Romney the repulsive :: Hollywood Elsewhere

Romney the repulsive

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Mitt Romney will probably agree (if he hasn't already agreed) to participate in the 11.28 Republican YouTube debate. I thought the snowman question during the Democratic debate was on the tedious side, but Romney's stated reason for being against participating -- "I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman" -- sums up what I find truly small and bumpkinish about him.

Add this to Romney's recent attack upon Barack Obama for saying it would be wise and prudent to educate young children of a certain age about the dangers of sex offenders, and his offensiveness rating shoots up even higher. He seems like a fairly close relative of George Bush's, and by far the worst of the Republican stuffed-shirts -- an embodiment of everything that good and bad people outside this country despise about rube politicians (or those courting the rube vote).

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 13, 2007 at 12:17 PM

comment #1

OddDuck says ...

It's hard to square your GWB comparison with the Romney who was governor of Massachusets. Romneycare, pro-choice policies, altogether progessive leadership from what I can tell. My big problem with him is a) he's a republican and I'm not, and b) he totally comes off as a douchebag with all his incredulous claims about conservative credentials, i.e. he's now a pro-life big-game hunter who can't find Massachusets on a map. Completely unbelievable and disgenuine.

Posted by OddDuck at August 13, 2007 12:50 PM

comment #2

christian says ...

as awful as the dem contenders are (minus kucinich, the only actual progressive and the one who received the loudest applause at the afl-cio debate and who's been effectively cut out of the msm corporate state) the republicans have NOBODY, except perhaps ron paul and he's too principled to get gop support.

hack fanatic hugh hewitt has been pimping romney like superfly which is comforting as hewitt is generally wrong 98 percent of the time. so bring him on.

but frankly, we're watching the death rattle of democracy -- fully sponsored by the media state.

Posted by christian at August 13, 2007 12:51 PM

comment #3

Midwest Doug says ...

It's too easy to call Romney the John Kerry of the Republicans, but that's apt. Reasonably good guy, reasonably moderate politically, tall, rich, from Massachusetts, just stuffy enough to lose the key votes in a national election.

Posted by Midwest Doug at August 13, 2007 12:52 PM

comment #4

Hickenlooper says ...

Romney represents everything that is wrong with Washington. He represents the elitism in Washington that continues to polarize the goverment from its people. Romney is also a spin meister like the Clintons. He talks the talk but walks only for special interests and cash. If he got elected he would make the bucolic George Bush look like a folksy Harry Truman (which in my opinion he seems to be historically). Romney is bad news and doesn't have the character and reach that is needed to take this country back to its Republic origins and away from the oligarchy it has become. It doesn't matter in the end though. Romney will end up as Gulliani's running mate and both will defeat a Clinton/Obama ticket by a narrow margin. The only thing will have to worry about is keeping Gulliani healthy, both physically and bureaucratically speaking.

Posted by Hickenlooper at August 13, 2007 12:53 PM

comment #5

Midwest Doug says ...

Just to clarify -- Romney was born in Michigan and now is in Massachusetts. He's been a biggie in consulting firms, but has never worked in Washington. Romney would be an improvement over Bush, and Bush isn't a folksy Harry Truman -- he's a hamhanded James Buchanan.

Posted by Midwest Doug at August 13, 2007 12:56 PM

comment #6

GayAsXmas says ...

I'm sorry, but anybody angling for President who has went on record as wanting to "double" Guantanamo and lumps in Sunni, Shia, Iran, Iraqi insurgents, Al-Qaeda, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon as working in concert in the Middle East should not be allowed anywhere near the Presidency. Romney's flip-flopping is far worse than John Kerry's, because it betrays basic core principles. He is a complete phoney, with little legislative experience. Hasn't the US had enough of electing under-achieveing governers to run their country?

Posted by GayAsXmas at August 13, 2007 1:08 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

Haven't we already had a thread about Pod People?

Posted by BurmaShave at August 13, 2007 1:12 PM

comment #8

christian says ...

