Romney Campaign Press Release - And Then There Were Fourteen

More And More Democrats Are Distancing Themselves From Obama's Attacks

"Another three Democrats have backed away from President Obama's attacks on free enterprise. It's not an accident. Instead of spending the last three years making good on his campaign promises, President Obama has presided over an economy where millions of middle-class families are still struggling – and all he has to offer now are tired political attacks. Mitt Romney will take action on day one of his presidency to get our economy moving again." – Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

On Wednesday, Democratic Senators Schumer, Gillibrand And Manchin All Refused To Defend President Obama's Attack On Free Enterprise:

New York's Democratic Senators, Chuck Schumer And Kirsten Gillibrand, Both "Declined To Comment" On President Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise. "A few hours earlier, Mr. Obama's campaign had begun a blistering attack on Mitt Romney's career in private equity, the same business in which Mr. James has earned his many millions. .. It is one of the most delicate topics within the party these days. Two Democrats with close ties to Wall Street, Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York, declined to comment on Wednesday." (Nicholas Confessore, "Bain Strategy Holds Pitfalls For President," The New York Times, 5/23/12)

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), When Asked Whether He Agreed With President Obama's Attacks: "I Believe In The Free Enterprise System." "Senator Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrat, spoke with the Washington Times affiliated radio program America's Morning News on Wednesday. He believes that the private sector was better at picking winners and loser in the free market than government. 'I believe in the free enterprise system. I believe business and labor have to work together. I think if you have a good business, you'll have good workers and if you have good workers then that's a good place to work,' he said. 'I think with the balance that we have, the markets have always done a much better job (in picking winners and losers in the free market) than what we've done in government.'" (Kerry Picket, "Manchin - Private Sector Better At Picking Winners And Losers Than Gov't," The Washington Times, 5/24/12)

The Latest Three Defectors Join A Growing List Of Democrats Who Have Distanced Themselves From President Obama's Attacks:

Former Clinton Advisor Lanny Davis Decried The Obama Campaign's Attacks On Free Enterprise. "Private equity firms often invest in distressed companies by putting in cash and cutting expenses in order to save a company that is already close to bankruptcy. Sometimes the investment works and the company and jobs are saved. And sometimes, to save the company, jobs need to be cut or wages and benefits reduced." (Lanny Davis, Op-Ed, "Cory Booker Got It Right," The Hill, 5/23/12)

• Davis: "It's Difficult To Argue, Even If You Are A Partisan Obama Supporter, As I Am, That This Ad Is Not At Least Somewhat Misleading." (Lanny Davis, Op-Ed, "Cory Booker Got It Right," The Hill, 5/23/12)

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), On President Obama's Attacks: "It's Done. ... Go On To Other Things Now." "Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a widely respected member of Congress, stopped short of criticizing the president, but made it clear that the campaign should pivot. 'It's done,' she said. 'Go on to other things now.'" (Cameron Joseph, "Democrats Balk At Obama Campaign's Sustained Attack On Bain Capital," The Hill, 5/22/12)

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), While "Shaking His Head Vigorously": "I'm Not Going To Comment On President Obama's Ad." "Pressed on whether he thought Obama's campaign had operated within those guidelines, Coons paused. 'I'm not going to comment on President Obama's ad,' he said, shaking his head vigorously." (Cameron Joseph, "Democrats Balk At Obama Campaign's Sustained Attack On Bain Capital," The Hill, 5/22/12)

Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA): "No, [Bain Is] Not A Bad Company And Nobody Is Saying They Are, Including The President." KING: "You're in a very interesting position this year. I want to start with... You're the governor of a state that Bain Capital calls its global home." ... PATRICK: "Indeed." KING: "Are they a bad company?" PATRICK: "No, they're not a bad company and nobody is saying they are, including the president. It's a remarkable thing." (CNN's "John King USA," 5/22/12)

Former Governor And Former DNC Chair Ed Rendell: "Very Disappointing." "And Rendell joined the chorus of criticism of Obama's attacks on finance, whose leaders have written checks to many members of both parties. 'I think they're very disappointing,' Rendell said of the ads attacking Bain." (Zeke Miller, "Is This Obama's Party?," BuzzFeed, 5/22/12)

