President Obama Credits Ohio Resurgence and Says Ohioans Should "Punt" Romney Away

My goodness, what will Andrea Mitchell say?

President Obama marked Labor Day  in Ohio by claiming credit for the state’s resurgent economy and panning his rivals’ economic “playbook.”

Obama told the UAW Labor Day Celebration that the state’s above-average job creation record in the recovery is thanks in part to his policies, including the government-funded rescue of U.S. automakers GM and Chrysler in 2009.

Takes credit???  Why, the colossal nerve of the guy! Is he even allowed to say that?

Questions about who deserves credit for Ohio's relative resurgence in job-creation have been percolating since Ohio governor John Kasich himself took credit for his state's performance last week in his speech to the Republican convention.  While Obama's claims to the "credit" may be debatable (only a small portion of the new Ohio jobs created are directly related to the auto industry), they are also effectively irrefutable, unless the Republicans want to argue about the impact of the auto industry rescue.  That's not comfortable turf for the GOP in Ohio, particularly given their standard-bearer's unfortunate past statements regarding Detroit.  They really don't want to go there, understandably, so in taking credit Obama occupies a very sweet spot.

Anyone who counted on the President to rest easy on his opponent's non-existent "convention bounce" and coast into Charlotte for the "official" start of this campaign would be sadly disappointed by today's verbal fusillade.  The football analogies came first as the President eviscerated his opponent's "economic plan:"

“We know what’s in it. On first down, he hikes taxes by nearly $2,000 on the average family with kids in order to pay for a massive tax cut for multi-millionaires. That’s on first down. Sounds like unnecessary roughness to me.”

“On second down, he calls an audible, undoes reforms that are there to prevent another financial crisis and bank bailout…. And then on third down, he calls for a Hail Mary, ending Medicare as we know it by giving seniors a voucher. There’s a flag on the play,” Obama said drawing laughter and applause. “I’ve got one piece of advice for the Romney-Ryan game plan, Ohio: punt it away. It won’t work. It won’t win the game. You don’t need that coach. That’s a losing season.”

Video:

Now this is really good enough for a day's news cycle. But wait, there's more!

This ought to send some shudders down whatever spines exist at the RNC:

Democrats plan to have Bain Capital employees make the case against Mitt Romney at their convention in Charlotte.

Senior Obama campaign officials confirmed to Fox News that at least two people who worked at Bain Capital -- Romney's former private equity firm -- will speak at the Democratic National Convention this week.

The bold move comes after Democrats have spent millions of campaign dollars on ads shedding light on companies that folded after Bain takeovers. While the campaign is not revealing who will be speaking or when they'll be addressing the convention, one thing is clear -- it will not be favorable to Romney.

What do you suppose these Bainfolk are going to say?

One thing seems certain--they won't be talking to an empty chair.

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