New Romney Ad Looks to Town From Billy Joel Song

In 1982 Billy Joel released "Allentown," bringing melody to the sorrow felt by those in the declining American manufacturing industry through the eyes of blue-collar steel workers in Pennsylvania's Leigh Valley. Almost 30 years later the region is once again experiencing decline, which Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romeny calls attention to in his new campaign ad.

The ad was released the day before Romney's speech in front of the now boarded-up metal factory Barack Obama visited in 2009 to tout the economic stimulus. LA Times:

“'This president came here and called this a symbol of hope,' Romney said, standing before the overgrown lot dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt. 'It is a symbol of failure, failure of his economic policy. He’s out of his depth. When it comes to getting the economy going, it’s just not something he understands.'”

As Romney calls attention to the over 100,000 Pennsylvania jobs lost since Obama took office, 39,800 manufacturing jobs lost since 2009, and 470,774 people looking for work, it seems the GOP frontrunner is already positioning himself for a swing state battle with the President. Confident considering that the first GOP primary is still seven months away.