Fargo, North Dakota (CNN) - While President Barack Obama prepared to give a speech in New Hampshire touting domestic energy production, in energy-rich North Dakota Mitt Romney said the president "should be hanging his head" over his energy policies.
"He doesn't get credit for the increase; he instead has tried to slow the growth of oil and gas production in this country, and coal production in this country," Romney told an enthusiastic audience in Fargo. "So far from taking credit, he should be hanging his head and taking a little bit of the blame for what's going on today."
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The GOP candidate spoke to a supportive audience gathered on a frosty factory floor. North Dakota boasts vast natural resources and the lowest unemployment rate in the country, and audience members applauded Romney's call for increased production.
His speech focused heavily on his proposals to expand energy production, including opening federal lands to drilling and easing regulations on a controversial policy known as fracking.
Fracking involves pumping water into rocks to harvest natural gas.
Romney joins his GOP opponent, former Sen. Rick Santorum, in pushing for expanded energy production on the campaign trail. Santorum has brandished a piece of coal during stump speeches to illustrate his desire to expand energy production.
But in North Dakota, where voters will weigh in on the Republican race on March 6, Romney kept his focus on Obama and said he "does not understand energy."
"Today the president is going to be in New Hampshire talking about energy in North Dakota. He's about as far away from North Dakota as he can get and still be in the United States," Romney said. "His idea of course is to be far enough away from the people who know what's really going on right here to maybe try and blow one past folks."
Obama's re-election team defended its "all-of-the-above energy strategy" while criticizing Romney for saying "anything to get elected."
"Mitt Romney's backward-looking energy policy does not meet America's complex energy needs today," campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt said in a statement. "His tax plan keeps subsidies for big oil and gas companies making billions in profits. And he has made clear he is not concerned about gas prices."
While greeting supporters on the ropeline, the candidate also weighed in on the kerfuffle he caused after appearing to say he did not agree with a Republican-backed amendment in the Senate that would allow employers to refuse health care coverage they found to be morally objectionable.
The amendment, drafted by Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, a Romney supporter, is an attempt by Senate Republicans to confront head-on a simmering controversy over rules governing religious employers and coverage they are required to provide. The Senate voted to kill the measure Thursday morning.
"I'm in favor of the Blunt amendment," Romney told reporters.
He also alluded to that support earlier in his speech, when he criticized the president's health care policy.
"Obamacare is an attempt by this administration to say, for instance, to the Catholic Church that they have to provide to the employees of, let's say, universities that are in the Catholic Church, they have to provide to them sterilization treatments for free, and contraception, and morning after pills, and that violates the conscience of the church, the conscience of individuals," Romney said. "And fortunately, there's an effort in Washington to stop that, to reverse that."
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Give it a rest Mitt. You will never be in the White House, unless as a guest.
Knock it off Romney! Now don't you go tellin' people the truth after I spent millions on smoke, mirrors and snake oil to con the American people into thinking I did something that actually George Bush did. Don't you go spillin' the beans on me ya hear?! People don't want to know Gulf oil production is DOWN 30% and drilling permits are DOWN over 60%.
This is why I don't want to face you in November. You're always nailin' me on my smoke and mirror show.
Mittens continues to rant like the true imbecile he really is. There is more drilling now than during the Bush error, production is up, demand is down. One of the reason for the high gas prices is those rich speculators who are adding over 60 cents per gallon. In other words, Mitens base is driving up the cost of gasoline.
This is where Republican lies and misinformation come to a head. We need to find alternative energy sources, and we need to start doing it NOW. To suggest that America could be completely independent of imported oil is a lie. Can it be done? Sure, but look at what it would get us. If the US consumed only domestic oil, we would run out in a mere 10 years.
"Obamacare is an attempt by this administration to say, for instance, to the Catholic Church that they have to provide to the employees of, let's say, universities that are in the Catholic Church, they have to provide to them sterilization treatments for free, and contraception, and morning after pills, and that violates the conscience of the church, the conscience of individuals,"
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I saw a sign at one of the protest which read: "If I want the government in my womb, I'd **** a senator." Willard along with his right wing idealogues need to get off of this issue. When catholic priests stop molesting and sodomizing altar boys, I'll become celibate.
