In a fresh effort to define himself and his foe, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is out with two news ads in Virginia and other swing states, reiterating his focus and hammering President Barack Obama on the economy.
“My plan is to help the middle class,” Romney says in his positive new 30-second spot, “The Romney Plan.”
As in his stump speeches, Romney stresses the need to open up foreign trade and “crack down on cheaters like China.” He also hits on the familiar themes of balancing the budget, cutting the deficit and aiding small businesses.
“Have tax policies, regulations, and healthcare policies that help small business,” he says. “We put those in place, we’ll add 12 million new jobs in four years.”
In the campaign’s other new ad, “Failing American Families,” Romney renews his economic attack on the president, hammering Obama on the nation’s debt and family income.
“Under Obama, families have lost over $4,000 a year in income. And the national debt is now $16 trillion and growing,” a narrator says.
The ad then cuts to Romney speaking at an event.
“We have a moral responsibility not to spend more than we take in,” he says. “We can’t keep buying and spending and passing on debts to our kids. And I’ll stop it.”
The ad closes: “Barack Obama. More spending. More debt. Failing American families.”
“The American people have no reason to believe Mitt Romney would reduce the deficit or strengthen the middle class -– it’s not what he did as governor and it’s not what he’s proposing to do as president,” responded Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith.
“The truth is that independent economists say Romney’s economic plan would do nothing to create jobs now and could push us back to recession,” she added. “Middle class families just can’t afford it.”
