May 31, 2012
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON — The steps of the Massachusetts State House turned into a political combat zone Thursday. Supporters of President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney were picketing, shouting at each other and holding up traffic on Beacon Street.
David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, was in Boston to criticize Romney’s record as governor. Romney's supporters tried to drown out his speech; Axelrod responded by saying, “You can shout down speakers, my friends, but it’s hard to Etch-a-Sketch the truth away.”
When Obama supporters chanted, "Hey, ho, Romney's got to go," Romney supporters tacked on, "— to the White House!"
About 100 people participated in the protest, split roughly evenly between the two sides. The Obama group included elected officials such as state representatives, state senators and mayors.
Romney supporters also shouted “Solyndra.” That’s the name of the green energy company that went bankrupt after receiving support from the Obama administration and federal loan guarantees.
