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Mitt Romney, in an appearance on “Meet the Press†to be aired on Sunday morning, praised former President Bill Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention, suggesting that his performance outshone President Obama's speech accepting his party's renomination. He also criticized Mr. Obama and Congressional Republicans for agreeing to automatic cuts in defense spending as a way to force a deal on deficit reduction, in a process called sequestration.
In excerpts released by the program on Saturday, Mr. Romney was asked if he thought Mr. Clinton could get elected president today. “You know, if the Constitution w eren't in his way, perhaps,†he said.
“But he did stand out in contrast with the other speakers,†Mr. Romney continued. “I think he really did elevate the Democrat convention in a lot of ways. And frankly, the contrast may not have been as attractive as Barack Obama might have preferred if he were choosing who'd go before him and who'd go after.â€
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Turning to the topic of defense spending, Mr. Romney said he wanted to maintain spending at the current level of the gross domestic product.
“I don't want to keep bringing it down as the president's doing,†Mr. Romney said. “This sequestration idea of the White House, which is cutting our defense, I think is an extraordinary miscalculation in the wrong direction.â€
Mr. Romney's appearance on “Meet the Press†is his first since 2009. Though Mr. Romney has largely eschewed the Sunday news shows, the host of †œMeet The Press,†David Gregory, sat down with both Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, over the course of two days.
