New ads, campaign appearances deepen political lines in the sand

As former President Bill Clinton concludes his two-day Florida campaign tour for President Barack Obama, he continued to hammer domestic themes including the importance of the health law and to criticize GOP statements regarding Medicare.

The New York Times' The Caucus: Clinton Sticks To Domestic Issues While Campaigning For Obama
Instead, much as he had on Tuesday in Miami before 2,300 people, Mr. Clinton defended and promoted Mr. Obama's health care law, his initiatives to make college more affordable and his response to the economic crisis that Mr. Obama inherited in 2009 despite what Mr. Clinton characterized as constant obstructions from Republicans (Calmes, 9/12).

Los Angeles Times: Bill Clinton Focuses On Economy, Ignores Libya
Based on audience responses at his initial post-convention appearances on Obama's behalf, it's clear that several other bits of that Charlotte speech have become a lasting part of the 2012 campaign lexicon, including his use of "arithmetic" to deride Mitt Romney's economic policies and his broadside at Romney running mate Paul Ryan's "brass" for attacking Obama over the $716 billion in Medicare cuts that were also in Ryan's House GOP budget (West, 9/12).

As the Obama campaign unveils a new Medicare ad in Virginia, the Romney camp releases a Spanish language TV ad that tackles Medicare issues -    

The Washington Post: New Obama Ads In Virginia Hit Romney On Taxes, Medicare
One, titled "Won't Say," criticizes Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for not releasing more of his income tax records. … The second ad, titled "Guide," is based on the American Association of Retired Persons guide. It goes after Romney based on changes to Medicare that his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, has proposed (Vozzella,  9/12).

The Hill (Video): Romney Spanish-Language TV Ad Hits Obama On Medicare
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign accused President Obama of cutting funding to Medicare in a Spanish-language television ad unveiled Wednesday. The ad, titled "Yo Pagué," claims that the president took billions of dollars from Medicare to pay for his signature healthcare legislation, which has been bashed by Republicans. ... The ad goes on to tout Romney's plan as protecting and strengthening Medicare "for future generations" (Sands, 9/12).

CNN: Romney Hits Obama On Medicare In Spanish Language Ad
Mitt Romney's campaign pushed its Medicare attack in a new Spanish language television ad released Wednesday. The ad, "Yo Pagué," is a Spanish version of a spot it released last month, "Paid in," which makes the widely-criticized claim that the president cut more than $700 billion from Medicare in his health care reform. When Romney's team released the English version last month, Obama's campaign called the ad "dishonest and hypocritical." "The savings his ad attacks do not cut a single guaranteed Medicare benefit, and Mitt Romney embraced the very same savings when he promised he'd sign Paul Ryan's budget," said Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith (Killough, 9/12).

Also in the news, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., rolls out a video that assails the budget written by GOP vice presidential pick Paul Ryan as a document that would gut Medicare and give tax breaks to millionaires -

Politico Pro: Dems Greet Ryan With Open Fire On Budget
Democrats seem even more thrilled than Republicans about Paul Ryan's homecoming to Congress on Thursday. The Wisconsin Republican returns to the Capitol for the first time since presidential hopeful Mitt Romney tapped him as his running mate. …Using their megaphone on Capitol Hill, Democrats are reintroducing Ryan's budget to voters as a dangerous document that guts Medicare, cuts funding for education and infrastructure, and includes tax policies that favor millionaires. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will make those points Thursday morning when she rolls out a video titled "Welcome Back, Mr. Ryan." It will feature TV clips of Ryan explaining his proposals for Medicare and taxes (Wong, 9/12).