Romney: Debate let voters "listen to substance"

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney campaigns with vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan in Fishersville, Va., Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. / AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

FISHERSVILLE, Va. A re-energized Mitt Romney joined forces with Paul Ryan in the battleground state of Virginia on Thursday evening and said the previous night's debate enabled voters to "listen to substance," even as the Obama campaign began aggressively questioning the details of several of Romney's assertions.

"People got the chance ... to cut through all the attacks and counterattacks and all of the theatrics associated with a campaign, and instead they were able to listen to substance," Romney said as the crowd of more than 5,000 in this rural town west of Charlottesville roared its approval.

Calling the event "an important night for the country, " he praised the debate's moderator, PBS's Jim Lehrer, for asking "questions of substance" and said he appreciated the opportunity to question Obama on the unemployment level, the raising numbers of people in poverty and on food stamps, and the problems facing the middle class.

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"And I think as a result of those answers. the American people recognize that he and I stand for something very different," Romney said. "I'm going to help the American people get good jobs and a bright future."

As he introduced Romney, Ryan told the crowd, "Last night we saw a clear picture, we saw a clear choice. Last night, America got to see the man I know -- a leader."

Both Romney and Ryan took Vice President Biden to task for saying during a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa that he agreed with the Republicans' assertion that he and Obama want to raise taxes by a trillion dollars through letting tax cuts lapse for the wealthiest Americans.

"Guess what? Yes, we do, in one regard," Biden said. "We want to let that trillion-dollar tax cut expire so the middle class doesn't have to bear the burden of all that money going to the super wealthy. That's not a tax raise, that's called fairness where I come from."

Ryan prompted chuckles from the thousands of people in the audience by mocking Biden by saying he "asked himself a question" and then responded to himself confirming that he will raise taxes.

"Well, Virginia, no we don't!" he said as some members of the audience echoed him, chanting, "No we don't!"

Romney said Biden had "blurted out the truth" and that Obama's plan will kill jobs and force families to pay $4,000 more in taxes, citing a study from the conservative American Enterprise Institute that Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith called "a partisan distortion of a study that has nothing to do with the president's proposals."

The Obama campaign tried to hammer home a theme of dishonestly from the GOP ticket that it has been pushing since the Wednesday night debate. Obama, in an appearance in Denver, and his campaign are seeking to rebrand the debate -- through a hard-hitting TV ad and other means -- not as a lackluster performance by the Democratic incumbent but as Romney's distortion of what they said is his real agenda.

"After Mitt Romney's blatant dishonesty about his policies last night, it's no surprise that he and Paul Ryan can do nothing but blindly attack an honest, consistent position when they see it," said spokesman Danny Kanner.

"The vice president - like the overwhelming majority of the American people - believes we should ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share like they did under President Clinton so that we can pay down our deficit and make the investments in education, energy, and innovation that will grow our economy. Unfortunately for Romney and Ryan, who would prefer to give additional tax cuts to the wealthiest by raising taxes on the middle class and slashing critical investments, those are the facts - and they're on the wrong side of them."

The rally kicked off with a short concert by country music star Trace Adkins and a formal endorsement from the National Rifle Association. NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre warned that the Supreme Court would force gun owners to "kiss our constitutional right to own a firearm in the United States goodbye."

Ryan played up his credentials as a hunter by pointing out his blaze-orange-and-camouflage iPhone cover.

"It reminds me that after we elect Mitt Romney president, I can take my daughter deer hunting," he said.

[skeezix06]

Uh. No. Debates are more like the song "Strike A Pose". You aren't going to find out how they will run the country from the debate.

[lami987]

The real substance of a candidate is revealed in his/her secret talks and comments like the 47% talk. Debate without any fact presented is easy for the cunnings.

[Rebirth2007]

October 4th 2012

I'm in sales and I know a great salesperson when I listem to him/her. It sure feels, feels good listening to the sales pitch. Romney is an excellent salesperson and businessman. I ask myself again and again, "What did he say"?, "How did he effectively spin reality", "Where is his authenticity"?, "I sure feel good listening to what doesn't feel good within me". If you just think for a moment then the realization comes to you that thoughts and feelings just are not connected. There is a disconnect. Yes, good old manipulation at hand. Psychologist say alexithymia. I experience the same sales pitch at state and county fairs. If you are mislead by the sales pitch then join the club. However, just, just perhaps the majority of American people will not buy into power, greed, ego, agenda, and a good sales pitch reflective of manipulation or will they?

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

SUBSTANCE...?

The only "substance" that twelve-faced Romney is totally full of...

Is a malodorous one that is often used for fertilizer in third world countries

[johnlockesghost]

Regarding taxes: Does anyone remember the tax burden facing the United States in the year 2000? Of course you don't, because we had a surplus. So, the question of taxes is simple enough, return to the tax code we had before the idiots bush and cheney took office.

[nohater]

think you have something there.

[nohater]

think you have something there.

[smithmm]

. . . a brown, fetid substance.

[Lerianis4]

Who cares about the NRA endorsement. I agree with their positions on guns, but I am really getting sick and tired of their "FEAR THE DEMOCRATS!" ******** that they try every single election.

I'm more scared of what the Rethuglicans will do to America if they are allowed to get an even bigger slice of Congress and the White House. Can anyone say "Great Depression 2"? I knew you could.

[jmhubers]

He must be kidding. There was nothing substantive about Romney. These were revised bullet points for his new makeover. The real reason Obama seemed a bit off kilter is because neither he nor we had heard things like this coming from Romney before. This is Romney 5.5 hoping that we'll buy his line that this is the real him . . .

[vjmsnz]

How can Obama have a plan?
The congress is in republican hands.
The best and most important promise Obama can make, is to use his veto to curb republican lunacy.

[Eco99]

I would have love to see Obama answer the question about working with both parties by saying ... How can you when their leader goes on TV and says the parties main goal is to make me a one term president. Ask the GOP why they will not work together.

I was disappointed. If Romney had remained civil I could have overlooked this but when he started attacking and then repeating lie after lie, Obama should have called him out on it. He missed an opportunity to but the race to bed last night but instead he allowed Mitt to stoke the fires of his campaign and now has the press repeating the lies. But par for the course for GOP and Mitt.

I do have one question, is it really a lie when the answer changes everytime you are asked the question? Maybe Mitt is just dazed and confused or just plan doesn't know or care.

[Eco99]

So Mitt come running from his far right positions to to more moderate position from most for prime time. Was this a mere performance a smoke screen if you will or has he truly moderated his position.

Now he is saying his 47% remark was wrong backing away from his calling it inelegant.

I say will the real Mitt Romney please stand up.

My personal opinion is the substance of his performance was BS as it contradicted the positions he has taken through the whole campaign. Maybe he has changed that is a possibility. But I think he is donning the sheeps clothing. Be careful if you are considering changing your vote based on the debate. Because if you haven't been paying attention the Mitt last night is not the same Mitt from the last year of campaigning.