One thing that you should know about Team Romney: they pick and choose the time in how they respond to Obama attacks carefully. Sometimes it’s quick, sometimes not. The campaign is based on being the adults in the room dealing with the foul mouthed abusive 5 year olds, and is aimed at those who are undecided and can easily switch. They also realize that most people won’t really be paying attention till roughly late August/early September, unlike us political junkies
(Fox News) Mitt Romney’s campaign accused President Obama of “hypocrisy†Wednesday night after the president bemoaned the “crazy†behavior of super PACs – despite the mounting furor over a controversial ad put out by the super PAC cheerleading his own re-election effort.
The president complained about the outside political groups, which often have ties to the presidential campaigns themselves, during a Colorado campaign stop. “You got these guys writing $10 million checks. You got these super PACs that are just … going crazy,†Obama said.
A stunned Romney campaign swiftly excoriated the president for the comment, considering the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA is under fire for an ad that ties the death of a steelworker’s wife to Romney. Further, a top Obama campaign aide is now being accused of lying over what she knew about the man at the center of that ad.
“On the same day President Obama’s own campaign was caught lying about the contents of a discredited Super PAC attack ad, President Obama has the gall to warn voters of Super PACs ‘just going crazy,’†campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said. “It’s just the latest hypocrisy from the Obama campaign that is guilty of repeatedly spreading lies and distortions about Mitt Romney in a desperate attempt to distract voters from the president’s failed record.â€
Many right side political junkies wanted Team Mitt to immediately slam the Obama campaign, denouncing the mule fritters smear commercial. Instead, Team Mitt bided its time, allowing the media and others to dig deep and tear apart the ad, exposing the reality. Then, they allowed Team Obama to dig themselves a deep hole with folks like Stephanie Cutter, exposing that the guy in the ad, Mr. Soptic, appeared in an Obama ad earlier, and was on a conference call with Team Obama. And he was wearing the same shirt in both ads. In what may be the exact same location.
Then, Team Mitt struck, as they were sure that Obama would make some sort of whiny pronouncement about Super Pacs and money in politics, and used that.
Could the Romney campaign do more? Sure, but, remember, they aren’t going to get that much press from most of the media who are in the bag for Obama, and while Obama is spending enormous amounts of cash now, Mitt will have more for the last 2 months+ when the election is made. Unless Romney pulls a major gaffe like John McCain’s “I’m going to suspend my campaign”, Don’t Panic.
Don’t Panic.
Good advice. Several people I follow on Twitter were in “hopping up and down in a tizzy” mode last night over comments by Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul about the steelworker’s wife and Romneycare, but, while I wasn’t thrilled with her statement, I couldn’t see how it was potentially disastrous, as some were claiming; we’re still in the summer doldrums. Meanwhile, for all Team The One’s poo-flinging, Romney is still close in the polls (even ahead, in some), and the Obama campaign keeps giving them wonderful material to use in the post-convention final run, when people start paying attention.
Good points.
What many pundits have forgotten is that candidates have to look towards the masses, not the base, during the general. While I don’t think it will be a landslide, I do think Romney will easily win the states he should and take the election with no fuss.
What you say has a lot of truth in it. As much as I want to see Mitt Romney and company tearing Obama apart, I need to remember that he is biding his time. The money he has will come into play later, when it can do the most good.
Agreed, we the base have to bite our tongues and pray he gets tough at the end when it counts. If he plays hard now, the perception mills will kill Mitt. If he waits till the end to throw a few bombs (oh look at that uncivil rhetoric) at Obama, it will have the best impact.
Always thinkin’ Teach. Hey, guess that’s where you got your name? Heeheehee…
Exactly, LD. Romney jeeps raking it in, and will strike when it is fortuitous. Obama will keep attacking and will easily go overboard. And Romney will be able to say ” hey, look at all Obama’s negative ads : why does he never talk about his record?”
I bet Romney has a couple really big tricks in his bag ready to go, Trish.