Romney Campaign Press Release - Keynote Flashback: When Obama Promised "A Politics of Hope"

"It was just eight years ago Barack Obama's keynote address promised 'a politics of hope' and a rejection of those 'who are preparing to divide us.' But that Barack Obama is nowhere to be found now that Americans aren't better off, with stagnant unemployment, lower incomes, and a poverty rate on track to hit its highest rate since the 1960s. Americans deserve better from their president than divisive politics and misleading attacks." – Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Tonight's Keynote Address At The Democratic Convention Will Invoke President Obama's "Soaring, Post-Partisan Rhetoric" From His 2004 Keynote Address:

The Democratic Convention's Keynote Address Will Serve As "National Introduction" For Mayor Julian Castro – "Much Like It Was For Obama In 2004." "The speech, which will be given the opening night of the convention in Charlotte, will serve as a national introduction for Castro — much like it was for Obama in 2004. The then-Illinois senator delivered an iconic speech about his own backstory and called for national unity during the Boston convention that nominated John Kerry for President. Political observers have credited that address, which received rapturous reviews, for playing a major role in propelling Obama into the presidential mix in 2008." (Jonathan Lemire, "New Star Will Rise At Dems' Convention," New York Daily News, 7/31/12)

"Castro Said Tuesday That He Hopes To Invoke Obama's Soaring, Post-Partisan Rhetoric During His Own Speech." "Castro said Tuesday that he hopes to invoke Obama's soaring, post-partisan rhetoric during his own speech. 'I remember watching his speech in 2004 and being inspired,' Castro said in a video released by convention organizers. 'When Obama talked about the audacity of hope, I thought back to my mother saying if you didn't like the way things were, you could dare to change them,' he said." (Jonathan Lemire, "New Star Will Rise At Dems' Convention," New York Daily News, 7/31/12)

FLASHBACK: At The 2004 Democratic Convention, Barack Obama Railed Against "Those Who Are Preparing To Divide Us, The Spin Masters And Negative Ad Peddlers Who Embrace The Politics Of Anything Goes." OBAMA: "Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America." (State Senator Barack Obama, Remarks, Boston, MA, 7/27/04)

• State Senator Obama: "Do We Participate In A Politics Of Cynicism, Or Do We Participate In A Politics Of Hope?" OBAMA: "In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism, or do we participate in a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here, the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't think about it, or health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it." (State Senator Barack Obama, Remarks, Boston, MA, 7/27/04)

But After Four Years In Office, President Obama's "Post-Partisan Rhetoric" Has Been Replaced By A "Seek-And-Destroy Effort":

In His Re-Election Campaign, President Obama "Heads Up A Seek-And-Destroy Effort." "But that was sooooo 2004. Specifically, that was so soooo Barack Obama in 2004, when the little-known state Senator from Illinois made these inspiring comments at the Democratic National Convention. Four years after that, Obama waged his juggernaut of a hope-and-change campaign. Now he heads up a seek-and-destroy effort. That means TV viewers in battleground states like Florida will face a lot more negative messaging from both sides than in 2008." (Marc Caputo, "Obama Borrows Campaign Tactics From Bush," The Miami Herald, 7/29/12)

• "The Democrat Who Once Pledged To Usher In A More Civilized Political Era Has Turned To Highly Critical Commercials." "To win a second term, the Democrat who once pledged to usher in a more civilized political era has turned to highly critical commercials – at turns personal and snarky – to go toe to toe with Romney in a campaign noteworthy for its negativity and intensity." (Beth Fouhy, "Obama Negative Ads Could Hurt Personal Popularity," The Associated Press, 7/24/12)

President Obama Did Not Have Reservations About His Campaign's Attack Strategy And "Personally Signed Off On All Of His Campaign's Paid Advertising." "If the outside world found that approach jarring, Obama didn't. In interviews with two dozen current and former Obama advisers, not one said he expressed reservations— at least in the beginning— about the "kill Romney" strategy, and he personally signed off on all of his campaign's paid advertising, although he often toned down the very harshest attacks." (Glenn Thrush, Obama's Last Stand, 2012)

The Washington Post's Dan Balz: "Obama Has Proven To Be A Divisive President, Despite His Insistence That He Is Open To Compromise And Accommodation." (Dan Balz, "Roberts's Health-Care Ruling Sends A Message To Politicians," The Washington Post, 6/30/12)

Why Is The Barack Obama From 2004 Nowhere To Be Found? He Can't Run On His Record Of Increasing Poverty And A Shrinking Middle Class:

Pew Research: "The Middle Class Has Shrunk In Size, Fallen Backward In Income And Wealth..." "Since 2000, the middle class has shrunk in size, fallen backward in income and wealth, and shed some—but by no means all—of its characteristic faith in the future." ("The Lost Decade Of The Middle Class," Pew Research, 8/22/12)

The Majority Of New Jobs Created In President Obama's So-Called Recovery "Pay Much Less" Than Jobs Before The Recession. "Although six in 10 jobs lost during the Great Recession paid mid-level wages, the majority of new jobs created in the recovery -- positions such as store clerks, laborers and home healthcare aides -- pay much less, according to a new study." (Jim Puzzanghera, "Majority Of New Jobs In Recovery Are Low-Paying, Study Finds," Los Angeles Times, 8/31/12)

• "The Findings Highlight Concerns About A Shrinking Middle Class..." "The findings highlight concerns about a shrinking middle class and pose another obstacle to getting the economy back on track, said Annette Bernhardt, policy co-director at the National Employment Law Project, which conducted the study." (Jim Puzzanghera, "Majority Of New Jobs In Recovery Are Low-Paying, Study Finds," Los Angeles Times, 8/31/12)

"The Ranks Of America's Poor Are On Track To Climb To Levels Unseen In Nearly Half A Century..." "The ranks of America's poor are on track to climb to levels unseen in nearly half a century, erasing gains from the war on poverty in the 1960s amid a weak economy and fraying government safety net." (Hope Yen, "US Poverty On Track To Rise To Highest Since 1960s," The Associated Press, 7/22/12)