After suggesting that some of President Obama's re-election tactics with respect to attacks on Mitt Romney's record were "nauseating" in his comments during a Meet the Press roundtable, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker has released a video with a very different tone that re-emphasizes his support for the president.
In his earlier comments, Booker said, "This kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both sides. It's nauseating to the American public. Enough is enough. Stop attacking private equity, stop attacking Jeremiah Wright," referencing also the plan mulled by a Republican super PAC to link the president to the controversial pastor.
In the video released Sunday afternoon, Booker doesn't renounce those comments, but he does characterize the Obama campaign's scrutiny of Romney's business record as appropriate.
From MSNBC:
"I made it clear on 'Meet the Press' this morning how I feel President Barack Obama has done such a strong job as leader of our nation, and more than deserves re-election," Booker said.
"I also professed, on 'Meet the Press,' my profound frustration with the kind of campaigning that I think that is becoming too much of the norm in our nation — which is generally negative campaigning. And this campaigning is about to become an avalanche, and in many ways, I believe, could potentially risk muting out the important voices of the candidates themselves talking about the issues that matter," he added, referencing the millions spent by outside super PACs on campaign advertising.
And of Romney's Bain record, Booker said: "Let me be clear: Mitt Romney has made his business record a centerpiece of his campaign … and therefore, it is reasonable — and in fact, I encourage it for the Obama campaign — to examine that record and to discuss it. I have no problem with that."
Read more at MSNBC.