Romney Campaign Press Release - More Bain Backfire: Early Obama Backer Decries "European Leftist" Attacks

"Another prominent Democrat and Obama supporter has joined the ever-expanding list of those rebuking President Obama's assault on free enterprise. The American people know that this election is about the 23 million of their fellow citizens who are struggling to find work, not desperate political attacks from a president who doesn't have what it takes to get our economy moving again." – Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Earlier Today, Former Representative Artur Davis (D-AL) Decried The Obama Campaign's "European Leftist" Attacks On Free Enterprise:

Davis: The Obama Campaign's Attacks Follow "The European Leftist Notion That Business Is Fair Only When It Operates In A Sanitized, Risk Free Manner." DAVIS: "It's hard to imagine a more instructive couple of days for those who want to know where the Democratic Party's head is at: its only high-profile African American moderate just got a brushback pitch for leaning in too close to the Independent thought zone; the Obama camp looks ominously like a cult of personality that tolerates no dissent; and the reelection campaign just doubled down on the European leftist notion that business is fair only when it operates in a sanitized, risk free manner." (Artur Davis, "Should Democrats Stop Bain Capital Attacks?" Politico, 5/22/12)

Davis Was An Early Supporter Of Obama's Campaign In 2007. "Davis was an early backer of Obama's presidential campaign, but he voted against the president's health care overhaul in an effort to keep himself viable in November." (Huma Khan, "Obama Friend Artur Davis Loses Bid To Become Alabama's 1st African-American Governor," ABC News, 6/2/10)

Davis Joins The Growing List Of Prominent Democrats Who Are "Very Uncomfortable" With President Obama's "Disappointing" Attacks:

Former Governor And Former DNC Chair Ed Rendell, On President Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise: "Very Disappointing." "And Rendell joined the chorus of criticism of Obama's attacks on finance, whose leaders have written checks to many members of both parties. 'I think they're very disappointing,' Rendell said of the ads attacking Bain." (Zeke Miller, "Is This Obama's Party?," BuzzFeed, 5/22/12)

Former Representative Harold Ford (D-TN), On President Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise: "Private Equity's Not A Bad Thing. ... Private Equity Is A Good Thing In Many, Many Instances." "Former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford said Monday that he would not have walked back New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker's surprising comments criticizing the Obama campaign for attacking private equity. 'I would not have backed off the comments if I were Mayor Booker,' Ford, a Democrat, said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' 'The substance of his comments on 'Meet the Press,' I agree with the core of it. I would not have backed them out... private equity's not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, private equity is a good thing in many, many instances.'" (Tim Mak, "Ex-Rep. Ford: Booker Was Right," Politico, 5/21/12)

Mayor Cory Booker (D-Newark, NJ): "If You Look At The Totality Of Bain Capital's Record, They've Done A Lot To Support Businesses, To Grow Businesses, And This To Me, I'm Very Uncomfortable With." BOOKER: "I have to say from a very personal level I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity. To me, it's just, we're getting to a ridiculous point in America. Especially, I know, I live in a state where pension funds, unions and other people are investing in companies like Bain Capital. If you look at the totality of Bain Capital's record, they've done a lot to support businesses, to grow businesses, and this to me, I'm very uncomfortable with." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/20/12)

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA): "I Think Bain Capital Was A Very Successful Business." (MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," 5/22/12)

Former Obama Economic Adviser Stephen Rattner: "I Think The [Obama] Ad Is Unfair... I Don't Think There's Anything Bain Capital Did That They Need To Be Embarrassed About." "Former Obama administration auto czar Steven Rattner said Monday that the Obama campaign's renewed attack on Mitt Romney's time in private equity was 'unfair.' 'I think the ad is unfair.' Rattner said. ... '[Bain Capital] did it superbly well, acting within the rules, acting very responsibly,' Rattner said. 'This is part of capitalism, this is part of life. I don't think there's anything Bain Capital did that they need to be embarrassed about.'" (Byron Tau, "Ex-Obama Adviser: Latest Anti-Romney Ad Is 'Unfair'," Politico, 5/14/12)

Obama Supporter And Bundler Don Peebles: "Any Type Of Attack And Vilification Of A Particular Industry Is Not Okay To Begin With." "Peebles, who is sometimes described as the largest-scale African-American real estate developer in the country, told BuzzFeed that he was wary of the ads by the Obama campaign and the pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA which have attacked Bain Capital. 'Any type of attack and vilification of a particular industry is not okay to begin with,' he said." (Zeke Miller, "Obama Bundler Decries 'Villification' Of Private Equity," BuzzFeed, 5/15/12)

Why Are Democrats Rebuking President Obama's Attacks? Because There Are More Important Issues Facing The Country – Like The Nearly 23 Million Americans Struggling For Work:

During President Obama's Time In Office, The Nation Has Lost 572,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased To 8.1%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/12)

Nearly Twenty-Three Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed, Or Have Stopped Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 5/21/12)

In April, "More Than 340,000 Workers Dropped Out Of The Labor Force." "April's jobs report was, in a word, disappointing. The economy added only 115,000 jobs. Hiring slowed. More than 340,000 workers dropped out of the labor force." (Charles Riley, "Why Obama Can't Match The Reagan Recovery," CNN Money, 5/4/12)

"More Than 5 Million Americans Have Been Unemployed For Six Months Or Longer..." "More than 5 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer, an astonishingly high number almost three years into a recovery." (Christopher S. Rugaber, "US Hiring Slows Sharply With Just 115K Jobs Added," The Associated Press, 5/4/12)