Obama ad on Romney: ‘It’s a scary time to be a woman’

A new ad from President Obama and the Democratic National Committee raises fears about Mitt Romney’s positions on reproductive rights.

“I’ve never felt this way before, but it’s a scary time to be a woman,” says 30-something “Jenni.” “Mitt Romney is just so out of touch.”

A female narrator chimes in: “Romney opposes requiring insurance coverage for contraception and Romney supports overturning Roe vs. Wade. Romney backed a bill that outlawed all abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.”

Jenni adds, “There’s so much to do. we need to attack our problems, not a woman’s choice.”

The ad is not yet on YouTube.

Politifact rates the abortion claim as “Pants on Fire,” noting that Romney does support exceptions for rape and incest in abortion bans. He has endorsed a constitutional amendment that declares that life begins at conception, and fetuses must be protected accordingly. However, recent versions of that amendment allow for abortions in cases of rape or incest. Other “human life” legislation makes no such exceptions.

Romney does support overturning Roe vs. Wade, and he opposes mandatory contraceptive coverage.

“No false ad can change the fact that President Obama has failed to create jobs and turn around the economy, hurting women all over the country,” said Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg in a statement.

While some polls have shown a wide gender divide between Obama and Romney, that gap has been narrowing in Washington Post surveys. But a large “marriage gap” remains and favors Obama — single women support the president 2-to-1 in a recent Quinnipiac poll. Ads like this one are clearly meant to draw out those voters and keep that divide wide.

The ad is running in Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, Nevada and Ohio. It will begin airing in Colorado on Monday.