Obama ads’ focus on abortion is unprecedented

In his quest for reelection, President Obama and his campaign have gone against historical precedent and perhaps conventional wisdom by opting to make abortion a major theme in television campaign ads — something no Democratic nominee has ever done in a general election. The Obama campaign launched its third abortion-focused TV campaign ad in mid-August, criticizing the pro-life views of presumptive Republican nominees Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. In two of the three ads, a narrator reminds the audience that “Romney supports overturning Roe v. Wade.” Obama is pro-choice and thus supports Roe. The Obama campaign’s focus on abortion is unprecedented.