It's hot and heavy now, with political ads in nearly every commercial stop.
Romney is hitting hard with ads that maintain that President Obama got rid of President Clinton's "Welfare to Work" laws.
This is one of those buzz issues that I think can sway votes, so it's a good play by Romney who really hasn't made a lot of great plays. For someone as politically astute as me, the first thing I noticed was that Romney was using The Heritage Foundation to support his claims. To put in perspective, a Republican using the Heritage Foundation as a source would be akin to me saying "I am the smartest person in the world. Source: my mother".
These attack ads, of course, led to attack ads about attack ads, and Politifact and others say Romney's ads are blatantly false.
I admit I am no expert, but my best understanding of what Obama did was give states more freedom in how they treat welfare laws. It, of course, is the biggest irony that the party (the Republicans) that want the states to have power over everything (abortion laws, marriage, etc) have a problem with this being a States Rights issue.
Romney has a bit of a Clinton fixation. He evokes Clinton by using this law, but that is not the first mention of Bubba. Romney is even using a Clinton quote that Romney "had a stellar business career" in ads to promote himself.
All of this follows Romney using Hillary Clinton footage from her primary fight to claim how dirty of a politicker Obama is.
I am actually not totally against this tactic. If you can reference someone from another party, you look bipartisan. It's why Joe Lieberman got popular and Dick Morris has made a career out of it.
There are of course problems. For starters, if you're going to Clinton and Clinton isn't on board, Clinton will let everyone know that he disagrees with your take.
The main point, of course is that no one believes the least that Clinton isn't backing Obama at the end of the day. Four years ago, this tactic might have worked a little better, but it seems a nonstarter.
Lastly, Willard might consider that there is a lot more footage of his same party opponents attacking him. Surely, with Santorum, Gingrich, Paul and the Tea Partiers, Romney doesn't want to go there.
Obama, meanwhile seems to be pushing women's issues (which he appears to have an edge on) and wind power. It is hard to say that Wind Power is as important to Iowa as Corn (or even gauge where it stands in the Iowan conscience), but it gets attention.
You see, wind power in Iowa is not only ubiquitous outside some towns, but in some areas, you could call it dominant.
In Iowa, like ethanol, wind support gets bipartisan support and Obama made the most of his Iowa visit to mention that Romney opposes tax credits for wind power.

Romney meanwhile says the best thing he can do for the Wind Energy industry is that GOP standard, deregulation.
Obama is also hitting Mitt aiming towards prospective and current college students and their parents, playing an ad that prominently displays Romney's quote that if you really want to go to college, you're gonna have to borrow the money from your parents.
Patriotically, Obama and Romney both will suspend negative ads on 9/11, but until then... GAME ON!
Romney is hitting hard with ads that maintain that President Obama got rid of President Clinton's "Welfare to Work" laws.
This is one of those buzz issues that I think can sway votes, so it's a good play by Romney who really hasn't made a lot of great plays. For someone as politically astute as me, the first thing I noticed was that Romney was using The Heritage Foundation to support his claims. To put in perspective, a Republican using the Heritage Foundation as a source would be akin to me saying "I am the smartest person in the world. Source: my mother".
These attack ads, of course, led to attack ads about attack ads, and Politifact and others say Romney's ads are blatantly false.
I admit I am no expert, but my best understanding of what Obama did was give states more freedom in how they treat welfare laws. It, of course, is the biggest irony that the party (the Republicans) that want the states to have power over everything (abortion laws, marriage, etc) have a problem with this being a States Rights issue.
Romney has a bit of a Clinton fixation. He evokes Clinton by using this law, but that is not the first mention of Bubba. Romney is even using a Clinton quote that Romney "had a stellar business career" in ads to promote himself.
All of this follows Romney using Hillary Clinton footage from her primary fight to claim how dirty of a politicker Obama is.
I am actually not totally against this tactic. If you can reference someone from another party, you look bipartisan. It's why Joe Lieberman got popular and Dick Morris has made a career out of it.
There are of course problems. For starters, if you're going to Clinton and Clinton isn't on board, Clinton will let everyone know that he disagrees with your take.
The main point, of course is that no one believes the least that Clinton isn't backing Obama at the end of the day. Four years ago, this tactic might have worked a little better, but it seems a nonstarter.
Lastly, Willard might consider that there is a lot more footage of his same party opponents attacking him. Surely, with Santorum, Gingrich, Paul and the Tea Partiers, Romney doesn't want to go there.
Obama, meanwhile seems to be pushing women's issues (which he appears to have an edge on) and wind power. It is hard to say that Wind Power is as important to Iowa as Corn (or even gauge where it stands in the Iowan conscience), but it gets attention.
You see, wind power in Iowa is not only ubiquitous outside some towns, but in some areas, you could call it dominant.
In Iowa, like ethanol, wind support gets bipartisan support and Obama made the most of his Iowa visit to mention that Romney opposes tax credits for wind power.

Romney meanwhile says the best thing he can do for the Wind Energy industry is that GOP standard, deregulation.
Obama is also hitting Mitt aiming towards prospective and current college students and their parents, playing an ad that prominently displays Romney's quote that if you really want to go to college, you're gonna have to borrow the money from your parents.
Patriotically, Obama and Romney both will suspend negative ads on 9/11, but until then... GAME ON!