Obama camp keeps pounding away at Romney biz experience
(CBS News) Mitt Romney says he can fix the economy, the issue voters tell CBS News they worry about the most, so the Obama campaign is doing everything it can to undermine his argument that he can turn things around.
Romney won presidential primaries in Arkansas and Kentucky Tuesday, bringing him closer to clinching the Republican presidential nomination as President Obama's campaign swings harder than ever at Romney's business experience.
On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, Vice President Joe Biden dismissed -- or outright mocked -- Romney's experience.
"Folks, making money for your investors, which Romney did very well, is not the president's job," Biden said.
He also told the crowd, "That no more qualifies you to be president than being a plumber. And, by the way, there are a lot of awful smart plumbers."
Romney has pointed to his time at the private equity firm Bain Capital, which he founded and ran for more than a decade, to show he understands business and how to turn around the economy.
The Obama campaign has been fighting to knock down that argument, and supporters are ratcheting up the rhetoric.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C, said Tuesday, "There's something about raping companies and leaving them in debt."
Clyburn's use of the word "rape" to describe Romney's business experience was condemned by the Obama campaign.
But the campaign continues to question Romney's readiness to be president, which, ironically, was a line of attack Mr. Obama saw firsthand in the 2008 election.
Then-first-term Senator Obama came under fire for his experience as a community organizer, a law professor and a former Illinois state senator.
Even his Democratic opponent at the time, Hillary Clinton, used the attack against him.
"Sen. (John) McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign," Clinton said of the GOP's 2008 nominee. "I will bring a lifetime of experience. And Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002."
The Romney campaign is out with a new web ad saying this is all a distraction-- this election isn't about Bain Capital, but President Obama's failed economic policies.
The campaign will also be highlighting Romney's time as Massachusetts governor and his work turning around the Salt Lake City Olympics.
But Mr. Obama's backers are really doubling-down on this: An outside group supporting him reportedly is going to spend another $3 million on anti-Bain Capital ads.
To see Jan Crawford's report, click on the video in the player above.
