Obama strategist David Axelrod blasted Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Wednesday, saying he is untrustworthy and out of touch with the middle class.
“Romney robotically repeated the words ‘middle class’ throughout the debate,” Axelrod said, referring to Romney’s performance in the Bloomberg/Washington Post debate on Tuesday. “I think you have to do more than recite the words ‘middle class.'”
Speaking to reporters over the phone, Axelrod said it’s “appalling” that Romney opposes an extension of the payroll tax cut, which would keep more money in the pockets of middle class taxpayers.
Axelrod said the tax cut extension, which is included in Obama’s American Jobs Act, is an “essential ingredient to prevent a double-dip recession.”
Though Axelrod focused solely on Romney during the call with reporters, he was hesitant to call Romney the likely Republican nominee.
“We’re having this call because Gov. Romney has been so brazen — frankly — in his switches of position,” Axelrod said.
Romney ran for governor of Massachusetts as a “pro-choice moderate who supported civil unions,” but has since transformed into “the guy you see today who is hard after that Tea Party and who has thrown all of his positions over.”
He also said Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s attacks on Romney have failed.
“Perry has made some halting efforts,” he said, “but he hasn’t exactly gotten the gun out of the holster.”