More inflamatorry misinformation from the SisterWife Mittens? How droll. Droll, Baby, Droll.
Tsk, tsk, tsk Romney. The populace has caught on to your "say anything" strategy. Please just stop and get a core. We are not as dumb as you look.
Right. Obama gets credit for nothing, and blame for everything. No rational thinking person goes along with that.
Ugh. Romney is sooo lame. Can we go back to 1984 and time warp some real republicans to our time?
"Romney: Obama shouldn't take credit on domestic energy". Typical, don't let facts get in the way! But do blame Obama for the increase in gas prices? Romney is the only person I know who could get in a circle gun fight by himself!
Sorry Willard no one is listening to you but the rabid GOP = GREEDY OPPOSITION PARTY loyalists who are not going to get you into the White House.
You are going to lose for one simple reason – you are a Fraud.
There are so many things wrong and hypocritical about Romney's remarks that he should be less concerned about the public's perception of him as disconnected, from mainstream America, and more concerned that people will start to think he's lost his mind. This guy will say ANYTHING to anyone to get elected. In the general election, Romney's inconsistant record will be the GOP's undoing. He'll spend all summer trying to out crazy the other crazy candidates, in an effort to gain the far right's approval. In the fall, the rest of the electorate will show him that their memory is long, that they remember his various positions on policies, and they will reject his "candidacy" in favor of Obama. It's a good thing Mitt is so handsome because the GOP needs to put as pretty of a face as they can on the horribly ugly general election campaign they'll run. To put it another way, Romney is the lipstick slathered all over the GOP pig.
GOP policy #1 never gives a credit to Obama
Yeah and you Sir, should not even be running for president. It is obvious you are a one trick pony who is praying everyday the economy does not continue to improve because that is the only thing you can run on!
"for free"
Nowhere does it say that, you lying sack of hair gel. Employees all pay a portion of their coverage in the vast vast majority of employment arrangements. Moreover, ALL female employees would receive the coverage. Just because some employees might not use the coverage based on their own personal beliefs doesn't mean they're not receiving the coverage.
GOP gender equality policy: "We don't discriminate against women...ALL your hoohoos belong to us...not just some of them."
So let me get this straight... The president is responsible for all the bad (gas prices) and for none of the good (energy production)? Yeah... That's realistic. A typical GOP postion: "The government should stay out of the private sector, but the president should bring down gas prices!" Yeah... They are so doomed in November.
So hey, Mittens, should the state/government stay out of the way of polygamy then?
When it comes to energy policy, the only thing Obama should take credit for is an ever-tightening grip that foreign suppliers have over us. Obama's answer? Get a horse. Oh wait... the methane they produce is a greenhouse gas. Make that get a bike.
So, when faced with the truth, that domestic production of oil and gas is higher than it has been in more than a decade under the Obama Administration, he alters his lie. This guy seems to have no guiding principles, flip flops at the drop of a hat, and lies continuously. Why would we ever want such a person in the White House.
Promney prefers power over principle. He flip flops frequently, but a fast food burger cook mostly flips.
Wanna hear something true instead? Mittens shouldn't take credit for creating jobs.
@Snake Oil lies and deceit!! – "Gulf oil production is DOWN 30% and drilling permits are DOWN over 60%"
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Have you forgotten about the little explosion and oil spill they had a little while back??? Hard to believe that a little thing like spilling 300 million gallons of oil into the gulf of Mexico might slow down oil production for a while.
There he goes again.....
When a money launderer speaks, does any one listen?
"Sure, but look at what it would get us. If the US consumed only domestic oil, we would run out in a mere 10 years."
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How do you know, Rudy? 97% of promising lands have been declared "off limits" for exploration, so there's no real way to tell how much there is, righ? So I ask again, Rudy... how do you know?