DNC chief on Republican field: 'I'm concerned about their commitment to American exceptionalism'

DNC chief on Republican field: 'I'm concerned about their commitment to American exceptionalism'
By Michael O'Brien - 05/26/11 10:26 AM ET

There are real doubts about the Republican presidential candidates' commitment to "American exceptionalism," Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) charged Thursday.

Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), attacked the GOP contenders on their own terms, questioning just how dedicated they were to the notion.

"Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Jon Huntsman ... I'm concerned about their commitment to American exceptionalism," Wasserman Schultz said in a breakfast for reporters sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

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Wasserman Schultz said she doubted Republicans' commitment to that idea, though, laying out a litany of policies the DNC chief said those GOP figures should have supported if they were that committed to exceptionalism.

"Why aren't they supportive of closing tax loopholes to make sure that we can not incentivize companies to ship jobs overseas?" she asked, ripping off a series of questions on the GOP's policies on taxes, the auto industry and other issues. "These things, without them it would have prevented us from out-educating and out-innovating and out-competing our competitors in the global economy."

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http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/163441-dnc-chief-on-republican-field-im-concerned-about-their-commitment-to-american-exceptionalism