2012 Rivals Pounce on AAA Downgrade

Last night's downgrade of the US' triple-A credit rating was the political equivalent of blood in the water for Republican presidential candidates, who immediately pounced on President Obama's handling of the economy, reports Politico. A taste of the blood-letting:

• Michele Bachmann: “The United States has had a AAA credit rating since 1917. That rating has endured the great depression, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the terrorist attacks on 9/11. President Obama is destroying the foundations of the US economy one beam at a time. I call on the president to seek the immediate resignation of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and to submit a plan with a list of cuts to balance the budget this year, turn our economy around, and put Americans back to work."

• Newt Gingrich: "The Obama disaster continues. Highest food stamp level and lowest credit rating in history in the same 24 hours."
• Jon Huntsman: "Out-of-control spending and a lack of leadership in Washington have resulted in President Obama presiding over the first downgrade of the United States credit rating in our history. We need new leadership in Washington committed to fiscal responsibility, a balanced budget, and job-friendly policies to get America working again."
• Mitt Romney: “America’s creditworthiness just became the latest casualty in President Obama’s failed record of leadership on the economy. Today, President Obama promised that ‘things will get better.’ But it has become increasingly clear that the only way things will get better is with new leadership in the White House.”
• Rick Santorum: "Folks, an AA rating should be so far in our rear-view mirror that no mathematical error should affect it. Tonight, I’m saddened for the millions out of work, but I’m hopeful that I will replace Barack Obama as president and get this country and its economy moving again."

(More Michele Bachmann stories.)