Obama Michigan Ad Hits Romney On Auto Bailout

Barack Obama's re-election campaign released on Thursday a new television ad that will air in Michigan and highlight the president's handling of and support for the auto bailout.

The 30-second commercial, called “Made in America,” seems designed for dual purposes: to protect the administration from attacks being leveled by the Republican candidates currently campaigning in Michigan, in advance of the primary there, and to needle Mitt Romney over his opposition to the bailout. The ad mentions Romney’s infamous New York Times op-ed “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.”

“When a million jobs were on the line, every Republican candidate turned their back, even said, 'Let Detroit go Bankrupt,'" the ad's narrator declares.

This is the third ad that Obama's re-election campaign has aired to date, but only the second one of real consequence. The campaign previously dropped one million dollars on a multi-state ad campaign that touted the president's record on energy policy. That spot, too, was in response to Republican attacks -- in that case, over his administration's support for failed solar energy company Solyndra.

UPDATE: 12:15 p.m. -- NBC News reports that the Obama campaign is spending just $43,000 on the new TV ad in Michigan. The spot will air from the Feb. 24 to Feb. 27.

 

 

Comments

[kay360]

06:59 AM on 03/02/2012

If it was up to Republicans like Romney we'd all be driving Japanese Hummers and Chinese pick-ups.

[kay360]

06:30 AM on 03/02/2012

Republicans have to do more than attack Obama's actions, especially if they worked. They have to say what they would have done and that plan has to look like a better alternative.

For example, Romney says that the auto industry should have went through bankruptcy, but bankruptcy would have left the industry bereft of owners. In fact, the government tried to find lenders for GM and Chrystler and investors and banks said no. Romney knows this because Bain Capital was one of the investors asked and they turned down the opportunity to invest and re-structure the industry.

Romney doesn't care about manufacturing in this country. He's fine with shipping these kinds of jobs overseas. Hell, he has half his money in overseas banks. I don't see why anyone would vote for Romney, he is one of the least presidential candidates I have ever seen.

[Daigham]

05:51 PM on 02/23/2012

Boom shakalakalaka

[skinsqb17]

04:35 PM on 02/23/2012

i'm voting for the guy with the american roots who put his trust in the american people. i'm voting for dare i say it? hope. the republics tell lie after lie to one another through am radio and faux but this ad counters with the most powerful of weapons, truth.

[Charleyeo]

04:02 AM on 02/24/2012

I agree. I'm so tired of the GOP attack Obama philosophy. And the attack on one another. The GOP gangsters are anti everything progressive or decent. They want to make America a Theocracy giving them total control and repeal any rights of choice. Their main policies are hatred, bigotry, greed, corruption, power and displaying their insanity .This mob proclaims to be Christian. Not for me thanks. I like to make my own choices. Obama 2012 F&F

[skinsqb17]

03:47 PM on 02/24/2012

pelosi 2012 tim kaine 2012-i LIVE in va.

[grittyreboot]

04:30 PM on 02/23/2012

The most effective GOP attacks on the president consist of lying about him.
In contrast, the most effective attacks on the GOP consist of direct quotes.

What does that tell you about the GOP?

[Eileen Left]

03:45 PM on 02/23/2012

Republicans did not want to bail out the auto industry because it was the first step in their anti union agenda.

[Ed C Atlanta]

04:05 PM on 02/23/2012

F/F ,,Hammer on the nail with that one,,and if the bailout hadn't worked they would be all over the airwaves boasting about it's demise and the need to end all unions,,,

[Charleyeo]

04:04 AM on 02/24/2012

Right on the head, driving it home. F&F

[7dr361]

03:02 PM on 02/23/2012

Hold your ground Mr; President this country was down the tubes when you took over............ Only a stupid person could not see that..........

[jazzman]

02:41 PM on 02/23/2012

Without loan guarantees from the Federal Government, the United States auto workers would have had to file Chapter 7 not Chapter 11. Chapter 7 would have resulted in the auto makers dismantling their companies and selling off pieces rather than restructuring and creating a plan to re-emerge. Romney's plan would have meant the end of the auto industry in Michigan but worse it would have led to dismantling and destroying all the auto infrastructure in terms of vendors who supply parts around the auto industry.

It would have been a catastrophe and America could have never rebuilt that infrastructure even if auto makers somehow decided that they wanted to return to America. The Republicans would have made things much worse and Romney was their cheerleader. However, being at Bain Capital, Romney knows all about throwing companies into Chapter 7 and selling off their assets. Maybe thats the business know how he was talking about.

[EW34]

03:46 PM on 02/23/2012

Well said... I'm curious though, I don't know the laws regarding bankruptcy. So why would they have had to go Chapter 7 and not Chapter 11???

Because what you're saying is even more DAMNING against Romney. And you're right, he knows all about making profits while forcing companies to go bankrupt. Romney sees Detroit and thinks... that would have been his most profitable Bain Venture to de-leverage the Big 3 and sell all their assets to China.

[amazin OZ]

03:50 PM on 02/23/2012

chapter 11 you need money to do thats why the loan becuase at the time NO bank had 50 billion to loan GM....chapter 7 you just sell everything and the company is gone

[Ed C Atlanta]

04:07 PM on 02/23/2012

However, being at Bain Capital, Romney knows all about throwing companies into Chapter 7 and selling off their assets. Maybe thats the business know how he was talking about.

