Pro-Obama SuperPAC Takes Aim At Romney's 'Olympic Gold'

By Brian Naylor

Published July 25, 2012 at 4:10 PM CDT

(UPDATED July 26) The ad described in the post below was pulled off of YouTube at the request of the International Olympic Committee, citing copyright violation, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky also released the following statement:

"The Olympic Games are a celebration of friendship, excellence and respect. While we are absolutely confident that neither presidential candidate nor campaign has participated in the production or distribution of these negative ads, the attacks, using Olympic themes and images, need to stop. Tomorrow we will celebrate America's finest athletes' accomplishments and watch Team USA march in the parade of nations. For anything even remotely negative to be associated with that time-honored, inspirational moment would be extremely unfortunate."

(ORIGINAL POST, July 25)

Priorities USA, the superPAC backing President Obama's re-election, has unveiled a new ad — timed to coincide with the London Olympics — that pokes fun at Mitt Romney's overseas business ties.

Using footage of Romney waiving during the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, for which he served as president and CEO, the commercial's faux announcers point out their take on Romney's connections with several of the countries taking part in the parade of nations, traditionally held during the games' opening ceremony:

ANNOUNCER:

Welcome to the Olympics. There's Mitt Romney, who ran the Salt Lake City Games, waving to ...

China, home to a billion people. Thousands owe their jobs to Mitt Romney's companies.

India, which also gained jobs thanks to Romney, an outsourcing pioneer.

And Burma, where Romney had the uniforms made for the 2002 games.

We know the Swiss have a special place in Mitt Romney's wallet — er — heart.

You get the point. The ad concludes by saying Romney "sure knows how to go for the gold ... for himself."

Commentators have already pointed out the ad may backfire on Priorities USA, by reminding voters that Romney was called on to rescue the Salt Lake City Games in 2002. The superPAC says the ad will run in four swing states: Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Romney will be attending the opening ceremonies of the London Games on Friday.