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Bain Capital attack ads against Romney impacting voters?

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    Fox News contributors Karl Rove and Joe Trippi weigh in

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Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital is the focus this week of an intense back and forth on the campaign trail.

Here's what President Obama says Saturday.

Whereas my opponent.

In his private business.

Was investing in companies that the Washington Post -- pioneers of outsourcing.

Sources.

And here's some of the ad put out by the Romney campaign and challenges the president on that point.

-- president doesn't tell the truth.

How can we trust him to leave the Obama outsourcing attacks misleading unfair and untrue.

There was no evidence that Mitt Romney ship jobs overseas.

Joining us -- to discuss told us -- two top operatives with years of experience running presidential campaigns Karl Rove founder of the big Republican super back.

American crossroads and Joseph Trippi who among other things -- Howard dean's campaign manager both of Fox News contributors gentlemen welcome.

You are right.

The question it seems to have to be raised by this.

Though Bain attacks it is first weather they're having an effect whether there -- Mitt Romney's.

Standing with the voters and secondly whether the Romney camp is wise to hold back as it has with -- it's.

Spending on ads the -- -- your -- Well a personal let let's go to white board here these attacks began on May fifteenth -- an -- from the Obama campaign.

And they've continued ever since I may fifteenth the Gallup poll had the race -- 4545.

We're now two months we've got 46 part 45 is should be 4545.

Upstart that's quite all right -- it right there -- 4545.

In -- mid July last Friday.

The race is 4646.

So that's nationally but even but isn't it the case -- -- -- facility swing states.

You see the president ahead he's.

And in Virginia in some polls he's -- -- Florida latest O'Donnell that hasn't had an effective if you take a look at -- the movement since April 11 has generally been in these battleground states towards.

Mitt Romney for example Virginia has tightened up Florida has gone from Obama with a lead outside the margin of error to essentially dead even the national polls essentially show this race.

Dead even if there was going to be a big effect.

We see it now I do think that this is not something should be dismissed right now there's not big movement available to either candidate.

What that well because people are spent and you know people are.

Not feel like they need to make a decision and the -- and the voters are up for grabs in the selection independent voters.

Are spent -- a lot less time paying attention politics and lot more time.

Paying attention their lives and out later on this fall.

The question will be whether or not this information is as it becomes a part of their calculation when it comes to I don't know if -- -- I think.

It -- shocking to me is how.

On ready for the the Romney people seem to be for this tactic they had to note that these documents existed that -- was the CEO.

And chairman and in this -- sole shareholder of the company but we're talking -- better.

Is the -- claim that the this Romney is repeatedly made that.

He left Bain Capital with a leave of absence -- in 1999 to go run the Olympics we know we did go run the Olympics right -- the documents thereafter however it -- follow the SEC.

Continued to show his name as CEO sole owner and then.

And so on of the company suggesting that while he was doing the Olympics.

He may also been -- exam.

What exactly in there and it did their defense of the dad is the it.

He wasn't there when all these bad things might happen.

And so I think one we don't know what the effect of this last week is yet we haven't seen seen data but I suspect we may look back at this and say why weren't they ready.

Why hasn't he will be you know as is -- You -- Romney released the minutes of the meetings during the -- of Bain capital's meetings during the three.

Years there or something I'm something proactive to say this isn't true this isn't it isn't right that your views them that these attacks.

Are now and are have have had an effect yeah I think I -- my own -- -- look it is I think this is really hurting Romney right now I don't think I don't think where -- -- the evidence in -- or elsewhere I haven't seen that talking about as it -- somebody's been in a presidential campaign you can't let this stuff go when he answered you've got to put.

The proof in the facts out there and I don't think -- It didn't seem like they were ready to do that -- this is an attack the Newt Gingrich did in the primaries and they just seem to be flat footed with a I don't I don't know why but that's how -- tomorrow.

Two different attacks we we just talked about one which was that he really didn't take a leave of absence to go Romney Olympic Committee continue to run -- -- total baloney.

Even the Washington Post said said that this was baloney.

That the fact of the matter is look what Steve Jobs was the CEO of apple and took a leave of absence for medical reasons nobody continue to see where you're -- guy who's making the day to day decisions.

Romney was busy running the Olympics and they were ready for this particular attack I agree with -- they weren't ready for the earlier attack.

On the six companies that that Obama raised up.

And said these these companies all outsource jobs to -- a week to respond to say for these companies didn't outsource jobs move a single job overseas they created jobs at home.

And two companies -- bought bought by -- after -- had left but the fact of the matter is -- -- -- that if the president continues to make this charge.

This outrageous charges campaign had they've written -- -- is guilty of felonious activity could committed a felony.

That's a big mistake remember who's up for grab in this election independent voters they were drawn to Obama in 2008.

Because it was gonna change politics and raise and elevate the political discourse this is gutter politics and -- Chicago -- this is to try out.

That they've set for Romney because.

If you're correct that I don't think he's just on I don't think he did anything.

That was a felony perjury area to -- please anybody in the Obama administration the Obama campaign believes that but if you're gonna come back -- Hardin say I'm not I didn't.

Then you're saying it in -- Romney falling of the -- -- there was nothing would have been wrong if I had been and that the CEO chairman and in actively managing the company in that means he's now why all the stuff.

-- it was wrong that they are the outsourcing.

Some of these companies that they investing in some of them are gonna create problems for him and his base win.

The ads -- run that that show what these companies were doing so I think he's really.

-- -- Flat footed in stepping on both sides in.

Looking like it's gonna look like flip flopping all the things that go back to what people question about Romney he.

