2nd Presidential Debate: Mitt Romney Explains Differences Between Himself and George W. Bush

Mitt Romney has had a cloud hanging over his head since challenging President Obama for the White House earlier this year. Romney has had to contend with the idea that by electing him, the country would be returning to the policies of George W. Bush. Romney got the chance to directly answer that criticism when he was asked point blank during the 2nd Presidential Debate what made his policies different from Bush’s.

Romney started out by explaining that Bush’s policies were made at a different time when the country was going through different challenges. He did not directly criticize Bush’s Presidency, but, at the same time, when he compared himself to the 43rd President, he didn’t put him in such a flattering light either.

Romney explained to the questioner that he varied greatly from the Bush Administration on energy policy, China, and deficit spending. He made sure when addressing each issue that his approach was one that was formulated for today and Bush’s policies were formulated for his own time.

President Obama replied that, while Romney claims to be different from George W. Bush on fiscal issues (which Obama also accuses Romney of lying about), he is more extreme than Bush on social issues.

Romney specifically said his energy policy was geared towards taking America off the oil dependence of Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. He said he would crack down on China’s currency manipulation and he would foster an environment in which trade increases and therefore cuts the deficit.

What was conspicuously absent from Romney’s descriptions of the differences between himself and George W. Bush was that he didn’t make any reference to Bush’s foreign policy. While President Obama is not considered strong on foreign policy, there are very few people in the country who want to return to the policies of George W. Bush.