Skipping Super PAC, Santorum backer Friess spends on his own
By Alina Selyukh and Alexander Cohen
Republican Rick Santorum’s main financial backer has gone rogue on the pro-Santorum “Super PAC” with his own, personal spending in support of the U.S. presidential hopeful.
Wyoming millionaire investor Foster Friess has given $1.6 million to the independent political action committee (PAC) backing Santorum – the Red, White and Blue Fund – as its largest donor.
Now he has bypassed the Super PAC and spent $1,176 on a pro-Santorum radio ad entirely on his own, according to a report with the Federal Election Commission posted online on Thursday.
The radio spot went up in Friess’ hometown of Rice Lake in Wisconsin, a state that’s hosting the next contest in the race for the Republican party nomination.
“It’s not a Super PAC, it’s just me doing an independent expenditure,” Friess told Reuters. “I wanted to tell my hometown folks what I know about Rick Santorum and my lawyers said I should report it.”
He said the move did not mean he would stop supporting the Red, White and Blue Fund, calling that financial connection “open-ended.”
Newt Super PAC imagines Romney-Obama debate
A Pro-Newt Super PAC posted an animated version of how a general debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee would look.
The video titled “Obama’s Dream Debate” shows a cartoon Obama, voiced remarkably well, not only trouncing Romney in a debate but pointing out just how much the two have in common.
Winning Our Future is the same PAC that made a short campaign film attacking Romney as a “corporate raider” while head of Bain Capital, an ad Gingrich eventually asked to be pulled because of inaccuracies.
Speaking over a peppy jingle, the Obama character talks about their shared views on abortion, gun control and health care.
“Let me be clear, I agree with Governor Romney on many things. For instance, abortion, he was pro-choice most of his adult life. So was I,” Obama says happily. He points out that up until Romney became “presidential candidate Romney” they had always agreed. The animated Romney tries to interject but Obama talks over him.
The video ends with Obama getting the last word.
“As presidential candidate Romney, I don’t even know the guy. Then again he doesn’t seem to know himself,” Obama says.
