Romney revives 8% unemployment critique at rainy rally
Newport News, Virginia (CNN) - Mitt Romney rolled out a new response to last week’s jobs numbers during a rain-soaked rally in Newport News Monday, where he took heart from a group of several hundred hardy - and sodden - supporters.
After the release of Friday's government report showing unemployment had dipped to 7.8%, its lowest rate in years, Romney dropped a regular line attacking President Barack Obama for presiding over 43 months in office with a rate higher than 8%.
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On Monday afternoon, Romney revived the criticism by tweaking the line.
"We've seen the slowest recovery from a recession in history," he told the audience. "As a matter of fact, I just read that if you look back 60 years, and you look at all the months we had with unemployment about 8% before President Obama, there were 39 months in all 60 years with unemployment above 8%."
"With this president, there've been 43 months under one president alone," he continued. "He does not understand what it takes to create a real recovery. I do."
During his campaign stops in a state where unemployment is far lower than the national average at 5.9%, Romney repeatedly lauded the "conservative leadership" of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. McDonnell campaigned with Romney Monday.
With his collar pulled up against the driving rain, Romney told the audience members swathed in ponchos they gave him confidence.
"People wonder why it is I'm so confident we're going to win," he said. "I'm confident because I see you here on a day like this. This is unbelievable!"
Earlier in the day, Romney saw something else that encouraged him: a group of elementary schoolers who waved to his motorcade as it passed their school.
The campaign said Romney immediately declared he wanted to go back and greet the children, so his motorcade made a u-turn. The GOP presidential nominee then greeted a line of Fairfield Elementary children who waited outdoors to shake his hand.
"Thanks for waving at me as I came by. I decided to come by and say hi to you guys," he told them before posing for a group picture.
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Now that he has the before picture he'll be able to go back in four years and take a after picture...that is after defense spending we don't need prioritizes their educational spending.
I wish we could just pin down what loop holes he would close it would make me so much more at ease voting for him but i don't believe he can do it i don't think he truly thinks its possible 4-5 trillion in tax cuts equal a lot of loop holes to be close hell spend so much time figuring out ones to close to make up the 4-5 trillion dollars that his presidency will be over before anything happens.
lol Give it up, it was within the trend.
All bogus polls–this guy is a joke to USA and world.
So the republicans left the house on file when they left with pres. Bush.
Obama came in to fight the fire.
He was quite successful at it too, he prevented the house from burning down to the ground, and managed to save the car to.
Everything was going quite well until the republicans took over congress and started stabbing the hose, blocking the main valve and trashing the firetruck.
And now 2 years later, the house is still on fire, and the republican owners are saying: You didn't put out the fire, let us try that again, cause we did such a great job at it last time!
I don't know about you, but I can't wait to live through 2003 again.
Romney wants a 10% unemployment. The worse it gets, the better the guy feels.
Talk about capitalizing on misery!
What goes up must come down. mitt Rob Me got a bump in the polls for the second time this year and like the first one, it will subside. How could anyone with brain even think that someone who constantly changes their stance on Real Life Issues that effect millions of lives and families could do Any good for this country? Rob me is a Snake Oil salesmen and he knows it. Now he wants to start another war! Are you serious? And is this one gonna be not funded like the last two? And let me tell you something mitt, being incharge of a company that buys distressed companies then dismantles them and sells the pieces off to foriegn, communist countries, that sir IS NOT successful business practices. What would make anyone think he wouldn't. do that to us, all of us.
Romney only knows how to create problems! Romney has no clue how to fix the economy! Anyone gullible following this fool is a fool! Romney has flipfloped so much he's a pancake!
Why didn't you accept the invite from nickalodian to answer questions from the kids?? Scared they were going to ask you questions about killing big bird? I got it, mitt is not smarter than a 5 year old.
R0mney HAS to keep the pressure on with his falsehoods and ambigious policy non-positions. Its working for him after several months of his campaign being in a tailspin.
His Billionnaire backers will throw good money after bad this way. They will be disappointed in November... check the odds in Las Vegas. Still 3 to 1 odds in favor of re-election.
Willard just now many jobs did you outsource to China while at Bain? Now you want us to believe your want to help the unemployed in this country. Willard I am not buying it.
Obama/Biden 2012
Romney is a true politician with no strategy written down and blows smoke up Americas rear bums.
Robme is unamerican he banks his money off shore. Good news or bad to the rethugs is all bad.obama 2012.
43 months, at least he finally got the correct number. tired of hearing for the past 6-8 months that it has been 4 years. the rest is not correct.
anyone, please anyone explain how Obama has been to blame for the last 4 years?
4 years ago Bush was in office and he would continue to be in office for 4 more months.
then he left such a mess that the momentum of the near depression took us down for at least another year.
this gives Obama a measly 2 1/2 years to work a miracle with the party of No & filibuster with their stated mission to do everything possible to get him out of office.
Excuses and blame are not leadership...the old saying " the buck stops here " seems to have been replaced with " It is all Bush's fault ".....enough excuses, deficit spending, and record national debt...4 yrs of Obama has been more than enough