Sic et Non Barack Obama

In the twelfth century Peter Abelard wrote Sic et Non documenting the many ways in which the early church fathers contradicted each other. However, with Barack Obaba, it seems that there are many ways in which he is contradicting himself (sometimes on the same day). Dick Morris recently wrote the following

The list of issues on which Barack Obama has flipped now that the primaries are over is long and growing rapidly.

• He now opposes late-term abortion.

• He suddenly is a devotee of using faith-based institutions to deliver public services.

• He now says that he won’t raise Social Security taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year. In the primary, he said he’d eliminate the threshold entirely, including on people making as little as $100,000.

• He recently opposed the Fairness Doctrine for talk radio.

• Now he says he’s going to consult with the military before pulling out of Iraq.

But so extensive a list of flip-flops, all in the past few weeks, begs the basic question: Was he lying before when he was a liberal, or is he prevaricating now?

I have to say that it does not "beg the question" with me. I could care less "when" he was lying. The fact that it is perfectly obvious to all that he has been lying is enough for me to write him off completely.

He lies, he hangs out with terrorists and crooks, those closest to him engage in racist talk (including members of his own family), he promises to meet with dictators and tyrants but won't meet with our generals on the ground in Iraq, ....

How can anyone take this guy seriously?

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Mitt Romney's Real Abortion Record

Today, American Right To Life issued a press release reminding Americans that Mitt Romney is lying about his record on abortion. Here is an excerpt:

Mitt Romney claims, "On every piece of legislation, I came down on the side of life." That is a lie. In April 2006 he signed the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Plan that pays for even elective abortions. Romney today falsely claims a 1981 court ruling about "medically necessary" abortions forced him to provide tax-funded elective abortion into law, showing he prioritizes socialized "health care" over protecting kids, even when it pays to kill them. Romney gave a permanent seat on the Massachusetts health payment policy advisory board to the nation's leading abortionists at Planned Parenthood. Romney signed the 2005 bill that promotes chemical abortions with Plan B. As Governor he appointed openly pro-abortion Democrat Matt Nestor to a district court; and disputing a ruling from his own state health department Romney personally argued that pro-life hospitals must dispense abortifacients. Romney claims to have been personally pro-life for many years, but also claims a recent pro-life conversion on Nov. 9, 2004 while talking to Harvard researcher Douglas Melton about embryonic stem cells. However Mitt still openly supports killing the baby of a rapist, and killing the tiniest of humans for research. Dr. Melton has even disputed Romney's account of their conversation. Pro-life Romney even attended a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood. In October 2005 Romney asked the federal government for a waiver for a major increase in funding for abortion "counseling" and for tax-funded abortifacients. During the years that Romney says he was personally pro-life he aggressively claimed to be second-to-none in asserting abortion as an essential right. And the Weekly Standard reports him telling the pro-abortion activists at NARAL, "you need someone like me in Washington." [see corroborating links for all claims]

"The evidence is indisputable-- Mitt Romney is lying to get Christian votes," said vice president of ARTL Action, Columbine dad Brian Rohrbough.

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RELATED

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Mike Huckabee: Road To The Nomination

Mike Huckabee: Road To The Nomination
by Team Huckabee

After A Decisive Iowa Victory And A Surprising Third Place Finish In New Hampshire, Mike Huckabee Leads The National Polls And Is Strong In Upcoming Primary States

THE NATIONAL PICTURE

“Following Huckabee’s Iowa Win, 25% Of Republicans Nationwide Now Rate Him As Their Top Choice For The 2008 Republican Presidential Nomination, Up From 16% In Mid-December.” (Gallup Poll, www.gallup.com, 1/8/08)

Republicans Rudy Giuliani Dropped To 20 Percent Of The Vote, While Fred Thompson Has 12 Percent And Ron Paul Collects Four Percent. “Support for Giuliani, who chose not to compete in Iowa and has been shut out of the media spotlight, has also dropped, from 27% to 20%. Fred Thompson and Ron Paul are essentially holding steady at 12% and 4%, respectively.” (Gallup Poll, www.gallup.com, 1/8/08)

