Associated Press
Romney as a teenager, with his parents.
As a rule, I'm inclined to disregard entirely what politicians did as children. I don't care what candidates ate when they were six, or whom they dated, or what their grades were like in junior high. Such trivialities don't tell us anything important about the individuals or their character.
But the Washington Post's Jason Horowitz reports today on a story from Mitt Romney's past that seems a little harder to dismiss out of hand. The article notes an incident from 1965 at a prestigious prep school, where Romney was an 18-year-old senior who had a problem with a classmate.
John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn't having it.
"He can't look like that. That's wrong. Just look at him!" an incensed Romney told Matthew Friedemann, his close friend in the Stevens Hall dorm, according to Friedemann's recollection. Mitt, the teenaged son of Michigan Gov. George Romney, kept complaining about Lauber's look, Friedemann recalled.
A few days later, Friedemann entered Stevens Hall off the school's collegiate quad to find Romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school posse shouting about their plan to cut Lauber's hair. Friedemann followed them to a nearby room where they came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors.
The incident, the Post noted, was "recalled similarly by five students, who gave their accounts independently of one another." One described Lauber as "terrified" at the time. Another said of the incident, "It was vicious."
I admit to being torn over the relevance of this. It was nearly a half-century ago, after all. The statute of limitations on this kind of assault has long since passed, and arguably the political relevance has passed, too. I suspect nearly all of us can recall events from our high school years we wish we'd handled differently.
On the other hand, Romney was 18 -- old enough to vote, old enough to serve in the military, and old enough to know not to attack a vulnerable teenager unprovoked -- and instead of owning up to the incident and expressing regret, the way the other witnesses did, the candidate now says he has no recollection of the assault that traumatized a bullied kid.
So, I thought I'd open this up to some discussion. Does a story like this matter? Should it? Is this likely to quickly fade away as a youthful indiscretion, or will Romney be pressed for an explanation?
Update: Hoping to nip the story in the bud, Romney responded to the story this morning, telling Fox's Brian Kilmeade, "Back in high school, I did some dumb things and if anybody was hurt by that or offended, obviously I apologize for that."
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This is worthwhile as a political jab, not so much as a moral character issue decades later. If I held a grudge against everyone who called me f@g in school I'd never get anything done, if somebody attacked my person with scissors though well.. that's a golden egg's worth of story! I say bring this baby front and center, with witnesses of course, for a national campaign slam! The high-road isn't working folks!
I think Mittens is making a big mistake here. Most people will not think too badly of Romney for this incident that happened when he was in high school, but of course the spineless Mittens will make it worse by lying. As the article stated we all have done things in our youth that with reflection of our more mature wisdom - we regret. I would put this act by Romney into that catagory. The problem with this is that Mittens will not own up to it and just lie to us again.
I actually think Rmoney could do himself a favor by just owning up and declaring it as a "boys will be boys" moment from his young life. It actually might help him seem a little less robotic, which is something he clearly struggles with in the perception of most Americans. If he owed it most people would just look at it as a stupid silly prank that most of us have done at some point in time in our youth.
I certainly remember as a kid joining in on a mob-type teasing of another kid for a bad haircut or dressing strangely. Although I never bullied a preceived gay boy as a youth, I did witnessed some of this in locker rooms when I was a kid. It happens. Kids are and were teased for being different and a young Romney should not be criticized for those actions. But don't lie about it.
If nothing else, it's a teachable moment. If Romney feels that this specific incident was dumb, how about he tell us why? Was it "dumb" because it has come to light in the middle of a campaign? Was it "dumb" because harassing someone based on their sexual orientation is wrong? Is he willing to call out others for similar behavior? If so, why didn't he say anything when the gay military guy was jeered during the earlier Republican debate?
The issue isn't what Romney did as an 18-y.o., it's what if anything he learned from it.
The way Fox attacked Pres.Obama about an incident in Indonesia when he was fed dog meat at "6"years old, this vicious incident involving Romney at "18"years old should be brought to the forefront. I'm sure Fox will be trying to soften the blow and where's Palin with her snide remark's
By all accounts Romney didn't join in. He was the leader. Lots of kids are cruel, but most of those are followers. The instigators are much fewer and more committed to bullying.
