I live in Virginia, the swingiest of swing states. I expected that by now we’d be deluged with ads from both sides. But I’ve seen just two Romney ads. The first accuses the Obama administration of being soft on China and argues that Romney can prevent manufacturing jobs from being lost to China. The other is a variant of the “You Didn’t Build That” ads we saw so much of in Tampa.
It’s as if the campaign is MIA. Here are some ads I’m still waiting for:
The failed Obama recovery: The clip of Obama in 2009 on the Today show telling Matt Lauer that if he can’t turn around the economy in three years, “we’re looking at a one-term proposition.” Screen shot of Geithner’s op-ed from 2010, “Welcome to the Recovery.” Clip of Biden during his “recovery tour” saying of the stimulus bill, “Folks, the act is working.” Juxtapose with graphs showing declining jobs after 2010. Obama saying in Charlotte, “I never said it would be quick.”
Another Obama failed-recovery ad: Just show interviews with businessmen explaining that they aren’t hiring because of fear and uncertainty about what Washington will do. Here’s one quote from Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Resorts:
I’m saying it bluntly, that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business and progress and job creation in my lifetime. And I can prove it and I could spend the next 3 hours giving you examples of all of us in this market place that are frightened to death about all the new regulations, our healthcare costs escalate, regulations coming from left and right.
Failed recovery ad No. 3: String together clips of Obama excuses for bad economy. He has blamed George W. Bush, the tsunami, ATM machines, the euro-zone crisis, the Arab Spring, and Senate Republicans.
Obamacare: Clip of Obama saying “If you like your health-care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health-care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” Juxtapose with Congressional Budget Office report stating that “as a practical matter, a majority of group health plans will lose their grandfather status by 2013.”
Clip of Nancy Pelosi saying, “We have to pass it to find out what’s in it.” Graphic: What’s in it: seven tax hikes of $836 billion through 2022 on the middle class, $700 billion in cuts to Medicare, 159 new boards and commissions, massive expansion of already-failed Medicaid, IPAB, too much discretion in Washington.
Foreign policy: Juxtapose Obama’s 2009 statement, “I truly believe that the day I’m inaugurated, not only does the country look at itself differently, but the world looks at America differently. If I’m reaching out to the Muslim world, they understand that I’ve lived in a Muslim country, and I may be a Christian, but I also understand their point of view. . .” with images of mob violence from around the Muslim world today. Clips of Obama declaring Iranian bomb “unacceptable” year after year after year while they move resolutely toward a nuclear bomb.
Those are a few thoughts. I have other ideas too, as I’m sure you do as well. Where is the Romney campaign?