Obama Calls Romney Speech 'Cow Pie of Distortion'

President Obama said at an Iowa campaign event last night that Mitt Romney’s business experience may have value, but not in the White House.

Obama hit on the Bain Capital angle quickly in his speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, where Romney defended corporations in a speech last August.

“Governor Romney is a patriotic American.  He’s raised a wonderful family.  He should be proud of the great personal success he’s had as a CEO of a large financial firm.  There are plenty of good and honest people in that industry, and there’s an important, creative role for it in the free market,” Obama said.

“But Governor Romney has made his experience as a financial CEO the entire rationale of his candidacy for president,” he continued, launching into details about corporate buyouts. “There may be value for that kind of experience, but it’s not in the White House.”

He said the president’s job is “to make sure that everybody in this country gets a fair shake, everybody gets a fair shot, everybody is playing by the same set of rules.”

“I know Governor Romney came to Des Moines last week; warned about a ‘prairie fire of debt.’ That’s what he said,” Obama said as the crowd laughed. “But he left out some facts.  His speech was more like a cow pie of distortion. I don’t know whose record he twisted the most — mine or his.”

The president hit familiar notes in trying to rally the base to mobilize as it did in 2008, touting his community organizer experience and warning that Republican policies would hurt everything from cancer research to the poor and disabled.

“We don’t need another political fight about ending a woman’s right to choose, or getting rid of Planned Parenthood or taking away affordable birth control,” Obama said. “We don’t need that. I want women to control their own health choices, just like I want my daughters to have the same economic opportunities as my sons. We’re not turning back the clock.”