Bullying is inexcusable. It was then; it is now. The reason it has perpetuated for so many years is that too few try to put a stop to it. The "boys will be boys" response is pathetic. Much bullying is "girls will be girls". Where does it stop ... it stops for you when it is your child? Does not someone else's child matter?
Eighteen is old enough to have developed some strength of character. Leading a posse to frighten and abuse a younger kid shows no development of compassion or respect for others.
Do you think there was some magic age when this spoiled kid finally attained a sense of right and wrong? If so, when do you think that might have occurred?
I definitely think this is a character issue. This was not a six year old at play. And insensitivity like this, by eighteen, has already become part of this persons persona.
And it is not just an isolated incident. Another example of romeny "hijinks" was causing a nearly blind teacher, generally acknowledged as a decent guy, to walk into a door for grins and giggles. This was ALSO in the Post article, along with reports that romney general interrogated people about their father's job and wealth before deciding whether to be friends with them.
The whole article shows a kid who was developing a profound lack of empathy for other human beings, as was demonstrated by what he laughably called an appology IF anyone was hurt.
The man is a sociopath.
Can't wait till Mitt starts getting questioned on this ?
By the corporately owned media? Surely thou jest!
This is actually important. Although I am not comparing Romney to a serial killer,the facts are things that serial killers did in their childhoods clearly point to their adult behavior. Again I am not comparing Romney to a serial killer. But I would bet there are a lot more incidents like this in those years that he was involved in. This type of bullying shows the ruthlessness that he has demonstrated in his business life. It also shows the total lack of empathy that he will have if he were to become president. His comments about the poor(not worried about them) women,enviorment, etc. I fear if this man gets in office.
I agree that this story is important. I'm the mother of a bullied boy now in his early teens who was bullied at his private Christian school in 7th and 8th grades. What my son's two bullies never saw were my son's tears, his body curled in a fetal position in bed while I stroked his hair and tried to draw out of him what was going on that so derailed him emotionally.
Romney's behavior then was despicable. His behavior now — to issue the statement that he did some dumb things in high school and he's sorry — is egregious. Romney was a high school bully, he's been a business bully, and he's a flip-flopper on issues that effectively clamp 2nd-class citizen handcuffs on gays. He does not deserve to sit in the oval office.
President Obama? He's my man.
I wonder how many people who were bullied by privileged kids like Romney will hold this inside long enough to vote against him. They won't say anything, but it will certainly affect their perception of him--and their vote.
Like the story about putting the dog on top of the car, this is important for a couple of reasons--the most important of which is that Mitt shows the same kind of insensitivity now that he did as a kid. That part of him doesn't seem to have grown up at all.
The difference is now he now has much more powerful and subtle tools with which to ply his intolerance. He can destroy people in ways that are less physically aggressive, but that are every bit as effective.
I am in total agreement with all of the coments and observations about Mitt and how he has handled situations he views as problems, ie. the fellow student and his hair and the taking of the family pet on a long trip. There is just a basic lack of empathy, common sense and self control. Can we even imagine him in the oval office?
Sounds to me like something that would give him street cred with his base. Also explains his vicious posture toward labor as a vulture capitalist. Knowing this story in no way changes my opinion of Mitt the @!$%#.
I thought the same thing, too. Mitt can know run as the GOP BaddA$$ to counter the "he's too square and uncool" pseudo-meme the Right wants to push. He can now be the UnCool Anti-Obama underdog: A Rebel Without a Cause... literally.
I agree, sadly. The Randian Objectivists love those serial killers and sociopaths.
More like Rebel Without a Clue.
That is true, romney has suddenly taken on the persona of the randian superman.
18 is old enough to have empathy, and this incident demonstrates none of that. I find it eye-opening in the way I found George W Bush's torture of animals. I agree that certain events from candidate's childhoods are fairly meaningless while at the same time being given too much weight. However stories like this are a helpful glimpse into a candidate's character.
Absolutely agree, Jenni. This story ranks with the cruelty of the Shamus incident.
If Little George's branding of a fraternity pledge with a heated coat hanger had no traction with the corporately owned media, why should this?
I'd be interested to see the results of a study on how many kids as bullies turned into heartless "conservatives" as adults.
