June 1 (Bloomberg) -- The two competing U.S. presidential campaigns dueled from opposite coasts yesterday, with both focusing on an issue at a specific locale that they think spotlights vulnerabilities for their opponent.
Surrogates for President Barack Obama went to the steps of the Massachusetts statehouse in Boston to present Mitt Romney as a failed former governor who exaggerates his job-growth record.
The presumptive Republican nominee leveled his attack from outside the closed factory of solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra LLC in Fremont, California, where he accused Obama of seeking favor among campaign supporters by giving a federal loan guarantee to an energy company that later went bankrupt.
Besides displaying the open hostility already simmering in the 2012 presidential campaign, the two events showcased the major themes the two camps have signaled they will hammer home through November’s election.
“This building, this half-a-billion dollar taxpayer investment, represents a serious conflict of interest on the part of the president and his team,” Romney said, standing at a podium set up on the road adjacent to the Solyndra facility.
The former Massachusetts governor has repeatedly criticized the Obama administration’s decision to extend the $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, saying it was part of a pattern of rewarding companies and people that supported the president with taxpayer dollars. The family foundation of Obama fundraiser George Kaiser was the company’s biggest investor.
‘Economic Guru’
For Obama’s campaign, the message chief political strategist David Axelrod tried to deliver from the steps of the statehouse was drowned out in part by loud Romney supporters.
The news conference was meant to pivot off the Obama campaign’s scrutiny of Romney’s experience in private equity by arguing that his business background didn’t translate into good governance in Massachusetts.
“He offers himself as an economic guru and savior off of his experience in business,” Axelrod said. “And when he was governor of this state, this state was 47th in job creation.”
All the while, Romney supporters tried to drown out the event, with Axelrod shouting back, “You can’t handle the truth.”
In a CBS News interview yesterday, Romney said he gives Obama a failing grade in every area of his presidency, including foreign policy.
Failing Grades
Asked to grade Obama, Romney responded: “Oh, an F, no question about that,” adding that it applies “across the board.”
Tim Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana and ex-ambassador to India, said Romney is “misguided and misinformed.” Romney is out of step with experts in his own party who “have recognized President Obama’s accomplishments” in foreign policy, Roemer said in an e-mailed statement.
Romney and his wife, Ann, also met privately yesterday with former first lady Nancy Reagan at her California home, where they snacked on lemonade and cookies and she offered her endorsement.
“Ronnie would have liked Governor Romney’s business background and his strong principles, and I have to say I do too,” she said in a statement released by her office. “I believe Mitt Romney has the experience and leadership skills that our country so desperately needs, and I look forward to seeing him elected president in November.”
Surrogates for President Barack Obama went to the steps of the Massachusetts statehouse in Boston to present Mitt Romney as a failed former governor who exaggerates his job-growth record.
The presumptive Republican nominee leveled his attack from outside the closed factory of solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra LLC in Fremont, California, where he accused Obama of seeking favor among campaign supporters by giving a federal loan guarantee to an energy company that later went bankrupt.
Besides displaying the open hostility already simmering in the 2012 presidential campaign, the two events showcased the major themes the two camps have signaled they will hammer home through November’s election.
“This building, this half-a-billion dollar taxpayer investment, represents a serious conflict of interest on the part of the president and his team,” Romney said, standing at a podium set up on the road adjacent to the Solyndra facility.
The former Massachusetts governor has repeatedly criticized the Obama administration’s decision to extend the $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, saying it was part of a pattern of rewarding companies and people that supported the president with taxpayer dollars. The family foundation of Obama fundraiser George Kaiser was the company’s biggest investor.
‘Economic Guru’
For Obama’s campaign, the message chief political strategist David Axelrod tried to deliver from the steps of the statehouse was drowned out in part by loud Romney supporters.
The news conference was meant to pivot off the Obama campaign’s scrutiny of Romney’s experience in private equity by arguing that his business background didn’t translate into good governance in Massachusetts.
“He offers himself as an economic guru and savior off of his experience in business,” Axelrod said. “And when he was governor of this state, this state was 47th in job creation.”
All the while, Romney supporters tried to drown out the event, with Axelrod shouting back, “You can’t handle the truth.”
In a CBS News interview yesterday, Romney said he gives Obama a failing grade in every area of his presidency, including foreign policy.
Failing Grades
Asked to grade Obama, Romney responded: “Oh, an F, no question about that,” adding that it applies “across the board.”
Tim Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana and ex-ambassador to India, said Romney is “misguided and misinformed.” Romney is out of step with experts in his own party who “have recognized President Obama’s accomplishments” in foreign policy, Roemer said in an e-mailed statement.
Romney and his wife, Ann, also met privately yesterday with former first lady Nancy Reagan at her California home, where they snacked on lemonade and cookies and she offered her endorsement.
“Ronnie would have liked Governor Romney’s business background and his strong principles, and I have to say I do too,” she said in a statement released by her office. “I believe Mitt Romney has the experience and leadership skills that our country so desperately needs, and I look forward to seeing him elected president in November.”