Quantcast
Channel: BuzzFeed News
Viewing all 15742 articles
Browse latest View live

Romney Takes Stage To Friday Night Lights Slogan

0
0

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose. Sorry, Peter Berg .


Romney Cuts Obama Off

Obama: Romney Only Has A One Point Plan — Making Money

Obama Attacks Math Of Romney Tax Plan

0
0

Says Romney is changing his position since the GOP primary.

Source: youtube.com

Romney: In 2014, "I Presume I'm Gonna Be President"

0
0

In the first question of the debate, Romney flexes his confidence. “When you come out in 2014,” he tells a college student, “I presume I'm gonna be President.”

Where Barack Obama Won The Debate

0
0

Libya.

Source: youtube.com

HEMPSTEAD, New York — Barack Obama turned his administration's worst foreign policy disaster into a dramatic victory in Tuesday's debate when Mitt Romney sought to stretch the criticism of the Obama Administration's handling of the incident.

Romney's criticism of Obama's handling of the crisis met a stern lecture from Obama about politicizing the tragedy; and when Obama said he'd called the incident an act of terror from the start, Romney thought he saw an opening.

The Republican attacked Obama for, he said, calling the attack on Benghazi a terrorist attack until two weeks later, only to be interrupted — and corrected — brusquely moderator Candy Crowley, who noted that Obama had used the phrase "acts of terror" in the Rose Garden immediately after the attack.

Republicans later argued that he hadn't specifically applied the phrase to Libya.

"Both the president and the moderator were wrong, said Romney aide Ron Kaufman.

And Republicans signaled they planned to keep fighting over the quote Wednesday.

"He never called it an act of terrorism," said Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer, who conceded that Romney's answer "might be a bit confusing" for people who weren't paying close attention.

"We will be forcefully making sure that the timeline is accurately communicated," he said. "We hope more will come out tomorrow and the media will do its job"

But Democrats welcomed that argument, and the press seems unlikely to give Romney much more leeway than Crowley did on contesting a fairly clear transcript of a presidential event. Obama was in the Rose Garden to speak about Libya, and the context of the quote is not ambiguous — though the broader Republican complaint that the Administration at first labeled the attack the result of a spontaneous protest is accurate.

"When even the moderator fact checks you in front of the audience you, know you've stepped over the line," said Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, an Obama surrogate.

The blunder — the one moment Tuesday when a candidate seemed genuinely rattled — may have been the product of, if anything, overpreparation.

For weeks, Romney aides have been talking about Libya as a growing issue that would undermine Obama’s lead with voters on foreign policy.

“I’m telling you,” a top Romney aide told BuzzFeed last week, “Obama can’t defend the cover-up.”

But it was Romney who couldn’t defend a patently false attack, and couldn’t navigate to safe ground.

Democrats were so confident in the performance that even before the debate was over they marched in their surrogates in dramatic fashion, answering questions while Romney and Obama answered their final questions.

"We saw a rattled mitt Romney tonight," gloated Obama press secretary Jen Psaki, who called his performance on Libya an "unmitigated disaster. "He doesn't have a bit of credibility on foreign policy issues."

Obama Challenges Romney To "Get The Transcript" — And Here It Is

0
0

A tense moment at tonight's debate about Obama's Rose Garden comments after the killing of a U.S. ambassador.

Image by Jason Reed / Reuters

It took three words Tuesday night for President Barack Obama to turn the tables on Mitt Romney over the terrorist attack on a U.S. consulate in Libya: "Get the transcript."

As Romney went on the offensive during the second presidential debate over the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, he hammered Obama, questioning why he took so long to call the attack that took his life a terrorist attack.

But in the midst of his attack, which has become a winning line for Republicans in recent weeks, Obama piped up: "Get the transcript," referring to his Rose Garden speech shortly after the attack.

Moderator Candy Crowley concurred, telling Romney, "He did, in fact, sir."

Obama: "Can you say that a little louder, Candy?"

Looking at the transcript, in the Rose Garden on Sept. 12, 2012, Obama said, "No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for."

Here's the full transcript:

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  Every day, all across the world, American diplomats and civilians work tirelessly to advance the interests and values of our nation.  Often, they are away from their families.  Sometimes, they brave great danger.
 
Yesterday, four of these extraordinary Americans were killed in an attack on our diplomatic post in Benghazi.  Among those killed was our Ambassador, Chris Stevens, as well as Foreign Service OfficerSean Smith.  We are still notifying the families of the others who were killed.  And today, the American people stand united in holding the families of the four Americans in our thoughts and in our prayers.
 
The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack.  We're working with the government of Libya to secure our diplomats.  I've also directed my administration to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world.  And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people.
 
Since our founding, the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths.  We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others.  But there is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence.  None.  The world must stand together to unequivocally reject these brutal acts.
 
Already, many Libyans have joined us in doing so, and this attack will not break the bonds between the United States and Libya.  Libyan security personnel fought back against the attackers alongside Americans.  Libyans helped some of our diplomats find safety, and they carried Ambassador Stevens’s body to the hospital, where we tragically learned that he had died.
 
It's especially tragic that Chris Stevens died in Benghazi because it is a city that he helped to save.  At the height of the Libyan revolution, Chris led our diplomatic post in Benghazi.  With characteristic skill, courage, and resolve, he built partnerships with Libyan revolutionaries, and helped them as they planned to build a new Libya.  When the Qaddafi regime came to an end, Chris was there to serve as our ambassador to the new Libya, and he worked tirelessly to support this young democracy, and I think both Secretary Clinton and I relied deeply on his knowledge of the situation on the ground there.  He was a role model to all who worked with him and to the young diplomats who aspire to walk in his footsteps.
 
Along with his colleagues, Chris died in a country that is still striving to emerge from the recent experience of war. Today, the loss of these four Americans is fresh, but our memories of them linger on.  I have no doubt that their legacy will live on through the work that they did far from our shores and in the hearts of those who love them back home.
 
Of course, yesterday was already a painful day for our nation as we marked the solemn memory of the 9/11 attacks.  We mourned with the families who were lost on that day.  I visited the graves of troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery, and had the opportunity to say thank you and visit some of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed.  And then last night, we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi. 
 
As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it, and in some cases, lay down their lives for it.  Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe.
 
No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for.  Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America.  We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act.  And make no mistake, justice will be done.
 
But we also know that the lives these Americans led stand in stark contrast to those of their attackers.  These four Americans stood up for freedom and human dignity.  They should give every American great pride in the country that they served, and the hope that our flag represents to people around the globe who also yearn to live in freedom and with dignity.
 
We grieve with their families, but let us carry on their memory, and let us continue their work of seeking a stronger America and a better world for all of our children.
 
Thank you.  May God bless the memory of those we lost and may God bless the United States of America.

Chris Matthews Is Back From The Ledge

0
0

The MSNBC Hardball host's post-debate analysis tonight couldn't have been more different from his Oct. 3 meltdown. Obama “punched him hard.”

Oct. 16: "Obama got the last punch in, and it was decisive."

Chris Matthews was in good spirits tonight. "Despite a little snipiness from the governor, which has become normal," he said, Obama won on six of 10 major debate moments. On Libya, Matthews said, Romney "stuck his chin out and Obama, he punched him hard."

Oct. 3: "Where Was Obama Tonight…What Was He Doing?"

After the Oct. 3 debate — where Obama gave a poor performance, and Romney dominated the stage — Matthews was in panic mode. "This debate tonight wasn't an MSNBC debate, was it," said Matthews. "I don't know how he let Romney get away with the crap he threw out tonight."


The Hofstra Presidential Debate, As Told By GIFs

0
0

Obama and Romney's most contentious debate yet, looped in GIF-form forever.

After Joe Biden's performance last week, many wondered how Obama would debate tonight.

After Joe Biden's performance last week, many wondered how Obama would debate tonight.

Via: buzzfeed.tumblr.com

He started out pretty energized.

He started out pretty energized.

Source: dailydot

But Romney didn't have a bad opener either.

But Romney didn't have a bad opener either.

Via: twitpic.com

Candy Crowley and him had a few skirmishes, though.

Candy Crowley and him had a few skirmishes, though.


View Entire List ›

Romney Touts His "Whole Binders Full Of Women"

0
0

In response to a debate question about women's employment, Mitt Romney discusses his headhunting strategies to find talented women to work for him as governor. Whole binders full!

Finally Fired Up?

0
0

Early voting, Boca Raton, and Bruce Springsteen. “We have 20 days after tonight to get our voters out and persuade the undecided,” says campaign manager Messina.