"Hasn't the US had enough of electing under-achieveing governers to run their country?"

you clearly missed media "liberal" chris matthews fawning over bush's pathetic press conference last week. this idiot (matthews) has the resources of the world and is paid millions to wax over fred thompson's manly after-shave...

the us can't get enough of fools.

Posted by christian at August 13, 2007 1:24 PM

comment #9

Movie Watcher says ...

Someone should ask Romney, aka the flip-flopper, does he support a draft? Also, why didn't any of his sons join the military. He gave a lame answer last week about why they didn't. It should be an interesting debate. Another subject to raise would be healthcare.

Posted by Movie Watcher at August 13, 2007 1:26 PM

comment #10

T. Holly says ...

Speaking of Giuliani, can we get a whiff of that Judith article in Vanity Fair?

Posted by T. Holly at August 13, 2007 1:27 PM

comment #11

starfunker says ...

Romney is the twin of any of the other candidates out there (minus kucinich as christian said). He just doesn't know when to keep his inner dialogue inner.

And regarding that media state: aren't we all just a little bit culpable, since we all suck off that same corporate teat?

Posted by starfunker at August 13, 2007 1:40 PM

comment #12

NYCBusybody says ...

Romney represents just about the worst of Mr. Big Suit Capitalism Oligarchy Elite Asshole that the political world has to throw at us.

But give me a fucking break. Look at the Democratic side:

Barack Obama - Elite Lawyer.
Hillary Clinton - Elite Lawyer
John "Poor America" Edwards - Elite Lawyer & Hedge Fund Consultant

And this is the party that is supposed to represent the economic (and to an extent, cultural) interests of poor/middle-class Americans. I don't believe they would for a second, i.e. Bill Clinton supporting globalization, Hillary selling out to hedge funds, etc.

I wish there was a truly viable, Populist third or fourth party.

Aside from economics, speaking as more-or-less a law-and-order Libertarian type, Giuliani really doesn't seem half bad. The problem with him is his schlemial-New York-hyper-urban vibe. He's no John Kerry, but close.

Like Wells' disdain for small-town, bumpkinish types, I just don't think I could ever vote for an urbanite for President. It's just too antithetical to the kind of people I like, and that's a powerful voting canard, issues be damned. How I long for good ol' rural populism.

If only Fred Thompson weren't an asshole lawyer - his voice and demeanor so wonderfully represent the real America, the anti-Wells europussy nonsense.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 13, 2007 1:43 PM

comment #13

George Prager says ...

I do hate rich Jews. I love poor Jews.

There's a denominator in there somewhere.

Posted by: NYCBusybody at July 12, 2007 02:38 PM

Posted by George Prager at August 13, 2007 1:54 PM

comment #14

NYCBusybody says ...

Yep, exactly. I'd vote for Kinky Friedman for President above all.

Posted by NYCBusybody at August 13, 2007 1:56 PM

comment #15

christian says ...

"And regarding that media state: aren't we all just a little bit culpable, since we all suck off that same corporate teat?"

when your only choice is constructed by them, you don't have much choice. that's why they marginalize kucinich and gravel, because they're honest, without corporate cash. the msm media has a stake in ignoring kucinich as he's the only who demands an end to the telecom act monopolizing put into place by that liberal bill clinton...

but romney would be destroyed in just about any debate with a dem. and guillani's been smacked around so much by ny firefighters, he's not going to be able to play his only card: 9/11.

Posted by christian at August 13, 2007 2:03 PM

comment #16

Movie Watcher says ...

Hey starfunker,
when did "elite" become a bad word? Wouldn't you want an "elite" doctor or dentist? So why not a lawyer?
If it wasn't for the 22nd amendment, Clinton would be running for the 5th time. Would he win? Against these republican clowns? You bet your ass.
Isn't is intersting how Rove just up and quit today? Is the ship sinking? I din't hear much about it on Fox, but that's hardly a surprise. If he was a democrat, I think it would be a little different.
What is Romney's stand on the draft?

