Brian Williams Asserts Romney ‘Called Out’ on ‘Unrealistic’ Pledge to Reduce Unemployment to 6%

NBC anchor Brian Williams on Wednesday night ridiculed Mitt Romney’s quest to reduce the unemployment rate to six percent by 2016, a level enjoyed fewer than four years ago.

“Back when Newt Gingrich pledged $2.50 a gallon gasoline, if elected President, he was called out at the time for an unrealistic number. Today,” Williams charged without naming any source, “some of the same thing happened to Mitt Romney when he made a pledge on unemployment as part of his overall defense of his work at Bain Capital.”

In the subsequent story, Peter Alexander relayed how “Romney made this promise, that he would lower the unemployment rate to 6 percent by the end of his first term.” Alexander, however, provided no evidence to support Williams’ condescension. 

From the Wednesday, May 23 NBC Nightly News:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: On the presidential campaign trail, back when Newt Gingrich pledged $2.50 a gallon gasoline, if elected President, he was called out at the time for an unrealistic number. Today, some of the same thing happened to Mitt Romney when he made a pledge on unemployment as part of his overall defense of his work at Bain Capital. Our report from the trail tonight from NBC’s Peter Alexander.

PETER ALEXANDER: Speaking to a room full of Latino small business owners, Mitt Romney today blasted the President for, in his words, attacking their success.

MITT ROMNEY: It’s no wonder so many of his own supporters are calling him to stop the war on job creators.

ALEXANDER: Vowing to turn around the lagging job market, Romney made this promise, that he would lower the unemployment rate to 6 percent by the end of his first term. And after days of stinging criticism from the Obama campaign about Romney’s record at Bain Capital-

MAN IN AD: Like a vampire. He came in and sucked the life out of us.

SECOND MAN IN AD: It was like watching an old friend bleed to death.

ALEXANDER: Romney defended his experience in an interview with Time magazine.

MITT ROMNEY: Having been in the private sector for 25 years gives me a perspective on how jobs are created that someone who has never spent a day in the private sector, like President Obama, simply doesn’t understand.
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