Mitt Romney isn't so much doubling-down on the welfare-for-nothing dogwhistle as he is tripling-down. The claim has been debunked numerous times, but as recently as yesterday evening, Mitt Romney was still alleging that President Obama wants to give you welfare for nothing.
In an interview with FOX News Wednesday ahead of Clinton’s speech, Romney fiercely defended the attack and specifically accused Obama of using it to rile up “his base.”
“Well, I’m not sure exactly what President Clinton will say, but there’s no question that President Obama’s decision to say that we’re going to allow waivers or excuses from work requirements in welfare was designed to shore up part of his base that may not be inclined to go out and vote in the same kind of energy and passion as they did four years ago,” Romney said.
There's actually multiple parts to this dogwhistle.
First he claims the president will allow you to make excuses not to work. Then he suggests he's doing this to shore up his base. Wink. Nod. And then he implies the base is lazy. Another wink. Another nod.
The good news is Bill Clinton dismantled this argument last night, and the even better news is that Bill Clinton will be campaigning for the president in the Midwest over the next two months. Places where, unfortunately, this kind of argument plays well.
And if Bill Clinton can't play racist whisperer and calm the nerves of angry white people, no one can.