Posted by Movie Watcher at August 13, 2007 2:19 PM

comment #17

Movie Watcher says ...

Sorry, 'funker, I mean NYCBusybody.

Posted by Movie Watcher at August 13, 2007 2:21 PM

comment #18

christian says ...

"What is Romney's stand on the draft?"

that other kids should fight while his campaign.

Posted by christian at August 13, 2007 2:39 PM

comment #19

Arizona Joe says ...

Romney earned both an MBA and a JD from Harvard and is indeed a lawyer. And he ran an elite private equity fund.

But most importantly, he is a Mormon. Hence, given that church held African Americans to be inferior until just recent history (Blacks were said to have something called "the mark of Cain"), it would be wise for him to lay off saying anything about Barack Obama until both parties nominees are decided.

Romney could easily win both Iowa and New Hampshire. And that's why I believe the South Carolina primary was moved up by the powers-that-be, because Mormon Romney probably cannot win in Bob Jones University fundamentalist land.

Also, Romney did himself no favors when he said his five sons did just as much service to the country by working on his campaign as serving in Iraq. Romney himself escaped Vietnam by serving on a Mormon mission to France.

Romney has a chance. But as his popularity grows, you can bet that Guiliani and others will take the gloves off and attempt to discredit his character and heritage.

Posted by Arizona Joe at August 13, 2007 2:44 PM

comment #20

Vince says ...

David Brooks had an interesting column on Romney in last Friday's NY Times. The upshot is that Romney is a smart businessman and skilled manager who is running as neither. Best line: "Why do the Democratic candidates pretend to be smarter than they really are, while the Republicans pretend to be dumber?"

My problem with Romney is that he looks like he should be playing the President on 24.

Posted by Vince at August 13, 2007 3:16 PM

comment #21

Nate West says ...

Q: Why do Republican candidates pretend to be dumber?

A: Republican voters.

Posted by Nate West at August 13, 2007 3:39 PM

comment #22

thasos says ...

Vince: Re 24, dead on. Hah!

I read this in the Guardian in a piece by Gary Younge: "Romney was asked why none of his children are serving in the military. "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," he said."

Posted by thasos at August 14, 2007 2:35 AM

comment #23

Hallick says ...

"Aside from economics, speaking as more-or-less a law-and-order Libertarian type, Giuliani really doesn't seem half bad."

Other than selling out his own beliefs and flip-flopping on stuff like abortion and gay marriage himself, yeah, he doesn't seem half bad so much as 3/4ths now. Why are these guys trying to get to the top of a smashed-itself-on-the-rocks political party they don't much synch up with in the first place anyway?

Posted by Hallick at August 14, 2007 10:36 AM

comment #24

Hallick says ...

"I read this in the Guardian in a piece by Gary Younge: 'Romney was asked why none of his children are serving in the military. "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," he said.'"

When I read this, all I can hear is the sound of Romney's campaign flushing itself down the toilet. That sure is one multi-dimentionally stupid, vain, and suicidal response. I can't believe he said that. And if you read the rest of the op-ed piece, it comes off even more out-of-touch and repugnant.

Posted by Hallick at August 14, 2007 10:49 AM

comment #25

christian says ...

i hope they pick him as the nominee.

Posted by christian at August 14, 2007 11:39 AM

comment #26

martindale says ...

Even though I can't stand Romney, he is right about one thing: the snowman bit from the Democratic debate was a painfully bad!

Posted by martindale at August 14, 2007 1:36 PM

comment #27

Dave Polands Gut says ...

Wells doesn't like a Republican candidate for office????

That is crazy talk!

The Liberals have no shot to win in 08. Obama is terribly naive and green and face it. Black.

Edwards is a joke.

And Hillary is unprecedented negatives. Who runs for office with unfavorables in the 60% range?

That's going to win play nationally?

In a time of war???

Funny

Posted by Dave Polands Gut at August 15, 2007 9:11 AM

comment #28

kimi98 says ...

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