Romney Campaign Press Release - Day Nine: Disgraceful Super Pac Ad On Air, Obama Still In Hiding

"As President Obama continues his campaign of rage and divisiveness, his disgraceful Super PAC ad is now on the air. President Obama is officially out of excuses. They claim the station aired it by mistake. But if they didn't intend to air it, why would they ship the false ad to TV stations in the first place? President Obama once set the highest expectations and is now engaged in the lowest form of campaigning."  — Matt Rhoades, Romney Campaign Manager

Yesterday, President Obama's Super PAC Shipped And Aired Its Widely Debunked Ad In Ohio — And Promptly Claimed It Was An "Error":

The Obama Super PAC Ad Shipped And Aired Its Disgraceful Attack Ad. "The controversial Obama super PAC ad accusing Mitt Romney of contributing to the death of a woman whose husband lost health insurance is hitting TV for the first time." (Zeke Miller, "Obama Super PAC Ad Accusing Romney Of Contributing To Woman's Death Now On TV," BuzzFeed, 8/14/12)

The Obama Super PAC Blamed The Airing On A "Station Error." "A pro-Obama super-PAC blamed 'station error' after a controversial ad tying Mitt Romney to a woman's death from cancer aired Wednesday in the key swing state of Ohio." (Meghashyam Mali, "Obama Super-PAC Blames 'Station Error' After Cancer Ad Airs," The Hill, 8/15/12)

For The Last Week, President Obama's Advisers Have Ducked Calls To Condemn The Ad, Claiming It Had "Not Run Yet":

Obama Campaign Senior Adviser David Axelrod: "It's Not Running, By The Way, The Ad Hasn't Been On The Air." STEPHANOPOULOS: "Does the President stand behind that ad? Does he agree with what was in that ad?" AXELROD: "I don't think anybody - anybody believes that Mr. Soptic's wife, that Governor Romney can be blamed for the death of Mr. Soptic's wife, and frankly, I don't think the ad says that either." STEPHANOPOULOS: "It suggests it, though doesn't it, David?" AXELROD: "But, you know, the irony of all this, the irony of all this, George, is that this ad is running at the very same time that Governor Romney's campaign is running an ad that he paid for - it's not running, by the way, the ad hasn't been on the air..." (ABC's "This Week," 8/12/12)

Obama Campaign Spokeswoman Jen Psaki: "We're Focusing So Much On An Ad That Has Not Run Yet..." PSAKI: "So I think what's clear here, again, is that we are -- hold on, we are about to land -- what's clear here, again, is that we're focusing so much on an ad that has not run yet, that is done by an outside group." (Jen Psaki, Press Gaggle, 8/9/12)

Obama Surrogate Tim Roemer: "It's Not On The Airwaves." BALDWIN: "My question to you is given the facts, and I say that sort of loosely, of this ad and also the tone taken here, Mr. Ambassador, do you think that the president should disavow the ad? And would you, will you, disavow the ad?" ROEMER: "Look, Brooke, I haven't even seen the ad. You said it's not on the airwaves." (CNN's "Starting Point," 8/9/12)

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: "In How Many States Has The Ad That You're Talking About Aired? ... How Many Dollars Has Been Spent On This Ad?" QUESTION: "Well, this is the super PAC that President -- the one super PAC that President Obama himself allowed his bundlers." CARNEY:  "Well, no, let's talk about size, Brianna.  In how many states has the ad that you're talking about aired?" QUESTION: "Probably 50, if you consider the news, right?" CARNEY:  "And how many -- just based on media reports, how many dollars has been spent on this ad?" (Jay Carney, White House Press Briefing, 8/10/12)

Now That The Ad Has Run, Will President Obama And His Advisers Join Their Fellow Democrats In Condemning The Ad?

Former Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN): "We Need To Also Disavow Ads Like This ... And This Ad Should Not Run And...We Should Say That." "'...My own view is, if we're going to retain our credibility as Democrats to condemn the other side when they go too far, which they have with regard to the president from time to time, we need to also disavow ads like this,' Bayh said on Sunday. 'And this ad should not run and...we should say that.'" (Katie Glueck, "Evan Bayh: Democrats Must Disavow Priorities Ad," Politico, 8/13/12)

Former Representative Joe Sestak (D-PA): "Over The Edge." "'I thought the ad was wrong in terms of trying to tie a presidential candidate to a personal tragedy of a family,' said former Congressman Joe Sestak, a Democrat from Pennsylvania. 'This ad goes over the edge.'" (Peter Nicholas and Colleen McCain Nelson, "Star Of Anti-Romney Ad Explains His Stance," The Wall Street Journal, 8/8/12)

Former Clinton Adviser Lanny Davis: "Bill Burton Needs To Go Back To Ethics School. ... The Ad Is Misleading And Disgusting..." "Bill Burton needs to go back to ethics school. ... He knows perfectly well that the ad is misleading and disgusting and he needs to apologize for it." (Steve Portnoy, "'Disgusting' Pro-Obama Ad Criticized By Democrat," ABC News, 8/9/12)

Democratic Strategist Pat Caddell: "Lowered Politics Into The Sewer, So Far Down There Is No Bottom." CADDELL: "What I'm concerned about here is that we have now lowered politics into the sewer, so far down there is no bottom. ... He (Obama) has everything to do with it, and these people have everything to do with it in his campaign..." (Fox News' "America Live," 8/10/12)

Democratic Strategist Doug Schoen: "They Should Disavow This Ad ... Over The Line..." SCHOEN: "They should disavow this ad. From the top down they should disavow it. you heard jay carney just a few minutes ago dance around it. You know, truth is truth and facts are facts. when people make mistakes you say we went over the line, we shouldn't have done it and you walk away from it." (Fox News' "America Live," 8/10/12)

The Hill's Brent Budowsky: "Sickening ... Despicable." "It is sickening. It is despicable. It is unworthy of a sitting president. It is unworthy of a candidate for president. It is unworthy even of the campaign from hell we are witnessing." (Brent Budowsky, "Obama Should Demand Priorities USA Pull Its Ad Suggesting Romney And Bain Killed A Woman," The Hill, 8/8/12)