Torture schoolmates or animals as a kid, starve old people as an adult. The Republican way.
I can't see any leader having much empathy for his constituents when he instigated such an act of intolerance toward a classmate. Mitt sees people for what they are, not who they are.
I graduated from an all boys private high school in 1962. While the brothers were not looking we did, by todays standard, some pretty mean things to someone we might consider "different". But back then, they were considered "boys will be boys". After graduation, I moved on and assimilated into society. Throughout the years, I mostly conformed to what was the acceptable norm of behavior. Romney, I believe, did the same.
News orgs must really be desperate to dig up a story 40 years old. I'm waiting for someone to uncover something in PBO's past, such as during his college days, and cover it.
mmm2, the article in the post elaborates on that idea, romney being more concerned with WHAT people were rather than who. One man remembered being interrogated by romney on what his father did for a living and where they lived and so on, and seeing in romney's face that the answers - dad was a teacher andn they lived in an average middle calss neighborhood - were NOT the answers romney wanted to hear. And, other friends recall that romney NEVER invited them to his house, and allthese friends were BELOW romney's social and wealth position.
Really ? Irrelevant and it looks like you are grasping for straws. He has enough of a track record as an adult to disqualify him from getting elected . I think we all did things at that age...... that we certainly regret (yoiks I certainly have some skeletons, it was the 60's man)
Just concentrate on Romney the present day habitual liar and 1%er .
Mitt we know whose team you are on.
So, basically, Millard gets to point to his madcap days as a jolly prankster at dear old Cranwhatever to prove to people he's not a weird empathy-free robot, but any little instances of vicious bullying indicating that he was, even then, a weird empathy-free snob don't count because everyone did stuff in high school they're ashamed of?
Yeah, that's how it always seems to work in IOKIYRWorld.
No I was just sayin' with so much other stuff that is waaaayyyy more evil , like the lives he destroyed while at Bain to concentrate on an incident 45 years ago seems trivial . I in no way condone the behavior and when I speak of my skeletons they are more of the sex drugs and rock and roll type that would have my co-workers clutching their pearls and fainting on the couch.
You don't have a problem with aggraveted (weapon) assault and battery, sick?
Hmm, apt name.
It's legit? Then comment on it.
The part that doesn't trouble me is his reaction to longish hair on a male. This was very common at levels of society back then. The part that DOES trouble me is that he organized a posse (mob) to attack the kid, which tells me he's good at organizing but a real COWARD and a crowd pleaser. Those are the traits that remain.
@Well said, @Tombisson! And that seems to be a thread that carried through to Romney's career - organize a business posse, bully companies, take a razor to them, rinse and repeat. The futher lack of courage that Romney displays is that he takes classic GOP copout #1 when backed into a corner, "I don't recall... I don't remember...." -- the only thing missing is "I was just an aggregator."
To me it was irrelevant- until he couldn't even bring himself to show remorse or empathy today.
Especially after the other five who came forward DID express remorse and shame and disgust with what they did.
I'm tempted to dismiss something like out of hand as irrelevant. I did stupid stuff when I was 18 (though nothing close to tackling a kid and cutting his hair) that I would never consider doing today. I'm an adult now, and it makes me cringe to look back at the stupid kid I was then.
However, when taken as part of a pattern of behavior over time, this does point to a character flaw in Romney that make me uncomfortable. There's a definite streak of cruelty in a man who can do something like this and who can force his dog to ride on top of his car for hours AND who can buy up and destroy companies and working families' lives just so he can build another car elevator for his home. If this were an isolated incident, it wouldn't be such a big deal. But it's becoming more and more clear as stories like this emerge that Romney has been an uncaring bully since at least early adulthood, and his modus operandi has simply evolved over time.
Precisely -- as a single incident, it's not worth coverage. As part of a continuing pattern, it's a very different matter.
But then, that might actually take investigative reporting.
Yep. It's the pattern that counts. Republican smears against Democrats don't add up. Obama actually said "my Muslim faith" but in context it was clearly a slip of the tongue and was isolated, not part of a pattern. Republicans like to cherry-pick Democrats' quotes and wave them around but they do not add up, do not form a pattern. The only pattern is that made-up Republican attacks show they have no foundation, or on a deeper level, the foundation is so sinister Republicans cannot admit it.
