Democrat Booker Features in GOP Fundraiser

Republicans are seeking to take advantage of Newark, N.J., Democratic Mayor Cory Booker’s criticism of a campaign ad from President Barack Obama.

The ad attacked Republican White House nominee-to-be Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he co-founded. The Republican National Committee (RNC) is now asking supporters to sign a petition saying they “stand with Cory,” The Hill reports.

The petition, included in an RNC email to supporters, reads, “Yesterday New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, a surrogate spokesman for the Obama campaign, called the president's attacks on the free market ‘ridiculous.’ That's right Mr. President, we aren't going to let you destroy free enterprise. Stand up for America. Stand up for job creators.”

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Booker said, “I’m not about to sit here and indict private equity . . . If you look at the totality of Bain Capital’s record, they’ve done a lot to support businesses, to grow businesses.” He said he felt "uncomfortable" with Obama's attack.

Booker released a Web video later Sunday, pulling back from his criticism of the Obama campaign, but RNC Chairman Reince Priebus claimed in the email that the campaign coerced Booker into changing his tune.

“Do you know what Obama does with people who stand up for job creators?,” the email reads. “He silences them. That’s right. By Sunday evening the Obama campaign had pressured Booker into taking back his support of the free market. This is how far President Obama has sunk — running an all-out assault on job creators. And in his own Democratic Party, anyone who dares defend them, must be silenced.”