Image by Jim Young / Reuters

HEMPSTEAD, NY — President Barack Obama appeared at Hofstra University tonight to meet his Republican challenger Mitt Romney face to face in the second presidential debate, delivering what campaign officials described as a “dominant” victory — and one they hope will translate instantly into early votes in crucial states.

“We built the best grass roots ground operation in American political history for this moment,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said. “We have 20 days after tonight to get our voters out and persuade the undecided…Tonight gives us the energy, the focus, the clear difference between the two candidates to go out there and make this case.”

The campaign feels particularly confident about the numbers they are seeing in early voting as well, saying they have a commanding lead in both Iowa and Ohio.

“People are already voting in Iowa, folks are voting in Ohio, [the numbers] in both states demonstrate very clearly our infrastructure is to the president’s benefit," Gaspard said. "We have many more Democrats participating than Republicans at this point, and every one of the other states that allow for early vote we are moving aggressively to turn out that vote and to build awareness in our activist base.”

In Iowa, for instance, the campaign has announced #campustakeover week
with satellite voting sites set up across the state, and a targeted effort at college campuses. This includes an appearance by Bruce Springsteen on Thursday at Iowa State University.

Tuesday's debate, following Vice President’s Biden strong performance last week in Kentucky, and has imbued the campaign with a new sense of confidence that had been badly shaken. Partly, the strong showing tonight was because the Obama campaign completely reversed their strategy this time around, throwing out the entire playbook they had used in Denver.

Before Denver, campaign officials refused to give out even the most basic details about the president’s preparation. This time, they provided all sorts of nuggets that political reporters love —who was playing Candy Crowley (Anita Dunn); the meals Obama ate during the day (pasta with chicken for lunch; steak and potatoes with Michelle for dinner); that he worked out in the morning, then had a 45 minute review session; who was helping him to mellow out before the he took the stage, long time friends Marty Nesbitt and Mike Ramos.

And, rather than predict how poorly Obama was going to do this time, the campaign instead beat a more optimistic drum, with the president himself saying “It’s going great.” Even before the debate started, a hefty number of surrogates — John Kerry, Howard Dean, Martin O’Malley, Messina, and Stephanie Cutter, among others — entertained reporters in the spin room. Online, the campaign provided a “Town Hall Cheat Sheet: What Romney Says Vs. What Romney Means,” to pre-emptively strike against what they saw as the former governor’s etch-a-sketching his way through Denver.

“President Obama looked at the tapes from the last debate, he was fired up to come here tonight, “ said campaign spokesperson Jen Psaki, referring to Obama's poor debate performance two weeks ago in Denver that shook up the race. “He gave a strong, decisive performance, and delivered on the energetic performance that we all promised.”

“We just had a dominant performance by the president,” added Patrick Gaspard, executive director of the Democratic National Committee. “You saw a very energetic and very clear Barack Obama.”

Obama had been neither clear nor very energetic on his first outing against Romney, turning in much maligned showing at his first debate in four years. This time, however, campaign officials said the preparation went better—and he knew what was coming at him.

“The only thing different is he had one [debate] under his belt,” explained Psaki. “He knew what Mitt Romney to expect tonight Mitt Romney was hiding from his own plans.”

Now campaign officials say we can expect a repeat at the final debate in Florida, which will focus on national security.

“He’ll be spending a few days studying before the next debate as well,” Psaki said.

Obama Called Libya Attack An "Act Of Terror" On September 13th

0
0

The President may have been slightly ambiguous in September 12th remarks, but more clearly called Libya an “act of terror” on September 13th in Colorado. Romney stumbled on the charge that Obama had avoided the label.

Source: youtube.com

h/t Foreign Policy

Washington Post Reporter Parodies Monotonous Romney Pool Reports

Do Voters Like It When The Candidates Act Like Jerks?

0
0

Nice guys, they seem to agree, finish last.

Image by Pool / Reuters

HEMPSTEAD, New York — The CNN focus group dial that measures voter response to debates isn't an exact science by any means, but it did show one thing consistently during the second presidential debate: voters didn't respond well when the candidates talked over each other, and especially not when they talked over the moderator.

