President Obama on Monday defended his campaign’s attacks on presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital—a line of attack that has been questioned by several Democrats in recent days, including Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
“This issue is not a, quote, ‘distraction’,” Obama told a news conference in Chicago. “This is part of the debate that we’re going to be having in this election campaign about how do we create an economy that everybody from top to bottom, folks from Wall Street and folks on Main Street, have a chance at success.”
“If your main argument for how to grow the economy is, I knew how to make a lot of money for investors, then you're missing what this job is about,” Obama said. “It doesn't mean you weren't good at private equity, but that's not what my job is as president.”
The debate over Romney’s business record is relevant because Romney has based his presidential bid on his private sector experience, Obama said.
“What I would say is that Mr. Romney is responsible for the proposals he’s putting forward for how he’s going to fix the economy, and if the main basis for him suggesting he can do a better job is his track record as the head of a private equity firm, then both upsides and downsides are worth examining,” Obama said at the session with reporters closing the NATO summit.
Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox. Sign up for National Journal's morning alert, Wake-Up Call, and afternoon newsletter, The Edge. Subscribe here.
Leave A Comment