Walker, Ryan target Obama debt comment

Associated Press

Updated: Jul 3, 2012 4:12 PM

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan are spotlighting the fourth anniversary of then-candidate Barack Obama saying it was "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic" to add $4 trillion to the national debt.

At a news conference Tuesday outside Milwaukee, the Republicans said Obama himself has added $5 trillion to the debt.

At a campaign event in North Dakota in 2008, Obama said President George W. Bush raised the national debt from $5 trillion to $9 trillion. Obama said, "That's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic."

Democratic state Sen. Chris Larson counters that Obama's plans would cut the deficit by $4 trillion, while Republican Mitt Romney's plans would only benefit the wealthy.

The U.S. Treasury Department says the national debt was $10.6 trillion on the day Obama took office. On Monday it was $15.9 trillion.

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