And Mitt Romney? He’s Sandwiched Between Fred Thomson And Ron Paul – Commanding Single Digit Support After Spending Tens Of Millions Of Dollars. “After losing the expectations game in Iowa by coming in second, Romney is now suffering a decline in national support, putting him well out of range for the lead. His current 9% of the vote is his worst showing in the race since early October.” (Gallup Poll, www.gallup.com, 1/8/08)

NEW HAMPSHIRE HANDS MITT ROMNEY CRUSHING DEFEAT

In New Hampshire, Romney Had Everything Going For Him: He’s A Part-Time Resident; He Spent Millions; And The Last Three Massachusetts Politicians To Run In The Primary All Won. “It would be hard for Romney to explain a loss, especially because he is a part-time resident from a neighboring state who spent millions of dollars here. The three previous Massachusetts politicians to run for president here – Michael Dukakis, Paul Tsongas and John Kerry – all won the New Hampshire primary.” (Boston Globe Website, 1/4/08)

Financed By Tens Of Millions Of Personal Funds, Romney Ran Over 7,500 Commercials Targeting New Hampshire Voters – All For Naught. “The Neilsen folks are releasing daily updates of the total number of TV spots run by candidates in this race. Number one, everywhere, is Mitt Romney, who has aired 4010 commercials in the Boston/WMUR designated market area (this includes Manchester), 2262 in the Burlington,VA and Plattsburgh, New York markets, and 1258 ads in the Portland-Auburn market, which covers Maine and parts of Northeastern New Hampshire.” (http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 1/7/08)

So Sen. John McCain’s New Hampshire Primary Victory “Dealt Another Serious Blow” To Mitt Romney’s Struggling Presidential Bid. “McCain’s victory dealt another serious blow to Mitt Romney, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts. Mr. Romney campaigned hard and spent heavily as he sought wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, only to come up short in both states.” (New York Times, 1/9/08)

The Boston Globe: “Romney’s Failure To Win Either Iowa Or New Hampshire Puts Another Dent In His Presidential Ambitions.” (Boston Globe, 1/9/08)

Romney’s Defeat Left Him “Scrambling For Political Survival.” (New Hampshire Union Leader, 1/9/08)

One Romney Supporter On His Candidate: “As Governor Of Massachusetts, You’d Think He Would Have Some Pull In New Hampshire.” “[Romney supporter Mike Doogue, a Manchester independent] wonders how Romney can rebound. ‘As governor of Massachusetts, you’d think he would have some pull in New Hampshire,’ he said.” (New Hampshire Union Leader, 1/9/08)

Voters Did Not Buy The New “Change” Mitt Romney. “America, meet the new Mitt Romney. Having been walloped in Iowa by upstart Mike Huckabee, the man who loves data took a look at the dismal Iowa numbers and concluded America is looking for a ‘change’ candidate. Mr. Romney is now presenting himself as that man, the person who can transform Washington, or at least do it better than his main rival here in the Granite State--four-term Arizona Sen. John McCain.” (The Wall Street Journal Asia, 1/7/08)

A Reputation As A Flip-Flopper Made “The Romney Reinvention” Even More Problematic. “[N]ow comes the Romney Reinvention, which has brought with it a new peril, given his reputation as a flip-flopper. It’s especially problematic in a state like New Hampshire, where voters witnessed Mr. Romney’s tenure as governor of nearby Massachusetts, and are better able than most to mark differences between then and now.” (The Wall Street Journal Asia, 1/7/08)

The Wall Street Journal Asia: “A Second Loss Would Deal Mr. Romney’s Campaign A Nasty Blow--One From Which There Might Be No Recovery. That Isn’t The Kind Of Change Mr. Romney Has In Mind.” (The Wall Street Journal Asia, 1/7/08)

Now, The Candidates Head To Michigan, Where “Romney Might Be Down To His Last Out.” “If politics were baseball, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney might be down to his last out. And the playing field would be Michigan, as Romney campaigns Wednesday in East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids with his political fortunes riding with Tuesday’s GOP primary.” (The Grand Rapids Press, 1/8/08)

IT MIGHT ALL BE DECIDED IN SOUTH CAROLINA

College Of Charleston Professor Jack Bass: “Ever Since There Was A First Presidential Primary, The Winner Of The Republican Primary In South Carolina Has Won The Republican Nomination For President.” (www.abcnews4.com, 12/19/07)

In Poll After Poll, Mike Huckabee Leads The Field In South Carolina, Holding A 13-Point Leading According To Real Clear Politics.

