TPM Election Central | Talking Points Memo

Fits right in with the Decider's statement that ordinary Americans are sharing in the troops' sacrifice by paying taxes.

Posted by marcNYC
August 8, 2007 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink

If I didn't know better, I might give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest he was kidding.

But I live in Massachusetts, so I can be pretty sure he wasn't kidding.

Posted by Bearpaw
August 8, 2007 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink

And don't forget, they're spending all that unearned and undeserved money to keep the economy strong. There are no big spenders in foxholes.

Posted by DaveW
August 8, 2007 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink

I can't wait for the GOP to nominate this loser, we are going to have ALOT of fun with him for the rest of the campaign.

Posted by American1989
August 8, 2007 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink

Ah, the noble sacrifices of helping your multi-millionaire father run for President.

Posted by ohiomeister
August 8, 2007 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink

Romney should hold his head in shame saying that his sons working his campaign is equivalent to a soldier walking in the biting hot sands of Iraq.

Would you vote for a person with that mindset? Not one of his sons was willing to volunteer to serve in the armed services yet Romney wants a bigger surge. America has become a plutocracy plus.

How the hell can these kids go over to Iraq and fight for this system that allows the rich families to avoid fighting in the war and the poor families to be paid a pittance for their lives.

Posted by matconly
August 8, 2007 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink

Breathtaking. This guy sets new standards every day!

Is American ready for the most craven self-promoter in our history? Scary to think that they might well be.

Posted by Lookingforhome
August 8, 2007 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink

Ask not what you can do for your country, but what you can do to get the country to vote for your father?

Catchy.

More seriously, I'm sorry no one has contrasted this to one of the most hallowed bits of Iowa-folklore: the Sullivan brothers. All five sons from an Iowan family volunteered, asked to serve together, and died at Guadalcanal.

Romney has no shame.

Posted by Blue in IA
August 8, 2007 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink

OMG - that is really, really funny.

Posted by ZacZaca
August 8, 2007 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink

It ain't easy being named Tagg.

This guy is such a ginormous phony. Part of me would love to see him get the nomination. He would make Bill Clinton look like a really sincere guy.

Posted by renato
August 8, 2007 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink

Everytime I see him or hear him, I think of the poor, puppy-dog in the crate on top of the car going 65 mph. As somone else posted shortly after that story broke . . . " dear, there is something brown on the window." Romney in a nutshell.

Posted by az5762
August 8, 2007 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink

Sociopaths like Bush and Romney have an extremely difficult time figuring out how the rest of the world thinks. Since Mitt --according to him -- is all important why wouldn't we be impressed by the noble actions of his sons in sticking to the important thing and trying to get him elected?

Normal people have a difficult time predicting the actions of sociopaths also because the actions the sociopaths take are outside the range that the normal people are willing to consider.

Posted by AJM
August 8, 2007 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink

Or the Decider's wife who says that Georgie is serving on the front lines.

Posted by jeffgee
August 8, 2007 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink

I am not even close to being a Romney supporter, but I do think that the context provided by the AP article is important. Romney didn't simply answer the serious question with the flip one-sentence response. Let's go to the article:
****
"The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told some 200 people gathered in an abbey near the Mississippi River that had been converted into a hotel. "My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."

He added: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."
***

Sure, he SHOULD have ended his response with "...I respect their decision in that regard." But, I don't think we should have to play the Rush-O'Reilly-Hannity-take-the-quote-out-of-context game. (As fun as it may be.)

Posted by azpaull
August 8, 2007 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink

Romney and his well-lubed hair looks like the advertising guys on "Mad Men", the AMC drama set in 1960.
Those guys were in the bamboozlement business, same as Mitt.

Posted by jeffgee
August 8, 2007 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink

Here's what really scares me. Sitting in my dorm room and watching a debate during the 1976 campaign, a group of us laughed our asses off about the possibility that Reagan could ever get elected President. We know what happened four years later. I fear the same for Romney. Next time he gets a total free ride from the media.

Posted by crick02478
August 8, 2007 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink

or john hardwood's claim on behalf of rudy:

On the May 16 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, CNBC chief Washington correspondent and Wall Street Journal national political editor John Harwood, comparing Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), claimed, "Rudy Giuliani also has a bit of a claim to combat in a different way, because he was on the ground in 9-11."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705170005

Posted by bkny
August 8, 2007 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink

i love that. any chance you'd have an opportunity to attend a mittster event and pose that very question...

Posted by bkny
August 8, 2007 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink

What did you expect. He didn't serve either. He was doing "God's work" in France at the time.

Posted by Ron Genise
August 8, 2007 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink

A proud member of the fightin' 101 Winnebago Division.

Boy do I want Romney to be the Repub candidate. Helping his dad capture the Repub nomination is helping this country as Mitt will be trounced.

