AP Reporter Jousts with Romney

The video

Heated Exchange At Romney Press Conference

Standing in a Staples for, probably, the first time in his life, Mitt Romney -- does the name "Mitt" not evoke the image of a hand-puppet for you, too? -- was in the midst of pontificating about how his campaign is not run by lobbyists, when an AP reporter interrupted him and pointed out that Romney's campaign advisor, Ron Kaufman is a lobbyist. To which Romney displayed his true CEO fangs and looked at the reporter as though he'd like to see him the-wrong-way-up at the bottom of a well. But nice-guy-camera-guy Romney thrust to the fore with a condescending chuckle and proceeded to split hairs about the lobbyist in campaign. To his credit, the reporter didn't let the point go in a haze of sulfur-stenched double-talk.

OK, someone other than Ron Kaufman runs Romney's campaign, but it's more than a little hilarious that a guy -- Romney -- would so brazenly brag about being beyond the reach of lobbyists and at the same time have a top advisor who is, in fact, a lobbyist. Elementary school kids in the schoolyard wouldn't let a peer away with such hypocrisy. Try this kind of parsing in the breakroom of any office in the land and you'd be laughed right out to the parking lot. But this is politics and this is a presidential campaign and even John McCain dragging his 90 year old mother around the country seems to be in bounds for getting elected. No surprises here. However, some of the comments accompanying the blog carrying the video of the exchange are utterly mystifying in their blind ignorance and stupidity, and a little heartbreaking in their fragile, groping reach toward something like innocence:

Um, excuse me, but Mitt doesn''t need lobbyists to run his campaign like McCain does. Mitt''s already spent $17 million of his personal fortune and he''s willing to spend another $60 million. Ron Kaufman is an honorable man and so is Mitt. It is a rather cynical view of the world to presume that something evil is occuring just because Ron Kaufman is a Romney advisor. There are few people in this race who are willing to sacrifice their own fortunes for the opportunity of serving this country. Romney doesn''t need to the job for money and he certainly won''t enrich himself when he''s done, like the Clinton''s and so many other former presidents have. Mitt could even serve in the presidency without accepting a salary. Waddya think of that? I highly doubt any of the other schmos could give of themselves in such a way. Mitt is a true leader-servant. This country needs more people like him.

Posted by VAMan2 at 11:54 AM : Jan 18, 2008

O, dear person; dear, deluded lost soul. Ron Kaufman is an honorable man? If he's a lobbyist, he's a scumbag. And by extension, Romney is an utter scumbag for having him as part of his campaign, and an arrogant, truth-devoid scumbag for splitting hairs over the role of this lobbyist in his campaign. Do you actually use the word "sacrifice" in your statement? Romney's a CEO, which means he'd suck the marrow from the bones of his dead mother. His "fortune" is filthy lucre. My favorite line from this verbal comic strip is "Mitt could even serve in the presidency without accepting a salary." As if anyone who occupies that tainted seat in the Ovum Office does it for the salary!

There is something heartening knowing that such a vacant personality is a Romney supporter. Talking about building a house on a foundation of sand.

Another gem:

The reporter was a jerk, acted like he knows better than Mitt who his staff are. I was embarrassed for him. Mitt stood strong and straightened the boob out.

I appreciate that Romney isn''t neck deep in lobbyists like the senators running for president are. He really wants to help the American people.

The press are so jaded they can''t believe a good guy when the see one. I believe Mitt will go all the way to the White House. We better hope he does. He is the only candidate that has any clue how the economy operates.

Romney''s a decent, brilliant man, has been a raging success in the business world for decades He has turned around dozens of failing businesses, organizations, and a state. He is direly needed in Washington.

Mitt ''08!

Posted by bookaholic at 03:34 AM : Jan 18, 2008

You're kidding, right? Kidding, or huffing oven cleaner while smoking weed that's been marinated in Drano. May I introduce someone to you? His name is George W. Bush. He has turned the reputation of the United States of America into a used bedpan. The (p)residency of W. has been so disastrous, so hope-annihilating, so soulless, so dark and maniacal and without sense, so malicious and seething with malfeasance and malevolence, that maybe we all should be on your regimen of oven cleaner and Drano-dripping weed.

All of this serves to remind me that America's greatest export to the world is myth, fantasy, fiction. America should stick to what it does best -- making Hollywood extravaganzas and yuppie television pablum. Hopefully when China takes over the world in fifteen years, it will at least leave the Hollywood sign on that hill in California as a sort of tombstone.