Romney’s campaign bus — adorned with the words “Conservative. Businessman. Leader” today repeatedly honked at and took several laps around a group of Obama supporters before a campaign speech to be given by President Obama in Cleveland today, according to a tweet by CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller.
Romney even moved his speech up to precede Obama’s speech. Obama is set to address the event at 1:45 p.m. ET, while Romney moved his planned 1:50 p.m. speech up to 1:30 p.m., getting a head start on the president.This isn’t the first time the Romney team has antagonized Obama campaign events. In Massachusetts last month, Romney supporters greeted Obama senior adviser David Axelrod at a campaign event by shouting and blowing bubbles at those in attendance.
Romney Campaign bus – emblazoned with Romney Campaign logo – is driving around Pres Obama’s speech site honking its horn.— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 14, 2012
The Romney bus is now circling the event space and honking. Obama supporters in line jeer.— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 14, 2012
At the time, Axelrod laughed off the interruption as the “great pageant of democracy.”
Watch the video:
Update:
The Obama campaign responds:
“Campaigns are a reflection of their candidates, and let’s remember that Mitt Romney himself encouraged his campaign to engage in heckling just a few weeks ago,” said Danny Kanner, an Obama campaign spokesman in an emailed statement, adding that “the American people deserve better than antics that are more at home in a second grade classroom than in a presidential campaign.”
Benjy Sarlin contributed to this report.