Posted by lilybelle
August 8, 2007 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink

On the "Brothers Blog" there's currently a photo of two of them standing beneath a giant statue of a bull. Seems appropriate.

Posted by fishbrake
August 8, 2007 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink

I don't see how that context changes anything. If anything, Romney makes it even more obvious that he's gung-ho about other peoples' kids dying in a scam war but has no problem with his own kids putting their careers first. Somebody above brought up sociopathy. They're right.

Posted by DaveW
August 8, 2007 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink

This is GREAT-- he has given EVERYONE an 'out' when asked the same question. . .

"I AM serving my country, by analyzing the content of news reports and blogs, to try and gain insight into the problem of terrorism so we can win the war on terror."

(He sure as hell aint gonna win his 'home' state. . . I live in MA. and I cant think of anything that he actually accomplished as governor. . . c'mon, do we really want ANOTHER ineffectual one-term governor in the White House?)

Posted by illlich
August 8, 2007 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink

Be careful what you wish for. We're not talking about the brightest electorate in the world here.

Posted by DaveW
August 8, 2007 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink

They're not serving in Iraq, because they know it's not worth dying for. Plus if Mitt was running for the Senate in Massachusetts, he'd be antiwar and it would make total sense why they weren't serving.

Posted by cevrero
August 8, 2007 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink

Ooooh... I'm not sure I'm up to impersonating a Repub caucuser... I have, however, considered strapping a dog kennel to the roof of my car and driving out to the straw poll. I just can't think of a suitably damning poster slogan to go with it. I'm open to suggestions...

Posted by Blue in IA
August 8, 2007 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink

Look at it this way - they're fighting the evildoers over here so they don't have to fight them over there!

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!" - Franklin Roosevelt

Posted by larryepke
August 8, 2007 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink

May I suggest a new scheme, similar to Carbon Offsets, for those of age, who are espousing war, yet failing to fight. These Combat Offsets would be purchased each time somebody of enlistment age makes public statements or publicly redistributes statements supporting the war / calling for more troops to be used / railing against those who oppose war, and so on.

"It's okay," said Malkin, "I bought Combat Offsets, three kids from X are out there in Iraq, right now, dodging bullets for me, actually, two of them died yesterday, so I may be due a top-up."

Posted by kingfelix
August 8, 2007 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink

Mad Mutts Against Mitt!

Romney's Ruff Rider

Angry Dogs and Vets for Truth

You should take copies of the Boston Globe article about the trip and hand them out to Mitt's supporters at the straw poll. Probably more damaging than his flip-flopping on abortion and other issues.

Seriously, a good performance could put Mitt on the road to the nomination, so I think all of your compatriots here would thank you for doing anything you can in Iowa to derail him.

Posted by ohiomeister
August 8, 2007 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink

Excellent ideas!

Posted by Blue in IA
August 8, 2007 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink

Doesn't have Romney have the sense not to say things like that? At the very least, it displays a monumental arrogance that he's too important for them to be wasted on such an endeavor as Iraq.

I know the full statement qualifies the blurb he said, but the fact that he thinks that helping him run for president because he thinks he'd be a good president is a good alternative to being patriotic and fighting in Iraq is nonsense. It may make them good sons, but it doesn't excuse the other. If he had simply said they're adults, and made their own decision not to volunteer, then left it at that, there would have been no story.

Posted by acf
August 8, 2007 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink

I'm definitely "volunteering" as much as I possibly can to help the Democratic presidential nominee if Mitt gets the GOP nod.

I think defeating Mitt would serve our military and our country far more than helping him win and continue the fiasco in Iraq, which has already strained our military to the breaking point.

Posted by ohiomeister
August 8, 2007 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink

The other question this raises is how they could possibly think that he would be a good president, given that:

1. He was an absolutely dreadful governor.

and

2. Since he has absolutely no core principles, it's impossible to know what he would do as President.

I don't think we should trust their judgment. After all, they do stand to inherit quite a bit of money from him, so they don't want to get cut off, and he will probably try to end the estate tax, giving them even more money.

Posted by ohiomeister
August 8, 2007 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink

Romney needs a better comedy writer.

Posted by NJ Lawyer
August 8, 2007 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink

An acronym could work as well.

(M)utts
(I)ntolerant of
(T)orturous
(T)ravel

Posted by ohiomeister
August 8, 2007 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink

Golden Tablets disappear, pretty pretty Mitt delusions so clear, stupid stupid stupid he thinks of me I am sure. But anyway it is all moot now. The only reason I'm making any comment is to inform anybody reading this comment that it is moot. You are moot. Voting is moot. You need to change something with physical action all the rest is moot.

Posted by unkbob
August 8, 2007 2:38 PM | Reply | Permalink

Bill Clinton was and is a really sincere guy.

