On Screen: In his latest speech, Mitt Romney dismissed U.S. policy in the Middle East as relying too much on "hope."
Mitt Romney Foreign Policy Speech, 10/8/12: I know the president hopes for a safer, freer and more prosperous Middle East, allied with us; I share this hope. But hope is not a strategy.
On Screen: But in his notorious 47% video, he dismissed problems in the Middle East as not even worth trying to solve.
Mitt Romney at fundraiser, 5/17/12: What you do is, you say, you move things along the best way you can. You hope for some degree of stability, but you recognize that this is going to remain an unsolved problem. [break in tape] And we kick the ball down the field and hope that ultimately, somehow, something will happen and will resolve it.
On Screen: Romney's foreign policy problem: If we can't believe him, how will anyone else in the world?
On Screen: Obama-Biden Truth Team.
When I've posted web only ads before, there is always at least one person who comments about how they wish it was a television ad. So let me make this point up front. The reason every ad can't be broadcast on television has to do with budgeting campaign funds wisely. The campaign can not afford to buy air time for every ad it produces. However, this is the 21st century; not the 20th century. Do you know what's different now? The Internet and social media are playing a huge roll in this campaign, and this is a place that the Obama campaign blows Romney out of the water.
You may only have like-minded friends on Facebook who already agree with you. However, consider the people on Facebook who have accumulated hundreds of friends and acquaintances. When they post a web-only ad on their page, and it is seen and shared by a few other friends; there is a snowball effect. One of the primary purposes of these web only ads is that we help the campaign by sharing them via email and social media like Facebook and Twitter.
Another reason the campaign posts ads on the web only is for the media to pick up on the campaign's arguments on a particular issue. The ad will be mentioned for free in articles and on the 24/7 cable news stations. A good example of this is the Priorities USA Ad that was only broadcast on television once (by accident). And yet, it was talked about and written about constantly.
Finally, for those hoping for TV ads about foreign policy, the Obama campaign did release one for television on Monday reminding voters about Romney's overseas tour this summer as well as his reaction to the murders in Benghazi.
I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message.
Narrator: Reckless, amateurish — that's what news media and fellow Republicans called Mitt Romney's gaffe-filled July tour of England, Israel and Poland.
On Screen: "Reckless" — Tampa Bay Times 7/31/12 [See Romney's foreign misadventures]
On Screen: "Amateurish" — National Journal 8/27/12 [See Foreign Policy: Who Has Romney's Ear?]
On Screen: Romney Trip Begins in Shambles — CNN 7/27/12 [See Romney trip begins in shambles]
Narrator: When our U.S. diplomats were attacked in Libya. The New York Times said Romney's knee-jerk response 'showed an extraordinary lack of presidential character.'
On Screen: MITT ROMNEY Showed an Extraordinary Lack of Presidential Character — The New York Times 9/12/12 [See Murder in Benghazi]
Narrator: And even Republican experts said Romney's remarks were 'the worst possible reaction to what happened.'
On Screen: "the Worst possible reaction" Anthony Cordesman, Former McCain Foreign Policy Advisor 9/12/12 [See Condemnation Quick from Floridians for Murder of Americans at Consulate in Libya]
Narrator: If this is how he handles the world now just think what Mitt Romney might do as president.