Scroll Left Scroll Right

CBS This Morning Blind Chinese lawyer said under U.S. protection 1 of 9
Political Hotsheet Obama promotes action to protect veterans 2 of 9
CBS This Morning Secret Service issues stricter behavior standards 3 of 9
Video Plot thickens in John Edwards trial 4 of 9
60 Minutes Ex-CIA chief defends waterboarding 5 of 9
CBS This Morning Air fares soar: How can passengers cut costs? 6 of 9
Celebrity Circuit Duchess Kate's fashionable royal year 7 of 9
Video Understanding "Brain Freeze" may aid migraines 8 of 9
Gallery Summer films 2012 9 of 9

April 28, 2012 1:15 PM

Print
Text

Romney aide: Obama's student loan slow jam was "off key"

By: Naureen Khan
Topics: Campaign 2012

(L-R) Romney advisers Stuart Stevens, Eric Fehrnstrom, Brett O'Donnell

(Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)

(CBS News) Will we ever see presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney follow in President Obama's footsteps and slow jam the news?

Maybe, Romney senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said on Saturday, but not at the risk of making light of the struggles of youth voters - a bloc with which the Romney campaign is trying to make inroads.

Mr. Obama amused some and irked others when he appeared on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday night and talked about keeping student loan rates low, over a beat laid down by The Roots.

The Romney campaign didn't seem to find it funny.

"I do think there was something a little bit off-key about the president slow jamming and appearing to make light of the fact that students are struggling," Fehrnstrom said Saturday at an event put on by The Washington Post. "I don't think it's something to slow jam about or to make light of it."

He added: "If that skit was brought to the governor, he would have declined."

As Romney and President Obama gear up for the general election, Romney faces something of a likability deficit. A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll showed 35 percent of Americans view the former Massachusetts governor favorably, compared to 47 percent who hold an unfavorable view. Romney advisers say that Americans will warm to the Romney family as they get to know him more - and say the war on late night TV is peripheral anyways.

"This election is not going to be about who's cooler," said Peter Flaherty, another senior Romney adviser. "The question is going to be whom do you trust more to run the economy."

Naureen Khan
Naureen Khan covers the 2012 presidential campaign for CBS News and National Journal.
Follow on Twitter »

152 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 152 Comments

by -_-_-_One_American_-_-_-_ April 28, 2012 8:50 PM EDT

I fault the public education and so-called "higher learning" schools who hide the historic truth about Communism - and the pain and suffering that system always brings to its supporters...all in the name of "fairness" and "the greater good".

Anyone who supports Obama doesn't know anything about history.

Reply to this comment


by P0ST1NG_AWAY April 28, 2012 8:52 PM EDT: You are a complete idiot.
There is nothing else to say.

by P0ST1NG_AWAY April 28, 2012 8:46 PM EDT

by bmallen3 April 28, 2012 6:16 PM EDT
Ruthless- The entire subject is just dumb, like most of the populist crap spewed by Democrats and other uniformed people.
======================================================
You spew the SAME garbage ALL of the time.
Time to come up with some new material.
Preferably THE TRUTH.

Reply to this comment


by -_-_-_One_American_-_-_-_ April 28, 2012 8:47 PM EDT: Goose-stepping Communist Obama slave.

by -_-_-_One_American_-_-_-_ April 28, 2012 8:41 PM EDT

As long as Obama is 'entertaining' to young idiots, he can get them to do ANYTHING for him.

Their 'cool' sugardaddy wants them to bend over for another four years, while he destroys this country.

It's too bad that there are still some young people who will never get a clue about how used and abused they are by Obama - they are destined for a life of hardships.

Reply to this comment


by P0ST1NG_AWAY April 28, 2012 8:43 PM EDT: Meanwhile back at the ranch, the Tea-Bagger-BOZO crowd was
trying to figure out what happened to Santorum, Cain, Palin,
Perry, and the rest of the nuts that make up the so-called
Repug Party.


by -_-_-_One_American_-_-_-_ April 28, 2012 8:45 PM EDT: P0ST1NG_AWAY:

Another slave on Obama's plantation, too ignorant to know they are a volunteer slave.