• Governor Rendell, On If He Supports How The Obama Campaign Is "Being Run Right Now": "Well ... Either/Or." MATTHEWS: "Governor Rendell, big question. Are you with the Obama campaign as it's being run right now, or are you against it?" RENDELL: "Well ... either/or." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 5/22/12)

Former Representative Artur Davis (D-AL): The Obama Campaign's Attacks Follow "The European Leftist Notion That Business Is Fair Only When It Operates In A Sanitized, Risk Free Manner." DAVIS: "It's hard to imagine a more instructive couple of days for those who want to know where the Democratic Party's head is at: its only high-profile African American moderate just got a brushback pitch for leaning in too close to the Independent thought zone; the Obama camp looks ominously like a cult of personality that tolerates no dissent; and the reelection campaign just doubled down on the European leftist notion that business is fair only when it operates in a sanitized, risk free manner." (Artur Davis, "Should Democrats Stop Bain Capital Attacks?" Politico, 5/22/12)

Former Representative Harold Ford (D-TN): "Private Equity's Not A Bad Thing. ... Private Equity Is A Good Thing In Many, Many Instances." "Former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford said Monday that he would not have walked back New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker's surprising comments criticizing the Obama campaign for attacking private equity. 'I would not have backed off the comments if I were Mayor Booker,' Ford, a Democrat, said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' 'The substance of his comments on 'Meet the Press,' I agree with the core of it. I would not have backed them out... private equity's not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, private equity is a good thing in many, many instances.'" (Tim Mak, "Ex-Rep. Ford: Booker Was Right," Politico, 5/21/12)

Mayor Cory Booker (D-Newark, NJ): "If You Look At The Totality Of Bain Capital's Record, They've Done A Lot To Support Businesses, To Grow Businesses, And This To Me, I'm Very Uncomfortable With." BOOKER: "I have to say from a very personal level I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity. To me, it's just, we're getting to a ridiculous point in America. Especially, I know, I live in a state where pension funds, unions and other people are investing in companies like Bain Capital. If you look at the totality of Bain Capital's record, they've done a lot to support businesses, to grow businesses, and this to me, I'm very uncomfortable with." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/20/12)

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA): "I Think Bain Capital Was A Very Successful Business." (MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," 5/22/12)

Former Obama Economic Adviser Steven Rattner: "I Think The [Obama] Ad Is Unfair... I Don't Think There's Anything Bain Capital Did That They Need To Be Embarrassed About." "Former Obama administration auto czar Steven Rattner said Monday that the Obama campaign's renewed attack on Mitt Romney's time in private equity was 'unfair.' 'I think the ad is unfair.' Rattner said. ... '[Bain Capital] did it superbly well, acting within the rules, acting very responsibly,' Rattner said. 'This is part of capitalism, this is part of life. I don't think there's anything Bain Capital did that they need to be embarrassed about.'" (Byron Tau, "Ex-Obama Adviser: Latest Anti-Romney Ad Is 'Unfair'," Politico, 5/14/12)

Obama Supporter And Bundler Don Peebles: "Any Type Of Attack And Vilification Of A Particular Industry Is Not Okay To Begin With." "Peebles, who is sometimes described as the largest-scale African-American real estate developer in the country, told BuzzFeed that he was wary of the ads by the Obama campaign and the pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA which have attacked Bain Capital. 'Any type of attack and vilification of a particular industry is not okay to begin with,' he said." (Zeke Miller, "Obama Bundler Decries 'Villification' Of Private Equity," BuzzFeed, 5/15/12)

These 14 Democrat Defectors – Like All Americans – Are Ready To Focus On The Real Issues Facing The Country:

During President Obama's Time In Office, The Nation Has Lost 572,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased To 8.1%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/12)

Nearly Twenty-Three Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed, Or Have Stopped Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/12)

In April, "More Than 340,000 Workers Dropped Out Of The Labor Force." "April's jobs report was, in a word, disappointing. The economy added only 115,000 jobs. Hiring slowed. More than 340,000 workers dropped out of the labor force." (Charles Riley, "Why Obama Can't Match The Reagan Recovery," CNN Money, 5/4/12)

"More Than 5 Million Americans Have Been Unemployed For Six Months Or Longer..." "More than 5 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer, an astonishingly high number almost three years into a recovery." (Christopher S. Rugaber, "US Hiring Slows Sharply With Just 115K Jobs Added," The Associated Press, 5/4/12)