"Booker had started to walk back his criticisms of Obama and his campaign"

[ProSense]

Newark Mayor Cory Booker Defends Bain Capital, Attacks Obama Campaign

By Judd Legum

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The Obama campaign has responded by highlighting instances where Romney’s actions at Bain Capital resulted in substantial job loses. On Meet the Press, Booker called criticizing Romney’s tenure at Bain “ridiculous” and “nauseating.” He also equated criticisms of Romney’s buisness record with racially charged attacks against Obama centered around Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Watch it:

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At Salon, Steve Koracki speculates that Booker defended private equity to help cultivate Wall Street donors for a future state-wide race. Many of these donors have abandoned Obama, hoping for gentler treatment from a President Romney.

By this afternoon, Booker had started to walk back his criticisms of Obama and his campaign. Here’s what he said in a video posted to YouTube late today:

Mitt Romney has made his buisness record a center piece of his campaign. He’s talked about himself as a job creator. Therefore it is reasonable, and in fact I encourage it, for the Obama campaign to examine that record and to discuss it. I have no problem with that. I believe, in many ways, Mitt Romney is not being honest about his role and his record even as a business person and is shaping it to serve his political purposes and not necessarily including all the facts from his time there.

This clarification, however, is unlikely to find its way into the RNC press release touting Booker’s initial remarks.

UPDATE In a tweet, John McCain thanks Cory Booker:

John McCain
@SenJohnMcCain

Thank you Mayor @CoryBooker for the straight talk this morning - "Booker Calls Obama’s Bain Attacks 'Nauseating'" mediaite.com/tv/mayor-cory-…

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/05/20/487391/newark-mayor-cory-booker-defends-bain-capital-attacks-obama-campaign/

WTF?

[MrSlayer]

1. With friends like these.......

Why the hell would you ever say anything like that to begin with? Cut the President's legs off on national TV and then pussyfoot backwards where no one can see it. What a dick.

[ProSense]

7. Seriously,

what the hell was he thinking?

I mean, did he think this would go over well?

[MrSlayer]

8. Apparently he's fishing for the Wall Street dollars.

Which makes him worthless to us from here on out. He's made his choice clear, one percent over the ninety-nine percent.

[Dawson Leery]

2. PRIMARY THIS CORPORATE SON OF A BITCH!

Remember, we got rid of 2 Blue Dog Corporate hooches in Pennsylvania.
Primary this bum.
Violent crime is quite the problem in Newark New Jersey. You don't really want someone like that as Governor.

[butterfly77]

3. My sentiments ...

exactly!

[Dawson Leery]

4. Ever see Newark NJ in person?

Cory has done much to help those with $$$$$$$$. He has done nothing to assist those in need.
If Cory were truly interested in assisting everyone, he would have taken a firm line with the corporate interests, telling them that you will receive benefits so long as you assist everyone else (this is what former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke did in Australia).
Mr. Booker has taken corporate donations and run with them, leaving those who elected him behind.

[goclark]

9. This is the same Booker

that lives in a little apt. and rescued a little old lady -- right?

I saw that clip on TV and I was so impressed.

Now we see why he spoke in praise of Mitt -- he wants to run on the ticket as Vice President or be a big man in the party.

Glad he showed his strips early to me because I was really fooled. They must have paid him a lot of money to say that crap.
Wonder if they take their money back ?

[brentspeak]

5. Too late -- the damage is done

The Repubs will be highlighting Booker's stupid MTP comments, and Obama's (actually pretty good) message about Bain's job-killing history will be undercut all the way through Election Day.

[Dawson Leery]

6. A grass roots movement to end his political career is needed.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Too late. He can walk it back all he wants, it's out there.

Like farting in church and then trying to suck it back up your asshole. It won't work. It's out there. People can smell it.

[Number23]

11. What??! NOOOO

He also equated criticisms of Romney’s buisness record with racially charged attacks against Obama centered around Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

What the hell??! And I was starting to really like this guy. I don't understand what's going on here and why he's setting himself up to be used by Rmoney.

[pscot]

12. I can't keep up

A month ago people on this board were ready to canonize the guy; a local hero. Today he's dog meat. The monkey brain rules this place.

[ProSense]

13. People

"A month ago people on this board were ready to canonize the guy; a local hero. Today he's dog meat. The monkey brain rules this place."

...have no control over the stupid that comes out of other people's mouths.

Booker's comments were extremely clueless and bizarre.

[SpartanDem]

14. Too fucking late

Booker isn't stupid, he know the walkback isn't going get as much press. The traitor knew what he was doing when kneecapped the President.