I am pretty much in agreement. I would otherwise look at this as a non-issue. I have done stuff in my extremely short life that I'm ashamed of and I'd be mortified if people brought those elements to public light. But there are 2 things that bother me about this incident in the broader context:
1- More directly it bothers me because Romney does not seem at all remorseful about the incident. He says yeah if I hurt anybody I apologize. The half-assed apology and lack of personal reflection makes me think that he doesn't really care that he did something wrong and/or that he does not recognize what he did as wrong. Hell I would've even been willing to give him an olive branch and say that if he forgot the incident I could understand him being like I did what now?! But we don't even get that reaction. We get nothing. Yeah it was probably stupid, but who cares? I was 18. Pfft. That is what we get. And that brings me to contention 2 (the broader point all of you are making)
2- The lack of empathy is a continual theme in Romney's life. It's a consistent trait he seems to repeat over and over. It's not I was a bad kid and then I went straight. It's not I made a lot of mistakes and I feel awful. It's yeah sure I wouldn't do it today but pfft why do I care? It was just hair c'mon now! Why does anyone care about the Bain layoffs? Pfft that's just business. Pfft and the dog on top of the car thing? Who cares! It's just a stupid dog! All of these incidents were, like, years ago. Pfft.
It's that nonchalant way that he condescendingly half-apologizes to people while simultaneously displaying zero reflection into his own behavior and zero ability to recognize right from wrong that creeps me out. Something just seems so....off about Romney.
Don't forget, too, he used lies & falsehoods to destroy his political opponents not just politically, but personally as well.
Winning at any cost is the name of the game.
I believe that the dog was actually in a kennel, and the kennel, with dog was placed on top of the car. It's not like the animal was strapped to the roof of the car by itself. If anyone thinks this is cruelty, they need to get out more. BTW, wasn't he taking the dog with them on a trip instead of abandoning the dog at home? C'mon. Dogs are routinely placed in the back of trucks even without kennels, and they eagerly stick their noses into the oncoming wind.
Re: School hazing incident. I wasn't alive at the time but weren't pranks like this common place in prep schools 47 years ago? Even though it was a lame act and he should not have done it.
During this phase of the campaign, each group is trying to "Define" their opposition. The Post piece is that start of this process. "Romney is cruel". The Obama campaign most likely paid for the opposition research and delivered it to the Post to print it.
It's kind of odd that this never came out while he was Governor of Mass.
I am sure the Obama campaign will try to find other tidbits that depict Romney as cruel and out of touch; in an attempt to create this pattern of behavior. However they will most likely neglect to mention he has tithed at least 10% of his earnings to charity since he has been working, (Obama only starting charitable contributions during his most recent tax records) and Romney's leadership in helping people out of difficult times while he was leader of his church during the 70's.
Meanwhile our debt to GDP has now exceeded that of Europe. We're almost at 16 trillion in debt, adding 150 Million each hour. Most people would be open to a person that has a proven moderate track record and could be a valuable source to help cool off the most right leaning of the republicans in congress, in order to get us out of the mess we are currently in.
My immediate response is: this guy could never be president. Then again, I was sure W couldn't possibly be reelected.
Thanks a lot! Now I am scared @!$%#less.
Hey! Cool. This comment editor has a built-in expletive deletion function!
The built-in expletive deletion function can be disabled. I wish there were a "moderator disable" function as well. Then the moderators can do their thing but we can disable them if we feel like.
I'm looking forward to being told this isn't relevant by the same crowd who spent the last month trying to convince people that Obama's eating habits while in Indonesia as a child were relevant.
They've been busy, and looking like the flaming hypocritical asses they are.
I don't think it 'matters' to the people that are going to VOTE for him although I do enjoy the comment from Tombisson on 'organizing a posse'. What I find amazing is Ed Gillespie was questioned on this on MSNBC and he did the 'wink wink chuckle' boys will be boys response...this from the same MORON that led the charge to see 'Obama's transcripts'...I guess it's not FUN when you see what a bully YOUR boy was...
what is the statute of limitations on dishonor?
I don't like Romney. I'm not trying to defend him. But he was 18. Let it go. 18 year old kids do stupid things. It's his actions now that should matter.