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Mitt Romney: I'm Losing And Proud Of It

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Sorting Fact From Fiction In Romney Attack Ads

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More Romney Misrepresentations (aka. lies)

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How Many Lies Can One Candidate Tell?

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Another Mitt Romney Flip-Flop

Romney: No more 'my way or highway' diplomacy
by Rick Pearson

BEDFORD, N.H.—Republican Mitt Romney, who had previously criticized rival Mike Huckabee for labeling the Bush White House foreign strategy as an "arrogant bunker mentality," told guests at a house party today that U.S. diplomacy has been dominated by a "our way or the highway" approach. (Read more . . . )

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Romney "Changes" His Tune

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GOP Candidates Say Romney Flips & Flops

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A New Year, A New Romney

Mitt Romney, December 31, 2008:

“I think we should come together and recognize the great work our president is doing and not take our rhetoric or our plays from Democratic playbook,” Mr. Romney said. “This is the kind of stuff you expect of the Democrats, but it’s certainly not something you expect of a presidential contender on the Republican side.”

Mitt Romney, January 1, 2008:

"I think we did a less than effective job in managing the conflict following the collapse of Saddam Hussein," the former Massachusetts governor said at a news conference. "I think we were under prepared for what occurred, understaffed, under planned, and, in some respects, under managed."

Wow, a flip-flop in just one day. Who would have thought Mitt was capable of that?

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CNN Says Mitt Romney Is Dishonest

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two negative ads recently launched by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who has spent more on advertising than any other candidate, either misrepresent his rival's records or include distortions, according to a CNN analysis of the commercials." (Read more . . . )

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Romney's Pro-Gay Record Turning Off Family Values Supporters

Pro-Gay Romney Upsets Family Values Leader
ByMichelle Vu
Christian Post Reporter

WASHINGTON – A prominent pro-family leader is urging fellow conservatives to withdraw their support for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney over his recent expressed support for a “sexual orientation” non-discrimination law.

Romney during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” said he supports the contentious Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which adds “sexual orientation” to a list of federally protected classes that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

The bill upsets conservative leaders because it grants special protection to employees based on their “actual or perceived” sexual orientation. Moreover, it would force Christian organizations that oppose homosexuality to hire gay employees.

“Mitt Romney’s Christmas present to the homosexual lobby disqualifies him as a pro-family leader,” said Peter LaBarbera, longtime pro-family advocate and founder of the Republicans For Family Values website.

“Laws that treat homosexuality as a civil rights are being used to promote homosexual ‘marriage,’ same-sex adoption and pro-homosexuality indoctrination of schoolchildren,” he said. “These same laws pose a direct threat to the freedom of faith-minded citizens and organizations to act on their religious belief that homosexual behavior is wrong.”

The former Massachusetts governor responded on “Meet the Press” that ENDA “makes sense” at the state level. But LaBarbera warns that if Romney “openly” promotes homosexual agenda at the state level then he cannot be trusted at the federal level.

He pointed out that the state’s “sexual orientation” nondiscrimination law laid the groundwork for Massachusetts legalizing gay “marriage” – the first in the country to do so.

Moreover, the ENDA-like law forced Boston’s Catholic Charities to shut down its century-old adoption agency because it refused to place children in gay households against Catholic teaching.

“Given Romney’s extensive pro-homosexual record and willingness now to depart from principle on this crucial issue, should we trust a ‘President Romney’ not to reverse course again on federal pro-homosexual laws such as ‘Hate Crimes’ and ENDA?” LaBarbera posed. (Read more. . . )

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Mitt Romney's George Costanza Standard: "Jerry, Just Remember, It's Not A Lie If You Believe It."

Mitt Romney's George Costanza Standard: "Jerry, Just Remember, It's Not A Lie If You Believe It."

