[Acosta:] Mitt Romney is out with his first campaign ad of the season. It takes a hard swing at the president's economic policies. One line in particular is getting the White House and its reelection campaign all riled up. Take a listen.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] I am confident that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis. Who's going to be in charge if we need a rescue plan for the idle class? We need to provide people with homes. It's going to take a generation. If we keep talking about the economy we're going to lose.
[Acosta:] That last line, in particular there, is key. Our Joe Johns is in Washington at the sight of tonight's CNN Republican debate. Joe, that is not the way we remember the president delivering that line back in 2008. Tell us what's going on here.
[Joe Johns, Cnn Senior Correspondent:] Well, that line is a real source of controversy right now, Jim. The point of it is the Obama people out of Chicago are saying he was not making that statement as a personal belief. Rather, he was attributing that statement to someone else, specifically the campaign of John McCain, who went on to be the nominee. So let's listen now to the full statement by then-Senator Barack Obama that wasn't all included in the spot by Mitt Romney.
[Obama:] Senator McCain's campaign actually said, and I quote, "If we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose."
[Johns:] The McCain campaign actually said it. This, according to Senator Barack Obama. So a real dust-up right now. And the people over on the Obama side are pretty upset about it. It's interesting that they've actually finally now been drawn into the fire between the candidates on the Republican side, and they are actually responding, Jim. I have a statement that they put out and here's part of it: "Just last week, fact checkers scalded Mitt Romney for distorting a comment the president made about creating American jobs. And now Romney launches a deceitful and dishonest attack rather than outline his own record or plans for the future." So pretty harsh words. And now the Obama people are engaged and talking to the Romney campaign Jim?
[Acosta:] How about team Romney, are they apologizing or withdrawing the ad? I'm guessing not?
[Johns:] No, you're absolutely right.
[Acosta:] And Joe, probably not bad strategy on the part of the Romney campaign to get this out there on the eve of the Republican debate tonight and create this kerfuffle between both sides.
[Johns:] That's really important now.
[Acosta:] All right, well, Joe Johns
[Johns:] That's important to say.
[Acosta:] That's right.
[Johns:] Oh, I was just that's important to say because Romney has always has some sense of inevitability about his campaign, if you will. Now he's engaged in a debate directly with the president of the United States. To that extent, it helps Romney. Whether it was honest or dishonest, that's up to the voters.
[Acosta:] That's probably exactly where he wants to be, having that debate with the president. Joe Johns, thanks so much. We appreciate it. The Republican contenders go head to head tonight on CNN. Wolf Blitzer puts the main focus of the debate on national security but you know the economy will come up. He and the GOP candidates will be live from Constitution hall in Washington tonight at 8:00 eastern on CNN. This story is going viral and not in a good way. This is a story a lot of parents can relate to. Two toddlers got their hands on a five-pound bag of flour and, for them, it was time to show off creativity. Here's Jeanne Moos.
[Jeanne Moos, Cnn National Correspondent:] Mommy is not feeling well so she stays longer a little longer than usual in the bathroom. When she comes out
[Mary Napoli, Mother:] what are you doing?
[Moos:] stay-at-home mom, Mary Napoli, stayed eerily calm.
[Napoli:] Oh, boy.
[Moos:] The boys are 1.5 and 3.5.
[Unidentified Boy:] Uh, oh. What's the matter, Mommy?
[Moos:] What could possibly be the mater with having flour all over your house?
[Napoli:] As soon as I stopped recording, I sat in the middle in the floor in the living room and started crying.
[Moos:] Talk about floor power, the entire mess was caused by one five-pound bag.
[Napoli:] Oh, my gosh. What am I going to do? I think I'm going to throw up.
[Moos:] Instead of throwing up, Mary kept regurgitating one phrase.
[Napoli:] Oh, my gosh.
[Moos:] From the chair seat to the window ledge on the door.
[Napoli:] Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.
[Moos:] We counted at least 27 "Oh, my goshes."
[Napoli:] Oh, my gosh. Not fair.
[Moos:] Mary had just gotten home from the grocery store and says she forgot to lock the cup board.
[Napoli:] My god, it's like a snowman has puked all over my living room.
[Moos:] It reminds us of the dogs-get-in-the-trash video, where the culprit is identified by an incriminating clue.
[Unidentified Male:] I wonder if Tank had anything to do with it. Can you tell me what happened?
[Moos:] The flour kids weren't talking either.
[Napoli:] What happened, Zack?
[Unidentified Boy:] What.
[Moos:] Mary called her mother-in-law for help. By the way, those who say the video is fake or Fakey McFakeovitch, you don't know how flour flies. [on camera]: Mary and her mother-in-law used a Shop-Vac to remove most of the flour, but there were two items that were beyond salvaging. [voice-over]: She had to throw away this rug and light bulb emitting a burning flour smell. Hardest to clean? The couches.
[Napoli:] We haven't even paid off those couches yet.
[Moos:] During cleanup, Zack slipped and cut his lip so Mary left the kitchen sink and came running. [on camera]: Unfortunately, the faucet was overrunning and the sink overflowed and flooded the kitchen. [voice-over]: Next time you think you had a bad day, remember Mary
[Napoli:] I told my mother-in-law that I feel I've inhaled so much flour, I'm going to start to rise.
[Moos:] At least Andrew was dressed for bad behavior, like a prison inmate. Jeanne Moos,
[Cnn -- Unidentified Boy:] See? See?
[Napoli:] Yes, I see.
[Moos:] New York.
[Acosta:] That came from one five-pound bag of flour. Which by the way, I did not fill out this label here. That is not my handwriting. I want to make sure that credit goes where it's due I'm kidding to our executive producer, Jen. Anybody have a pair of scissors. Just anybody? Just thought I would have fun with this during the break? No, guess not. We'll be right back.