Obama ad attacks Romney’s business record; Romney camp hits back
President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign is back on the airwaves today with a two-minute television ad attacking Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s record running the private equity firm Bain Capital.
The spot features former employees of Kansas City steel company GST Steel, which was bought by Bain Capital then shut down after more than 100 years in business. The ad, which is running in Virginia and select battleground states, also directs viewers to a website with more criticism on Romney’s private sector record. It’s all part of an effort to paint Romney as someone who was interested in generating profits for wealthy investors and not in building businesses or creating jobs.
Romney’s campaign hit back equally hard this morning, noting that Romney had left his day-to-day responsibilities at Bain two years before the GST bankruptcy and layoffs occurred. Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said the Republican’s camp is eager to take on Obama on economic issues.
“We welcome the Obama campaign’s attempt to pivot back to jobs and a discussion of their failed record,” Henneberg said. “Mitt Romney helped create more jobs in his private sector experience and more jobs as Governor of Massachusetts than President Obama has for the entire nation.
“President Obama has many questions to answer as to why his administration used the stimulus to reward wealthy campaign donors with taxpayer money for bad ideas like Solyndra, but 23 million Americans are still struggling to find jobs. If the Obama administration was less concerned about pleasing their wealthy donors and more concerned about creating jobs, America would be much better off. ”
– Michael Sluss
May 14, 2012 - 12:12 PM
Laughable! What business did he or any of his cabinet run? Obama the Marxist Welfare, food stamps and disparagement for all!
Ding Ding Ding. This is going to be quite the fun year of misinformation, re-directions and straight out lies from both sides. Let the games begin.
LOL, at least you don’t disparage huh Maloof?
The ad tells the truth. Can you not handle the truth?
I’ve read conflicting pieces about the authenticity of this ad, from Romney was off this two years prior, one of Obama’s cabinet members was even more involved in this and some of the people in the ad we offered buyouts and turned them down. I’ll have to do some digging to find those links from yesterday. Overall, it doesn’t matter one way or another in my opinion – 1) it’s entirely too long 2) While unfortunate, most people won’t care what Romney did at Bain. This almost just looks to reassure his bloc.
“most people won’t care what Romney did at Bain.”
Care to wager? The middle class has been screwed quite enough, thank you.
If this one company was an anomaly, you might be right Uptheriver. When the public learns that there were at least 5 businesses that they did this too, AND that they made a mint on doing so, they will notice. When they learn HOW these LBO’s work and what kind of money he made doing it, they will notice. When they learn that Bain, under Romney, made MORE MONEY on killing a company than on rehabbing like they did at Staples®, I think they will notice.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-20/romney-as-job-creator-clashes-with-bain-record-of-job-cuts.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/politics/after-mitt-romney-deal-company-showed-profits-and-then-layoffs.html