Romney Campaign Lets Outsourcing Attacks Go Unanswered

The Romney camp stays silent as Obama pours millions into Bain-bashing commercials. “Never let an attack go unanswered. It's a rule for a reason,” says Wilson.

(By McKay Coppins, BuzzFeed) - As the Obama campaign and its allies continue to spend millions of dollars casting Mitt Romney as an "outsourcing pioneer" — a message that could cut to the very core of his record as a businessman — some Republicans are beginning to grumble that their nominee is making the classic mistake of modern politics in letting the attacks go unanswered.

Last month, Obama began pushing the narrative that Romney had made his fortune by sending American jobs overseas, and the campaign is reportedly planning to spend $20 million in July to air commercials along the same lines. The SuperPAC that backs him, Priorities USA, has spent more than $10 million making a similar point. Already, some polls are suggesting that the message is moving the needle in key swing states.

The Romney campaign's response so far has been muted. The campaign has pushed back against Obama's attacks largely through press releases and dismissive comments, but they have yet to invest serious ad money to directly combat the hardening narrative.