Obama aides say Rosen shows president will take on friends [View all]

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: The Hill

Senior Obama aides say the president's criticism of Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen's comments shows he's willing to stand up to his friends, unlike Mitt Romney.

The argument from the aides is an effort to find a bright spot in the controversy over Rosen, who said Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life." Rosen apologized for the comments on Thursday.

Doing damage control, White House adviser David Plouffe and Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod made separate appearances Thursday night to contrast Obama’s public response to Rosen to Romney’s response to controversial comments made by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

“I think we have an obligation in politics and public life, when someone, even friends, say things that are inappropriate, to say so. In fact, in certain ways, when your friends say it, there is more of an obligation to do so,” Axelrod said on CNN.

Read more: http://thehill.com/video/campaign/221369-obama-aides-on-rosen-controversy-obama-willing-to-stand-up-to-his-friends-unlike-romney