header graphic

Crossroads GPS

"Mitt and David" +
:60 ad from Oct. 23, 2012, run in OH, WI and other states.

[Music] Ted Oparowski: In 1979, our youngest son David was diagnosed with cancer. 

Pat Oparowski: We had already known Mitt for several years before that and he used to go to visit David in the hospital.  He and David developed quite a friendship.  David asked Mitt if he would help him write a will.  And together they did.  He chose what he wanted to wear; he wanted to wear his Boy Scout uniform.  And he chose to have Mitt give the eulogy at his funeral.  And he gave a beautiful eulogy.

To spend time with a 14-year old boy in his last days that, you cannot help but know that he's caring.  He cares about people and about their needs.

I think he's going to be able to get us back on track.  I really do.

TEXT: Please Vote.
           Mitt Romney for President

Female Announcer: Crossroads GPS is responsible for the content of this advertising.


Notes: As pointed out by NPR >, this is the first ad run by Crossroads GPS that explicitly contains a vote for Romney message.  As a 501(c)(4), Crossroads GPS is supposed to operate "exclusively for the promotion of social welfare."

The ad goes straight to one of Romney's major weaknesses, the perception that he doesn't care about ordinary people.  That perception has been encouraged and hammered home in advertising by the Obama campaign and its allies, but several of Romney's own statements have contributed to the problem ("let Detroit go bankrupt," "foreclosures should "hit the bottom" and of course the the 47% comments).  This is a moving ad, but one question that must be considered is how effective such individual stories are in the face of the generalized caricature of the Romney who doesn't care.

 See also Restore Our Future's "Genuinely Cares" (Oct. 23) and "Saved" (May 2 and earlier).