This has all the qualities of the next shiny object the MSM loves so well. There will be rabid discussion for the next few days or until the next celebrity croaks .
I don't know how old the victim was, but the story says he was a year behind Romney. Under the law, Romney's legally an adult at 18 which, I would assume, would constitute an assault of a minor by an adult.
And with bullied kids killing themselves out of real or perceived homosexuality, I would think this story would be extremely relevant, topical, and a point of discussion.
"Kids will be kids", I would hope, doesn't extend to a mob attacking a helpless person with a weapon.
I just know I'm not gonna hold anyone else to a standard I wouldn't myself. I was a homophobic, racist jerk when I was a teenager. Perhaps even later than that. People change. It doesn't appear that Romney has all that much but I'm still not gonna hold it against him he did something regrettable at 18. Despite what the law says, an 18 year old is no adult. I'm more concerned with his unscrupulous activity as a grown up.
I'm cool with not holding the fact that he was a racist homophobic jerk as a teenager. However, I do hold it against him that he seems to be such a person today.
Romney committed an assault as an adult. If he were black he would have been arrested and earned a police record. Either Stewart or Colbert just had a guest who explained how police records are the new Jim Crow. Police attention to young blacks tags them for life with criminal records.
Of course even felony convictions don't stop Republicans. Bush 43 was arrested for drunk driving, often a felony, and Cheney arrested twice for that. Secretary of Defense Weinburger was charged with felonies but pardoned by Bush 41.
When it comes to playing fast and loose with the law, Republicans are masters.
Oh Zachariah--your comment(s) are quite -- I dont know -- unfeeling.
The kid was not an adult. Romney was! Whether you think 18 is an adult or not--this country has decided that 18 is old enough to vote, go to war and to be tried as an adult when committing an assault with a deadly weapon. Which is exactly what he and his posse did to the young man.
I would like to hear from the young man in question, and if the MSM does carry this over for days--maybe we will.
As for me--I certainly will hold Romney (and whoever else gets named as part of the posse) accountable for his actions toward another human being - just as I hold him accountable for the dangerous and slimey way he transported his living breathing animal to Canada.
There is a pattern here folks. Those that dont want to see it -- well -- I sure that they sleep just as well at night as most of the unfeeling, uncaring, insensitive, and mostly dangerous republicans out there.
The Romney assulted boy has since died as a man in 2004
To an extent @Zachariah I can understand what you are saying. We all did stupid @!$%# as teenagers and no one wants to have that dragged out in front of the public limelight. For me I would be willing to write this off as a terrible political attempt by the left to try to bring up crap on Romney and I'd be banging my head against my desk screaming seriously Democrats you didn't have enough to go after? Sheesh! I feel that way when it comes to the left bashing Romney on behalf of his religion. He's done enough terrible things in his adult life as a business person and as an elected official to warrant scrutiny. He has changed positions and been caught lying so frequently as to warrant scrutiny. You would think people would have plenty of material to grab w/o grasping for straws.
W/ that said, for me personally, it's just the continued behavior that creeps me out. I'd otherwise completely ignore this as bull@!$%# by the media, but it's the fact that in discussing the issue Romney shows zero remorse, zero recognition that he did wrong, and Romney can't even bring himself to apologize over something he did. Like if I brought your pass discretions up you would undoubtedly say I'm really sorry and I am ashamed that I acted the way that I did. You wouldn't say well if my racist, homophobic comments offended people then I'm sorry (thereby implying that if they didn't offend anybody then you're not sorry). It's that half-assed apology thing that bothers me. He does this consistently. He doesn't reflect on the things he does, he does not apologize sincerely, and his callousness does not seem to be changing. I do not feel that when the incident was brought up Romney addressed public concerns as someone who genuinely felt bad about what he had done. He addressed public concerns as a person who is annoyed that you'd have the audacity to ask him if he's ever changed his mind or been morally wrong about anything. And it's that latter element that creeps me out.
So yeah as a stand alone issue yeah you're definitely right it's bull@!$%# from his past that's unimportant.
But given the greater context I do think it should warrant some pause. Now knowing the media they're going to take my "some pause" recommendation and dial up what should otherwise be a 4 to something like, oh I dunno, a gagillion.
