Cory Booker: "I made the dumb decision to do the hostage video"

Mr. Booker said he worried his Bain comments had jeopardized his standing with the party and Mr. Obama, but he has been reassured that isn’t the case. The mayor said he sought out Mr. Obama personally at a Plaza Hotel fundraiser he helped organize on June 14.

“I wanted to talk to him about it,” Mr. Booker said in an interview. He said the president indicated to him that “it’s all small potatoes.” The Obama campaign declined to comment on any exchange between Mr. Booker and Mr. Obama…

Mr. Booker released a nearly four-minute video on May 21 saying Mr. Romney’s business record deserved scrutiny. It only helped fan the flames.

“I made the dumb decision to do the hostage video,” said Mr. Booker, using the nickname he calls it because he looks like he is doing it against his will. “The whole thing became more myth than fact.”