Poor Willard Inc. must wonder what the fuss is about. Sure, his NH TV ad was an out-and-out deception. But what's the problem?

All of these quotes from Willard Inc. are, Think Progress insists (via asterisk), "accurate. according to the Romney standard of accuracy." Greg Sargent notes: "This was meant as a joke. But now a Romney adviser has confirmed that this is, in fact, the Romney standard of accuracy."

"He did say the words. That’s his voice."

-- Willard Inc. senior New Hampshire campaign
adviser Tom Rath, to CBS News

"The Romney camp is explicitly saying it’s totally fair game to take an opponent’s words out of context in a way that completely changes their meaning, simply because the actual words in question did come out of the speaker’s mouth. As many have noted today, the Romney ad’s decontextualizing of Obama’s words is so egregious that it amounts to a lie."

-- Greg Sargent, in a late-afternoon Plum Line post

by Ken

Poor Willard Inc. is probably shaking his head, wondering what the fuss is all about. Well, yeah, his people ran that TV ad in New Hampshire showing Barack Obama saying, "If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose,” and no, the ad didn't mention that (a) this wasn't President Obama but 2008 candidate Obama, and oh yes, (b) he was quoting what Young Johnny McCranky's strategists were saying back then. Granted all of that, what's the fuss?

It's just more lies, Willard Inc. would point out. He tells lies all the time. And unlike more narrow-minded pols, he often balances out his lies by telling directly contradictory ones at different times and in different places. Why, in this case, his people even put out a press release that correctly identified the context of the Obama "talking about the economy" quote, with some lame-ass explanation about how the Obama campaign in 2008 was ridiculing the McCranky campaign and now in 2011 . . . uh, well, there was some connection.

But again, where's the problem? Next some joker is going to say that candidates aren't supposed to lie, or flagrantly misrepresent facts! Gimme a break! Facts? We Republicans spit on facts. And that lame-ass business of the quote being taken "out of context"? Out of context is for whining sissies, not rugged he-men like Willard Inc. Why, the next time he says something in context will be the first.

Of course, "out of context" which while technically true doesn't really describe the breathtaking dishonesty of the ad. Let's join Greg Sargent, who attempts to set the record straight in the, er, context of today's even more astounding development ("Romney camp: Misrepresenting opponent's words is completely fair game"):

Now CBS News has gotten a new response from the Romney camp justifying the ad:

Romney senior New Hampshire adviser Tom Rath tells CBS News the ad is "exactly what we want."

"They were using McCain’s words to make fun of McCain. And we’re using the exact same technique," he said.

Pressed on whether it was unfair to lop off the top of Mr. Obama’s comments -- which would show the president was quoting the McCain camp -- Rath said, "He did say the words. That’s his voice."

He then suggest[ed] that the more people discuss the ad, the better it is for the Romney campaign.

This is a truly remarkable response. The Romney camp is explicitly saying it’s totally fair game to take an opponent’s words out of context in a way that completely changes their meaning, simply because the actual words in question did come out of the speaker’s mouth. As many have noted today, the Romney ad’s decontextualizing of Obama’s words is so egregious that it amounts to a lie. Yet here a Romney adviser is claiming that this is fair game, because he said those words.

Okay, fine, I imagine poor Willard Inc. saying, starting to lose his vaunted patience, but what's the fuss? Isn't this the way all right-wingers engage in public discussion now? Nothing brands you more surely as a wuss than being caught telling the truth.

And here the truth seems to be: Willard Inc.'s people apparently crossed a line somewhere. Don't ask me where that line is. Apparently it falls somewhere on the other side of Willard Inc. trying to present himself as a "job creator" rather than the predatory job-killer he actually is. So don't go by me. When I first heard about the ad, I shrugged and thought, well, they're at it again. It's like with the sun rising. The news isn't when it does but when it doesn't rise. (And probably at that point we'll be beyond caring.)

Here's Greg Sargent's conclusion this afternoon:

One other point. As Jed Lewison notes today, it won’t matter that Romney’s ad is broadcasting a blatant lie, because media outlets have not been willing to come right out and call Romney a liar. Here you have a Romney adviser basically confirming this, claiming that the media attention to the ad is a positive. One wonders whether this open and explicit admission that the Romney camp is using the media will be enough to prompt more aggressive coverage of its pattern of mendacity.

One might indeed wonder, Greg. I merely suggest that one not hold one's breath.

Let's see how it goes after the latest of the GOP presidential debates (affectionately known as "Home of the Whoppers") -- on, of all things, foreign policy. Just imagine Rick P and Herman and Newt and Rand and Rick S and Willard and . . . you know, the whole gang talking about -- foreign policy.

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