Romney accuses Obama of waging 'hide-and-seek' campaign

Washington: Launching a strong attack on US President Barack Obama, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney has acussed him of waging a “hide-and-seek” campaign by denying voters information about his plans for a second term. “With all the challenges the nation faces, this is not the time for President Obama’s hide-and-seek campaign,” Romney said in his remarks at the Newspaper Association of America and American Society of Newspaper Editors annual luncheon. [caption id=“attachment_267378” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Romney’s tirade against Obama also came on a day when the Obama campaign launched an advertisement campaign against him. Reuters”]  [/caption] Romney launched the attack against Obama, a day after he won the three primaries in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington DC, which according to political analysts cements his position to bag the party’s presidential nomination. His tirade against Obama also came on a day when the Obama campaign launched an advertisement campaign against him. “Given the number and the scale of our nation’s challenges, this November’s election will have particular consequence. It will be a defining event. President Obama and I have very different visions for America, both of what it means to be an American today and what it will mean in the future,” he added. To prove a point, Romney again raised Obama’s recent comment to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more “flexibility” on the issue of missile defence after the November election. Obama thought that he was having a private chat, but their dialogue was picked by a nearby microphone. “That incident calls his candor into serious question. He doesn’t want to share his real plans before the election either with the public or with the press,” Romney said. “By flexibility he means that what the American public doesn’t know won’t hurt him. His intent is on hiding. You and I are going to have to do the seeking,” he said. “Now, President Obama’s exchange with the Russian president raises all sorts of serious questions. What exactly does President Obama intend to do differently once he’s no longer accountable to the voters? Why does flexibility with foreign leaders require less accountability to the American people? And on what other issues will he state his true position only after the election is over?” he asked. “But instead of answering those vital questions, the President came here yesterday and railed against arguments no one is making. And criticised policies no one is proposing. “It’s one of his favourite strategies, setting up a straw man to distract us from his record. And while I understand the president doesn’t want to run on his record, he can’t run from his record either,” Romney added. Romney alleged that Obama worsened the economic crisis. “He delayed the recovery and he made it anaemic. When he took office millions of Americans looked to him to turn around the economy and to lead us back to full employment. He failed these Americans,” he said. PTI