I’ve always considered Donald Trump a showman masquerading as a political figure, but he does have a point here. A Republican Super PAC, American Crossroads, released a video a couple of days ago portraying Obama as a celebrity president who hasn’t got the job done on economic issues. Trump rightfully notes:

“I thought it was one of the worst commercials, in terms of what they were trying to do, that I’ve ever seen…They are making Obama look great. They are making him look like that’s the man we want to be president. I looked at that clip very closely, and actually, I couldn’t believe it.”

Part of the problem for the makers of this video is that only 7 seconds of the 45 directly criticize Obama. It leaves a few seconds at the end asking the voter if life is any better after four years. Of course, Obama has been president for only three years. Perhaps a hard-hitting attack ad can’t be expected from people who lose count after the number three.

Trump is right that the ad plays to Obama’s strengths. Being cool is what got him elected. Emphasizing a cool Obama only points out the alternative — an uncool, wooden Romney.

Comparing how well things are now to the beginning of Obama’s term may not play so well anyway. Yes, the economy continued to plummet for the first few months that Obama came to office, but it was in a free fall before he took the oath. Inauguration Day was not some magical transformation for America. However, in a few months the economy stabilized and has plodded upward since then. I stress plodded because that is what has happened. Democrats would like the recovery to be more energetic, but there has been improvement.

If this is some of the best that Romney and his allies have to offer, then they are going to be eaten alive when the fall election gets into full swing.