WARREN - President Barack Obama's economic policies are helping Ohio's economy continue to improve, while what Republican Mitt Romney is saying about the turnaround isn't in line with what is actually happening in the state - at least according to a conference call Friday with surrogates of the president's campaign in Ohio.
The campaign is continuing its steady effort to prove to voters in this critical state that Obama's policies are working and Romney continues to be out of touch.
U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan said unemployment rates in all 88 Ohio counties is down from a year ago, ''thanks in large part'' to Obama's decision to rescue the auto industry - a point Democrats make routinely in Ohio due to the auto industry's large presence here - and investments in manufacturing jobs.
''Everyone but Mitt Romney seems to understand this,'' said Ryan, D-Niles. ''And it's frankly insulting to both our work ethic and our intelligence to continue to be told that Ohio isn't doing enough. Because the fact is, we are leading the country out of the recession, and we are proud of it.''
Ryan was joined on the call by Summit County Executive Russ Pry, University of Cincinnati law professor Lew Goldfarb and CEO of Columbus-based Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, John Lowe.
Lowe said he has seen the business grown by ''leaps and bounds,'' largely due to the thawing of the credit market, tax cuts and Small Business Administration loans, which have helped Jeni's grow by 300 percent and double its work force.
''For so many small businesses, tax cuts and loans make the difference between staying open and closing up shop,'' Lowe said.
Christopher Maloney, spokesman for the Romney campaign in Ohio, countered, saying Obama's economic policies have failed and have led to high U.S. unemployment.
''Gov. Romney knows things can be better, and when he is president, they will be better across the country,'' Maloney said.
''I think 430,000 unemployed Ohioans would disagree that now is the time to be taking economic victory laps because the president and his allies believe the private sector is doing fine,'' Maloney said.