Recently, Mitt Romney Recalled His Father "Marching" With Martin Luther King And Was Caught In Yet Another Exaggeration. Observers Have Noticed Romney's Pattern Of Economizing With The Truth

During His "Faith In America" Speech, Mitt Romney Stated Clearly: "I Saw My Father March With Martin Luther King." "In the most-watched speech of his political career, speaking on 'Faith in America' at College Station, Texas, earlier this month, Mitt Romney evoked the strongest of all symbolic claims to civil-rights credentials: 'I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.'" (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

On Other Occasions During The Campaign, Romney Repeated The Story That His Father Marched With King. "Romney has repeated the story of his father marching with King in some of his most prominent presidential campaign appearances, including the 'Tonight' show with Jay Leno in May, his address on faith and politics Dec. 6 in Texas, and on NBC's 'Meet The Press' on Sunday, when he was questioned about the Mormon Church's ban on full participation by black members. He said that he had cried in his car in 1978 when he heard the ban had ended, and added, 'My father marched with Martin Luther King.'" (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

* "[Romney] Told Reporters In Iowa That He Recalled His Father Changing His Mind, And Deciding To March Even Though It Was Sunday." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Years Ago, Romney Even Claimed That He Himself Joined King In A Civil Rights March. "Mitt Romney went a step further in a 1978 interview with the Boston Herald. Talking about the Mormon Church and racial discrimination, he said: 'My father and I marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit.'" (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

* Romney National Press Secretary Kevin Madden Admitted Mitt Romney Never Marched With King. Matthews: "In 1978 … your candidate said, 'My father and I marched with Martin Luther King through the streets of Detroit.' Did Mitt Romney, your candidate, your client, march with Martin Luther King or didn't he?" Madden: "No, he did not." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 12/21/07)

* "Romney Spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom Acknowledged That Was Not True. 'Mitt Romney Did Not March With Martin Luther King.'" (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

Historians, Journalists And Dr. Martin Luther King Himself All Agree: George Romney Never Marched With King During A Civil Rights Event

According To Newspaper Accounts At The Time, Martin Luther King Refused To Criticize George Romney For Not Attending The Detroit Demonstration. "On Sunday, June 23, 1963, 125,000 people marched down Detroit's Woodward Avenue to the Civic Center, in what was described at the time as the largest civil-rights demonstration in the nation's history. According to the next day's account in the Holland Evening Sentinel, the crowd at the Center 'lustily booed,' when representatives of Governor George W. Romney read a proclamation declaring 'Freedom March Day in Michigan.' But Martin Luther King Jr. didn't fault Romney for his absence, which the governor ascribed to his policy against public appearances on the Sabbath. 'At a news conference following the march . . . [King] refused to criticize Romney for not attending the demonstration,' the Sentinel reported." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

A Leading Historian, Who Is Editing King's Papers, Said "It Is Untrue That George Romney Marched With Martin Luther King." "Susan Englander, assistant editor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University, who is editing the King papers from that era, told the Globe yesterday: 'I researched this question, and indeed it is untrue that George Romney marched with Martin Luther King.'" (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

The Grosse Pointe Historical Society Reported King Never Set Foot In Grosse Pointe In 1963 And When King Was There In 1968, Romney Was Not. "[T]wo members of the Grosse Pointe Historical Society said yesterday King never set foot in Grosse Pointe in 1963 and they would have known if George Romney marched with him. A member of the committee that invited King to appear at Grosse Pointe High School on March 14, 1968 - the only time historians say King appeared in the Detroit suburb - says George Romney wasn't at the event and there was no 'march' at that time." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

* Grosse Pointe Historical Society Curator Suzy Berschback: "We're A Small Town ... Governors Don't Come Here Very Often, Except For Fundraisers.'" (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

A Civil Rights Activist In Grosse Pointe Confirmed The Only Time King Came To Town Was Three Weeks Before His 1968 Assassination. "Russell Peebles, who was a civil rights activist in Grosse Pointe in the 1960s, said in a telephone interview yesterday that the only time King ever came to the town was three weeks before his assassination in 1968, when he spoke at Grosse Pointe High School." (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

Another Detroit Civil Rights Activist Recalls Marching With George Romney, But King Was Not In Attendance. "Arthur Johnson, a longtime Detroit civil rights activist and former president of the Detroit Branch NAACP, said Thursday he clearly recalls marching with George Romney in a fair housing demonstration in Grosse Pointe in 1963, Romney's first year as governor. But King, who led a major civil rights march in Detroit days earlier, did not attend, Johnson said." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

