President Obama’s greatest challenge over the next four months is winning back the White House. You know what doesn’t help? Having to overcome dissent from within his own party.
Earlier today, American Crossroads, the super PAC founded in part by Karl Rove, announced a new $9.3 million ad buy attacking Obama’s campaign for its latest assault on Romney’s severance with Bain Capital.
The ad uses comments made by former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell during an interview with MSNBC.
“All these attacks may be hurting the President’s brand a little bit, too,” Rendell said. “I think our supporters went a little too far with the felony business.”
The ad also uses excerpts from fact-checking articles written by Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post as well as FactCheck.org.
“The press, and even Democrats say his attacks on Mitt Romney’s business record are ‘misleading, unfair and untrue,’” says the narrator.
The ad cuts to more clips quoting the ads as “blowing smoke” and going “too far” – and citing Rendell.
“So why is Obama attacking?” the narrator asks, and goes on to say that unemployment statistics and mounting debt prevent the President from running on his own record, implying that he has instead mounted an offensive against Romney’s business dealings.
Despite the use of Rendell’s comments, American Crossroads’ latest ad buy appears in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia – but not PA. The ad is to air for a minimum of 11 days.
As previously reported, Rendell hasn’t pulled any punches when criticizing Obama’s campaign strategy. In June, Rendell commented on Obama’s lack of executive experience and political prowess during a CBS interview. He added that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have fared better as president.
“I think the president was hurt by being a legislator only; for example healthcare and stimulus. Two bills that I think did good things for the American people. He sort of said ‘here’s what I want, flush it out,’” Rendell said.
“I think [Clinton] would’ve come in with a lot more executive experience.”
One Response
FWIW, Rendell is promoting a book entitled, “A Nation Of Wusses; How America’s Leaders Lost The Guts To Make Us Great.” The former DNC head, unlike the Media, does not consider it his job to re-elect Obama. He’s moved on to his private citizen work and, if his credibility is to hold, most certainly must make the right calls on instinct, not Party.