Romney hits Obama on jobs council, economic record at Ohio town hall

{mosads}”Take that, Mr. President,” Romney said defiantly.

Romney’s team has harped on a comment Obama made during a town-hall meeting Friday. Discussing transportation infrastructure, Obama said “if you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” Republicans have said the comment underscores the president’s belief that government is central to business.

“I hope you understand that the logic of what the president said extends to all of you,” Romney said.

But the president’s campaign team has accused Team Romney of using the quote out of context.

“The Romney campaign is ripping the president’s remarks out of context,” said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. “The president certainly credited entrepreneurs and innovators with the creation of start-ups and businesses.”

LaBolt went on to say that the president was referring to the help those entrepreneurs got along the way from teachers, infrastructure and other amenities provided by the government.

“Romney has ripped his remarks out of context in an attempt to change the subject, and I think most Americans will find that to be transparent.”

The White House also defended the president’s decision not to hold a jobs council meeting in recent months.

“There’s no specific reason, except the president has obviously got a lot on his plate, but he continues to solicit and receive advice from numerous folks outside the administration about the economy about ideas that he can act on with Congress or administratively to help the economy grow and help create jobs,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday.

—Jonathan Easley contributed.