In the latest example of the liberal media painting the Republican Party as somehow extreme, Charlie Rose touted a headline from the New York Times on Thursday's CBS This Morning that negatively spotlighted a Republican group's upcoming ad campaign against President Obama: "The New York Times has a story today that the GOP super PAC is weighing in on a hard-line attack on the President."
Correspondent Jan Crawford noted the Obama campaign's attack on Romney for his leadership of Bain Capital: "Obama campaign officials tell us they think Romney is really vulnerable on Bain, and...they plan to continue making this an issue." However, she omitted that the campaign smeared the former governor as a "vampire." That, somehow, didn't deserve a "hard-line" or equivalent label.
The CBS correspondent outlined during her report that Romney and his GOP allies were targeting Obama on the issues of the national debt and federal spending: "Romney argued that Washington's out of control spending, and President Obama's failure to curb it, is responsible for the nation's debt....Republicans blame the President for the country's economic problems, and see it as a big election issue."
Crawford later pointed out that "since Mr. Obama took office, the debt has increased 50 percent, from $10 trillion up to $15 trillion. That fact is part of a new Web ad backed by a former Bush strategist working to beat the President in November." After playing a clip of the ad from the Crossroads GPS organization, she continued by reporting on the Democrats' counterattack on the Bain issue, and included two soundbites from Vice President Joe Biden: "Vice President Biden argued that Romney, after his years as head of the private equity firm Bain Capital, is out of touch." Rose inserted his paraphrase of the New York Times headline near the end of the segment.
The full transcript of Jan Crawford's report from Thursday's CBS This Morning, which ran 13 minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour:
CHARLIE ROSE: The economy is a big issue, again, in the race for the White House. On Wednesday, Republicans continued attacking President Obama over the country's debt.
ERICA HILL: Meantime, Democrats describe Mitt Romney as out of touch with the financial problems of most Americans.
Jan Crawford is in Washington. Jan, good morning.
[CBS News Graphic: "Race For The White House: GOP Attacks Focus On Spending And Debt"]
JAN CRAWFORD: Well, good morning, Erica. You know, when we talk to voters it, they say they're worried about the economy, but also the increasing debt. So the Romney campaign and some of those outside Republican groups are hoping to make that a one-two punch against President Obama come November.
MITT ROMNEY, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from campaign event): I'm concerned about the debt. I'm concerned about the spending.
CRAWFORD (voice-over): Standing in front of a ticking debt clock, Mitt Romney argued that Washington's out of control spending, and President Obama's failure to curb it, is responsible for the nation's debt.
ROMNEY: It is not at all what he promised. This presidency has been a disappointment.
CRAWFORD: A few hours later, House Speaker John Boehner told the President directly that he would not allow upcoming debt limit negotiations to go ahead without a plan to cut spending.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE (from press conference): It's time for us to deal with the big issues that are affecting our country and our society.
CRAWFORD: Republicans blame the President for the country's economic problems, and see it as a big election issue. Boehner and Romney find much to criticize. Since Mr. Obama took office, the debt has increased 50 percent, from $10 trillion up to $15 trillion. That fact is part of a new Web ad backed by a former Bush strategist working to beat the President in November.
[CBS News Graphic: "Debt Increase Since 2009: 50%: $10 trillion [to] $15 trillion"]
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (from Crossroads GPS Internet ad): Today, I'm pledging to cut the deficit we inherited by half by the end of my first term in office.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER: Broken, because he hasn't even come close.
CRAWFORD: But the Obama campaign is firing back.
VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: They don't get who we are!
CRAWFORD: Vice President Biden argued that Romney, after his years as head of the private equity firm Bain Capital, is out of touch.
BIDEN: Romney and his friends believe you can help those at the very top. The rest are going to fend for themselves, and America is going to turn out all right.
CRAWFORD (on-camera): Now, Obama campaign officials tell us they think Romney is really vulnerable on Bain, and they continue- they plan to continue making this an issue. They point out that Newt Gingrich, in the Republican primary, made it an issue and he beat Romney in South Carolina. So you can look for this attack to continue. Charlie and Erica?
ROSE: Jan, what's the latest on the financing of this campaign? The New York Times has a story today that the GOP super PAC is weighing in on a hard-line attack on the President.
CRAWFORD: Well, you know, this campaign- there's going to be a lot of money on both sides, and the Romney campaign and the RNC is going to be out with some big numbers this morning: about $40 million that they've raised for April. That's right in line with what the President and the Democratic National Committee are raising. So both sides are going to be raising upwards of $350 million throughout the course of this campaign, and Republicans believe that they're going to be able to match President Obama, because their contributors are motivated to try to beat him in November.
ROSE: Jan Crawford, thank you.