And in a free-flowing debate (barely a "town hall") that featured Obama and Romney aggressively interrupting one another, and even edging into one another's personal space in a kind of gladiatorial arena, there was a lot not to like.

Neither man, in fact, came out of some of the exchanges looking particularly likable.

Consider who comes out looking best in the buzzy back-and-forth over Libya:

CROWLEY: Governor, if you want to...

ROMNEY: Yes, I — I...

CROWLEY: ... quickly to this please.

ROMNEY: I — I think interesting the president just said something which — which is that on the day after the attack he went into the Rose Garden and said that this was an act of terror.

OBAMA: That's what I said.

ROMNEY: You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack, it was an act of terror.

It was not a spontaneous demonstration, is that what you're saying?

OBAMA: Please proceed governor.

ROMNEY: I want to make sure we get that for the record because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.

OBAMA: Get the transcript.

CROWLEY: It — it — it — he did in fact, sir. So let me — let me call it an act of terror...

OBAMA: Can you say that a little louder, Candy?

Or Romney here, trying to talk over moderator Candy Crowley:

CROWLEY: I got to — I got to move you on —

ROMNEY: He gets the first —

CROWLEY: — and the next question —

ROMNEY: He actually got —

CROWLEY: — for you —

ROMNEY: He actually got the first question. So I get the last question — last answer —

CROWLEY: (Inaudible) in the follow up, it doesn't quite work like that. But I'm going to give you a chance here. I promise you, I'm going to.

And the next question is for you. So if you want to, you know, continue on — but I don't want to leave all —

ROMNEY: Candy, Candy —

The posturing made good TV, but wasn't attractive to voters.


View Entire List ›

Romney Campaign Will Litigate Libya

0
0

Staying on offense, despite a stumble. “The president lying about terrorism.”

An interior view of the U.S. consulate, which was attacked and set on fire by gunmen yesterday, in Benghazi September 12, 2012.

Image by Esam Omran Al-Fetori / Reuters

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Within minutes of Mitt Romney fumbling an attempt to attack the president on the Libya debacle Tuesday night, Republicans and Romney aides took the post-debate spin room and pledged an aggressive prosecution of the administration's handling of the attacks.

"I think you're going to see a lot more about the timeline coming out tomorrow," said Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer, referring to how the White House characterized the Benghazi attacks in the immediate aftermath. "I think then there's going to be a lot of clarity."

Spicer declined to discuss whether the RNC would put money behind an ad making their case, but added, "We will be forcefully making sure that the timeline is accurately communicated."

The moment that prompted the pushback came toward the end of the debate, when Romney accused Obama of dithering for two weeks before his administration agreed to call the attacks an act of terrorism. Obama responded by claiming he identified the attacks as terrorism in the Rose Garden the day after. As Romney tried to rebut the claim, moderator Candy Crowley appeared to side with the president, saying, "He did in fact sir... call it an act of terror."

Obama chimed in, "Can you say that a little louder, Candy?"

It was a tactical blunder for Romney on an issue for which Obama has been widely criticized. And while Crowley later hedged her fact-check — saying Romney was "right in the main" that the White House muddled its theory of the attacks, but that the Republican chose the wrong instance to highlight — producers across the country were already adding the clip to debate highlight reels across.

Asked how the exchange would impact the Romney campaign's foreign policy message in coming days, top campaign surrogate John Sununu insisted it would only help them.

"I think in an odd way, the president lying about the terrorism issue [in the debate] makes it a lot easier for the campaign to hammer it home," Sununu said.

He also added a dig at Crowley — something Romney's senior aides deliberately avoided — saying, "the governor got blindsided a little bit by a moderator who incorrectly tried to affirm what the president said."

Sununu said he expected to see the campaign make an assertive case in the coming days that Obama bungled the Libya fallout. Already, the talking points were taking form in the spin room.

Senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said he "loved this exchange on Libya, because the president was playing dodgeball on Libya. He insisted the day after the attack, he described it as an act of terror. He did not."

Similarly, Romney adviser Stuart Stevens argued, "I think it hurt the president... Do we really want a president who, the day after an ambassador was murdered for the first time in 30 years, he gets on a plane and goes to a fundraiser in Las Vegas?"

And Republican National Convention chairman Reince Priebus said Obama "point-blank lied to the American people."

