Romney Campaign Press Release - The Choice: "Substance-Driven Race" Vs. "Vicious,Shameful"

"Three years ago, President Obama warned of politicians trying to 'scare the heck out of folks' with 'bogeymen' in an effort to maintain the status quo. With the economy in a slump and unemployment at a five-month high, the Obama campaign and its allies have resorted to the same shameful attacks they used to decry. Americans deserve better from their president — they deserve the type of leadership that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will bring to Washington." —Ryan Williams, Romney Campaign Spokesman

Yesterday, The Romney-Ryan Team Called For New Leadership In Washington That Isn't Preoccupied With Attacks And "Blame":

Yesterday, Mitt Romney Tapped Representative Paul Ryan As His Running Mate. "Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his newly-announced running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, made their second official campaign stop as the 2012 Republican presidential ticket at Randolph Macon College Saturday afternoon to a packed gymnasium." (David Sherfinski, "Romney Rolls Out Ryan As Vice Presidential Choice At Virginia Stops," The Washington Times, 8/11/12)

Paul Ryan: "We Don't Need Attack, We Don't Need Blame — We Need Leadership." "Mr. Ryan, meanwhile, said simply that what Washington needs is new leadership. 'We don't need attack, we don't need blame — we need leadership,' Mr. Ryan said. 'President Obama can't run on his record, because it's a terrible thing to run on.'" (David Sherfinski, "Romney Rolls Out Ryan As Vice Presidential Choice At Virginia Stops," The Washington Times, 8/11/12)

 Bloomberg, On The Romney-Ryan Ticket: "The Potential To Transform The Presidential Campaign ... Into A More Substance-Driven Race." "The selection of Ryan, a budget and policy wonk with a penchant for drawing charts to drive home key points, has the potential to transform the presidential campaign ... into a more substance-driven race." (Bloomberg, 8/11/12)

President Obama Was Saying Similar Things Three Years Earlier, Claiming People Who Want To Maintain The Status Quo "Try To Scare The Heck Out Of Folks":

President Obama, Three Years Ago: "The Way Politics Works Sometimes Is That People Who Want To Keep Things The Way They Are Will Try To Scare The Heck Out Of Folks, And They'll Create Bogeymen..." OBAMA: "Because the way politics works sometimes is that people who want to keep things the way they are will try to scare the heck out of folks, and they'll create bogeymen out there that just aren't real." (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Portsmouth, NH, 8/11/09)

But Over The Last Week, President Obama's Allies Launched "A Vicious, Shameful Ad" To Try To Distract From His Record:

 This Week, President Obama's Super PAC Launched Disgraceful Ads That Falsely Linked Governor Romney To A Family Tragedy. "Joe Soptic, a former steelworker, makes yet another appearance in a pro-Obama ad, this time for the Super PAC Priorities USA Action. ... Most controversially, Soptic this time appears to blame Romney for the death of his wife after he lost his health insurance when the steel plant closed." (Glen Kessler, "New Anti-Romney Ad: Same Steelworker, Tougher Message," The Washington Post, 8/7/12)

 ABC's Jonathan Karl: "The Single Most Outrageous Ad Of The Campaign..." KARL: "But the single most outrageous ad of the campaign comes from a Super PAC supporting the president and run by his former spokesman." (ABC's "World News Tonight," 8/9/12)

Former Clinton Adviser Lanny Davis: "Bill Burton Needs To Go Back To Ethics School ... The Ad Is Misleading And Disgusting." "Bill Burton needs to go back to ethics school. ... He knows perfectly well that the ad is misleading and disgusting and he needs to apologize for it." (Steve Portnoy, "'Disgusting' Pro-Obama Ad Criticized By Democrat," ABC News' The Note, 8/9/12)

Chicago Tribune: "What A Vicious, Shameful Ad ... A Disgrace." "What a vicious, shameful ad. ... Mr. President, lift the campaign. Call this ad what it is: a disgrace." (Editorial, "Scraping Bottom,"Chicago Tribune, 8/9/12)

CBS News' Brian Montopoli: "Not True ... Nasty..." "The story is certainly affecting, and it fits into the Obama camp's narrative that Romney doesn't care about working people. There's just one big problem: It's not true. ... And the Obama campaign's refusal to disavow the spot speaks to just how nasty the campaign has already gotten - a full three months before Election Day." (Brian Montopoli, "Due Diligence: An Unfair Attack On Mitt Romney," CBS News, 8/9/12)

And How Has The Obama Campaign Responded? They've Refused To Condemn The Ad And Have Launched False Attacks On Paul Ryan:

President Obama's Campaign "Wasted No Time" Attacking Paul Ryan, Launching A Negative Website "Within Minutes Of Mitt Romney's Official Announcement." "Democrats wasted no time Saturday attacking GOP vice presidential pick Paul Ryan, launching a familiar and expected assault on the Wisconsin congressman's tough-love budget proposals, which Democrats suggest would help millionaires and hurt seniors. A clearly well-prepared Obama campaign led the attack, launching a website within minutes of Mitt Romney's official announcement..." ("Democrats Charge At Ryan, Targeting His Budget As Expected," Fox News, 8/11/12)

The Obama White House Has Deflected "Continued Questions About" The Obama Super PAC Ad, Insisting They "Do Not Control" The Ads. "Deflecting continued questions about a controversial ad from a Democratic-aligned super PAC, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney insisted Friday that a candidates' campaign is powerless over third-party ads. ... As he and campaign spokespeople have in the past few days, Carney maintained that the Obama camp has no say over outside groups' ads. 'We do not control third-party ads,' Carney said, adding later, 'I do not have any role in third-party groups that produce these ads.'" (Ali Weinberg, "White House Press Secretary Changes Tune On Super PACs," NBC News, 8/10/12)

"Obama Campaign Officials Have Refused To Disavow The Ad..." "Obama campaign officials have refused to disavow the ad, claiming independence from the outside group and no knowledge of the woman's story." (Steve Portnoy, "'Disgusting' Pro-Obama Ad Criticized By Democrat," ABC News, 8/9/12)