Who built that: Mitt, Obama teams Tangle Tuesday in Tampa

CLEARWATER, FL.–The Tuesday Republican National Convention theme is “We Built It,” an attack blitz at President Barack Obama’s “you didn’t build that.” The Democratic National Committee is mounting a big push-back today on that theme–where Obama’s choice of words created an opening for the Republicans.

The DNC has a variety of push-backs set for Tuesday, a rolling “pre-buttal” to the GOP. The DNC is running a “war room” operation in Tampa near the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The Republican National Committee will have a similar set-up in Charlotte, N.C. next week for the Democratic National Convention.

What the DNC is planning for Tuesday:

from the DNC: TODAY’S RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

Daily Democratic Press Conference with Robert Gibbs, Gov. Martin O’Malley, Democratic Convention Chair and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, CarMax Founder Austin Ligon, Somerville, MA Mayor Joe Curtatone, Former AMPAD Employee and Bain Victim Randy Johnson

10 AM, Democratic War Room, 200 North Tampa St., Suite 110

Press Avail with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

2 PM, Democratic War Room, 200 North Tampa St., Suite 110

Conference Call with Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (SC-06) and DNC Executive Director Patrick Gaspard to discuss Romney Economics: Wrong for African Americans.

FOR THE RECORD: As you watch proceedings at the Tampa Bay Times Forum today, it may be instructive–as a starting point–no matter your politics–to at least know what Obama said last July 13.

There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t — look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something — there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. (Applause.)

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.

So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President — because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together. (Applause.)

So all these issues go back to that first campaign that I talked about, because everything has to do with how do we help middle-class families, working people, strivers, doers — how do we help them succeed? How do we make sure that their hard work pays off? That’s what I’ve been thinking about the entire time I’ve been President.

WATCH HERE WHAT OBAMA SAID ON JULY 13 AT A Roanoke, VA. RALLY