A Wayne State University Librarian Confirmed George Romney Did Not Attend The 1968 Event And King Was Not At The 1963 March. "William LeFevre of the Reuther Library at Wayne State University, who is in charge of the papers of the Grosse Pointe Civil Liberties Association, has since confirmed to the Phoenix that George Romney was not at the 1968 event, and that King was not at the 1963 event." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Once Again, When Caught Making A False Statement, Romney Backtracked And Parsed His Words - Like Former President Bill Clinton

Facing A Perfect Storm Of Academic And Personal Accounts, Romney Acknowledged He Personally Never Saw His Father March With King. "Mitt Romney acknowledged yesterday that he never saw his father march with Martin Luther King Jr. as he asserted in a nationally televised speech this month, and historical evidence shows that Michigan's Governor George Romney and the civil rights leader never did march together." (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

But Romney Said He Still Believes His Father Marched With King, Despite Evidence To The Contrary. "[Romney] indicated that he still believes his father, widely acknowledged as an advocate for an end to discrimination against African Americans, marched with King, even though witness accounts and reports in Free Press archives appear to contradict that claim." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

Since Romney's Brother Thinks He Saw His Father With King, Mitt Romney Said "In That Sense I Saw [George Romney] March" With King. Romney: "My brother also remembers him marching with Martin Luther King, and so in that sense I saw him march with Martin Luther King." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

Romney Also Argued He Was Correct In Saying He "Saw" His Father With King Because He Was Speaking "In A Figurative Sense." "[Romney] insisted that he was right to say that he 'saw' it himself. 'I 'saw' him in the figurative sense,' Romney said at a press conference. 'The reference of seeing my father lead in civil rights and seeing my father march with Martin Luther King is in the sense of this figurative awareness of and recognition of his leadership.'" (Salon.com, 12/21/07)

Romney Pointed Reporters To The Dictionary Meaning Of The Term "Saw." Romney: "If you look at the literature, if you look at the dictionary, the term 'saw' includes being aware of in the sense I've described. … It's a figure of speech and very familiar, and it's very common. And I saw my dad march with Martin Luther King. I did not see it with my own eyes, but I saw him in the sense of being aware of his participation in that great effort." (The Boston Globe, 12/21/07)

* Romney: "You Know, I'm An English Literature Major As Well. When We Say, 'I Saw The Patriots Win The World Series, It Doesn't Necessarily Mean You Were There -- Excuse Me, The Super Bowl." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

When Romney Supposedly "Saw" The March, He Was Cut Off From Virtually All Family Contact During His Two-Year Mormon Mission In France. "Mitt Romney would not have known about the event, let alone had a chance to 'see' it. He was at that time in the middle of his two-year mission for the Mormon church in Le Havre, France. By his own description and others', he was cut off from virtually all contact with his family; and at the time, King's Grosse Pointe appearance was no more than local news." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Romney's Staff Scrambled To Reveal The Truth Without Contradicting Their Candidate - But They Found The Task Extremely Difficult

Initially, A Campaign Spokesman Parroted Romney's Claims That George Romney Marched In June 1963 With King. "A spokesperson for Mitt Romney now tells the Phoenix that George W. Romney and Martin Luther King Jr. marched together in June, 1963 -- although possibly not on the same day or in the same city." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Then, Since King Marched In Detroit And George Romney Marched In Grosse Pointe On A Different Day, The Campaign Asserted The Two Marches Were Part Of The Same - At Least The Same "Series" Of Events. "Romney, according to one piece of written source material provided by the campaign, made a 'surprise' appearance at a small march in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in late June -- several days after King led a much larger march in Detroit. Romney spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom suggests that these two were part of the same 'series' of events, co-sponsored by King and the NAACP, and is thus consistent with Romney's claim that 'I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.'" (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Fehrnstrom: "The Record Is Convincing And Clear - George Romney Marched With Martin Luther King And Other Civil Rights Demonstrators." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Under Questioning From NBC's Chris Matthews, Romney Press Secretary Kevin Madden Said He Believed George Romney Marched With King. Matthews: "Do you believe that George … Romney marched with Martin Luther King -- marched with him? Yes or no." Madden: "… I do believe he marched …" (MSNBC's "Hardball," 12/21/07)

