Romney Campaign Press Release - From The Archives: Wasserman Schultz on Barack Obama

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Accused Obama Of Breaking A Promise To Not Campaign In Early States:

Wasserman Schultz Said Of Obama: "His Word Doesn't Always Mean What He Says." WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: "I can tell you that, in Florida, we believe that we are a significant factor in national elections and that we are going to matter, whether there is a pledge or not, and that at this point, with Senator Obama's clear violation of the pledge, which does show that his word doesn't always mean what he says, that it's now our time to review all the options on the table." (Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, News Conference, 1/21/08)

Wasserman Schultz Criticized The Obama Campaign For "Below The Belt" Negative Personal Attacks:

Wasserman Schultz Suggested The Obama Campaign's Talk Of "Hope" Was Hypocritical And That His Campaign Was Engaged In "Below The Belt" And "Out Of Bounds" Personal Attacks. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: "You know, Senator Obama set a tone for this campaign and has talked about the politics of hope throughout and has repeatedly insisted that he was going to run a different kind of campaign and not degenerate into negative personal attacks. You know, it's one thing for the candidates to talk about the differences between the two of them on how they would govern on the choices that they'd make. But to – for either the candidate or his senior advisers to degenerate into negative personal attacks and name-calling, which clearly was the result of frustration and anger over his losses on Tuesday, is just – it's below the belt, and it's out of bounds. And it is not – those kinds of comments are not appropriate for a senior adviser to continue to be affiliated with a campaign for president of the United States." (Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Teleconference, 3/7/08)

Wasserman Schultz Said The Obama Campaign Launched Attacks As "A Result Of Frustration And Anger." "Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida came on the line next and told reporters who were listening in, 'Senator Obama set a tone for this campaign and talked about the politics of hope.' She added 'those kinds of comments are not appropriate for a senior advisers.' Schultz reduced [Samantha] Power's comments to 'the result of frustration and anger over his losses on Tuesday.'" (Katharine Jose, "Clinton Campaign: Fire Samantha Power," New York Observer, 3/7/08)

Wasserman Schultz Suggested Obama Didn't Have The Track Record To Prove Himself To Jewish Voters:

Wasserman Schultz Said That While Obama "Says All The Right Things," He Doesn't Have The "Longevity" To Prove His Fidelity To Jewish Voters. "'The main reason she wins and will continue to win the majority of the Jewish vote is this is a community very much about 'Show me, don't tell me,'' Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida told The New York Sun yesterday. 'With Senator Obama, although he says all the right things, he just doesn't have that longevity to prove to Jewish voters that he will be there like Hillary Clinton.' Asked if there was anything specific in Mr. Obama's record that should give Jewish voters pause, the congresswoman said, 'There's no pause? It's just that he's starting completely from scratch.'" (Josh Gerstein, "Indyk Rushes To Ohio For Clinton," The New York Sun, 2/26/08)

Wasserman Schultz Accused The Obama Campaign Of Trying To Suppress The Vote In Florida:

Wasserman Schultz Said Obama's Supporters Were Trying To Discourage Floridians From Voting In The Presidential Primary. REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: "And as a Floridian, I can tell you that it's become clear to me, given Senator Obama's supporters' efforts around the state to suppress the vote and discourage people from voting here -- because he clearly is going to get overwhelmed by Senator Clinton's support -- that now they've seen that that's not enough to stem the tide of victory that she is riding on and that the bounce that she would get from winning Florida next Tuesday, which is clear is going to happen, is going to propel her to victories across the country on February 5th." (Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, News Conference, 1/21/08)

Wasserman Schultz Said Elected Officials Supporting Obama Told Communities And Neighborhood Associations To Skip The Primary Because "Their Vote Won't Count." WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: "[W]e have had elected officials that are supporters of Senator Obama who have literally gone around to condominium communities and to other neighborhood associations and told them that their vote won't count; they can skip the presidential preference primary because Florida doesn't have any delegates, and they should only vote on the constitutional amendment that is on our ballot as well." (Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, News Conference, 1/21/08)

Wasserman Schultz: Obama "Has Desperately Tried To Have His Supporters Suppress The Vote" And Implied That "Florida Doesn't Matter." WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: "What is clear is that Senator Obama has pushed the panic button. I mean, he has lost three contests in other states in a row. He has desperately tried to have his supporters suppress the vote here, try to imply, you know, either indirectly or almost directly, that Florida doesn't matter." (Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, News Conference, 1/21/08)