Romney Campaign Press Release - Gov. Romney Calls On Dems To Repudiate MoveOn Attack On Gen. Petraeus

"And I frankly don't understand why Hillary Clinton hasn't repudiated MoveOn.org at this point. And I'm afraid the truth is that MoveOn.org has purchased the Democratic Party, if you will. That it's funding, and the status of this 527, and the voice it has in the Democratic Party is so powerful that it's now calling the shots. And that Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama and John Edwards are afraid to repudiate an ad and an organization which has taken a disgusting course against a great American." - Gov. Mitt Romney (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/14/07)

THE ROMNEY VISION: SUPPORT OUR MILITARY LEADERS

Gov. Romney Condemns The Vicious Attack On General Petraeus And Calls On All Democrats To Do The Same:


Gov. Romney Called MoveOn's Attack On General Petraeus "Unacceptable." GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "The MoveOn.org attack on General Petraeus is, frankly, entirely unacceptable. This is a man who is risking his life by being in Iraq, and being in Camp Liberty, and this is a person who realizes that the lives of many other people are under his care. He's under extraordinary stress. He comes here and reports exactly what he believes is going on - what he thinks ought to be done - and for MoveOn.org to attack him as they did is simply unacceptable and reprehensible." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/14/07)

- Watch Gov. Romney Condemn The MoveOn Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeL7nVwuLnU

Gov. Romney Said That The Direction In Which MoveOn Is Driving The Democrat Party Is "Disgusting." GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "And I frankly don't understand why Hillary Clinton hasn't repudiated MoveOn.org at this point. And I'm afraid the truth is that MoveOn.org has purchased the Democratic Party, if you will. That it's funding, and the status of this 527, and the voice it has in the Democratic Party is so powerful that it's now calling the shots. And that Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama and John Edwards are afraid to repudiate an ad and an organization which has taken a disgusting course against a great American." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 9/14/07)

- Gov. Mitt Romney: "MoveOn.org's latest outrageous act is an attempt to call into question the reputation and character of General Petraeus even before he testifies in front of Congress. ... Democrats must make a choice. Will they embrace these deplorable tactics or give General Petraeus a fair hearing?" (Gov. Mitt Romney, "A Fair Hearing for General Petraeus," National Review Online, http://corner.nationalreview.com/, Posted 9/10/07)

Gov. Romney Welcomed The Petraeus Report And News That U.S. Forces Are Making Progress In Iraq:


Gov. Romney Called The Petraeus Report "Good News For Americans And Iraqis." ROMNEY: "Today's testimony from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker confirms the progress being made by our troops in Iraq. This is good news for Americans and Iraqis. The importance of a successful conclusion to Iraq must be weighed in light of the global threat of violent Jihad and terror. America must continue its commitment to the strategy General Petraeus is executing." (Romney For President, Press Release, 9/11/07)

Gov. Mitt Romney Believes That General Petraeus Is An American Hero And Is Serving His Country Nobly. "I think the American people listened with interest to General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker and recognized that we have true American patriots and heroes here. And they expressed their views openly. ... [T]hey pointed out the good and the bad. The net in both of their testimony was that we are making progress..." (WLS 890 AM's "Don Wade & Roma," 9/12/07)

THE DEMOCRATS: FOLLOW MOVEON'S LEAD

Liberal 527 MoveOn "Bought" The Democrat Agenda:


MoveOn's Executive Director Eli Pariser Emailed MoveOn Members Touting That They "Bought" And "Own" The Democrat Party. "[MoveOn] members received an e-mail urging them to get involved in the fight over the Democratic National Committee chairmanship by contacting state party leaders. In a combative letter, Pariser wrote, 'Now it's our Party: we bought it, we own it, and we're going to take it back.'" (Kathryn Williams, "Can MoveOn Move On?" Newsweek, 12/14/04)

Just Days After The 9/11 Attacks, MoveOn Called For "Moderation And Restraint In Responding To The Recent Terrorist Attacks Against The United States." "We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of the United States of America ... Appeal to the President of the United States, George W. Bush ... and to all leaders internationally to use moderation and restraint in responding to the recent terrorist attacks against the United States." (MoveOn.Org Website Archive, Posted 9/13/01)

Has MoveOn "Bought" Sens. Clinton, Obama And Edwards?


When Directly Asked, Sen. Clinton (D-NY) Failed To Condemn The Attack On General Petreus. SLATE: "Did you think the Moveon.org advertisement about Gen. Petraeus was either appropriate or necessary?" CLINTON: "You know, I think that we should focus on what the problem is here. The problem is a president who has a policy that flies in the face of reality." ("Clinton: Health-Care Plan Will Cover Everyone," Slate, 9/12/07)

Given A Chance To Repudiate The MoveOn Ad, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) Instead Attacked The Mission In Iraq. CHARLIE ROSE: "Did you approve or what did you think of the Moveon.org advertisement about Gen. Petraeus?" SEN. BARACK OBAMA: " Well, I'll be honest with you. My general view listening to Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker is that they are able, competent people who are performing an impossible task. That they have been provided an assignment, a mission by the president that basically involves continuing the same course that we've been on for the last several years. And my view is that the person who is ultimately accountable for these critical national security decisions is the president. And I am less interested in the motives or what Gen. Petraeus or Ambassador Crocker are responsible for than I am for what the president is responsible for, and that is the mission that has been assigned to those people. I think the mission is the failure." ("Obama: 'Sinning' Is Necessary To Compete In Politics," Slate, 7/13/07)

Sen. Edwards (D-NC) Claimed He Hadn't Seen The MoveOn Ad And Ducked Commenting On It. CHARLIE ROSE: "Let me ask you one last question about Iraq, because it's part of the political debate in some quarters. Moveon.org's advertisement, do you think it was the appropriate thing to do?" SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: "I don't know if I've seen it, Charlie. Tell me what it is." ROSE: "Basically they used Petraeus in a play off of betrayal. General Betrayal." EDWARDS: "I'm sorry. I just haven't seen it. So it's hard for me to comment on it. I do think that what I've heard from Gen. Petraeus is not focused on the fundamental question as I've just talked about. And I think, unless and until there's some political progress, which I have seen none of, the Congress needs to force Bush to change course." ("Edwards: Free College For Everyone Is Achievable," Slate, 9/13/07)

Many Other Democrats Have Condemned The Ad:

Democrat Presidential Candidate Joe Biden (D-DE) Has Disputed The Ad. NBC's TIM RUSSERT: "Moveon.org, a liberal Democratic group, is taking an ad in The New York Times, and this is what it's going to be: 'General Petraeus or General Betray Us? Cooking the Books for the White House.' What's your reaction to that?" SEN. JOE BIDEN: "I don't buy into that. This is an honorable guy. He's telling the truth. ... So I, I just--I think that's pretty hard-edged. He's an honorable guy." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 9/9/07)

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) Criticized The Ad, Calling It "Over The Top." "Other leading Democrats, however, said that MoveOn.org had gone too far. US Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts said on MSNBC: 'I believe that ad was just simply over the top, and I think it's inappropriate, period.'" (Lisa Wangsness, "Ad Critical Of General Assailed In GOP Camp," The Boston Globe, 9/11/07)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) Called MoveOn's Attack "Despicable." "The personal attack on Gen. David Petraeus launched today by Moveon.org is an outrageous and despicable act of slander that every member of the Congress -- Democrat and Republican -- has a solemn responsibility to condemn. ... We must reject the slander of this brave soldier and patriot." (Sen. Joe Lieberman, "Lieberman Urges Leader Reid And Speaker Pelosi To Denounce Moveon.org Attack On General Petraeus," Press Release, 9/10/07)