Madden Also Reinforced The Idea That Mitt Romney And His Brother Scott Believe Their Father Marched With King. Matthews: "Was Martin Luther King and George Romney at the same parade ever? Ever?" Madden: "[T]hat's the memory that George Romney had and that Governor Romney has based on his recollections from the memories that George Romney and Scott Romney have." Matthews: "OK. So he believes his father did march with Martin Luther King." Madden: "Yes. Oh, yes." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 12/21/07)

Like His Boss, Madden Tried To Parse The Word "Saw." Madden: "I think the problem that we have here in the discussion that has probably taken a step too far, has been this discussion over the word 'saw' and whether or not we should parse what 'saw' meant." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 12/21/07)

Unfortunately, The King Incident Was Not The First Time Romney Made False Claims About His Record And Those Of His Opponents

Recently Romney Attacked Sen. John McCain For Opposing Tax Cuts That, As Governor, Romney Rejected. "Taking aim at a rallying John McCain, New Hampshire front-runner Mitt Romney said Saturday that his GOP presidential rival had failed 'Reagan 101' by twice opposing President Bush's tax cuts. … 'He voted against the Bush tax cuts twice,' Romney said. 'That's failing Reagan 101. (Ronald) Reagan taught … almost all of us in the Republican Party that lowering taxes would grow the economy and was good for our economy and good for individuals." (The Associated Press, 12/22/07)

* In 2003, Romney Told The Boston Globe That He "Won't Be A Cheerleader" For Tax Cut Proposals With Which He Did Not Agree. "At the time of the [2003] votes, Romney was in his first stint in elective office, leading Massachusetts. The Boston Globe reported that year that during a meeting in Washington with the Massachusetts congressional delegation, Romney was asked about the tax cuts and said he 'won't be a cheerleader' for proposals he did not agree with." (The Associated Press, 12/22/07)

Romney Used To Portray Himself As An Avid Sportsman, Claiming He Was A "Hunter Pretty Much All My Life." "When asked at public forums about his stance on guns, Mr. Romney portrayed himself as a sportsman, a 'hunter pretty much all my life,' who strongly supported the right to bear arms. He recalled how he had gone hunting with his cousins as a teenager. The last time he went hunting, he said, was last year, when he shot quail in Georgia and 'knocked down quite a few birds.' 'So I've been pretty much hunting all my life,' he said again." (The New York Times, 12/22/07)

* Later Romney Admitted He Had Only Been Hunting Twice But Rushed To Add He Used To Shoot "Varmints" Like Rabbits. "When challenged, his campaign said that Romney had gone hunting just twice -- once when he was 15 and once last year, when he shot at quail on an outing with GOP campaign contributors. Romney subsequently argued that he'd done more than that: 'I've always been a rodent and rabbit hunter,' he said. 'Small varmints, if you will. I began when I was 15 or so and I have hunted those kinds of varmints since then. More than two times.'" (Salon.com, 12/21/07)

Romney Also Alleged That The National Rifle Association Endorsed Him In 2002 - Another Mistake. "Romney claimed on the NBC News program 'Meet the Press' last Sunday that he received from the National Rifle Association while running for governor of Massachusetts in 2002, when it turned out the group had never endorsed him." (The New York Times, 12/22/07)

* "The Gun Rights Group Did Not Endorse Either Candidate, And Gave A Higher Issues Rating To [Romney's] Democratic Opponent." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

In Statements And In Advertisements, Romney Claimed As Governor He Got Tough On Crime And Cracked Down On Meth Labs. "'I'm very proud of the fact that we, my state, when I was governor, we made it tougher for people with meth labs,' Mr. Romney said, echoing his commercial in which he claimed that he 'got tough on drugs like meth' while in the governor's office. 'We cracked down on crime and on meth in particular,' Mr. Romney added." (The New York Times, 12/22/07)

