Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) said GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney “can’t Etch A Sketch away” his record as governor of Massachusetts.
Schweitzer said he served as a governor at the same time as Romney and that the two even traveled overseas together.
“Gov. Mitt Romney saddled Massachusetts taxpayers with an additional $2.6 billion in debt, and left 'em with the most debt per capita of any state in America,” Schweitzer said Thursday at the Democratic convention. “In Montana, that dog don't hunt.
“Gov. Mitt Romney raised taxes and fees by $750 million per year. I'll let you in on a little secret: when a politician doesn't want to be honest about a tax hike, he calls it a fee. Mitt raised taxes — uh, fees — on driver's licenses, on school bus rides, on mental health services and even on milk. And here's the one that got a burr under my saddle: he quadrupled the fee for a gun license!
"Maybe that's okay for a guy who hunts ‘varmints.’ But for the rest of us, that dog don't hunt.”
Schweitzer said if businessman Romney had evaluated Gov. Romney, he would have fired himself.
“Mitt, you can't Etch-A-Sketch away your record,” Schweitzer said in Charlotte, N.C. “Taxes: up. Cost of college: up. Debt: up. New business starts: down. Manufacturing: down. Median household income: down. Economic growth: down. If private equity Mitt Romney met Gov. Mitt Romney, he'd do what he says he likes to do. He'd fire 'um, and outsource the job!”
Schweitzer then criticized Romney’s comments on searching for Osama bin Laden.
“Gov. Romney said that finding Osama bin Laden was ‘not worth moving heaven and earth,’ ” Schweitzer said. “Tonight, bin Laden isn't on earth, and he sure isn't in heaven. Thanks to the courage of American special forces and the bold leadership of our president, Osama bin Laden is at the bottom of the ocean.”
In 2008, Schweitzer was considered one of the surprise great speeches, which could be a reason he got a prime-time slot on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.
