Obama SuperPAC counterpunches in ad

A Romney ad. An anti-Obama SuperPAC ad based on focus group feedback. The massive ad spending against an incumbent Democratic senator in Ohio. A post Citizens United fight over posting TV advertising info online.

All of those ad-related stories were just from today and they will be continuing through November. Democrats and their allies know they will never keep pace with conservative-funded SuperPACs and nearly anonymous issue-oriented nonprofits (and are worried about it) but today an Obama-tied SuperPAC struck back in Pa and other states with their own ad . . . and a criticism of the Karl Rove-tied ad from CrossroadsGPS launching tomorrow in the state.

While the substance of the latest ad from Priorities USA Action, led by former Obama ad Bill Burton, is nothing new (it features another worker laid off after her company was taken over by Bain; see Jim O'Toole story today) Burton couldn't resist pointing out a major difference with Rove's ad. That one features a composite character scripted by stories from focus groups. From the NYT's Michael Shear:

“You don’t need actors to know the reality of how Mitt Romney’s policies would make life even tougher for middle class families,” Mr. Burton said.

The Romney camp, Shear also notes, had criticized Obama when he used a fictional character called "Julia" to illustrate the struggles facing women.

The Priorities USA ad is below: