Obama Video Targets "Severely Conservative" Romney

Obama Video Targets "Severely Conservative" Romney

With Rick Santorum suspending his campaign and in effect ending the GOP primary battle, the Obama campaign is marking the unofficial start of the general election with a Web video that uses Mitt Romney's own words to label him "severely conservative."

Obama's campaign on Wednesday released the two-minute-long video, called "Mitt Romney: Memories to Last a Lifetime," highlighting such controversial Romney campaign lines as "corporations are people, my friend" and "I like being able to fire people." As Republicans "settle" on their presidential candidate, an opening caption reads, "let's take a look at some of the unforgettable moments from this unforgettable primary." The video features clips of Romney voicing support for Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's controversial budget plan, overturning the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade abortion decision, and cutting government ties to Planned Parenthood.

The spot also includes Romney advocating that the housing market be allowed to "hit bottom" in order to solve the foreclosure crisis; that "Obamacare should be repealed"; and that the immigration legislation known as the DREAM Act, if passed by Congress, should be vetoed.

"Mitt Romney: Severely conservative nominee. Remember that," reads the closing caption, referring to the way in which the former governor characterized himself during a speech at CPAC in February.

National Democrats have been focusing their opposition strategy on Romney throughout the cycle, presuming that he would be the general election challenger. But since Romney won three primary contests last week, he and President Obama have sharpened their attacks on each other through dueling speeches, Web videos and campaign literature.