02/06/2012

'Not concerned with very poor' quote could fuel anti-Romney ads

In an interview with CNN after winning the Republican Florida primary, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney made a slip that could fuel rival attack ads. "I’m not concerned with the very poor," Romney said. "We have a safety net there." He added that he'd fix the safety net "if it needs repair." If he is the Republican nominee, Romney's great wealth and perceived difficulty understanding Americans’ economic troubles likely will be a major focus of President Obama's campaign.

■Class discussion: Find newspaper articles, columns and editorials about Romney's statement. How well do the reports reflect what he said in the video? Are political foes using the quote to attack Romney? Negative political ads – including Romney's campaign - are often criticized for taking opponents' quotes out of context. Find reports on the impact of negative advertising in the Florida primary. Were the ads effective? Are voters easily swayed by whoever spends the most on advertising? Are all political ads suspect?