* According To The New York Times, Romney's Boasts On Meth Were Misleading - Meth Legislation Never Passed The State Legislature. "But both the advertisement and Mr. Romney's claims on his record were misleading. Mr. Romney's office proposed legislation that would have toughened penalties on those in possession of methamphetamine and the chemicals to manufacture it, but the bill stalled in the state legislature." (The New York Times, 12/22/07)

* Romney Then Corrected The Record: He Did Not Get Tough But Rather "Proposed We Get Tough" On Meth. "After The New York Times pointed out Mr. Romney's misstatement in a posting on its politics blog, he made sure to correct himself before taking questions from reporters at his next campaign stop here. 'If I said this morning that we 'got tough' on methamphetamines, I proposed we get tough on methamphetamine, and I've corrected that right here for all of you,' he said.'' (The New York Times, 12/22/07)

Romney Asserted He Was A Reluctant Politician, Convinced To Run For Governor By Panicked Republicans Who Wanted A Winner. "Romney also cast himself as a reluctant politician, focusing instead on his 25-year business career and stint helping to resurrect the financially troubled 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. 'When I came home, some people in the Massachusetts Republican Party encouraged me to run for office and said, 'We need somebody who can win and who can fix Massachusetts,' Romney said." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

* In Truth, Romney Declared His Candidacy For Govenor Two Days After Returning From The Olympics. "Romney returned to Massachusetts from Utah on Sunday, March 17, 2002. He declared he was running for governor on Tuesday, March 19." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

* Romney Roughly 48 Hours After Returning To Massachusetts: "I'm In. … The Bumper Stickers Are Printed, The Web Site's Going Up. The Papers Are Going In Today." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

Non-Partisan Political Observers Recognize Romney's Propensity For Exaggeration - And Warn It Could Be A Developing Problem

NBC News' Political Analyst Craig Crawford: "Romney Is Developing A Reputation As Kind Of A Serial Exaggerator, Going Along With His Flip-Flopping Reputation." (NBC News' "Saturday Today," 12/22/07)

University Of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato Believes Romney's "Clintonian" Parsing Comes From A Belief "No One Would Ever Check." "Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics called Romney's parsing 'Clintonian,' adding, 'He just thought no one would ever check.''' (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

The Boston Phoenix Noted Romney's Statements "Are The Actions Of A Man Desperate To Cater To The Whims Of His Audience." "It is not just that these are untruths. They are the actions of a man desperate to cater to the whims of his audience. What they want, he must appear to be. This is the opposite of leadership - the opposite of the actions taken by his father in the 1960s." (The Boston Phoenix, 12/21/2007)

Dean Of Boston University's College Of Communication Tobe Berkovitz Believes "The One Extra Step" Causes Romney All The Trouble. BERKOVITZ: "It's the fine-tuning that's created the problem. It's always that one extra step that causes him the trouble. … You can't just say that African-Americans were accepted into the church and I was happy, you have to say you pulled over and you cried." (The Associated Press, 12/21/07)

Human Events' Star Parker: "Republicans Can Win Back The Hearts And Minds Of Americans. But They Have To Get Real And Get Honest. Unlike The Former Governor Of Massachusetts." (Human Events, 12/21/07)

* Parker: "We Haven't Seen A Politician Parse A Sentence Like This Since Bill Clinton Dissected The Meaning Of The Verb 'Is' And Explained That It Was Monica Who Had Sex With Him And Not The Other Way Around." (Human Events, 12/21/07)

* Parker: "How Ironic That Romney Chose To Insert This Apparent Whopper In His 'Faith In America' Speech. Perhaps The Governor's Idea Of Faith Is What Groucho Marx Had In Mind With His Line, 'Who Are You Going To Believe, Me Or Your Own Eyes.'" (Human Events, 12/21/07)

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This information borrowed from MikeHuckabee.com:

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The Mitt Romney Fairytale

American Right To Life Action Launches its First 527 Political TV Ad

MEDIA ADVISORY, Dec. 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- American Right To Life Action, a new 527 political organization, is running its first political television ad statewide in Iowa starting today and through the Iowa Caucuses on January 3, 2008. "We have tested this ad with focus groups," said Steve Curtis, president of ARTL Action, "and it has everyone laughing, laughing with us, at Mitt Romney for being such an obvious liar about the most important issue for any leader in America: abortion."