I'm sorry to hear that. Although I did gather from the story that some of those that are talking are part of the "posse" in question. I guess that they have better memories than the man running for President of the United States.
I am quite intrigued by the absolute vitriolic way the REP/TPers went after Obama because he was made to "eat dog" at the age of 6, yet the citizens of the United States must let this incident "just fade" because you know -- "boys will be boys" and all that!
How come the presidency is only about DEMOCRAT character? How come we can continue to have the "boys club" of the REP/TPers portray themselves as the "do as I say - not as I do" hypocrites they truly -- stay in important governing positions, at the expressed pleasure of their party leaders?
What I, and what I truly believe is a greater percentage of the voting population out there, will voting for in Nov matters a great deal and there are many factors that will be used when making that decision. Character is one of the most important ones. Honesty, integrity, ability to lead, empathize and make decisions based on intelligent knowledge are the others. Economy, Security and Education. What about those jobs? What about the housing?
So-here's a question for yo'al out there -- How does your candidate rate in any of those factors? Then be truthful to yourself and vote--VOTE!!
I probably wouldn't even comment again but I am a little bothered that I'm coming off as unfeeling. So I feel the need to clear things up.
In the broader context of things, Yes I agree that this is yet another thing that speaks to his rigid and almost uncaring personality. What he did back then was wrong and he doesn't seem to have changed too much and more importantly he doesn't appear to be too remorseful. However, I've just never been comfortable with dragging long forgotten skeletons out of closets and harping on them. In this case one could argue that it's part of a pattern but even if it weren't would the left still be dragging this out to try and tarnish the image of the other candidate? Yes. I just feel uncomfortable with that.
In some ways I think I'm quite the opposite of unfeeling because I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt. I believe that people shouldn't have to pay for their past for their entire life. I rolled my eyes at the Obama dog meat story because I feel the same way about that. I frankly don't even see a distinction between eating a dog and a cow anyway.
Also, I think to only focus on some arbitrary age and ignore that people develop and change and grow differently is, in my opinion, a little harsh. People keep saying 18 is legally an adult as if I don't know this. Here in Texas it's actually 17. But even a court trying an 18 year old and a 35 year old with the same offense is likely to give the 18 year old more of a break on account of his/her immaturity.
Also if blacks are getting harsher punishments than whites I don't think a solution to that is making sure the whites get as harsh a punishment. I think we should be working on not going after blacks with harsher punishments, just for being black.
Both parties will drag out bull@!$%# to attack the character of the candidate- a point you've already made- and to that extent yes there is probably a possibility that this would have still came up. And had that been the context then I would've been annoyed w/ the left for the reasons I said above. As I said as a stand alone story this is a non-story that's not interesting. When we consider the idea of pulling crap done from someone's past that is even more disheartening, if only because all of us have made mistakes that we would never, ever want disclosed to the public. And it's absolutely asinine to suggest that a person running for office at any level could not have made mistakes, but then later came into being as a good person. Like I said I can meet you half way on this issue. It's just the non-apology, no recognition that I did wrong, no emotion part that I have a problem w/. And even on that part I try to meet Romney half way because I too struggle to show my emotions and laugh when I am uncomfortable. I almost have a desire to see Romney in this light because I hate to think of myself running for office and people calling me an inconsiderate bleep simply because I'm not responding to a situation the way that other people have arbitrarily dictated that I should. At the same time the "well I don't think anything wrong happened" attitude creeps me out. But you are also correct that there's a lot to go after Mitt w/, w/o having to go to the character assassination from 50 years ago angle.
Mouzer and Zacariah, you don't even get that this is NOT a typical GOTCHA media moment. Romney's staff TOLD the press to research his prep schoool years and find stories about his prep school "hijinks" - THE PRESS WAS TOLD BY ROMNEY'S PEOPLE TO DIG INTO THIS STUFF.
It was romney's bad luck that at least five of his fellow classmates actually developed consciences and senses of shame and guilt and remorse.
Romney brought this on himself in a desparte attempt to show he is "human" and ended up showing just how far back his sociopathy actually goes, and how vicious it can be.
This incident confirms my belief that Romney is a psychopath (no exaggeration) who, by definition, is low on empathy. Romney's inability to own up to his actions also reinforces what we already know--that Romney is a coward.
