newjerseynewsroom.com

BY ADELE SAMMARCO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

It’s been exactly one year since al Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a top-secret raid on his compound in Pakistan by elite U.S. NAVY SEAL forces.

With the first anniversary of the terrorist’s death, comes a war of words between the White House and Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, who called Obama’s decision to go after Bin Laden a clear one that "even Jimmy Carter would" have made.

The verbal sparring around the Bin Laden death anniversary began last week when Obama's campaign created an Internet ad that questioned whether Romney would make the same call if he were in the White House.

Former President Bill Clinton is a narrator of the video in which he praises Obama's decision to order the attack.

The video points out Romney saying in 2007, "It's not worth moving heaven and earth, spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person."

Then in an about-face just days after his remarks, Romney recanted saying, "We'll move everything to get him (Bin Laden).”

Calling it a "cheap political ploy” in a statement, Romney's camp said Obama distorted Romney's policies on fighting terrorism.

Romney's Jimmy Carter comments came at an event in New Hampshire with Senator Kelly Ayotte, who is believed to be on Romney's vice president candidate search list.

Asked again whether he would have made the call on Monday, Romney reiterated, "Of course, even Jimmy Carter would have given that order."

Arizona Senator John McCain, who was Barack Obama's opponent four years ago, called the minute-long spot, "a cheap political attack ad."

In an address at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Monday, White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan defended the President's decision.

"One year ago today, President Obama faced the scenario that he discussed here at the Wilson Center five years ago, and he did not hesitate to act," Brennan said according to CNN.

"The death of Bin Laden was our most strategic blow yet against al Qaeda," Brennan said. "Credit for that success belongs to the courageous forces who carried out that mission, at extraordinary risk to their lives; to the many intelligence professionals who pieced together the clues that led to Bin Laden's hideout; and to President Obama, who gave the order to go in."

Bill Clinton appeared at a fundraiser with Obama on Sunday, describing Romney as "an opponent who basically wants to do what they did before, on steroids, which will get you the same consequences you got before, on steroids."

Critics say Obama is capitalizing on Bin Laden’s death for his re-election campaign which will kick-off this Saturday, while supporters say they are glad Bin Laden is gone.

The President is expected to attend campaign rallies in Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond, Virginia, two potential battleground states in the November election.

Obama quoted Ronald Reagan as he rallied building trade union members, outlining a distinction between the conservative icon and the Republican Party he is up against.

"Ronald Reagan once said that rebuilding our infrastructure is common sense; an investment in tomorrow that we need to make today," the President told the Building and Construction Trades Department Legislative Conference Monday. "Ronald Reagan said that, that great socialist Ronald Reagan said that. Couldn't get through a Republican primary these days."

Obama's campaign believes Saturday will mark the end of the Republican "monologue."

Meantime, Romney's campaign announced its candidate will mark the anniversary of the Bin Laden raid in an event with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was dubbed "America's Mayor" for his response in the days after the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center.

Sources say former White House Speaker Newt Gingrich is expected to announce the suspension of his campaign Wednesday, and voice his support of Mitt Romney.