Conservative Groups Follow Mitt Romney Campaign In Attacking Obama's 'Doing Fine' Line

Conservative groups are following the Mitt Romney campaign in launching big money ad buys assailing the president over his recent line that the "private sector is doing fine."

Americans For Prosperity, a nonprofit backed by the Koch brothers, launched a $5.5 million ad buy Wednesday in Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania for 10 days.

"Maybe your family's like most, struggling to make it by, but recently President Obama said --" a voice narrates, then Obama's own voice picks up, saying that the "private sector is doing fine." The line is repeated twice more.

AFP has previously made significant ad buys attacking Obama, for $6 million in April and January, and $2.4 million last November. The 501(c)(4) group does not disclose its donors, nor is it required to.

The Huffington Post and Politico have reported that the Koch brothers and their donor network plan to spend around $400 million to defeat Obama.

Restore Our Future, a pro-Romney super PAC, announced Tuesday a $7.6 million ad buy in battleground states hitting on the "doing fine" line. That amount is more than the just-under $5 million the group raised in May. The group had $8.4 million on hand at the end of May, but got a big bump earlier this month from Las Vegas casino mogul and GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, who gave $10 million to the group. (That contribution has not been reported to the FEC.)

Both groups' actions follow the Romney campaign, which launched an ad Thursday -- also now in Spanish -- attacking Obama for the line.

When he spoke the words at a June 8 press conference, Obama was making a point about how state and local government hiring has continued to fall even though private sector hiring has increased since 2010. However, given the current economic crisis, the line has given Romney fodder to blast his opponent as out of touch.