Sunday's Meet The Press roundtable cast of characters discussed the role of the economy in the upcoming election. Chuck Todd made the point that the Romney campaign has to come up with a different tactic than hammering the economy in Ohio and Virginia, where unemployment is below the national average:
CHUCK TODD:
You go to a Virginia, you go even to an Ohio, two states, where are the unemployment rates? Below the national average. And you have two Republican governors who will campaign with Mitt Romney but don't want to talk down the economy, want to talk-- so you have that struggle. And I think that's a tactical struggle that the Romney campaign has to figure out how to grip-- how to come to grips with.
Because you have some upbeat news, particularly in the state of Virginia, which really has weathered the recession differently, mostly, I think, thanks to the defense contractors and the government. But in Ohio, and there's this fight over who gets credit for that. Is it the auto industry or is it the new Republican governors?
What's that you say? Virginia has weathered the recession better because - why? Because of the government, and spending? Hmmm, that could present a problem for Mitt Romney. Todd had a smirk on his face as he made the remark, indicating all the irony that statement contains. So what was the reaction from the assembled pundits? They virtually ignored it as if it hadn't been said. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. No reaction, not a word. They skipped right over it and went into - you guessed it, we need less government, but now it's being called 'smarter' governemnt:
SEN. KELLY AYOTTE:
Well David, I have to say, taking off what Chuck said, if you do look at, "Are you better off," the answer's clearly no, under any measure. But there's also the question of, "Is there any hope, with the failure of leadership-- this president, on the economic issues, that it will be any better?"
And I think people will come to the conclusion no. Why? It's not about no government, less government. It's about smart government.
(Well, clearly under any measure, unless perhaps if you're a resident of Virginia or Ohio).
That's right Republicans. Just keep repeating your version of reality, Americans are sure to believe you and not their own eyes. And don't anyone in the 'media' (David Gregory) challenge it. Usually they just lie by omission, or outright blatant non-factual statements. Granted, the MSM has set the bar so low for themselves that it's below sea level, but they manage to reach new heights (or lows) of mendacity, by being presented with an inconvenient and contradictory truth, and they simply ignore it.
Watch as Chuck Todd says, 'Virginia is better off because of government spending, heh heh heh', and Sen. Kelly Ayotte responds, 'we need smarter government'.
.
.