Clinton stars in new Obama ad
(CNN) – Former President Bill Clinton takes center stage in a new ad released by President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign on Thursday.
The former president, who’s been a top surrogate for Obama this year, largely praises Obama in the spot and attempts to draw a contrast between Republicans and Democrats this election year.
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"This is a clear choice. The Republican plan is to cut more taxes on upper income people and go back to deregulation. That's what got us in trouble in the first place,” Clinton says in the ad. "President Obama has a plan to rebuild America from the ground up, investing in innovation, education, and job training. It only works if there is a strong middle class."
He later adds: "That's what happened when I was President. We need to keep going with his plan."
The 30-second ad, "Clear Choice," will air in the battleground states of New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada.
Responding to the ad, Romney's campaign pointed to the Republican candidate's plan to spur economic growth.
"Mitt Romney's 'sterling' private sector experience and his Plan for a Stronger Middle Class offer a new direction. He will jumpstart economic growth, creating 12 million jobs and bringing hope to the middle class," said Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg.
Her statement referred to Clinton's praise of Romney's corporate experience, when he said on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" in May that Romney had a "sterling business career" as CEO of Bain Capital. Clinton faced strong criticism from Democrats who had been using Romney's corporate history as an attack line.
In his stump speeches, Obama frequently credits Clinton-era policies for the strong economy in the '90s, arguing the country fared well under Clinton because he "understood what it takes for this economy."
"Nobody has a better grasp and understanding of the issues than this man," Obama said at a June fundraiser in New York.
Clinton was used in another political ad recently, though much to his chagrin.
Mitt Romney’s team featured the former president positively in a recent spot that attacks Obama for “gutting” the work requirement in the welfare reform law signed off by Clinton in 1996. The ad was part of a weeks-long campaign by Team Romney that leveled charges at Obama over his administration’s welfare adjustments.
However, Clinton himself, as well as fact-check groups and several news outlets, including CNN, have all said the Romney claim that Obama ended the work requirement is untrue.
Clinton had a staring role in an Obama campaign video in late April, with the former president praising the current president's role in last year's military raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
Clinton, who was set to headline a pro-Obama super PAC event this month, will further cement his role as a major player in this year's election when he delivers a prime time speech at the Democratic National Convention in September.
The former president also joined Obama at an April fundraiser in Virginia.
- CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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Fair is Fair
@ Tom Paine –
"Where in this country was gas under $2 a gallon? We have not see gas that cheap in almost a decade. Currently, yes, its approaching $4: get your facts straight."
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Gas averaged $1.79 a gallon atthe very beginning of the Obama administration. It's easy to google it if you gave it shot.
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I'm 25 and grew up in the South Suburbs of Chicago. Never in my entire life have I ever SEEN gas prices below $2.00 and I've lived in rural Minnesota during the Bush years, and urban Florida presently (and I've been in several other countries; all had higher gas prices after considering money exchange...except rural Mexico. urban mexico still comparable). Maybe an average of all gas stations everywhere in the US would get you something below $2, but no one cares what the folks in BFE pay at the pump cuz it'll always be markedly less. Global markets, as folks have said, dictate our prices, adjusted by taxes and inflation. The 9/10s of a penny, for example, is the original gas tax which was never removed after the tax went up, to help buffer profit. Just another scheme to make more cash and eaten whole by nonsensical history and science haters who cant seem to see past their eyelids.
Fair is Fair wrote:
"Gas averaged $1.79 a gallon atthe very beginning of the Obama administration. It's easy to google it if you gave it shot."
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Stop it with that misleading argument. Both gas and oil were both much higher in the summer of 2008 than they are today. Prices fell because of the global financial crisis, which cut demand by almost one half. "It's easy to google it if you gave it shot."
Clinton has and always will be available to the highest bidder, he has no morals or character and will say anything that he is paid to say.
I wonder if he is still using cigars to impress the ladies.
@ The Real Tom Paine....SorryTom, your memory is failing....Fair is Fair is right in December of 2008, the national average for a gallon of gas in the USA was1.616 per gallon.. it didn't stay there long but "facts is facts". Kind of discredits you and your "facts".
GOP attacks against Clinton are like spitting ino the wind. He is a very popular ex-president, not only in this country, but all over the world. His opinions and speaking abilities are sought by world wide groups concerning Democracy, health and equality. No one could be a better spokesperson for the party that truly cares about people and not just billionaire profits.
....and the fact that gas is higher today than on the day when Pres. Obama took the oath of office is a sign that the global economy is trying to recover. In other words, demand is slowly returning to previous levels and so is the price.
