Shut Fox Down

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Transcript by Newsy: http://www.youtube.com/user/NewsyPolitics?feature=guide (Image source: U.S. House) BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN Sticks and stones may break bones — but words can distract a campaign. With Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital under the microscope — the House's number three Democrat used some choice words to describe private-equity firms. Here he is on MSNBC: REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): "There's something about that enterprise that I have a problem with. and there's something about raping companies and leaving them in debt and setting up Swiss bank accounts..." Within hours of Clyburn's interview, the Obama campaign released a statement denouncing the choice of words. A spokesman for Clyburn later said the South Carolina Democrat meant "rape" as a synonym "for rob or plunder." But for critics, the damage was already done. Feminist organizer Shelby Knox tweeted directly to the congressman: "Rape is rape & applying it to situations outside sexual assault demeans the seriousness." While The Atlantic Wire called the comments "a bad call." "We assume the debate will shortly return to the actual business practices Bain engaged in ... but not before Rep. Clyburn learns a little lesson in the terribly chosen metaphor." Anchors on Fox News weren't happy about the language either, but the network's Eric Bolling fought rhetoric with more of the same. "Clyburn said, 'rape' is synonym for rob or plunder. Does that make it better?" ERIC: "If it is, President Obama is raping the American taxpayer and not giving us dinner or glass of wine or cocktail." The controversy comes as critics paint Bain — which Romney co-founded — as a heartless job killer. Earlier this month President Obama's reelection team released an ad featuring a Kansas City steel plant whose bankruptcy and closing were tied to the firm. "They were responsible. Mitt Romney was deeply involved. ... They made as much money off of it as they could. And they closed it down, they filed for bankruptcy without any concern for the families or the community." A new ABC News/Washington Post poll released Tuesday found 54% of voters polled said they don't consider Romney's role in buying and restructuring companies a major factor in their vote.