“The Press Just Doesn’t Know How to Handle Flat-Out Untruths”

That’s what Paul Krugman said today on ABC’s “This Week.”  That pretty well sums it up.

Over sixty million people saw Mitt Romney portraying himself as a big warm fuzzy bear who loves everybody.  And this warm fuzzy Mitt was just dumbfounded by all these vicious rumors about him.

“A five trillion dollar tax cut for the highest income earners?  I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Getting a tax deduction for moving jobs overseas?  Hmmm, I should’ve hired a better accountant, heh heh.”

“We NEED regulations.”

And WTF is up with Romney’s imaginary “woman who came up and grabbed my arm and said ‘please help me.’”  Riiight.  If that had actually happened, this person would have been body-slammed and tased by Romney’s bodyguards.

Sixty million people heard these blatant lies; saw the fraudulent “New” touchy-feely Mitt Romney who wants to help everybody and promises to keep the regulations that ensure safe working conditions, breathable air and drinkable water.

A tiny fraction of that number will see follow-up news reports saying Yes, Mitt Romney HAS been pushing for a five trillion dollar tax cut for the wealthiest Americans; Yes, Romney IS planning to eliminate the regulations that protect workers’ safety and public health.

Paul Krugman said:

“The press just doesn’t know how to handle flat-out untruths…I don’t know whether to blame [the debate moderator Jim] Lehrer or the president, but it was kind of amazing because Romney was not only saying things that are not true, he was saying things that his own campaign had previously said weren’t true.”

He also said Romney “showed contempt for us by thinking the news media will not cover on me as long as they say forcefully I won.”

And that’s the predicament we’re all facing.  I can’t think of a solution to this, but Paul Krugman has clearly defined the problem.