Obama vs Romney: Obama Negative Campaigning May Cost Him the Election on Tuesday

The 2012 presidential campaign has proven that Obama is the mudslinger-in-chief. A New York Post op-ed, titled “Mud on his hands,” written by Kyle Smith, gives many examples of the aforementioned campaign technique used by Obama’s supporters.

“Obama had one strategy this campaign: character assassination. But, thanks to voter backlash, Romney’s optimism may well win the day.” The proof lies in a study by Pew Research, which found that Romney had a 50% unfavorable rating before the first debate, the highest ever recorded in 24 years of the survey’s existence. Now, Romney has a 50% favorable rating and a 46% unfavorable rating; the latter is identical to Obama’s rating.

What exactly has Obama been doing to trash Romney’s reputation? Well, he twists and distorts his competitor’s record to sidestep discussion about his own performance. The latter includes an $800 billion unsuccessful stimulus, an unpopular health care law, his decision to ignore the recommendations of his own blue-ribbon debt-reduction commission and so much more.

Obama devised a plan to destroy Romney by creating a caricature that is a “heartless jobacidal monster who hides his money in shadowy offshore accounts.”

Ads from an Obama Super PAC have falsely blamed Romney for the death by cancer of a Kansas City man. Other ads portray Romney as the “outsourcer in chief,” even though Romney is hardly responsible for an economic environment that has pushed jobs overseas.

Also through ads, Obama has attacked Romney by implying that he cheats on his taxes. These assertions are absolute nonsense and borderline libelous.

Romney has been misquoted continuously by the Obama campaign. Regarding abortion, Obama says, “[Romney would] be delighted to sign that bill [to ban abortion]. But, conveniently not mentioned is that Romney also said, “But that’s not where America is today.” In the same vein, an Obama ad made it appear that Romney would “get rid of” Planned Parenthood. Actually, Romney has no control over Planned Parenthood, but would eliminate federal subsidies to it as part of his budget cuts.

A final example of Obama’s mudslinging prowess relates to Romney’s position on the auto bailout. The Obama campaign’s distortion is a two-part problem. 1) he did not say that the auto industry should be liquidated. 2) Obama has no idea how bankruptcy reorganizations proceed.

Regarding # 2, Obama allowed the auto companies to operate out of bankruptcy and continue to pay creditors. Then, the company was forced to declare bankruptcy, and moments later, emerged with new government support.

Romney’s plan would have taken the auto companies into bankruptcy immediately, enabling the companies to stop paying suppliers and other creditors. When the creditors agreed to terms, the auto companies would have emerged from bankruptcy with government support. The difference between the two plans is that the taxpayers put up more money in the Obama plan because the companies paid suppliers throughout the process.

I suppose America is now permanently on the slippery slope of more political attack ads and multi-billion campaigns. It is unproductive and a colossal waste of money. Unfortunately, SCOTUS has decided that unlimited political contributions are a constitutional right. So, Americans should not expect anything to change in future elections.

Regarding Obama, his campaign may deliver him a win, but it would be tainted by tactics unbecoming the chief executive of this country.