Log Cabin Republicans
 
 
30-second TV ad run in IA and on FOX News, announced Oct. 4, 2007
[Music]  Female Announcer:  For years he’s fought conservatives and religious extremists…Mitt Romney.

Romney (clip from 1994 debate):  I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country…I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years that we should sustain and support it.

Announcer:  Mitt Romney opposed the gun lobby…   Even Ronald Reagan...

Romney (clip from 1994 debate):  I was independent during the time of Reagan-Bush.  I’m not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.

Announcer: A record fighting the religious right …a pro-choice record… Massachusetts values…Mitt Romney.

 
Notes:  The ad features a couple of clips from the Massachusetts Senate Debate, October 25, 1994, Boston, Faneuil Hall.  According to the Oct. 4 press release:
Log Cabin Republicans launched a television ad campaign today to educate the American people about former Governor Mitt Romney’s real record.  "Republicans deserve to know the truth about Romney," said Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon.  "Whether you're a mainstream Republican, a libertarian Republican, or a social conservative, you just don't know what he really believes."
 


And on October 5, 2007 Log Cabin Republicans issued this release: 

More Distortions from Mitt as the Romney Campaign is on the Defensive over Log Cabin Ad 
 
(Washington, DC) – “Not surprisingly, it’s more distortions from Mitt Romney.  Instead of challenging the substance of Log Cabin’s ad, Mitt Romney’s campaign is on the defensive – trying desperately to change the subject,” said Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon.  “As Ronald Reagan once said, ‘Facts are stubborn things.’  And the facts show that Mitt Romney tried to win a U.S. Senate seat by criticizing President Reagan.”

Through a statement by a campaign spokesman and an appearance by a Romney campaign strategist on MSNBC, the campaign avoids responding to the ad’s core message—Gov. Mitt Romney is a flip-flopper.  

“It’s astounding that Romney’s campaign would mention Ronald Reagan in its response to this ad, given the fact that Mitt Romney distanced himself from Reagan when he ran for Senate,” said Sammon.  “This once again shows Mitt Romney is a political opportunist who will say whatever he thinks people want to hear.”   

Log Cabin’s 30-second television ad highlights Romney’s past repudiation of President Reagan: “I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush.  I’m not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.”  Predictably, the campaign, which is now struggling to position Mitt Romney as a Reagan-Republican, ignores Romney’s past view of the former president.

In an appearance this morning on MSNBC, Romney campaign strategist Barbara Comstock claimed that Romney is winning with the same “coalition Ronald Reagan won with.”  Also in response to Log Cabin’s ad, Romney campaign spokesman Kevin Madden used Ronald Reagan to defend Gov. Romney’s shifting position on abortion.

Mitt Romney’s campaign has also referred to the ad as a “personal, negative attack.”  “It’s almost laughable that Romney’s campaign considers his own statements a ‘personal, negative attack,’” continued Sammon.  “These are your words, Governor Romney, and Republicans deserve to know the truth about your record.” 

“The campaign has yet to explain the other flip-flops Mitt Romney made as he geared up to run for President,” said Sammon.  “He has flip-flopped on gun ownership, taxes, immigration, stem-cell research, education, abortion, gay rights, and campaign finance laws, just to name a few.  Instead of trying to attack the messenger, Mitt Romney should explain to Republicans why his record doesn’t match his rhetoric.”

The 30-second television ad launched on Thursday is running nationally on Fox News Channel, with an additional concentration in Iowa.  Watch Log Cabin’s television ad and learn more about Mitt Romney’s well-documented flip-flops at www.logcabin.org

###