Romney Would Not Outright Lie on TV, Especially During a Presidential Debate

George H.W. Bush Press Secretary in 1984: Lying During Debates Is a Republican Strategy: The Republicans are unabashed in their discussion of their ability to use the television medium. "You can say anything you want during a debate and 80 million people hear it," observed Peter Teeley, press secretary to Vice President Bush. If reporters then document that a candidate spoke untruthfully, "so what?"
---DeLong