Obama camp doubles down on Bain attacks

(CBS News) Attempting to drive home the message that Mitt Romney is a corporate executive concerned with the bottom line and not American jobs, the Obama campaign released a new video on Monday attacking Romney and Bain Capital for laying off workers at an Indiana office supply factory.

The video, which runs nearly six minutes in length, focuses on a Bain-owned company, Ampad, which bought SCM, an office supply production plant in 1994. The video uses local news reports and SCM workers to tell a story of slashed jobs, reduced wages, and cut pensions after Bain took over.

"I understand if you gotta cut back, [conduct] layoffs, that's part of the business, but you don't come in and take everything everybody's got and destroy a business. That's what they did," former SCM worker Jerry Rayburn said in the video.

Ampad filed for bankruptcy in 2000 after Bain made $100 million dollars, the ad charges.

The Obama campaign's ad on private equity firm Bain Capital, which Mitt Romney co-founded in 1984 and led until he left to run the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, is a continuation of attacks the campaign began in earnest last week, where they highlighted GST Steel, a company that saw layoffs after Bain acquired it.

Romney used an interview with a conservative website to respond to the Obama campaign, saying that he had already left to run the Olympics when Bain acquired GST Steel. 

The Obama campaign is attempting to discredit Romney's economic credentials as the Republican candidate tries to paint himself as better prepared to deal with a struggling economy than President Obama.

Speaking about Ampad in Ohio last week, Vice President Joe Biden said, "Laying on debt, laying off workers, doing what is good for those at top while everyone else fends for themselves? We can't afford that in the nation."

The Obama campaign has received some pushback on his focus on Bain, even from some in his own party. On NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Newark Mayor Cory Booker said the attacks on Bain Capital show that "we're getting to a ridiculous point in America."

The Romney campaign referenced Booker's remarks in its response to the new Obama video.

"President Obama continues his assault on the free enterprise system with attacks that one of his supporters, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, called 'nauseating' and a former adviser, Steven Rattner, called 'unfair,'" Romney campaign spokesperson Andrea Saul said in a statement. "Americans expected a different kind of politics from Barack Obama but, sadly, this is just more of the same failed politics that dominates Washington."

[AOCGUY]

What can I say - politics is a dirty business and if you are too thin skinned to deal with it then stay out of the fray.

Maybe Romney and Obama can make a deal (to include all those out side groups) to not attack the other and instead talk about what they do do to solve the nation's problems and what they did in the past that would demonstrate thy had the ability to do so again. But you know that's just not going to happen. These people thrive on the mud they sling and are fearful of having to actually state what they would do and how those actions will affect (both positively and negatively) this nation.

Ironically what these two are doing is applying for a job, and we, the voters are the collective human resource department conducting the job interview. As the hiring manager I don't want you to tell me why I shouldn't hire the other guy. I want you to tell me what you will do for me and what previous expeiences you have that demsonstrate you can actually do it. The candidate that best does that will get my vote. Hopefully all my fellow hiring managers will conduct themselves the same.

[_aequitas_]

The crux of the position for Obama campaign, is to position the rhetoric of Romney touting that his credentials as a free market capitalist are the sine qua non for improving our country and 'getting people back to work'. It is a good move for Obama campaign, as the what Obama stated, and the media is lacking on the poignant point, the crux of Obama retort is that Romney positions himself to be the Politician (as opposed to man or guy or person) that can fix the country based on his business acumen and thus do a better job because Romney has a private equity firm as his credentials. Therefore, Obama is addressing what qualifications those private equity experiences prove to be advantageous or the ideal characteristic for a better (as opposed to good) president. Thus Romney has to point out how they these characteristics are necessarily important qualities that would render him to be a better president or replacement for Obama. It is worth examining. Once Obama gets that dialogue with Romney and his constituents, the debate becomes about what qualifications a president has and a track record that will allow the dialogue to unfold on those terms. However, the counter point will be Obama has not assisted the working class to get back to work and has not created jobs. Though, even if the dialogue is on these terms, Romney fails, as he cuts jobs more than he creates them; and Romney does so for a profit, not for the betterment of all involved. Therefore, it renders the dialogue back to Obamas point, that a president must fight and endorse for all people, not just special interest or for profit purposes; much the same as G.W. Bush did. And then we have the pairing of Republican ideals of 'better for me better for the elite" mentality of Republican business owners. Recall that G.W. was a business man too. So no matter what, the Romney campaign does not want this dialogue as this is the talking point they cannot win, or with favorable outcomes. It is a good move for Obama campaign, and once they get Romney on this, then they may proceed with other matters.

