World Wrestling Entertainment struck back Thursday at the rising chorus of Democratic critics who have been painting professional wrestling as a seedy underworld where performers jacked up on steroids and prescription drugs act out sexually provocative skits while the bodies of dead wrestlers pile up.
With the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee running a blistering new ad criticizing former WWE CEO -- and current Republican candidate for U.S. Senate -- Linda McMahon, the Stamford-based company thought it would be a good idea to remind folks that Democrats weren't always so critical of professional wrestling.
For instance, the word "steroids" never came up when President Obama and Hillary Clinton appeared on WWE programs in a quest to win votes.
Here's what Barack Obama told WWE audience in 2008, when he was running for president:
"Hey, WWE fans. I hope you are all enjoying the program tonight. You know, this is a historic time for America. It's not just that the reign of Randy Orton is coming to an end, it is at this moment in this election, we have a chance to finally end business as usual in Washington. For a long time now, we've had a politics where our leaders go after each other like they're competing to become King of the Ring instead of coming together to provide universal health care, fix our economy, solve our other problems. That's what I'm running for President to change. So to the special interests, who have been setting the agenda in Washington for too long, to all the forces of division and distraction that have stopped us from making progress; for the American people, I have one question: 'do you smell what Barack is cooking'?""