It's the only business he knows about period,,F/F

[demotom]

01:59 PM on 02/23/2012

Fantastic. Go President Obama! Obama saved the auto industry for the people and the nation. Romney wanted Bain Capital to take over the auto industry, disassemble it, sell off the parts, and make money off of the process. Unfortunately, there are some who are incapable of seeing the difference. They are called Republicans. One may wonder why the Repubilcans did not hire Bain Capital when Wall Street was going into the tank in 2008, the last year of the-one-not-to-be-named administration. Bain Capital could have taken over Wall Street, disassembled it, sold off the pieces, and Mitt Romney would have had a lot more money off shore in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland.

[Mary Sue Mc Cormick]

01:13 PM on 02/23/2012

Simple and to the point! That is all it is going to take in the rest of the country, too! When all the repubs have are birth control and womens rights to run on, we can beat them up with the truth!

One more thing... the repubs are trying very hard to get us into a ground war with Iran...with thousands of our soldiers perhaps getting killed and BILLIONS more tax money spent! The President has gotten us out of one war, with a pull out for another one on the schedule. Let's not be too hasty getting into another one!

[Chudye]

04:05 PM on 02/23/2012

Trying to take away women's rights is going to be the nail that slammed the coffin shut!

The Grand Old Pickles, obviously, have forgotten or overlooked what happens when a bunch of women are ticked..and by golly, we are ticked.

We made a huge difference in the Komen debacle; and we made a difference in VA when we learned about the intended requirement of that invasive vaginal scoping! And we will continue to make a difference.

I have to keep repeating another poster's (coloradoanimallover) excellent comment:

I am Woman; hear me Vote!!! Obama 2012!

[skinsqb17]

04:37 PM on 02/23/2012

that is why mcdonnell backed down today. he wants to be vice president sooooo bad. the woman i'm related to by marriage last week said it's as if they don't even know women have the vote.

[Mary Sue Mc Cormick]

04:39 PM on 02/23/2012

Amen, sister voter, amen! I actually wore white grooves in the 45rpm when it came out back in the mid 70's!! P.S. Hope the young ones today can figure that one out!

[alwaystruthseeker]

04:17 PM on 02/23/2012

I agree! Besides most of the troops are still tired and mentally drained to the point that they may not be able to fight an extened war on the ground in Iran due to exhaustion. Besides how will they pay for it!

[Charleyeo]

04:18 AM on 02/24/2012

Troups unite and consciously object. Your lives are valuable. The GOP has no respect for you . Despots. F&F Obama 2012

[SantaMonican]

01:09 PM on 02/23/2012

Real leaders, act, even when it's unpopular. After the bail out of Wall St, republicans helped convince the American people, that the Auto Indusrty, should be allowed to die. In a poll, at the time, 70% of Americans were against the government giving loans to the auto industry. A million and a half jobs, over a billion dollars in potential lost middle class net worth, were at stake, and entire communities hung in the balance. Thank you, Mr President, for keeping a level head. You were right.

[stonemann]

01:00 PM on 02/23/2012

The auto bailout is one of many text book examples of Republicans, giving the President all the political ammo he needs, to use against them. Now that they no longer have the bad economy card to play and are rudderless, Republicans have decided to revert once again to the culture wars, giving the President the entire garrison. They're the gift that keeps on giving.

[Gmasters]

12:57 PM on 02/23/2012

It's about time. No More Mr. Nice President!

The best thing about the auto Bailout is that they Paid It Back With Interest!
A govt. program that Turned a Profit because the president "Let Capitalism Work" and threw their own words back into their faces. .

No wonder the RepublicaNO! party hates it.

Or is it now the Republica-Hell-NO! party?

[Group 8807]

01:16 PM on 02/23/2012

Not quite: GM still hasn't paid $43 billion.

GM can say they paid us back because of the $50 billion in total support, only $7 billion was counted as a loan and the rest was traded for equity in the company that emerged from bankruptcy. But that is really an accounting trick so that GM doesn't have to pay interest on that money.

The stock price doesn't reach the level of paying the taxpayer back by over $22 billion.

[dungfacerepub]

01:41 PM on 02/23/2012

boy thank god chrysler used those same accounting tricks back in 1979. the government took chrysler shares at $4 and sold them later at $28. that's quite a trick have faith brother would you rather trust a foreign country or the country you live and work and earn a living and raise a family in

[GEORGE W TUSH]

12:55 PM on 02/23/2012

None of the GOP candidates stack up well against Pres. Obama, so they’re trying to run against the person they have created from scratch.

If Nero were around today, he'd be a GOP candidate for president. He'd still start fires, fiddle and watch Rome burn, but he'd blame Obama.

[hhoc612710]

12:43 PM on 02/23/2012

Who doesn't like "Made in America" ??? Apparently all the candidates refute FACTS.

[Group 8807]

01:18 PM on 02/23/2012

Chrysler went to Fiat under Obama.

[BigAce]

01:36 PM on 02/23/2012

And President Obama is responsible for this how??

[hhoc612710]

02:19 PM on 02/23/2012

Your point?