After three years of statements, speeches and politicking by Barack Obama, Republicans are realizing they can now easily cull footage that uses the president’s own words against him.
On Thursday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) released a video doing just that. The video, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Mr. President,” begins with comments from Obama’s Wednesday press conference:
I’m very amused when I hear comments about ‘Well, the President needs to show more leadership on this.’ Well. Let me tell you something. I’ve been here. … If by the end of this week we haven’t not seen substantial progress, we are going to start having to cancel things and stay here til we get it done.
As Obama’s stern voice drones on, the video presents footage and figures: Ping-pong, drinking beer in during his European tour in May, “76 rounds of golf,” — a familiar critique of Obama — “48 days of vacation,” and “149 fundraisers.”
The video’s 39-sec voiceover pivots off Obama’s Wednesday press conference regarding such topics as the debt ceiling, “corporate jets” and lawmakers’ lack of work ethic. As reported by ABC News’ Jake Tapper, Obama held two fundraisers in Philadelphia on Thursday, one day after his press conference; and the speech has been criticized for its tone and attacks, culminating in Time magazine’s Mark Halperin calling Obama “kind of a dick” on MSNBC.
The NRSC’s video takes the high road but nonetheless highlights Obama’s own leisure activities during the economic crisis. The still-poor economic performance has become the target for other establishment Republican groups, conservative political action committees and 2012 GOP hopefuls, particularly Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.
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