Romney Says Obama ‘Out of Touch’ on Economy

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said President Barack Obama is “out of touch” with how the private sector is faring in the U.S. economy.

“He said the private sector is doing fine,” Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, said in a campaign appearance today in Council Bluffs, Iowa. “Is he really that out of touch?”

Earlier today in Washington, Obama told a White House news conference that “overall, the private sector has been doing a good job creating -- creating jobs. We’ve seen record profits in the corporate sector.”

Obama said “the big challenge we have in our economy right now is state and local government hiring has been going in the wrong direction,” with job cuts.

Romney said Obama wants to hire more government workers.

“Did he not get the message of Wisconsin?” Romney said, referring to the June 5 victory of Republican Governor Scott Walker in a recall election. “The American people did.”