The Office of Management and Budget has a new leader, former employee of Bain Capital.
Jeffrey Zients will serve as President Obama's new acting director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), but the president's decision might undercut attacks on Republican Mitt Romney's career as a venture capitalist, because Zients and Romney are both alumni of Bain & Company.
"I'm pleased to designate Jeff Zients to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Since day one, Jeff has demonstrated superb judgment and has provided sound advice on a whole host of issues," Obama said in a statement accompanying the announcement today. Zients previously served as Deputy Director of OMB under Jack Lew, who became Obama's chief of staff with the departure of Bill Daley
The DNC, headed by Chairman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, has been slamming Romney for weeks on his record at Bain (with help from Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich), saying he is out of touch, someone who got rich off the backs of middle class workers.
The Democratic National Committee has joined the fray, releasing a web video highlighting criticisms of Romney's dealings with the venture capital firm. Entitled "Don't Just Take Our Word For It," the clip crosses party lines, relying on critical comments from GOP rivals to get this opening claim across.
Will the DNC come out with a new ad against Zients? Will Rick Perry classify him as a "vulture capitalist?" You would think the appointment of Zients would kill the Bain issue going into the general election should Romney secure the GOP nomination, however considering the Left loves playing the role of hypocrite, I doubt the appointment will do much to curb attacks from the DNC against Romney as an evil CEO.