Obama campaign attacks Rove's 'B.S.'
May 17th, 2012
08:30 AM ET
11 years ago

Obama campaign attacks Rove's 'B.S.'

(CNN) – President Barack Obama's deputy campaign manager used a three-minute web video Thursday to take on the latest ad from the independent group Crossroads GPS, point by point.

"Karl Rove's group Crossroads is spending $25 million from secret donors to tear down the president in a new ad," Stephanie Cutter said to open the spot. "Time to tear this thing apart."

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The web video is the official counter from the Obama re-election campaign to the Crossroads commercial that claims the president has broken promises surrounding homeowners facing foreclosures, taxes, health care coverage and cutting the deficit.

On Wednesday, the Rove-backed group said it would spend $8 million to run the ad in ten battleground states between now and the end of May and is expected to spend $25 million to air the spot over the next four weeks.

But Cutter pushed back on the ad's four claims, saying the president's policies have helped 6 million homeowners with their mortgages, led to a drop in middle class taxes, enabled individuals to keep their current health care coverage as part of the federal law and that Obama enacted $1 trillion in spending cuts to help reduce the deficit.

Short clips of Romney are interspersed throughout the video to prove the policies of the presumptive Republican presidential candidate would roll back Obama's progress. Cutter then asks supporters to "call out" Rove.

"So another special interest attack ad, another set of outright distortions and another time when I need to ask you to do what you do best: get the president's back," she said. "Karl Rove is relying on you to do nothing to call out his B.S., and I know you'll prove him wrong."

Crossroads GPS is the sister organization to American Crossroads, which first became active in the 2010 mid-term elections as an independent super PAC supporting GOP causes and candidates. Its founders included Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush and former Republican National Committee chairmen Mike Duncan and Ed Gillespie.

A Wesleyan Media Project study released earlier this month, which used data from Kantar Media/Campaign Media Analysis Group, indicated that Crossroads GPS is the biggest spender on general election ads so far, dishing out $12.6 million to run nearly 17,000 spots in 47 television markets.

- CNN's Paul Steinhauser and Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.

Also see:

Obama campaign focuses on military families

Senate's all-day budget debate dominated by politics

Bain back-and-forth continues

Big spending and close polls in Wisconsin recall battle


Filed under: 2012 • Crossroads GPS • Karl Rove • Mitt Romney • President Obama • Stephanie Cutter
soundoff (307 Responses)
  1. JimfromBham

    Here we go – the start of the "spin" campaign by both sides. November can't get here fast enough....

    May 18, 2012 06:31 am at 6:31 am |
  2. Gurgyl

    Vote all GOP out

    May 18, 2012 07:02 am at 7:02 am |
  3. 0rangeW3dge

    Karl Rove showed his hand a long time ago, and we all know his agenda. The truth of the matter is that they are (literally) banking on people being overwhelmed with bull and, finally, not caring so they won't even bother to vote.
    The radicals always win when the majority doesn't vote.... hey, it's your country. Let the jackals have it if you don't want it.

    May 18, 2012 07:02 am at 7:02 am |
  4. Carl Kerstann

    The republicans can't win by promoting ideas, they don't have any. The only thing left for them is to lie.

    May 18, 2012 07:26 am at 7:26 am |
  5. jnpa

    Karl Rover/Rush Limbaugh...What's the difference? Does anyone with a brain actually listen and believe these two?

    May 18, 2012 07:29 am at 7:29 am |
  6. Incredible

    Rove is an Evil Evil Liar that deserves to be hit by a 50 pound sledge hammer on the head. He is the reason that these God Damned conservative republicans will be gone in the future. This nation needs to move on from these Evil Idi0ts.

    May 18, 2012 07:43 am at 7:43 am |
  7. Virginia

    Karl Rove has done this country no favors.

    May 18, 2012 07:47 am at 7:47 am |
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