Gov. Pat Quinn accuses GOP of smearing Obama welfare record

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Gov. Pat Quinn went on the attack against Republicans Tuesday during a floor speech at the Democratic National Convention, accusing them of smearing President Barack Obama’s record on welfare reform, distorting Obama’s record on the auto industry and of trying to dismantle Medicare.

In early August, Republican Mitt Romney debuted a campaign ad that accused Obama of having “gutted” the requirement that welfare recipients seek employment or undergo job training to continue receiving benefits.

“One of our founding fathers, President John Adams of Massachusetts, once said that ‘facts are stubborn things,’” Quinn told convention delegates. “But last week, as they nominated a very different man from Massachusetts, Republicans stubbornly smeared President Obama’s excellent record of reforming welfare.

“They went on and on, pretending that he weakened its work requirement,” Illinois’ governor continued. “Everyone knows that is a ridiculous charge.”

Quinn also accused Romney and GOP running mate Paul Ryan of trying to “take away the promise that makes Medicare” and blamed Ryan for distorting Obama’s record on the auto industry.

In his speech last week, Ryan cited a Janesville, WI automobile plant that he said closed on Obama’s watch, but that claim was widely discredited.

“Now, when Paul Ryan got his turn, he blamed President Obama for a plant that closed under President George W. Bush,” Quinn said.

“Here’s a fact:

“When President Obama took office in January 2009, the Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Illinois, employed just 200 people.

“Today, because President Obama saved the auto industry, that same Chrysler plant is employing more than 4,000 American workers,” the governor said.

Illinois Republicans wasted little time in responding to Quinn’s speech in a statement belittling his leadership of Illinois since 2009.

“With a failed record of higher taxes, spiraling debt and high unemployment, Pat Quinn is the wrong politician to lecture Americans on who should lead our nation over the next four years,” said Pat Brady, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party in a prepared statement.

“Gov. Quinn says Americans should look at how Mitt Romney governed his state. Maybe Americans should look at how Pat Quinn has governed Illinois – pushing forward a 67% tax increase, forcing businesses to leave our state and failing to address the worst credit rating in the nation,” Brady said.