These days, President Obama is running as much against Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney.
Having gone after Romney and his running mate — and chairman of the House Budget Committee — over Medicare, Obama today focuses on education funding.
“Putting a college education within reach for working families doesn’t seem to be a priority my opponent shares,” Obama plans to say in a speech today in Columbus, Ohio, according to excerpts released by the campaign.
In in Ohio and later today in Nevada, Obama will contrast “his record of reforming our schools and investing in education — to grow the economy from the middle-out — against the Romney-Ryan approach of slashing investments in vital education reforms and financial aid that college students need.”
Note the phrase “Romney-Ryan approach.” Obama is trying to yoke the House Republican budget, authored by Ryan, to the Republican presidential candidate. Romney says he and Ryan don’t agree on everything.
As for education, Romney and aides say Obama’s stewardship of the economy has created problems for all students.
“Under President Obama, the costs of college have skyrocketed — making it more difficult for students to attend college — and his economic policies have made it harder for graduates to get jobs,” said Romney spokesman Ryan Williams.
Obama does not spare Romney in his education critique, according to speech excerpts. The president plans to hit Romney for telling a high school student to “shop around” when it comes to the expense of college.
“That’s his answer for a young person hoping to go to college,” Obama, says the excerpts. “Shop around, borrow money from your parents if you have to — but if they don’t have it, you’re on your own.”