Romney Fairytale Script

Once upon a time there was a man named Mitt who said a very bad thing:
Romney: "I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country"

Then he thought of campaigning in Utah and said something different. "I am NOT pro-choice!"

But when he came back to liberal Massachusetts:
Romney: "I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose."

Then in 2004 he magically became pro-life, but only six months later:
Romney: "I am absolutely committed to my promise to maintain the status quo with regards to law related to abortion and choice."

The spell must have worn off.
Now he's on the campaign trail again, and he's back to being pro-life.

Romney: "I was pro-choice; I'm pro-life." … "I changed my position" … "I never said I was pro-choice."

Narrator: BR: Mitt Romney, willing to sacrifice children, lying for your vote.
Paid for by American Right-to-Life Action.

According to their website, ARTLAction.com, "American RTL Action exists to provide leadership in the fight to advocate enforcement of God's enduring command, Do not murder (Luke 18:20), especially in the realm of government. For decades, the pro-life industry provided campaign cover for pro-choice candidates by deceiving well-meaning pro-lifers. ARTL Action is determined to end that ability to mislead Christians into supporting those who defend various forms of intentional child-killing. When it comes to child killing, exceptions are a window to the soul. ARTL Action will throw open that window so all well-meaning people can see where a political candidate actually stands. At ARTL Action, we expose the liberal in the conservative."

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Mitt Romney's Misrepresentation Has Gone Too Far

From CBS News' Joy Lin:

OSCEOLA, IOWA -– Gesturing to a wild turkey that had been taxidermied, Mike Huckabee joked, “I thought that was one of my opponents.” He paused during the laughter, “That’ll make the blogs.”

Huckabee continued his quest to set his record straight today, shifting to a strategy of calling out Mitt Romney, by name, for misrepresentation as well as going too far in putting up attack ads against John McCain, who Huckabee called a “rival” but a “honest, decent…American hero.”

“It’s like Mitt doesn’t have anything to stand on, except to stand against,” said Huckabee.

“And I’m saying enough is enough. Ladies and gentlemen, what I’m going to say to you today is, if a person is dishonest in his approach to get the job, do you believe he will be honest in telling you the truth when he does get the job?" (Read More . . . )

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Phony As A Three-Dollar Bill

From Joseph Farah's article, "The Many Faces Of Mitt":

"First, from a logical standpoint, this makes no sense. If you can't see why stabbing an unborn baby in the head with a pair of scissors is an overtly evil act, I don't think any amount of study of embryonic stem cell research will awaken your sense of moral outrage. But that's what Romney would like us to believe. After all, he's got to explain why he discovered so late in his public life that people have an inherent right to life." (Read More . . . )

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Sound Advice

Michelle Malkin's advice regarding Mitt Romney:

"Caveat emptor, people. Caveat emptor."

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Politico: Mitt Fights His Own Words In New Hampshire

From an article by Jonathan Martin:

In 2003, the story noted, Romney told the Massachusetts congressional delegation that when it came to the Bush tax cuts, he wouldn’t “be a cheerleader” for proposals he didn’t support.

“But I have to keep a solid relationship with the White House,” Romney noted to his state’s representatives in Washington.

Similarly, when Romney raised McCain’s unpopular immigration views in a campaign appearance Wednesday, the Arizonan’s campaign was ready.

“Last Year, Romney Supported ‘Path Toward Citizenship’ for Illegal Immigrants, Said Republicans Breaking With President Bush on Immigration ‘Made a Big Mistake,'" McCain’s aides reminded in a press release over 2006 stories in the Lowell Sun and Associated Press.

Also included was the November 2005 story from the Boston Globe where Romney deemed McCain’s immigration approach “quite different” from amnesty and “reasonable.”

Romney and his campaign have at-the-ready answers to counter the counters.

But his challenge is that there are seemingly few issues where he has not been previously more moderate than he is now or where a rival can’t at least find a discrepancy sufficient to blur an attack.

Abortion is the one issue that he fesses up to having flat changed his mind on, but that the list only begins there.

On gay rights, campaign finance reform, gun control and even his own political identity, Romney has tonally, if not substantively, moved to the right.

Click Here to read more . . .

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Mitt Romney Is A Phony

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