Obama's 2012 campaign pitch: "Forward"

(CBS News) In 2008, the Obama campaign was arguing for hope and change. This year, the president's re-election campaign is asking Americans to move keep moving forward.

President Obama's campaign on Monday released a seven-minute video entitled "Forward," which they're using to kick off the general election. The video reminds viewers of the dire state of the economy in early 2009, when Mr. Obama took office, and all that the president has accomplished since then -- even in the face of Republican obstruction.

Over images of everyday Americans, the video goes through a laundry list of Mr. Obama's accomplishments: the economic stimulus package he says saved as many as 4.2 million jobs, the end of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy discriminating against gays in the military, the end of the Iraq war, the changes to regulation of Wall Street and the credit card companies, the auto bailout and more. Over a picture of Mr. Obama, a narrator says, "Hard work, determination, real results."

The video then castigates Republican for their opposition to the president's agenda. "Instead of working together to lift America up, Republicans were waging a campaign to tear the president down," the narrator says as the video shows images of congressional Republicans.

The campaign will play the video during Mr. Obama's first official campaign rallies Saturday in Ohio and Virginia.

The Republican National Committee seized on the video to slam Mr. Obama's record on the economy, creating the nationally-trending Twitter hashtag #Forward." The RNC used the hashtag to tweet messages like, "Under Obama's budget, Americans can look #FORWARD to $1.9 trillion in higher taxes."

The Romney campaign, meanwhile, released a minute-long video slamming the president on government spending, specifically citing the spending scandal at the General Services Administration.

[tpaine1]

The "Great Leap Forward" is perfect for our Food Stamp President new proposals to "double down" on more crony socialism. For those that know history, more "crony socialism" will lead to exactly the same results as other "Leap Forward" programs - The Great Depression!!
The UK and Spain are already back into a recession and with his re-election, we will be headed for worse.

[breadtree]

"Crony socialism?" That doesn't even make sense. Those two words could only be a single concept if the word crony is applied to the entire middle- and lower-class.

How did "Leap Forward" programs lead to the Great Depression? It seems that in both that case and the current situation you're trying to attribute economic issues to the President who came after the one during whose administration the issues started.

I also like how you've laid the blame for economic issues in the UK and Spain at Obama's feet. Is there any ill in the world that aren't Obama's fault? If my cat gets run over, should I vote against him?

[OakieWilson]

This is a "political reporter" for CBS?

It's a blatent Obama press release.

[Donkey-Odie]

Ms Condon, how can you write a story like this without noting any of the myriad uses of the Forward them in communist and socialist history? We all know Obama has been plagued by suggestions he favors socialism, and now his campaign uses one of their key memes? C'mon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forward
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_forward-bloc-revolutionary-socialist-party-likely-to-merge_1482167
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/apr/30/new-obama-slogan-has-long-ties-marxism-socialism/
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/ichtci/11.htm
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/04/obamas-new-campaign-slogan-forward-is-a-nazi-marching-tune-video/

[He_Wei_Jin]

Forward, huh? I wonder, if Oblahblah wins a second term, who is he going to blame then? In his first two years he had a bulletproof majority in both Houses and what did he accomplish? A huge boondoggle bailing out banks and Wall St at the expense of Main St. A massive infusion of taxpayer money, and worse money borrowed from China to his union allies and corporate donors. A healthcare bill that most people and employers abhor.
His policies are so bad that 2 years after a landslide victory the Republicans took control of the House of Represebtatives specifically to act as a brake on his misguided policies. And what have the Democrats done in the face of that repudiation? Tried to circumvent the legislature. Create policy by executive fiat and bureaucratic regulation. Refused to pass a budget for 3 years. Even Democrats vote down the president's budgets as wasteful, unrealistic and political suicide.
After 3 years the economy is still in shambles and he is doing nothing to make it better, except for his Wall St allies and "green energy" boondoggles. Unemployment is still higher than he promised it would be if the stimulus was passed and that money was wasted or stashed in a slush fund to try to buy the election. Gas prices have doubled. Energy production is up on private land, but down on federal land, so the increase is in spite his administration not because of it. Unelected bureaucrats target American companies for harrassment and outright destruction.
Face it 3 years ago we elected a leftist empty suit. Unequipped and unsuited to lead. An empty vessel that we projected our hopes into. We fooled ourselves with Obama. Now is the time to wake up, face the music and correct our mistake. Otherwise Obama will lead us forward over the cliff and leave America crushed and wrecked on the rocks below.

[valwayne]

"Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns' he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred". Going forward with Obama folks is like going forward into the valley of death to utter destruction with the light brigade. Going forward with the most failed Presidency in U.S. history is going forward into more debt, decline, and despair. Obama is simply the worst President in U.S. history!

[Wutsitgonnatake]

The "Forward" slogan is taken right from the Karl Marx play book. Either he is an idiot for not checking, or he is just done with the charade!

[rich_me]

Obama jokes about eating dogs? Looks like he's trying to lose the election.

[SmithyOne]

BHO - "Forward"

MSNBC - "Lean Forward"

CBS is going to have to change it's motto if they want to hold a candle to Obama's propaganda outlet.

[rich_me]

I'm confused....what's the difference between msnbc employee and Obama campaign employee?

[JJ_in_tulsa]

spent one more dollar of my hard earned money to what??? what? NO longer, no longer spending my money for nothing.

[ImTheShaggyOne]

http://pinterest.com/pin/194288171394761303/ - Can't wait to see more of these around...