pro life like.

Those are two anatomically oppose.

Things he's gonna always -- pro -- and he said he into government to woman's right to choose in 2007.

It's old now and I I'm totally pro life that is the flip flop is -- not.

I think I think -- any candidate including the two currently running for president -- Can you you can find examples in their record of statements that are considered some points I'm actually opposed to it certainly Barack Obama's highlighted.

And and in his speech of -- they'll continue to highlight an issue on which he has come to diametrically different positions based I don't think that's political -- in 1996 -- the questioner you can view it online.

He said he favors.

Same sex marriage in 2002004.

To -- -- opposed to it.

Now the evolution is complete now that he either views the electorate has seven shift in favor of this issue.

Or he simply wants to talk about anything other the end -- -- the economy he's gone back to the position and he held sixteen years ago -- -- that is in evolution but it's.

Now there's a decision on your local level or its based out of careful reading of a political view there is all there is a distinction between the Mitt Romney's stance and the view Obama stands in the Obama's stance the president's they the president doesn't -- he said yes.

My position has -- -- -- it's changing we haven't ever seen Mitt Romney come out and said my position on the auto ballot is changed.

He said in 2008 we should not give Jim a -- that he said the couple days ago.

I totally take credit for the fact that Jim is doing well again but you know I oppose them getting a bailout.

He said he would take a lot of credit for their for their for their turn around in the some -- they'd be happy to take credit for the turn -- if we didn't with the turnaround was.

-- to the fact that they got money from the federal dollars and put them back on the right track distinction is that the liquidity injection.

Did did nothing other than bandage that's not true problem well next time we have financial crisis if they have the same overhang of union.

Obligations to thousands of dollars of -- that's ours and us doesn't answer every card that they're so -- gonna make money.

I mean we're we're only talking about we're isolating one flip flop that Mitt Romney has taken another football that he said is -- a couple bought three or four months ago on the Soledad O'Brien show.

I think it's -- early start a camera with a -- a starting point they.

He says -- he didn't care about the -- then a couple days later he says well why do care about the war I mean this guy in his mind as ever of all day and all that I think that's really hard I don't think you -- -- the country or our military or are you know being didn't chief negotiator for economic policies -- somebody.

Who's not sure how they feel -- any particular day whichever way the wind goes that's the -- -- they go and I think that's the biggest on the voters they're gonna have.

Going into this election and I think you're gonna see those things happen in battleground states like Virginia in Ohio and Florida one thing about Virginia the Virginia voters like TV who you are and I think Mitt Romney has the real problem being who yes the -- where George Allen the as the senate nominee there won't -- campaign with -- because he's afraid that Iran might be a toxic asset.

Are so I really do think flip that you know he doesn't have a don't get me wrong I think the president of the -- on on a number of things the president has his -- a number of things look good does the stark distinction between.

Those changes have not been as bad as Mitt Romney's.

-- -- just atrocious.

Well I think I think ultimately -- in November voters are going to be asked to decide whether they want four more years of Obama or or not more so than they're going to be asked what what do you think of Mitt Romney and can you can you draw any distinctions between his past positions -- her positions he can explain.

But again November will be be the ultimate proof in the putting sort of -- come on we've gotten from Charles -- online governor -- you'll have the better opportunity.

To create -- because he knows and has the experience to do so I guess that that is much much the same point that that that's when the questions well will be asked that.

I think I think if I think Charles is right that the president will have to sort of -- I mean.

There Robbie I guess maybe it did you make during that -- -- -- a balanced but the question Charles should be asking yourself.

Is whether or not he does provide that balance I'm not really sure.

All of if Mitt Romney provide the clear balance of the people I think -- recent Gallup poll also indicated.

That a lot of -- -- -- -- electability problem as a -- tell -- do you think that like ability really plays into who people elect as president because in the recent poll said that Iran is flexibility with somewhere in the thirties or forties -- the president flexibility.

Not based on policy all of -- in the sixties or 70% until we sort of know that.

When it comes at a press those election -- really like you know prom king and prom -- so do you really think that Mitt has let the good woman if he does how does he fix that.

I think Romney would -- like is like ability to be higher but we've seen Obama's personal life to building which has historically trend higher than his approval now creeping down towards the towards the -- I think that'll be -- the primary problem for Obama in November if he can manage to stay above 50% on on either measure.

We're gonna have to wrap it up there.

Richard thanks so much -- great chatting it's been it's been such a good time and thanks everyone for tuning in we'll see you next time.

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