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Firestorm over rejected ad campaign targeting Obama

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    Conservative super PAC considered revisiting Rev. Wright controversy

  • Duration 5:18
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-- right now I proposed ad campaign targeting President Obama is literally written making headlines and raising country occur controversy.

As reported by the New York Times the ad campaign was intended to remind voters.

Of the people who have influence our president's thinking and mr.

Obama is linked to his controversial former pastor Jeremiah Wright.

-- remember Wright's racially charged sermons and condemnation of America prompted President Obama to give a major speech on race during the campaign.

In 2008.

He also disassociated himself from Reverend Wright.

Investor and businessman Joseph rickets heads a super pac that was considering the ad campaign.

The group releasing a statement saying -- decided not to go with it it because it involved an approach that rickets rejected.

Presumptive Republican nominee governor Mitt Romney quickly repudiated the plan as well telling reporters I hope that our campaigns can be respectively about the future.

And about issues and about vision for America.

White House spokesman Jay Carney also reacting saying to launch a multimillion dollar divisive attack campaign is not what the American people -- But -- there are all kinds of questions about what did or didn't happen here let's get into it with -- Monica Crowley Fox News contributor and radio talk show host.

And Alexis McGill Johnson the executive director at the American values institute welcome to both of you -- -- Alexis you you don't think that this would have been a good thing a good campaign to benefit Mitt Romney even though let's say it again.

He didn't have anything to do it why.

I think it actually backfire I think we're seeing the proposed plan backfire because this is not where Americans are.

Americans absolutely rejected -- -- these these intentional.

And attempts to increase racial anxiety.

And so I think you know Romney was right to repudiate it I think that it will accrue to the benefit of the Obama campaign is it has been trying to to run race in the campaign that's built.

On the issues but was this Monica I mean was appropriate proposed campaign about race or was it about -- -- Well it's very interesting John to to watch team Obama's preemptive strike against a nonexistent and yeah I -- and put -- to not even put into production.

And yet they had something of a little bit of a meltdown here because look I think team Obama does not want the American people.

Reminded of any of the sources of Obama's radicalism.

Of where it's Jeremiah Wright is certainly a part.

So I think that they certainly don't want that injected into this race however while it's politically Smart I agree with the Lexus on this is politically Smart for governor Romney.

To disassociate himself with this kind of approach in terms of the campaign.

Super pacs can do whatever they want they got freedom of speech that got a lot of money and if they want to remind the American people that look.

-- the policies we've seen over the last three and a half here's our direct result.

Of the kind of radicalism that Barack Obama was exposed to via Jeremiah Wright and a host of other a radical influences then certainly it's in their purview to be able to do that in this case they're not going to but that doesn't mean other super -- won't let -- Alexis that the White House was all over this proposed campaign and and Jay Carney you know condemned it -- said you know we should be talking about bigger things and other things.

But here's what the -- Here's what -- wrote about this -- intended campaign are proposed campaign Mitt Romney swiftly and firmly distance himself Thursday.

From a group exploring plans to target president Barack Obama's relationship.

With a controversial former pastor and even the New York Times which put this story on its front page wrote this it says.

Should the plan proceed it would run counter to the strategy.

Being employed by Mitt Romney's team which has so far avoided attacks such attacks.

The Romney campaign has sought to focus attention on the economy I mean doesn't that put.

Mitt Romney's campaign in the curious position of sort of this is so mean this associating his campaign.

From something that had nothing to -- Well yeah I think he is right to repudiated on those grounds I think with with ironic about it is that.

Mitt Romney has also been on shows like you know Hannity is a radio program talking about Jeremiah Wright -- -- So I'm on some level he's trying to -- flat bottom on race as well as as many other issues well and Monica if the president is -- is concerned about the economy what is the.

Talk about everything else these days.

Well exactly rice talking gay marriage he's talking about -- made up GOP war on women -- saga about student loans silicon got everything except the economy and I think that one of Mitt Romney's great strengths is that he's incredibly disciplines and he stays on focus stays on message would just talk and about yesterday was what we're talking about -- the American people back to work.

Which this president has utterly yeah today I coming -- message Romney will win.

And I think that needs to be the issue but I mean incredibly focused and disciplined he's been all over the map on -- a variety of issues Americans still don't know what Mitt Romney's -- for.

And if he's gonna talk about race on and on when he -- repudiate these efforts and then go on Hannity and talk about how.

You know we should still be concerned about Jeremiah Wright when -- -- but that's a bad that I -- we need to be concerned aren't that that appearance when he discussed that was several months ago worth pointing that out.

Alexis Monica thank you both you bet.

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