The Team Romney response highlights the real clout of this ad. Here’s a hint, it’s not about jobs.
Under Obamacare, this man’s wife would have had coverage. If Romney is elected, and repeals Obamacare, she would not. Romney’s surrogate said as much with his “if she moved to Mass she’d have been fine” response.
This isn’t “Romney killed my wife”, it’s “Romney wants to go back to the system that killed my wife”.
Yep, that race will be in 2016.
Maybe. But most of those people are in mental institutions, so they won’t be able to vote anyway. Romney is no more to blame than that butterfly who flapped it’s wings in Japan.
Nitpick: Apparently the Obama campaign used this steelworker (and had him tell this story) in a campaign conference call back in May.
It would be nice if Obama would man up and condemn it.
Also…ROMNEY IS A BUSINESSMAN. NEWS AT 11.
Maybe the majority of Americans find that this type of businessman isn’t fit to be the President. There’s nothing wrong with that.
I love the cries from Republicans for Democrats to hold themselves to higher standards.
I think Romney should be the one to step up to the plate and condemn misleading ads first. He can start with the ones he approved that include lies.
This type? What? He made a financial decision and closed down a factory. Presidents do the same thing when looking at budgets.
Yeah, me too. Except I’m a Democrat, so I just naturally expect my party to act better.
Yeah, I saw that. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is an independent organization putting the ad out there now. We can all “wink, wink” about how these Super Pacs aren’t really independent, but unless there is substantive proof that they aren’t, then we have to assume that they are. Independent, that is. That is not to say they have no history, but they have no coordination now.
One thing I think we’re seeing here is the hubris that these Super Pacs are operating under. Citizens’ United unleashed a shit load of free speech, but a lot of it ain’t very smart. I think the public is going to tire of this negativity and ignore most of it. The hard core partisans might lap it up, but they’ve already made their minds up. Independents are going to :rolleyes:.
I wish I could agree with you. I’m beyond hoping negative ads will finally quit being effective with the American voter. I keep hoping for some sign, somewhere, that there is a pendulum beginning to reverse it’s swing…
Because to a lot of normal people, claiming the word “that” in “if you have a business, you didn’t build that” is a bit more of a whopper than “my wife died of cancer and it’s Romney’s fault”.
Extreme Obama partisans, like much of the SDMB, aren’t capable of seeing or admitting that. That doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
Regards,
Shodan
Yes, it is the liberals who are blinded by the word “that.” Just keep telling yourself “that.”
ETA: I would like to apologize to small business owners everywhere for using the word “that.” I truly didn’t mean to insult you by using “the word that shall not be repeated” in a way that could be ambiguous if it were taken out of context. I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings by using that word.
Ah, crap. I did it again.
I’m not saying all negative ads will lose their punch, but I think this type of ad isn’t going to sway independent voters.
Of course, I could be wrong. 
I hope you are not, but so far it seems the most nuanced analysis of the American character came from a pundit named PT Barnum, all those years ago…
Irony, your name is Shodan.
Apparently conservatives are frothing mad at Andrea Sual’s accidental truth telling.
It is not desperation at all, Obama is doing quite good in most polls and has a very large chance of winning reelection. The Bain attacks are working, that is why you see them ramping up and why Romney is spending so much ad time trying to refute them.
You obviously misunderstand the meaning of the word “context.” I think you have it confused with the word “meaning.” The context of Obama’s remarks, taken in totality, and by definition, cannot change. It is what it is. The commercial distorts, nay, completely misrepresents, what Obama was saying.
Oh, and my opinion of the ad? If you removed any reference to Romney and Bain and the ad addressed only what can happen if you find yourself in a life and death situation without access to adequate health care, it would have been a terrific ad for the Affordable Care Act. But since that ship has sailed, that won’t really be necessary, will it? 
But blaming Romney for this? It’s more than a stretch, it’s ridiculous: Romney wasn’t even there when the company went belly-up!
It’s not just the voters but also the media. Granted, Romney (and his camp’s) response didn’t help but this ad has kept him off message for a couple days now and burned a couple media cycles. In a sense, it doesn’t have to convince a single person to be a success even if the only thing it does it help run out the clock before the election.