Romney flip-flops on charges against Obama

UPDATED 5:55 p.m. ET

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney answers a question during the first New Hampshire Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., June 13, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Jim Cole

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney on Thursday backtracked on a central theme of his presidential campaign: that President Obama has made a struggling U.S. economy even worse.

"I didn't say that things are worse," Romney said at a press conference in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The comments came in response to a question from an NBC producer who asked the putative front-runner for the Republican nomination to explain his factually inaccurate statements on the campaign trail about the struggling U.S. economy.

During last month's Republican debate in New Hampshire, Romney said Mr. Obama "didn't create the recession, but he made it worse and longer."

Economic growth is considered by economists to be the best overall measure of the economy's performance, and the data clearly show a fragile economy that was falling off a cliff a couple years ago. In the last three months of 2008, just before Mr. Obama took office, the U.S. economy contracted at a 6.8 percent annualized pace, according to the Commerce Department.

In the first three months of 2009, which includes Mr. Obama's January 20, 2009 inauguration, the economy contracted at a 4.9 percent pace. The economy grew at a 1.9 percent annualized rate in the first three months of this year after growing at a 3.1 percent pace in the three months through last December.

And job growth, which is even more important for most voters, shows a similar story: weak but better than it was. The economy lost 820,000 jobs in January 2009 and continued to lose jobs every month through early 2010. Job creation in mid-2010 see-sawed between growth and loss until October, when there were 171,000 jobs created. The economy has added at least some jobs every month since, though just 54,000 jobs were added in May, the most recent month for which data is available.

These numbers are by no means stellar, but they clearly paint a picture that shows improvement from a very weak starting point. The unemployment rate, which economists consider a so-called lagging indicator, started at 7.8 percent when Mr. Obama took office and peaked at 10.1 percent in October 2009. In May, the Labor Department reported the unemployment rate at 9.1 percent, still considered too high by most economists.

And it was not just the one comment at the New Hampshire debate. Romney has made the "Obama made it worse" line a theme of his nascent campaign. On Monday in New Hampshire, Romney said "the president's failed. He did not cause this recession, but he made it worse."

Until Thursday in Pennsylvania. When he backtracked.

"I did not say that things were worse, what I said was that the economy hasn't turned around, that you have 20 million Americans out of work or seriously unemployed," Romney said in response to producer Sue Kroll's question.

There were 13.9 million unemployed Americans in May, according the Labor Department, though an additional 10 million or so Americans are considered underemployed.

The former head of Bain Capital said the economy would be his top priority if he were in the White House.

"I can assure voters that if I were president of the United States I would spend every waking moment doing what I could to get Americans back to work," Romney said.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said the former governor would continue to attack Mr. Obama's economic record.

"President Obama and the Democrats will spend the next 17 months trying to distract voters from their horrible record on the economy - and it's not going to work," Saul said in an prepared statement emailed Friday to CBS News, "it is an undeniable fact that Barack Obama has failed to create jobs and fix the economy."

[drfreeman2]

'Flip flop' comments by CBS -- the media wing of the Obama campaign. Nevertheless,

Obama's 2012 prospects decline while Ronmey's soar!

http://www.2012presidentialprospects.com/

[JayAdlerMusic]

Nobody remembers, I am an idiot who lives near the ocean and has 3 cars and when I asked for a comparison between Romney's numerical mistake and Obama almost losing his election by insulting people in small towns, their guns and their religion, everybody had something to say except what they said about Obama's remark as opposed to what they said about Romney. Of course I am not entitled to any answer but only one person did answer the question. Do you notice how I was attacked for bringing this up even though as having a Journalism Degree and my own Internet writing business those commenters should look in their own mirror. The bottom line is that Obama is not going to be ensconced in a bubble in 2012, he is going to have to stand on his own record and will not be propped up anymore.

[jimbom121]

Who says Obama is propped up? Obama was widely attacked for the guns comment back in 2008. As was he for the 57 states slip up, one which he immediately recognized.

[Jhihmoac]

Not surprising...A good many politicians have more "flip-flops" than a Jersey Girl's shoe wardrobe...

[JayAdlerMusic]

See what happened, I asked a straight question relating to appraisals of Romney making a rather tame statement versus Obama creating a gaffe two thousand miles away directed to an entire state from a party in San Francisco. I am not entitled to actually get an answer but I did, from one person I saw. Every other blogger went on a circuitous route, which is fine but nothing I asked was addressed save the one gentleman. Obama is lucky to have a base like this.

[tmittelstaed]

I ain't going to read through a hundred comments to find your question so I'll just mark down your comment as the flappings of an idiot, sound and fury signifying nothing.

[jimbom121]

Obama's base defends his remarks, just like Palin is defended by her base, Bachman by hers, etc. Romney does not seem to have a base of supporters.

[pasha128]

Romney Flip-Flops -- the story of his political career on it would appear any and every issue. Like the Gov in Texas in several movies -- on any given day Romney;s opinion on any matter will reflect the most recent polling he has reviewed. There appears to be no issue (substantive in terms of the election anyway)where Candidate Romney has a position based soundly on personal conviction.

[jimbom121]

Funny what happens when they are confronted with facts.

[rsamuels67]

Everyone has flip flop on something, but lets get real. The GOP are against rasining tax stating it will hurt job growth. They have enjoyed the George Bush tax cut for ten years, but no GOP is willing to say this has hurt the economy and cause the job lost. The tickle down effect has never work, because rich people only want more money for them and not for you. I blame the President for not standing up for all American when he extended the tax cuts and that is his fault there.

[catmomtx]

I think the President WAS standing up for middle class Americans, that is why he extended the tax cuts. If he hadn't the middle class would have felt the loss much more than the rich.

[tmittelstaed]

Catmom, I'm middle class and if the tax breaks hadn't been extended it would have been a minimal impact to my budget - one I would have GLADLY paid as for every dollar that I would have sent in, the rich would have sent in 10 dollars.

That's damn good return for an investment.

[formrusmcsgt]

by JayAdlerMusic July 2, 2011 3:05 AM EDT
Mr. Obama directed a harangue toward the good people of Indiana his disposition about their guns and religions.
---
Harangue?

You have a link?

10 to 1 you don't.......

[esq777]

It would be more newsworthy if there is ever a time Romney doesn't flip-flop on something. This guy blows with the breeze more than any politician I can think of, and that's saying a lot. It's hard to know what he actually stands for, other than wanting to be President for some reason.

[JayAdlerMusic]

I have read the comments above and many criticize Mitt Romney for flubbing on some job statistics and Obama's responsibility for the recession. I would ask these individuals, to be fair and to rewrite your comments from 2008 when from a very Left cocktail party in San Francisco replete with double martinis composed of the best Vodka, Mr. Obama directed a harangue toward the good people of Indiana his disposition about their guns and religions. What was your comment then or even now.Romney has already been taken to the woodshed so let's all play the game fairly.

[catmomtx]

Mitt Romney didn't flub on the statistics, he out right lied about the Presidents record, he lied at least three different times.

Oh and pulease, get over the guns and religion. Many people understood exactly what the President was saying . It is just people like you who want to make this into one other rant and rage against the President. Have at it, but it has nothing to do with Mitt Romney lying about the President's record then lying that he didn't say what is clearly stated on tape on at least three different occassions.