"President Barack Obama's re-election campaign sought to manage fallout on Thursday from his decision to nix a new oil pipeline, putting up its first television ad of 2012 to promote his energy record."
"Obama, who is fighting to retain the White House in the November presidential election, came under heated criticism from Republicans for deciding on Wednesday to reject the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada.
The president blamed Republicans for forcing his hand by inserting an "arbitrary" deadline for a decision into a deal to extend the U.S. payroll tax cut.
The campaign's first major ad buy reflected the seriousness with which it views energy as a potential weakness for the president going into the 2012 contest."
Jeff Mason reports for Reuters January 20, 2012.
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