The Republican choice to litigate Romney's misstatement is in effect a decision to stay on offense, no matter what. With less than three weeks to go until polls close — and a final presidential debate that will focus entirely on foreign policy next week — the Romney campaign don't want to risk losing all momentum by going on defense.


Romney To Obama: Be Specific

0
0

Taking a page from Democrats' playbook, Romney slams Obama over lack of agenda for second term.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — After facing weeks of pressure from press and the Obama campaign to add more specific about his policy proposals, Mitt Romney is spending the day after the second presidential debate trying to turn the argument back on the incumbent.

At an afternoon rally here that featured country artist Lee Greenwood and conservative comedian Dennis Miller, Romney laid into the president for failing to offer his own detailed vision for the next four years.

"I think it's it's interesting that president still doesn't have an agenda for a second term," Romney said. "Don't you think it's time for him to finally put together a vision of what he'd do for the next four years if he were elected?"

He then joked, "I mean, he's gotta come up with that over this weekend because there's only one debate left on Monday!"

Romney's call for specifics was consistent with the barrage of press releases blasted out by his campaign and the Republican National Committee over the past 18 hours demanding that Obama outline his second-term agenda.

Romney's team is hoping the message will shift some of the burden of specificity off him and onto his opponent. They also believe the Obama campaign's relentless attempts to make the campaign about the Republican nominee — a "kil Mitt" strategy that's miles from the "hope and change" of 2008 — have given them an opening to exploit.

Shortly after Romney's rally, Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith issued a statement rejecting the Republican's assertion.

"One of the reasons why President Obama won last night’s debate is that he has a vision for his second term with specific, achievable goals to strengthen the middle class," she said, adding, "If Mitt Romney wants to talk about plans, he might want to start with coming up with some of his own.”

But Romney's dismissed Obama's goals — which include hiring 100,000 math and science teachers, and cutting the deficit by $4 trillion — as mere wishes, with no few actionable policies to back them up.

"I just think the American people had expected that the president of the United States would be able to describe what he's gonna do in the next four years," Romney told rally-goers here. "But he can't. He can't even explain what he's done in the past four years."

He added, "I mean, he spends most of his time talking about how my plan won't work. Well, what about his plan?"

Dennis Miller Complains About Political Polarization

0
0

Smart take.

Check out Dennis Miller discussing Nancy Pelosi:

In 2010, Obama Advocated For Fiscal Details Coming Out After An Election

0
0

The President attacked Mitt Romney at a campaign stop in Iowa today for not giving specific details in his tax plan. “He says he will let you know after the election. Now, here’s a tip. Usually when a politician tells you he’ gonna wait until after the election to explain a plan to you, they do not have a pleasant surprise in store for you,” Obama said. But in 2010, President Obama argued for not releasing fiscal details until after an election to avoid political posturing and “because nobody will have an honest conversation.”

Source: youtube.com

Romney Would Treat Middle Class Like His Dog, According To New Super Pac

0
0

Another SuperPac! “Don't Be Mitt's Bitch.”

Via: romneysdoghouse.com

Seamus — the Irish Setter notoriously strapped to the roof of the Romney family car during a 650-mile road trip — has inspired a yet another new SuperPac. The PAC, raising funds for President Obama's re-election bid, was filed Sept. 21 with the Federal Election Committee under the name "Romney's Dog House."

Their message: "If Romney gets the White House, we get the dog house."

The attacks on Romney's canine conduct were a feature of the long silly summer, and have largely faded since; they appear to be back.

"What happened was, I knew about the Seamus story and it just sort of clicked," said Jeff Turk, one of the PAC's founders. "The dog house is the middle class, it's seniors, it's firemen, it's teachers, it's students — it's everybody who will be adversely affected by a Romney presidency."

The PAC — which also refers to itself as "the People's SuperPAC" — will rely on small "grassroots" donations, says Turk, who hopes to fund three sets of online ads.

The PAC is also selling Seamus and dog house-themed merchandise to help raise last-minute funds for Obama. The online store encourages you to purchase dog house hats, t-shirts, t-shirts designed for dogs, as well as one sweatshirt that reads, "Don't be Mitt's Bitch."

After Binder Gaffe, Romney Releases Ad Full Of Women

0
0

A new ad from the Romney campaign features three women who worked in his Massachusetts cabinet. “He totally gets working women.”

Via: youtu.be

Viewing all 15742 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images