Romney Campaign Press Release - What They're Saying: Romney For President's Television Ad "Believe in America"

Senator John McCain: "Good @MittRomney Ad – Reminder Of The President's Broken Promises."

(Sen. John McCain, Twitter, 11/22/11)

The New York Times: "Moving the campaign into a more combative phase, Mitt Romney is set to show his first television commercial of the campaign on Tuesday in New Hampshire, attacking President Obama over his economic leadership on the same day the president will visit the state to discuss his plans for turning around the economy. ... By focusing his message on the president, Mr. Romney is trying to show Republicans that he can take on Mr. Obama aggressively, an attribute that conservatives are seeking in a nominee." (The New York Times, 11/21/11)

Politico: "Mitt Romney's first television ad of the 2012 campaign takes on President Barack Obama directly with a general election-style contrast message, declaring that the incumbent has 'failed' and accusing Obama of trying to change the subject away from the economy. ... The commercial signals that, no matter what else is going on in the Republican primary, Romney remains as focused as ever on the man in the White House, and continues to campaign under the belief that the best way to win the primary is to show he's the best man to fight the general election." (Politico, 11/21/11)

Roll Call: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is airing his first TV ad in New Hampshire. The minute-long ad, which will be released Tuesday, criticizes President Barack Obama's handling of the economy. It prominently features grainy footage of Obama as a candidate in New Hampshire in 2008, pledging to turn around the economy." (Roll Call, 11/21/11)

The Associated Press: "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is turning President Barack Obama's own words against him in the Republican hopeful's TV first ad of his 2012 White House bid. ... [Romney] said the commercial would compare Obama's message as a candidate with Romney's credentials as a businessman. 'The contrast between what he said and what he did is so stark, people will recognize we really do need to have someone new lead this country,' Romney said in an interview with Fox News Channel." (The Associated Press, 11/21/11)

The Boston Globe: "Mitt Romney is launching his first television ad tomorrow in New Hampshire, targeting President Obama during his trip to the Granite State. The spot ... seizes on Obama's 2008 criticism of then-GOP nominee John McCain, whose adviser said at that time: 'If we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose.' That snippet is heard over footage of Obama's own visit to the lead presidential primary state that year. ... Romney has been one of the few candidates yet to air a TV ad, and the fact that he's taking one out targeting Obama is significant, and indicates his strong position." (The Boston Globe, 11/21/11)

National Journal: "In the ad, according to a release from Romney's campaign, footage of then-presidential candidate Obama is shown from various appearances in 2008, making such declarations as 'We need a rescue plan for the middle class' and 'We need to provide relief for homeowners.' The ad then argues that such pronouncements have failed and ends with Romney touting his 'smaller, simpler, smarter' approach. ... The spot continues the former Massachusetts governor's approach of largely ignoring other GOP candidates in favor of focusing squarely on Obama." (National Journal, 11/21/11)

GOP Strategist Ed Rogers: "In the Romney campaign, we may be witnessing a truly well-designed and well-executed campaign. ... This ad represents more of the same from the Romney campaign. ... The ad opens with grainy images of Obama, and it uses Obama's own words to highlight his administration's economic failures. ... Then Romney clearly and succinctly appears on the screen with a strong voice and images that highlight manufacturing, and the ad closes with Romney standing in front of a banner that includes the phrase 'Cut the Spending.' It touches all the right buttons and has all of the right images." (The Washington Post's "The Insiders," 11/22/11)