Washington (CNN) – A top adviser to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Sunday that recent allegations coming from rivals in President Barack Obama's campaign were debasing the office of the presidency.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Romney senior adviser Ed Gillespie said the GOP candidate scheduled five interviews with major broadcasters on Friday to clear his name, after an Obama campaign official suggested he had committed a felony by listing himself as CEO of Bain Capital when he no longer carried leadership responsibilities at the private equity firm.
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"There were questions that Gov. Romney wanted to address, and make sure people understood that he's not a felon," Gillespie told CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley. "That's what this campaign, on the Obama side, was reduced to. And it's sad to see."
Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter charged in a conference call with reporters this week that Romney "through his own words and his own signature was misrepresenting his position at Bain to the SEC, which is a felony," or was otherwise "misrepresenting his position at Bain to the American people to avoid responsibility for some of the consequences of his investments."
Romney himself said in an interview with CNN on Friday that charge was "disgusting" and "demeaning," and called on Obama and his campaign to apologize.
"It's something which I think the president should take responsibility for and stop," Romney told CNN national political correspondent Jim Acosta.
On Sunday, Gillespie echoed that sentiment, saying the charges reflected a "say anything" stance adopted by the president's campaign.
"We now know that this president will say anything to keep this highest office in the land, even if it means demeaning the highest office in the land," Gillespie said.
Calls by Democrats for Romney to release additional tax returns, Gillespie said, were distracting from an important conversation about how to increase the number of middle-class jobs in America.
"We're putting out there his tax returns, more than is required by the law," Gillespie said. "The reason we're talking about these things is because he put those tax records out there, the blind trust and some of those accounts. The fact is the American people are very concerned about, 'How am I going to get a job?'"
Romney released tax return information from 2010 and has vowed to release his 2011 information when it's completed by his accountant. Democrats, however, are pushing the GOP candidate to release more years of documents, claiming the additional disclosure will answer questions about Romney's offshore investments in places considered to be tax havens like the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Switzerland.
Asked for an update on the search for Romney's running mate, Gillespie refused to divulge any new details, including on the timing of the announcement.
"He's narrowing the list, but I'm not going to betray any confidences," Gillespie said.
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Lame
gullesby tell why when Obama took over, he took an economy retracting at 9 percent and push it to a 4 percent growth in 6 month, and why since a year when Scott brown took came to the Senate which gave the repubs the numbers to fillabust. every thing this president tried, why the economy stop growing at 4 to. 5 percent.
I consider anything Ed Gillespie says is an insult to the intelligence of the American people.
I love the Romney campaign – whatever weaknesses Romney has, such as flip flopping and saying anything to anyone, is always exactly what they accuse the president of. Believe me, this president has taken stands that no other politician would have taken – he has risked his political career more than once to do the right thing. Has Mitt Romney EVER done that? Oh wait ..... ROMNEYCARE!
The only way Romney wins is if the billionaires buy him the White House. Then what does he owe them? Puppet Man – that will be his new name.
LOL ! Look who`s talking
And Romney will say anything to get the job. What's the difference? They're typical politicians: tell people what they want to hear and damn the truth.
Love his comment that Obama will do anything to get Re elected,look who ROBME just hired to TRY and get him elected.
and Mitt will say anything to get that job
Obama is worried that Romney will outsource the Preisdent position! Romney will be the CEO of the country in absentia (just like his tenure at Bains) while the country is run from a call center in Caiman Islands.
And Mitt Romney will say anything to get into the office... even by talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Mr Romney made this a very dirty dark election cycle during the primaries. He can't sling mud and then get bent out of the shape when the other side finally decides to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Doesn't make it right in my opinion but that being said this election cycle has been dirty from the start during the Republican primaries.
How do we know if he is undermining the security and economy of the USA with his blind trusts, foreign accounts and investments? PATRIOTISM is required of everyone that seek the office of the USA.
Also, GOP is quick to call somebody else criminal, but they accept crime as their modus operandi and modus vivendi.
The idea that Mitt Romney is accusing another of "saying anything to be president" is the biggest pot calling the kettle black that we have heard from in a long time. Isn't it really pretty simple? For which years was he really president of Bain, and what happened at companies acquired by Bain during those years. Also why would he say he left one year, when he seems to still have been on board subsequently?
Uh, there's a pretty good chance Mitt is a felon – he says he wasn 't CEO or president of Bain yet he told the SEC he was. Which one is it Mitt?
Truth is Romney wil "say anything" to get Obama's job.
“Can we trust Romney?” Raising this question Obama Campaign did a very good job
Credits go to Obama campaign
“We now know that this president will say anything…..” Sorry first new papers raise these questions. So don’t point the finger at president
Now republicans are asking Romney to release more tax return that is win win for Obama because Obama will get my vote
Obama will say and do anything to get a vote. He has no idea how to tell the truth.
Never have trusted Romney, and I never will. He's hiding too many things.
First of all, I'd like to know what 'consequences" of his investments is she referring too? Staples? Burger King? Sports Authority?
Secondly, any decent campaign would have had her packing on the next plane smoking. But I forgot, we are talking about Obama.
The Republicans will obstruct anything they can to keep him from keeping his job. Hopefully the American voters are smart enough to hold the Republicans in Congress accountable for the obstructionism that has helped to slow the recovery. Shame on them. Party before country.
During the primary Romney almost destroy his Opponents who raise the questions about Bain Capital
Now whining
It's hilarious to hear the "swift boat" people whining about a rough campaign! What a joke!
Romney needs to simply release his tax returns. The lie about his complete lack of control of Bain Capital while he still owned the corporation is laughable. The man has lied of flip-flopped on every single issue. He's given Americans nothing specific about his vision except he'll repeal the healthcare law and replace it with exactly the same concept – but no details about how to fund the provisions. We also know he plans to follow the Ryan udget model – giving huge tax breaks to the rich, poking the middle-class, and trashing Medicare and Social Security by handing them over to Wall Street. Immigrants will "self deport"? What a weak, dishonest, and foolish candidate.
I would like to hear from Romney himself, how many years of his Tax Returns he issued to McCain for VP pick. If he issued him a good number of it, why is it difficult now to issue the same, keeping in mind he is seeking a higher position than VP.
Is this what we want with Romney?
He is noooo good
Sent jobs to China and at our childrens future . while he made millions. This is the guy you want to be our President. They act as if they are Christian based yet destroy lives on both sides of the ocean. Anti worker ok for if your lucky $10/hr.
This is not the guy for the job
Isn't it sad that there is nobody that will bring the American people together.
They want us divided.
GET real Romney campaign
Southern Republicans are asking Romney to release more tax returns, they worried many will stay home in Election Day
Romney will win south the problem is some state representatives and us representatives will lose