The evidence connecting the Obama campaign to Priorities USA, a super PAC that launched an appalling and blatantly false attack ad blaming a woman’s death on Mitt Romney, is starting to pile up.
Bill Burton runs Priorities USA and was Obama’s deputy press secretary under Robert Gibbs. You can also add in the fact that the man in the ad telling the undeniably tragic tale of his wife’s passing, Joe Soptic, has also appeared in ads for the Obama campaign. Finally, just yesterday, senior Obama campaign advisor Stephanie Cutter was caught red-handed lying about her knowledge of the ad.
The ad’s overall accusation against Romney is bad enough, but the misleading elements within are so numerous and undeniable, that the ad has prompted the kind of media blowback usually reserved for Republicans. But as you might expect, very little of that blowback has been directed at the person the ad is meant to benefit, President Obama.
And you can bet, that’s intentional. As just one example, I give you… Politico.
Up until now, Obama and his staff have adamantly refused to repudiate something this objectively despicable. This, likely, is for two reason. First, the ad is yet another welcome distraction soaking up the news-cycle, which ensures no one is talking about Obama’s failed record, and Romney can’t get his message out. Secondly, the media is being careful to make sure Obama pays no political price for benefitting by and refusing to repudiate something so scurrilous.
That, however, might change now. Earlier today, Lanny Davis, a widely respected Democrat and one-time top advisor to President Clinton, blasted the ad and, in the strongest possible language, demanded Obama repudiate it:
“Bill Burton needs to go back to ethics school,” Davis said of the group’s senior strategist, who is a former Obama White House spokesman. “He knows perfectly well that the ad is misleading and disgusting and he needs to apologize for it.” …
Davis said the president shouldn’t allow his supporters to suggest that Romney is in any way to blame for the woman’s death.
“President Obama owes it to the American people to repudiate this ad,” he said.
Obama campaign officials have refused to disavow the ad, claiming independence from the outside group and no knowledge of the woman’s story. Priorities USA strategists insist the ad is factually correct and will air as scheduled later this week.
This might be the tipping point that finally forces the media to acknowledge the elephant in the room and demand the president start acting like one.
Just don’t hold your breath.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC