Romney Campaign Press Release - Obama Meets the Press With More Falsehoods & Distortions

"After spending weeks refusing to denounce his Super PAC's scurrilous ad against Mitt Romney, President Obama once again failed to lead. Worse yet, the President falsely alleged no one in his campaign had accused Mitt Romney of committing a crime. President Obama's failure to stand up to dishonest rhetoric and attacks demonstrates yet again he's diminished the office that he holds and his record is nothing more than business as usual in Washington." – Ryan Williams, Romney Campaign Spokesman

President Obama Ducked Another Call To Condemn His Super PAC – But Candidate Obama Claimed He Was Willing To "Walk The Walk" On Condemning Outside Groups:

Today, President Obama Again Ducked Calls To Condemn His Super PAC's Disgraceful Attack On Mitt Romney. CORDES: "But why not send a message to the top Super PAC that's supporting you and say I think an ad like that is out of bounds? That we shouldn't be suggesting--" OBAMA: "So let's take that particular issue as opposed to, you know, because you lumped in a whole bunch of other stuff that I think was entirely legitimate. I don't think that Governor Romney is somehow responsible for the death of the woman that was portrayed in that ad. But keep in mind, this is an ad I didn't approve, I did not produce, and as far as I can tell, [had] barely run. I think it ran once." (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 8/20/12)

• "Obama Campaign Officials Have Refused To Disavow The Ad..." "Obama campaign officials have refused to disavow the ad, claiming independence from the outside group and no knowledge of the woman's story." (Steve Portnoy, "'Disgusting' Pro-Obama Ad Criticized By Democrat," ABC News, 8/9/12)

FLASHBACK: Candidate Obama, On His Opposition To Outside Political Groups: "You Can't Just Talk The Talk. ... I Walk The Walk." OBAMA: "We found out today that there's an outside group spending $750,000 that just bought three-quarters of a million dollars' worth of television time. And the individual who's running the group used to be John Edward's campaign manager. You can't say yesterday, you don't believe in 'em, and today, you're having three-quarters of a million dollars being spent for you. You can't just talk the talk. The easiest thing is to talk about change during an election time. Everybody talks about change in an election time. ... My track record is strong on this. I walk the walk." (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks, Oskaloosa, IA, 12/22/07)

• Candidate Obama: "If Robert Gibbs Started Running A 527 And I Called Robert Gibbs And Said, 'Stop Running Ads On My Behalf,' Are You Suggesting I Would Have No Influence Over Robert Gibbs?" "Obama continued with incredulity: ... 'That's not true. If [Obama communications director] Robert Gibbs started running a 527 and I called Robert Gibbs and said, 'Stop running ads on my behalf,' are you suggesting I would have no influence over Robert Gibbs?" (Ben Smith, "Obama Mocks Edwards On 527," Politico, 12/23/07)

David Axelrod, In December 2007: "These Things Are Supposed To Be Independent. ... How Independent Are They When You Have Your Longtime Operative Running It?" "David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, said the 527 group known as Alliance for a New America just bought $756,000 worth of air time to run ads in Iowa from Wednesday to Jan. 3, the date of the caucuses. 'These things are supposed to be independent,' Axelrod said. 'How independent are they when you have your longtime operative running it?'" (Maria L. La Ganga And Seema Mehta, "Obama Rips Edwards Over Nonprofits," Los Angeles Times, 12/23/07)

President Obama Claimed "Nobody" Called Mitt Romney "A Felon" – But His Own Campaign Claimed Romney Had Committed "A Felony":

President Obama, Today: "Nobody Accused Mr. Romney Of Being A Felon." OBAMA: "Well I'm, not sure all those characterizations that you laid out there were accurate. For example, nobody accused Mr. Romney of being a felon." (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 8/20/12)

FLASHBACK: In July, Obama Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie Cutter Claimed Mitt Romney "Could Be Guilty Of A Felony." "Mitt Romney either lied in federal filings that show he worked at Bain Capital through 2002 and could be guilty of a felony, or has lied to the American people in saying he left the company in 1999, the Obama campaign is arguing in light of news reports on the firm's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. ... Deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter laid out the issue as the Obama team sees it: 'Either Mitt Romney, through his own words and his own signature, was misrepresenting his position at Bain to the SEC, which is a felony.'" (Jennifer Epstein, "Obama Team: Romney Committed A Felony Or Lied To Voters," Politico, 7/12/12)

Politico Headline: "Obama Team: Romney Committed A Felony Or Lied To Voters" (Jennifer Epstein, "Obama Team: Romney Committed A Felony Or Lied To Voters," Politico, 7/12/12)