Romney, Perry’s campaign ads under scanner for conveying ‘blatant lies’ about Obama

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Washington, Nov 26(ANI): Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Perry have come under the scanner for circulating blatant lies about US President Barack Obama through their television commercials for their political campaign.

Though both of them rejected these claims, both advertisements selectively quote Obama as appearing to say one thing, when he is actually saying something else.

The advertisements have been criticised for misrepresenting Obama’s statements.

Take one example: One of Perry’s advertisements shows Obama saying: “If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose,” which suggests that he cannot take strong decisions on the economy.

The statement is, however, an extract from his 2008 campaign, where he was quoting a statement by a strategist for his Republican opponent, John McCain.

“Those ads are blatant misrepresentations. They are much more egregious than what we’ve seen in the past. Typically candidates have tried to be close to the truth because they know journalists are paying attention, but with all the problems of the news industry politicians have concluded they can get away with murder,” The Guardian quoted Brookings Institution’s Governance studies Director Darrell West, as saying.

But the Romney campaign defended the advertisement, saying it merely turns the tables on Obama for having mocked McCain on the economy in his 2008 campaign.

“President Obama’s campaign is desperate not to talk about the economy. Their strategy is to wage a personal campaign – or ‘kill Romney’. It is a campaign of distraction.

“Now, the tables have turned – President Obama and his campaign are doing exactly what candidate Obama criticised [in 2008],” Romney’s website quoted his Press Secretary Gail Gitcho, as saying. (ANI)