(CNN) – A new ad from Mitt Romney, which began airing Wednesday morning but was not publically released by his campaign, portrays the GOP nominee as more moderate on abortion and contraception than his rivals are claiming.
The spot, which aired in the Washington, D.C., media market Wednesday morning, according to political ad tracker CMAG, features a young woman taking on claims President Barack Obama made in a television spot earlier this month.
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"You know those ads saying Mitt Romney would ban all abortions and contraception seemed a bit extreme, so I looked into it," she says. "Turns out Romney doesn't oppose contraception at all. In fact he thinks abortion should be an option in cases of rape, incest, or to save a mother's life."
Romney's abortion stance came back into focus last week after the candidate said during an interview there were no specific pieces of abortion legislation he would pursue as president.
Romney, along with his aides, later clarified he would support efforts to remove funding for Planned Parenthood, a women's health group that provides abortion services. Several House Republicans have introduced legislation that would strip funding from the group.
Romney has also said that for any Supreme Court vacancies, he would nominate candidates who would support overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming a woman's right to have an abortion.
In the new ad from Romney's campaign, the female speaker said the issue of reproductive rights was important, but not the top issue in the election.
"This issue's important to me, but I'm more concerned about the debt our children will be left with. I voted for President Obama last time. We just can't afford four more years," she says.
Romney's campaign has long struggled to woo female voters, who polls have shown support Obama by a wide margin. Recently, however, the gender gap has narrowed between the two candidates, sparking a flurry of ads and campaign remarks designed to appeal to women.
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From CNN Politics
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Being against planned parenthood, supporting personhood, and promising to overturn Roe v. Wade does not a moderate make. Instead it tells us that Mittens is closely related to religious cults that do not believe women have reproductive rights.
Flip-flop!!! Which Mitt is it? The return of Moderate Mittens eh.
Nice try. The spineless wonder will do and say anything to get a vote. All of these gyrations will not help him; he's not trustworthy and certainly not fit to lead our great nation.
Yet another Romney "etch-a-sketch" moment! Abortion is now OK, sometimes? If he'd said that eight months ago, President Obama would have been debating Rick Santorum last night!!!
Romney is the poster child for cheap hypocrisy. The wheels are starting to come off the Romney bus.
This guy is sooo gutless. Hell, I bet he was even a Draft Dodger. Never willing to put any skin in the game.
truth hurts
Every election the pathetic Democrats roll out their usual fear and lie machine to motivate their clueless base voters. Democrat voters are suckers that are easily scared it seems.
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Give Karl Rove a big Kiss for me !
The "severly conservative" Romoney will say and do anything to get what he wants – spoiled rich boy wants to be President. In his own words Mitt said he doesn't care about the 47% of Americans he slandered as "irresponsible" because they make so little money they don't pay income taxes.
The real slander is that Romoney doesn't pay income tax!
This idiot doesn't even understand he is of the 47% he scoffs at.
Note to Obama Campaign:
Run an ad with clips of this one, and then Mitt's comments that he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v Wade, and that he would be happy to sign any legislation banning abortion and that he has previously said no exceptions. That should do it.
The republicans always play the blame game. It was Clinton's fault that Bush did not read the warnings that led up to 9-11. It was the democrats that caused the loss of 8 million jobs in Bush's last three years even though they only were in control of the house for the last two years. It was the MSM that made Sarah Palin and Lyin Ayn Ryan look stupid, and it was Candy Crowley's fault that Mittens was caught in another of his lies.
Nice Try Flip Flopper! I guess you want to get your base mad now after your stands to win the nomination.
Expect a rebuttal ad from Obama using Flip's own words as proof he is nothing of the sort. And expect Flip to cry and whine about it. He is pathetic
According To Mitt Romney, single moms are blame for Gun violence — Along With Everything Else. So, you better get married before having babies...
The GOP must be in trouble, because the NRA is now running negative ads that President Obama is going to take away their guns. They should have been around when Mittens signed laws doing that in MA. Are all NRA members stupid?
Wow, the man has no shame. He'd like to repeal Roe v. Wade yet he's moderate on abortion. Nice.
Romney and his conservative buddies like to use the Constitution conveniently to suit their points of view, but what about women who believe in abortion, don't they have rights too? The fetus would have person-hood status under the constitution if Romney and his group have their way, but the mother of the fetus should have no rights!!
Duval
Absolutely nothing is going to happen on abortion if Romney is elected. Do you think the liberal judges even if Romney did want to outlaw abortion would let that happen??
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It's not the liberal judges I'm concerned about – it's the two USSC judges the next President will most likely appoint who, when combined with the rest of the anti-choice right wingers inhabiting the bench will without a doubt overturn Roe v. Wade.
Moderate Mitt strikes again. Where ya been at boy? Good one Bubba. Willard, you've proven that you're not trustworthy. Even if I were a supporter of yours, which I"m not, I don't see how I'd be able to vote for you with your multiple positions on EVERYTHING. I see how Ted Kennedy coined you Multiple Choice Mitt.
"This issue's important to me, but I'm more concerned about the debt our children will be left with. I voted for President Obama last time. We just can't afford four more years," she says.
If this was true, contraception is paramount to this issue. The government has no place in dictating what a woman does with her body.
Romney supports Personhood and the Blunt Amendment (which he flip flopped on last night). Now he wants to make abortion illegal.
So we going to open new jails to house the women who have abortions? Who is going to pay for that?
This guy will say anything and take all sides of a position to get elected.. and the right will allow him to do that just because of their disdain for the president.
Im sorry nice try but I do not agree....1st let me state in case you forgot before Obama became the president this country was border line in a depression already due to the bush administration and the war with 3 different countries that took a toll on our country as a whole yet you guys re-elected Bush administration for a 2nd term so don't go fukkin blaming Abama. I mean come use your brains how could one person fix this country n make it renewed again in 4 years silly ppl. If you can give Bush a 2nd term and he did absolutely nothing but put us in a hole than why can't u do the same for Obama....be carefull of what you ask for go ahead vote for shitty Mitt Romney and to add insult to injury when he close down plan parenthood there goes the unemployment rate going up again because those ppl will be without a job smh
ohio & florida – the ball is in your court – do you want this country go back to the old days policies ? or do you want to have & enjoy the freedoms we have now .
vote democrat – 2012
Gotta hand it to Mitt, if you have a stance on any issue, chances are Mitts will be agreeing with you at some point.
To report fairly...why is it hard to impossible to see any reporting about the CNN polling that showed that Romney had led in the areas of who they would trust or was better equipped to handle the economy, social security, tax reform, etc.....all the key underlying issues other than "like ability and who seemed more caring to the audience." I go to CNN the most because I do not want slanted reporting. On TV last night this was covered at least. Also when over and over the makeup of the poll respondents was explained....it made it seem like it was unfair.....more Republican respondents when it actually was fair ... 33% to 33%.... I understand that it did not match the general voting population makeup. This does reflect to me who truly is engaged this election.
If your a woman you need to realize that as far a Romney is concerned, you don't need or have any rights. He can kiss my BUM! What a total CREEP and LIAR!
Romney will do what he is told by Ryan and Cantor, just like Boehner
I am all for not allowing abortions. If the Republicans are willing to adopt ALL the unwanted children including the ones with horrible birth defects. Of course you do understand that the adopting parents would be responsible for all costs of raising these children. Republicans want to stand up for there values unless it costs them MONEY