Romney playing campaign videos at ‘storm relief events’

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Tuesday claimed that he had stopped campaigning due to Hurricane Sandy and instead was holding so-called “storm relief events” where campaign advertisements were played for attendees.

Romney, along with his wife, Ann, and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, stopped by campaign offices and attended events in the swing state of Ohio just a day after the hurricane devastated much of the east coast.

“Campaign video playing at ‘storm relief event’ – there is an area roped off for supplies,” USA Today‘s Jackie Kucinich tweeted along with a photo.

New York Times political reporter Michael Barbaro noted that a sign at the Trent Arena in Kettering called the event a “Republican Campaign Rally.”

NPR White House Correspondent Ari Shapiro tweeted a photo of press badge, which referred to the “storm relief event” in Dayton as a “victory rally.”

And even the music seemed at the Ohio events seemed more in line with a campaign rally than storm relief.

“So far Romney’s OH disaster relief event has every touchstone of a normal rally. Same warm up songs: Only in America, Hollywood Nights, etc,” Politico’s James Hohmann wrote on Twitter, adding, “‘Dancing in the street’ [which includes a lyric about New York City] just played at Romney’s Ohio event.”