Friday 21 September 2012

Obama bashes Romney on fixing Washington remarks


Obama takes aim at Romney after the Republican presidential hopeful said he would change Washington from the "inside."

WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 21, 2012) - U.S. President Barack Obama chided his opponent Mitt Romeny on Friday (September 21) for claiming he is the candidate that can change Washington from the inside. Obama asked a crowd in Woodbridge, Virginia "What kind of an inside job is he talking about?"

Romney criticized President Obama on Thursday (September 20) for running as the candidate of change, that was unable to change Washington. Romney told supporters he would get the job done from the inside.

Obama told Univision his 2010 U.S. healthcare overhaul was a result of Americans exerting pressure on Washington for action because "You can't change Washington from the inside, you can only change Washington from the outside." Romney quickly pounced on the remark as evidence that Obama cannot break the political gridlock that has seized Washington as lawmakers grapple with massive debt and annual $1 trillion deficits.

Obama told supporters in Virginia, "Is it the job of rubberstamping the top-down, you're-on-your-own agenda of this Republican Congress? Because if it is, we don't want it. If it's the job of letting oil companies run our energy policy, we don't want it. If it's the job of outsources writing our tax code, we don't want it. If it's the job of letting politicians decide who you can marry, or control the health care choices that women should be able to make for themselves, we'll take a pass."

Obama also criticized Romney for remarks, secretly videotaped at a Florida fundraiser, in which he said nearly half of the U.S. population was dependent on the government, did not pay federal income taxes and would not vote for him.

"I don't believe we can get very far with leaders who write off half the nation as a bunch of victims," Obama told supporters.

Obama maintains a lead of 5 percentage points over Republican Mitt Romney as he solidifies his advantage in the U.S. presidential race, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.
Obama leads Romney among likely voters by a margin of 48 percent to 43 percent, the daily online tracking poll showed. Obama has led the poll since September 7, shortly after the Democratic convention.