GOP, pro-Obama super PAC highlight voters who switched sides
(CBS News) Republicans and Democrats may seem diametrically opposed on just about every issue, but their message is the same: The other guy will let you down.
At the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., Tuesday, the GOP is featuring a video featuring former supporters of President Obama. Similarly, a pro-Obama super PAC on Tuesday launched a new television ad featuring a former supporter of Mitt Romney.
A recent focus group showed that ads featuring "real people" with subtle messages are some of the most effective among voters who could still be swayed.
The new GOP video, called "Switchers," features three former Obama supporters: a female, white business owner and two middle-aged white men.
"I'm a lifelong Democrat that supported Barack Obama's election in 2008," the woman says. "I caucused for him, donated to the rallies and even donated to his campaign."
She then talks about how her business has gone from 13 employees to seven because of the economy. "I just don't see things getting better," she continues. "I'm very concerned about the debt... the overspending. I'm supporting Mitt Romney because I think he's a great businessman and that he's turned businesses around, I like that he turned the Olympics around."
One man says that Mr. Obama broke his campaign promises, which is "unforgivable." The second man says, "We didn't get hope and change, we got deficit and unemployment."
Their commentary is accompanied by soft music that turns slightly more uplifting as the former Obama supporters start talking about Romney. While explaining their shift in allegiance, they flip over Obama campaign signs to show the other side, with a Romney campaign sign.
"Governor Romney promised that he would bring jobs to this state. By the time Governor Romney left office, we had fallen to 47th in the nation in terms of job growth," says Olive Chase, a self-described political independent and the owner of a Massachusetts catering businesses who donated to Romney's 2002 gubernatorial campaign.
"Governor Romney cares about big business, he cares about tax cuts for wealthy people and I certainly do not believe he cares about my hard-working employees. I feel like I was duped by Mitt Romney. I'm going to vote for President Obama."
The 30-second ad is part of a $30 million project by the super PAC that will focus on how proposals offered by Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, would affect the middle class. It will run on television and on the web in the battleground state of Florida, the host state of the GOP convention, as well as in Colorado, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia.
"Americans are going to hear a lot about Mitt Romney this week. These new ads are designed to make sure voters hear the whole story," said Bill Burton, senior strategist for the PAC.
Romney campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg called the ad "a desperate attempt by the president's allies to try and distract voters from President Obama's failed record."