Feel the Obama campaign has set a trap for him and he's falling into it I really believe that.

Each side has a challenge and as a problem.

The president's problem is is that he is not the candidate of 2008 that won the support of the American people using cheap Chicago pol.

Taking two attacks and even the -- -- post and in other news organizations are saying are misleading unfair and untrue.

The probable for -- as he did he can't get stuck in the mud in the gutter.

With what with what Obama he's -- -- -- he's -- -- well but -- but there's a way out of the trap which is to refute.

And -- it's to say.

This is unfair untrue -- third party sources say this is wrong presence untrue unfair misleading.

And why's he doing this because his policies have failed -- on -- the economy going bring down unemployment do and reduces data it's only to have.

The broader question here is this.

Romney's held back out of his campaign corporate spending some money as he can't spend the the general election -- it begins so.

But what we really haven't seen them from the Romney campaign is kind of an introduction of him reintroduction of him to the voters who were prepped -- paying -- Republican primary season.

And in the meantime you have is -- pointed out this intense effort to define him by the Obama campaign.

Is that possible and isn't a risk that.

The Obama team will succeed in defining Romney in a way.

And you see it in some of the polling where where people think he's out for himself and so forth you see that in some polling that he's more out -- -- thing is gonna fix the economy and support.

That he will be defined in a way that will be indelible by the time he finally gets around to trying to bit reintroduce himself with a conventional whatever your thoughts -- I don't I don't agree I think that's do you think there's plenty of time for him to define himself.

We got yes he faces a conundrum one of the best ways to define yourself as to describe what -- -- you'll do.

The more he describes now what it is he will do when he becomes -- he's gonna enough.

I don't think he is but but -- I understand there's a there's a very serious question here how much you lay out now because.

People in the news business you lay it out now while Labor Day they'll say that's old news and right now remember what we've had this sort of intensive attack as you say.

Intensive attack hasn't had an impact so what they're trying to make a decision that is how much -- they hold back.

And lay out later and how much -- they lay out now in order to keep the developing an image of who Romney is so.

But I think he's few mistakes they haven't they haven't done to find him.

And I think they need to do two things one refute these things I mean they they -- not releasing their tax returns.

Not releasing the Bennett the minutes of the pain -- to -- all these things that could put all this stuff to rest ports or something -- hiding that's going to be something the Obama campaign can.

Continues to push in -- Romney.

Waits and waits waits and finally caved to the pressure and releases things that's gonna create a bigger problem as people are looking at who they're gonna make -- What are the risks on the Obama's he's spending a lot of money -- burn rate is huge he's got a gigantic campaign structure he's got offices I guess now on every state.

He's going through an awful lot of money he's frantically raising money everywhere do you think there's a risk that he over does it early and doesn't have enough left late -- Well I think there's two things they think they didn't.

See this race broadening out and as many states is its broadening out here -- a volunteer Obama campaign so it.

I think they thought by now they would be trimming field organizations and some -- -- -- television spending.

As this got down to 45 or six states instead it's expanding out to nine or ten states.

Subtle weakness -- -- -- sign of the race getting tighter or not being able to put Romney away but I do think if we.

I do think there's a chance that when we look back it's going to be this week we're Romney.

It's things started going wrong for him unless they can get on track I mean I think.

If -- -- giving -- the Romney campaign to be released tax returns released that.

Minutes the meetings and get some pro active ideas out there about the economy and in -- Tigers the last one -- do you think he needs to step up to you to -- looking agenda but look let's let's be.

Nothing is gonna satisfy President Obama and his team.

-- a Democrat who is a partner in Bain Capital in fact he sought the democratic nomination for the US senate in 2010 came out and said wait a minute.

I -- I was which I was -- the -- people are charged debate Romney took a leave of absence and had no involvement in our decision making that didn't do anything to satisfy Animal Planet.

-- those GPS has a lot of money.

And and and is in a position to step into which you may perceive as the breach here -- ad campaign that would deal with some of these things what are you gonna do.

-- you ought to turn on your television war between may fifteenth between the first of may and the end of July.

I've seen numbers that indicate that Louisiana wildlife and its allies are about a hundred and they will spend about a 115160.

Million dollars on television.

But in that same period Romney and his outside allies will spend roughly.

A 152 million dollars on television we spent 22 million dollars last month we're spending 25 million dollars message.

The message is president Obama's policies are not well but that is not a positive Muslim -- look Romney Romney can develop the positive message somebody needs to continue to Ryan remind the American people.

Of the explicit failure of the president deliver on his promises and get the economy go on to something about the deficit.

Put Americans back to work and and and and change the tone in Washington.

What do you think about this.

I look I think American crossroads in the super pacs -- what's keeping -- has been keeping an -- -- -- -- during their approaches are right not to do positive hits very hard referring to the big -- Obama it's very hard for an independent committee you're for a super -- I think to do good positive on it on a candidate I -- and just talking is that as it.

As an operative it's a lot easier due to do the negative in the make that case and I expect that's gonna continue happening the the issue here is.

Do similar super -- Spending does that ramp up on the democratic side hasn't hasn't yet started to bit not not in a way that they have on -- -- there is -- guys on the other side Democrats who Hartford financial news and yes absolutely and and Obama doesn't have that you know let's let's be clear right quick word recruitment of.

President Obama the DNC of -- 512 million dollars Obama Mitt Romney in the RNC raised 389.

These super pacs on the Republican side and outside groups or even you know -- -- still has financially all right -- -- thanks very much for sharing a thought.

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