We can also be confident that if such a story were written about a Democrat, the right (and the media) would milk it indefinitely. IOKIYAR.
Have said all that, I don't think the incident is relevant. If I was opposed to gay rights and birth control and wanted to bomb Iran and implement policies to further enrich the rich, then I'd still vote for Romney.
Is there anything to the story of Romney's near-fatal car wreck in France? I know people with brain injuries who lose their sense of smell, sense of empathy, sense of self? I'm surprised this story is not writ larger in the media.
I think there's a corollary to the "it's not the crime, it's the cover up" rule here. The incident as described was vicious but it was a long time ago. Most thinking people regret certain past actions. A simple expression of regret by Romney would make this issue go away completely.
Instead, he says he doesn't recall it and leaves it there. It doesn't seem likely the he doesn't recall it, but even if that's true, he could accept it as accurately remembered by five separate and independent witnesses and then apologize. Or at the very least, express regret.
It may come to that if the story stays alive but by then it will be just another worthless Romney flip flop.
Spin time: "Why should I remember what happened to some worthless <expletive>?"
Like a gaffe. It's meaningful when it confirms what you already thought about the person.
Romney as a rich kid leader at a private school picking on someone. Yeah Mitt's a Biff.
This is no more pertinent to his presidential qualifications than GW Bush branding classmates at Yale with a red hot coat hanger!
However, the current POTUS ate dog meat in Indonesia, and in some circles that is an impeachable offense!
At age 18, one should have enough decency to refrain from gratuitous cruelty toward another human being. And then there are the words spoken by Mitt referring to the classmate they bullied, as recalled by Mitt's friend Matthew Friedeman: "He can't look like that. That's wrong. Just look at him!" This reflects an enormous sense of entitlement, that he can dictate how people should look. As if appearing what Mitt considered to be 'effeminate' were a crime to be punished by him and his 'posse.' C'mon, this was disgusting sadistic behavior, and it doesn't matter when it occurred. Friedemann remembers the incident with remorse, but Mitt refuses to admit it even occurred. His denial is absurd. I noticed that Ed Gillespie is up with a lame defense, saying, "I wouldn't people to look at what I did in high school." Note that Mitt suffered no discipline despite Cranbrook being "a famously strict institution," while Lauber, the victim, was expelled for the infraction of "smoking a cigarette," and didn't get to graduate.
Note that Mitt suffered no discipline despite Cranbrook being "a famously strict institution," while Lauber, the victim, was expelled for the infraction of "smoking a cigarette," and didn't get to graduate.
Yeah, I noticed that too. Romney was a classic school yard bully who received no discipline for his cruelty, while his victims got doubly humiliated by the institution that was supposed to look out for them.
Riiiight. Cranbrook is a "famously strict institution" depending on how much your family is worth. It's an exclusive private school in a wealthy Detroit suburb. They're famous for flying under the radar in the metro Detroit news, unless it's to report on stellar and charitable programs.
Not at all surprised the victim, Lauber, was expelled. I'd love to hear his version of all of this, especially the expulsion.
OMG this is all we need Eddie Haskell as commander in chief!! Horrifying!!!
There's a visceral quality to this story, much like the dog on the roof story. Because of that it will stick. And he should be questioned on it.
Speaks to character, seems to me.
As a former Mormon myself, I think it speaks less to Romney's character and more toward a great intolerance of non-conformity in the Mormon church. He was interpreting the teachings of that church that emphasizes clean cut, white, heterosexual males over any other demographic.
It was just gay-bashing and the theocratic reich-wing is now fighting for that 'right'. Is there reason to believe that this incident would not be helpful for Mitten's approval with them?
Good point.
Does anyone remember Chatsworth Osborne, Sr from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis ? It's Mitt Romney to a T (Google Chatsworth)
For all you youngns out there . Some of us here watched it the first time
http://home1.gte.net/res09cc9/chatsworth.htm
the series
http://home1.gte.net/res09cc9/guide.htm
A more modern reference . . . he reminds me of Joffrey in Game of Thrones, although I find Joffrey more likeable.
consider if republicans pulled up some dirt on obama having at some point or another been in an "anarachist club" or something in his high school days. fox news would be having a field day.