In case you missed it, President Obama’s campaign flubbed an
opportunity to skewer Mitt Romney on the issue of jobs, and then made matters
worse when Factcheck.org pointed out that their anti-Romney ads on outsourcing
were inaccurate.
opportunity to skewer Mitt Romney on the issue of jobs, and then made matters
worse when Factcheck.org pointed out that their anti-Romney ads on outsourcing
were inaccurate.
The situation took hold when The Washington Post on June 21
published a lengthy article that reported Romney’s Bain Capital firm in the
1990s invested in companies that were the “pioneers of outsourcing.”
published a lengthy article that reported Romney’s Bain Capital firm in the
1990s invested in companies that were the “pioneers of outsourcing.”
The Obama campaign team took that information and created
swing state TV ads that said Romney personally was a pioneer in shipping jobs
to China and India and that,
as president, the former venture capitalist would be the “outsourcer in chief.”
swing state TV ads that said Romney personally was a pioneer in shipping jobs
to China and India and that,
as president, the former venture capitalist would be the “outsourcer in chief.”
Factcheck.org quickly called the ad false because it was Bain
that invested in firms that specialized in outsourcing, not Romney personally.
that invested in firms that specialized in outsourcing, not Romney personally.
Next, the Obama campaign worsened the situation by sending a
letter to Factcheck asking for revisions to their review of the ads, claiming
that the ads are, in fact, accurate. Factcheck responded with a terse summary:
“Your complaint is all wet.”
letter to Factcheck asking for revisions to their review of the ads, claiming
that the ads are, in fact, accurate. Factcheck responded with a terse summary:
“Your complaint is all wet.”
With regard to the arguments made in the six-page letter,
the Factcheck researchers said: “We strongly disagree. We find the Obama
campaign’s evidence to be weak or non-existent, and contrary to statements
Romney has made on official disclosure forms under pain of federal
prosecution.”
the Factcheck researchers said: “We strongly disagree. We find the Obama
campaign’s evidence to be weak or non-existent, and contrary to statements
Romney has made on official disclosure forms under pain of federal
prosecution.”
Meanwhile, the Post has refused the Romney campaign’s
request for a correction. And it’s abundantly clear that the Obama camp had a
great piece of ammunition – a Romney flip-flop on outsourcing jobs, and a major
black mark on his Bain experiences – and instead they let it blow up in their
faces.
request for a correction. And it’s abundantly clear that the Obama camp had a
great piece of ammunition – a Romney flip-flop on outsourcing jobs, and a major
black mark on his Bain experiences – and instead they let it blow up in their
faces.
The Post, in defending their story, modestly restated the
basic information that team Obama fumbled:
basic information that team Obama fumbled:
“The companies cited in the article — including Corporate Software, Stream
International and Modus Media — emerged in the 1990s as specialists in the
outsourcing of work and logistics for companies worldwide.
International and Modus Media — emerged in the 1990s as specialists in the
outsourcing of work and logistics for companies worldwide.
“By investing in these companies, Bain was prescient. It caught an
outsourcing wave that would transform the global economy, prove highly
profitable for many firms and reduce prices for many consumers. But work
opportunities for Americans in some industries would diminish as the trend
accelerated, making the practice politically unpopular in many places.”
outsourcing wave that would transform the global economy, prove highly
profitable for many firms and reduce prices for many consumers. But work
opportunities for Americans in some industries would diminish as the trend
accelerated, making the practice politically unpopular in many places.”