I love how the RNC has fallen in love with Bill Clinton, who got about as much love as Obama got is getting right now back when he was President. These guys are a trip, Rewrite History right. All of a sudden they love Clinton but History will show they crashed and burned when they ran the country and then tried to pass the buck on a man who came in and couldn't clean up thier mess in a mere three years
again obama has to use clinton image for his failure to revive the economy. WHy doesn't he just give the presidency to the clintons
-clnee55
again obama has to use clinton image for his failure to revive the economy. WHy doesn't he just give the presidency to the clintons
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Better that than handing it back to the Bush family.
STFU dan you are a moron, at least he ain't no hypocrite like your friends the dumb a** Rethuglicans
This is rather hilarious.... Remember the Hillary Clinton ad "Who will he cll at 3am?"???? Turns out Obama has called BOTH Hillary and Bill Clinton at 3am to pull his failed presidency out of the fire his incompetence has fanned.
Well I at least hope Obama has apologized to poor Bill about calling him a racist.
clnee please explain to me what failure you are talking about from what I see we are far better off than four years ago. Please stop regurgitating the crap from Faux news and start thinking for yourself.
Romney will create another WAR, but he will never send any of his boys to go to combat. What a shameful. His money will never be able to buy my vote
Obama 2012
@8.3% unemployment – Over 8% 42 Straight months and the Obama Jobs DEPRESSION continues unabated
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Your name change doesn't seem to make the comments any less ridiculous. Facts: A Republican President caused the recession. From the first day Republicans have obstructed all progress for a recovery. Republicans have become a right-wing cult fueled by hatred, bigotry and racism – but funded by cold and calculating billionaires who know how to motivate those of you from the ill-informed masses. They want those special tax loopholes, no environmental or financial regulations, and very low tax rates. Make no mistake – they don't give a crap about the "social" issues. Those are simply the tools used to fire up the fearful, bigoted white-trash. Fox News won't allow you to hear and understand the situation – but then would you really listen anyway?
Just read the book "The Amateur" By Ed Klein. You dems Can read cant YOU! I mean,,you didnt even read obamacare,,,your all sorta amateurs after all. Fools and other peoples money,yep!! Fools create there own follie. Your still waiting for ur pres. to deliver one ONE THING!!
You commenters make me laugh. Shake your little fists! Shake 'em hard!
The Romney apologists are posting with so much anger mostly borne from knowing minced mitt could never run an ad starring the last republican president. Yet Mitt will apply the same economic policies and most of his advisors are former advisors of that disastrous last umm republican president
Having bill clinton on ur team is a real plus. He certainly comes with No Baggage!!Our country is in peril because of the dems and there anything goes policy. Your an Anarchist group. Morrally abscent in thought and mind.
This is going to backfire big time. This will draw a contrast between Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. People will also remember that Bill Clinton said that Barack Obama is the worst president ever and that he called him an "Amateur." They will remember that Barack Obama accused Bill of being a "racist." They will remember the acrimonious campaign between Obama and Hillary Clinton. They will remember that Hillary said of Obama "He is a president who can't decide if it is Tuesday or Wednesday." They will remember all of the lies Obama told about Hillary. This will magnify the difference in the intelligence of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Clinton is a brilliant man and can think on his feet. Obama is a blithering idiot without his teleprompter. Also, what on earth made Bill do it??? Everybody knows he hates Barack Obama. This is a bad bad bad move.
@ Larry L (from Georgetown, Tx)...This ain't all on the Republican shoulders Larry. Research the Community Reinvestment Act and how it allowed the mortgage business to be manipulated so that EVERYONE qualified for a mortgage regardless of their personal situation. And then harken back to who oversaw FNMA and FREDDIEMAC ( BarneyFrank, Chris Dodd, Maxine Waters etc) and how they praised the virtues of the program. Your no dummy so you know the other side to this story. The center of the storm was the housing industry and this was the planted seed that snowballed to where we are right now. Theres plenty of blame to go around but the democrats are just as guilty if not more so than the republicans.
bill clinton Glass-steigal act thats what started this recession. Sending missliles after bin laden and killing civilians to hide and distract the public from his adultery,thats ur billy. Metteling in Somalia affairs and sending crash troops there,,he was warned to stay out of there affairs and liks to middle eastern affairs thats your billy and thats what started this whole ball rolling,,now bad billie has teamed with barrack the brainless,,, you people will never learn ur ignorant and cant admit when ur wrong even when ur on Fire u will be in denial. You deserve what u get but ur children dont.
joker romney doesnt need a pres endorsment were not under pressure to lose u r if bill is the only one that will stand for him then that speakes volumes,,wheres the other dem preses of the past?
Maybe an average of all gas stations everywhere in the US would get you something below $2, but no one cares what the folks in BFE pay at the pump cuz it'll always be markedly less. Global markets, as folks have said, dictate our prices,
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Good point Oh...I see.
By the way: BFE!! LOL!!!
wheres the other dem preses of the past?
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I repeat: Where's The Shrub????
That's right. Shut up. Sit down. Don't move.