Chicago teachers on strike. Photo: Scott Olson/2012 Getty Images

On Monday, the Romney campaign launched a preemptive strike against President Obama over the Chicago teachers strike, saying that he’s “chosen his side in this fight.” According to spokesman Jay Carney, the White House merely hopes “both sides are able to come together to settle this quickly and in the best interests of Chicago’s students.” However, Romney claims that Obama made his allegiances known by sending Joe Biden to assure the National Education Association that he’s committed to working with them — though, in his 2011 address, Biden also acknowledged that there are disagreements between the administration and the union.

Later, Romney said in a radio interview that he believes, “We ought to put the kids first in this country and the teacher’s union goes behind.” Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel dismissed this as “lip service,” saying, “I don’t give two hoots about national comments scoring political points or trying to embarrass, or whatever, the president.” We suspect he wanted to say something a bit saltier than “two hoots.”