Democrats are celebrating the Romney campaign's stated plans to reintroduce President Barack Obama's cocaine use as a campaign issue, calling it a sign of a flailing campaign.
"If Mitt Romney had a record he could defend, I don’t think he’d have to resort to the gutter tactics that his advisors are pursuing," said Bill Burton, the senior adviser to the pro-Obama SuperPAC Priorities USA Action. "This campaign has been about issues, the fact that Romney and his team have been so feckless in responding to completely fair questions about his record and positions demonstrate a weakness that I don’t think most people would have expected."
A top Romney adviser briefed BuzzFeed on Tuesday of the campaign's plans for a counterattack — including dredging up the president's drug use and his ties to convicted Chicago businessman Tony Rezko.
"I mean, this is a guy who admitted to cocaine use, had a sweetheart deal with his house in Chicago, and was associated and worked with Rod Blagojevich to get Valerie Jarrett appointed to the Senate," the adviser said. "The bottom line is there'll be counterattacks."
Spokespeople for the Obama campaign declined requests to comment on the record about the new Romney attacks, but Democrats at all levels are marveling — and celebrating — at the Romney campaign's move — believing that Romney will little success with a character attack on Obama.
"W-T-F," one top Democrat emailed BuzzFeed. "This is insane. Do they even know what they're doing anymore?"