by P0ST1NG_AWAY April 28, 2012 8:40 PM EDT: by PlatinumWords April 28, 2012 7:44 PM EDT
Romney is right about Obama making light of the debt college students are struggling with his behaviour on the idiot Fallon show and their asinine skit is proof.
=================================================================
Looking to find meanings that do not exist ???
Another cretin (YOU) talking because he CAN, not because he SHOULD.; Reply to this comment


by audemus April 28, 2012 8:32 PM EDT: How can someone talking be off key ?; Reply to this comment


by DebbieCorona April 28, 2012 8:13 PM EDT: Fehrnstrom = Etch a Sketch.; Reply to this comment


by PlatinumWords April 28, 2012 7:44 PM EDT: Romney is right about Obama making light of the debt college students are struggling with his behaviour on the idiot Fallon show and their asinine skit is proof.
Remember he made fun of the The Special Olympics on Jay Leno's show.
Obama is a song and dance man and buffoon in reality and not presidential material

More proof Obama is "TOO COOL TO BE PRESIDENT" His new entertainment name should be "Ice Barry" or "MC BOJoker".

He thinks America, the American people and there problems are a joke as he struts and swaggers around with that idiotic smirk on his face up to the podium and Teleprompter.
His entire presidency is a joke and that's why he has been known as
"BOJoker" from day one of his clown presidency.; Reply to this comment

by andrewjsacks April 28, 2012 7:30 PM EDT

The only thing off-key is Romney and his ideas.

Reply to this comment


by PlatinumWords April 28, 2012 7:45 PM EDT: You sure told them!
Har! Har!


by P0ST1NG_AWAY April 28, 2012 8:41 PM EDT: Apparently the "Platinum" is easily amused.


by bluestar57 April 28, 2012 7:21 PM EDT: OH COME ON!!! What the Heck is wrong with these idiots?! The President was spot on in his presentation, and he utilized something the Republicans have never understood and will never have the ability to embrace,( they probably would consider it "COMMIE")and that would be something called CREATIVITY and yes, GASP, HUMOR. Consider this, when was the last time you saw a corporate hack with a genuine wit,and talent for something other than exploitation.? Never? There you go.
Perhaps the Tea Party can have a seminar with their benefactors in the Mackinaw Group, and study levity.; Reply to this comment

by Ay2TheZee April 28, 2012 7:01 PM EDT

Remember when there was a housing bubble, and vultures everywhere were jumping at the chance to give loans to people that couldn't really afford them. Remember how home prices skyrocketed. Remember what all of this resulted in? Now, we have student loan debt taking the place of mortgage debt. I believe it is about 1 trillion dollars, and higher than all other consumer debt put together. Have you noticed what is happening to the price of school? Skyrocketing! Making student loans easier and cheaper to get will only exacerbate that problem. Schools will keep charging higher and higher tuition and people will continue to get loans to pay for it. A better option would be for people to be responsible (imagine that), and only take out a loan that you can truly afford to pay back. Mitt Romney was mocked for saying "shop around and find a school you can afford." What is so wrong with that? That is what I had to do. Don't buy crap you cannot afford. It never ends well. And if you do, don't go voting for people who are promising to forgive your debts, leaving the American people on the hook. It is highly irresponsible.

Reply to this comment


by retm-w April 28, 2012 7:19 PM EDT: Another free market idiot, shop around when the prices for colleges all within a few dollars of each other, that's the free market at work.


by Ay2TheZee April 28, 2012 8:36 PM EDT: Yes...I am an idiot because I payed by my own way through college. My college cost about $5000 a year, because that is what I could afford. I have no complaints about the education I received. By the way, the "your an idiot" makes you come across as ignorant.

See all 152 Comments

Popular Now in Politics

Latest CBS News Headlines

Follow Political Hotsheet

Most Popular on CBS News

Stories More »

Videos More »

16 Photos | View Gallery »
Summer films 2012
23 Photos | View Gallery »
Queen reopens Cutty Sark in Greenwich
33 Photos | View Gallery »
Stop-motion technology in "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
26 Photos | View Gallery »
Space shuttle Enterprise flies over NYC
30 Photos | View Gallery »
Celebrity Circuit

Scroll Left

Scroll Right More »

CBS This Morning now on iPad & iPhone! GET THE FREE APP

CBS News on Facebook

Romney aide: Obama's student loan slow jam was "off key"

Report offensive content:

E-mail this comment to a friend.

Follow Political Hotsheet

CBS This Morning iPad App