On Thursday's World News, ABC correspondent Jonathan Karl gave attention to the now-infamous Obama super PACc ad that blames Mitt Romney for a man's wife dying of cancer, labeling it "the single most outrageous ad of the campaign."
Karl's piece was devoted to criticizing campaign ads from both sides, and, after a clip of President Obama complaining about ads from Romney's side, the ABC correspondent continued:
But the single most outrageous ad of the campaign comes from a super PAC supporting the President, and run by his former spokesman. It features a man who once worked for a company owned by Bain Capital.
After playing a clip of the ad, the ABC correspondent responded:
In fact, that man's wife died in 2006, years after Romney left Bain Capital.
After a clip of CNN's Wolf Blitzer challenging the honesty of the ad, Karl moved on to critique an ad from the Romney side accusing President Obama of weakening the work requirements in welfare reform.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Thursday, August 9, World News on ABC:
JONATHAN KARL: But the single most outrageous ad of the campaign comes from a super PAC supporting the President, and run by his former spokesman. It features a man who once worked for a company owned by Bain Capital.
JOE SOPTIC, IN AD: When Mitt Romney and Bain closed the plant, I lost my health care.
KARL: It implies Romney was responsible for the death of the man's wife from cancer.
SOPTIC, IN AD: By then it was stage 4. There was nothing they could do for her. And she passed away in 22 days. I do not think Mitt Romney realizes what he's done to anyone.
KARL: In fact, that man's wife died in 2006, years after Romney left Bain Capital. The group isn't backing down.
OBAMA SUPERPAC SPOKESMAN: What this ad does is it tells the story of one guy and the impact Mitt Romney had-
WOLF BLITZER, CNN: It's a misleading attack.
OBAMA SUPERPAC SPOKESMAN: Well, this is your opinion.
KARL: The Romney campaign has hit below the belt, too. Currently with an ad claiming President Obama has gutted welfare reform...
-- Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center