[TimeToEvolve]

Vote for more predatory Republicon Capitalism, vote for Robmee. Vote to end civil rights, workers rights and womens rights, vote for Robmee. Vote for wars and military needs above people's needs, vote for Robmee.

Vote to complete the fascist takeover of the world by Wall Street and the Bankster criminals, vote for Mitler.

[Bastiat_Fan]

Please don't vote. You're way too uninformed.

[galivantstom]

I have been asking for the past several months how many new jobs have Bain and Romney created? People like Romney and companies have been receoving significant sums of money annually in the form of the Bush tax cuts which it was expected that they, in their wisdom" would use to grow the economy. They were expected to use that gift to create jobs, not buy companies to strip and flip/fold.
Again, I ask how many jobs has Romney created? Obama has put hundreds of thousands back to work without rescinding the tax cuts to people like Romney. He's brought the the unemployment rate down to levels not seen sice late 2007 or early 2008, years before he took office. Just imagine how much better off if those funds were used to pay down the deficit (caused by a fighting a two front war using borrowed money from China).

[formerlyluvnut]

Good for you Barry! FOUR MORE!!!!!!!!!

[CitizenRB]

The Obama Campaign Business Attack Ads Are Filled With Irony!

I would rather have Romney for President who maximizes profits than Obama who minimizes profits and maximizes expenses.

"No amount of political success on non-economic issues can compensate for failure in leadership on economic issues"

[Yeah_Its_Me]

Romney already failed as governor. His business "acumen" got his state a pathetic 47th place in job creation! And a 34% approval rating. Where was the great success the rich corporate raider claimed to be bring to the state?

It was all a ruse. Because a business resume doesn't automatically make you good a running a system that's not geared to only worry about profits and minimizing expenses & headcount.

[luadda22]

What I really have a problem with is the fact that a so called "News" organization would embed an Obama political Youtube advertisement in it's article. A link? Somewhat ok, but the video it self, no (unless the Obama PAC is paying CBS to run it at regular advertising rates). You'll notice that a Romney response was just a link that still didn't go to a video of Romney responding.

[AOCGUY]

News flash, CBS is a business that makes its money selling ads. The Obama campaign has bought those ads and CBS is airing them. There have been GOP ads as well on this site but I suspect the GOP realizes that CBS viewers are more likely to vote Obama than Romney so they spent the ad dollars at FOX. What do you have against free enterprise?

[nygurl1]

Since every repug claims that ALL MEDIA is biased! WHY are you even here? Just to aggravate? Just to lie some more? Just to make unchecked accusations? Why are you wasting your precious time on being publicly stupid?
It's not going to change dem minds but it sure seems to be making a lot of reps switch sides!

[m3houston]

Irony Alert: Jonathon Lavine was at Bain when GST went under but Romney had left 2 years before. Lavine is now a bundler for Obama.

[DebbieCorona]

Bain is not capitalism of the 1850's or the 1950's but it is capitalism at its worst. Creative destruction is not capitalism at its best.

[stormerF69]

What would Obama/Biden have done? Subsidized with tax dollars like GM where they were given over 50 billion,then declared bankruptcy and have yet to pay back even a 4th of the money?GM still lost 100,000 jobs directly or related to their restructuring.

[nygurl1]

GM is paying money back and as long as they do I don't care if it takes awhile. There have been many factual stories about the bailouts but obviously you haven't bothered reading them! Just keep lying. You are doing the dems a good turn by showing everyone what morons you are.