Just because he was willing to engage in the political art of compromise doesn't mean he's not sincere.

Posted by Ray
August 8, 2007 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink

>>>asked to serve together, and died at Guadalcanal.

Actually, the Sullivan brothers died in the sinking and aftermath of the loss of the USS JUNEAU. Got a destroyer named after them.

Just being a pissant with no life and a predelcition for historical accuracy here...

Posted by Alfonso Bedoya
August 8, 2007 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink

ding, ding, ding! we have a winner

Posted by jeffgee
August 8, 2007 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink

Actually, Bush was elected twice to the goobernor's office in Texas. A year after his re-election, he decided to have his friends steal the presidential election for him.
One of his crowning achievements was declaring June 10 "Jesus Day", apparently in respect of the separation of church and state.
What we need is a separation of chooch and state.
"Chooch"- from the Italian "ciuccio" meaning dummy, idiot, or moron.

Posted by jeffgee
August 8, 2007 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink

The gutless Romney men are following in the same chickenhawk steps of spoiled, rich republicans all over America. Cheney and Bush are prime examples. They all seem to have more important things to do. Recent interviews of college republicans are replete with bumbling, chickenshit explanations of why they will not go to Iraq. Who do these kids have for role models? Almost every republican politician in Washington has refused to serve. It is perfectly alright for the middle class and poor to die for their country while these gutless cowards continue in their parents footsteps to enrich themselves and bang the war drums. Pathetic cowards all.

Posted by djcrow22
August 8, 2007 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink

Sinking of the USS Juneau: "One of naval battles was the cruiser night action, fought during the night of 12-13 November 1942, that made up part of what came to be called the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal."

Ahem.

Posted by Blue in IA
August 8, 2007 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink

What scares me is remembering the utter incompetence, stupidity and vacuousness of Bush back in 2000, knowing Gore was therefore a shoo-in to win. Romney might be a better candidate than Bush.

Now, my nightmare is watching the Repub candidates "debate" and remembering the 2000 election. That's right up there with the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

Hoppy in Sacramento

Posted by hoppycalif2
August 8, 2007 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink

Well the latest is that he's provided "context" and it's pretty clear that he kinda sorta just meant to say that hey, they're good hardworking kids as shown by the fact that they're putting in a lotta hours on my campaign.

As opposed to serving in Iraq. Which still leaves the question unanswered.

Anyway, the more time he has to spend explaining why he didn't mean what he appears to have said and by the way why aren't your kids doing their bit to fight 'em over there so we don't have to etc. etc., the better. Not that I want to have the dog-on-the-car-roof story be totally eclipsed by this latest hoof-and-mouth episode. I've got a real soft spot for that one.

Posted by DrBB
August 8, 2007 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink

Hey, yeah, just like those rich NYC guys paying Irish immigrants to take their places in the Civil War draft. Plus it shows confidence in the power of free markets to answer all social problems, so it's still patriotic. I'm liking this idea.

Posted by DrBB
August 8, 2007 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink

I hate to see a Romney thread go without this:

"Magic Underwear FTW!!1!"

Posted by Pope Ratzo
August 8, 2007 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink

What Romney needs to remember is that choice goes both ways, so people who choose to serve the nation here at home have the right to stand outside every Mitt Romney and Sons appearance between now and the day he ends his campaign and play the old Pink Floyd song featuring the line:

Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died.

Posted by erica
August 8, 2007 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink

Romney does have ONE core principle on which he will not flip flop:

Rich guys like him should get more tax cuts.

Posted by CaptainVideo
August 8, 2007 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink

Fighting for his country isn't for people like them. That's for the commoners to do.

Posted by CaptainVideo
August 8, 2007 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink

Actually, in order for paying taxes to equate to our soldier's sacrifice there would need to be a few "minor" changes.

1. All taxpayers would have to do their taxes themselves...personally. Then, slowly over the course of several years, some taxpayers would get an "up-accountant" allowing them some small token of financial advice.

2. After we'd paid our taxes the gov't would have to come back and tell us that the amount of taxes we owed had been "extended" and take more.

3. Our taxes would have "surged" along with the troops.

And if our president's asinine comparison were true it also raises another question - is the act of seeking tax breaks an assault and affront to the troops?

Posted by mcboo
August 8, 2007 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink

Seems to me I remember reading that some of those guys who hired substitutes had the chutzpah to try to lay claim to the soldiers' pension benefits after the war. Don't know whether or not they were successful.

Posted by slb
August 8, 2007 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink

Love the acronym, but I'm also rather taken with "Romney's Ruff Rider."

Posted by slb
August 8, 2007 6:38 PM | Reply | Permalink

No kidding, this guy is a Democrat's dream GOP candidate, he's simply unelectable.

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August 13, 2007 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink

I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic

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August 13, 2007 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink

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