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News & ArtsMonday, November 28, 2011
2012 Required Viewing: DNC's Romney Takedown
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Nov 28, 2011 at 9:32 AM
The Rs are going after Obama now—so why shouldn't the Dems go after Romney now?
Great ad. You gotta love how the DNC leverages Fox News and its talking heads against the likely GOP nominee. Well, Romney may be a little less likely now, with Gingrich surging and Santorum hanging in there, waiting for his turn to lead (leak?) the pack. But the Dems would rather Newt—damaged, deranged, despicable Newt—be the nominee, so why not pile on Romney? More like this please—one taking on Gingrich, one taking on Cain, one taking on Perry. (Via Sullivan.)
1
Here's a bunny with a pancake on its head! Ok, not really. Just doing my part to keep the discourse dubiously respectful and off-topic.
2
i can't believe there's going to be another year of this shit. i don't give a fuck which of these clowns loses to obama.
4
I made pancakes for DJ this morning. There was no syrup in the house, so he had them with butter and strawberry jam. Terry and I had yogurt, bananas, and toasted slices of the pecan/apple/whiskey bundt cake that I made for dessert last night. It was a carb-heavy AM here at the ranch.
6
And nothing pleases us more than cake for breakfast—particularly if we can get someone else to pay for it.
8
You know all those corporate milliongabillions that are poured into campaigns, this is what the money is being spent on. Producing this sort of video. And sweet heart it's being spent on YOU and your viewing habits. If you think you want corporations out of politics be very prepared for boring crap to watch. Fact based only, no goofy music, no scary music, no mud slinging. It that what you really want? Nah I didn't think so.
10
Sorry guys- I don't want to break up the off-topic commentary splendor but . . .
That video was phenomenal. It needs to be shown to every single republican looking to vote for this guy.
Mittens is a joke.
That video was phenomenal. It needs to be shown to every single republican looking to vote for this guy.
Mittens is a joke.
11
@1: Delivered.
This is the sort of thing that will bring Romney down, and he's really the only candidate with a chance against Obama.
This is the sort of thing that will bring Romney down, and he's really the only candidate with a chance against Obama.
12
Flip Flopping is really a red herring. It's better to know the range of a politician’s thought processes, however malleable as they may be, than it is to guess at a well-tailored script of poll researched talking points, like we had with Obama in 08.
13
Hey Dan, hope you get a bit more home time before you have to jet off for more college action. After that last podcast, sounds like you needed a bit of a break.
14
@12: It's not a red herring. In this case: if Mittens were changing his position based on new information, that'd be one thing, but Romney's thought process is, "Who's my immediate audience and what do they want to hear?" and his responses do not reflect but political expedience.
15
@4 - pancakes with jam is approximately 100 times better than pancakes with syrup (of either the maple variety or the corn syrup variety). a good homemade raspberry jam is also a deee-lightful ice cream topping.
16
@12 - In a general sense, I think your point is well taken. I'm okay with a candidate whose positions have evolved, and who can articulate why they have changed (and not deny previous diametrical positions ever existed). But in Romney's case, there are so many numerous examples of significant issues with abrupt position changes in a super short amount of time. It's quite staggering, actually. I've never seen anything so extreme in politics.
17
This ad is only effective if people THINK and WEIGH EVIDENCE. But most Republican voters don't do that, or they wouldn't vote for the liars in the first place. The Republicans have told huge, whopping lies that can be disproved with hard facts ... and Republican voters don't care.
Democrats have to understand that Republicans campaign on two things:
1. Likeability
2. Fear
To win, we need likeable candidates who sway people's emotions, because the Republicans have shown us that that's what people vote for. Who's the last two-term Democratic president? Clinton. A likeable good ole boy who appealed to both the intellect AND the emotions.
Personally, I love facts and figures, but most voters are bored by them. Sadly, we need good demogague if we want to win.
Democrats have to understand that Republicans campaign on two things:
1. Likeability
2. Fear
To win, we need likeable candidates who sway people's emotions, because the Republicans have shown us that that's what people vote for. Who's the last two-term Democratic president? Clinton. A likeable good ole boy who appealed to both the intellect AND the emotions.
Personally, I love facts and figures, but most voters are bored by them. Sadly, we need good demogague if we want to win.
18
For convenience, when you mention Santorum, please include a link to the relevant website. Thanks.
19
It's an effective spot, but in the long run, it's not necessarily a good thing to be showing it now.
I think it's a bit early for any serious take-down action of the Republican candidates. All of the current crop are pretty easy to destroy in a general election. If that gets too obvious, they might actually pick someone else.
I say, keep the powder dry until they're too committed to one candidate to back out. After all, almost all the Republican primary voter polling has shown a desire for "Someone Else" at or near the top of the pack.
Related: See this article scathing to the Republican candidates in The Daily Mail
I think it's a bit early for any serious take-down action of the Republican candidates. All of the current crop are pretty easy to destroy in a general election. If that gets too obvious, they might actually pick someone else.
I say, keep the powder dry until they're too committed to one candidate to back out. After all, almost all the Republican primary voter polling has shown a desire for "Someone Else" at or near the top of the pack.
Related: See this article scathing to the Republican candidates in The Daily Mail
20
@18 You mean, like this: Santorum?
I'd love to post exactly how to do it, but the comment gizmo here won't really let me. The closest I can get is this:
[a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com" rel="nofollow"]Santorum[/a]
which requires you to replace the square [brackets] with "angle-brackets," which are actually the less-than and greater-than signs you find above the period and comma on a PC keyboard.
I'd love to post exactly how to do it, but the comment gizmo here won't really let me. The closest I can get is this:
[a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com" rel="nofollow"]Santorum[/a]
which requires you to replace the square [brackets] with "angle-brackets," which are actually the less-than and greater-than signs you find above the period and comma on a PC keyboard.
21
@18,20 Damn. Sabotaged, again! The comment gizmo inserted the rel="nofollow" tag, which wasn't in the preview. Leave that part out.
22
@20: <a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com" rel="nofollow">Santorum</a>
I AM AN INTERNET WIZARD!
(Inserting bold-unbold tags between the < sign and the character following it breaks up the tag, allowing the text to display properly.)
I AM AN INTERNET WIZARD!
(Inserting bold-unbold tags between the < sign and the character following it breaks up the tag, allowing the text to display properly.)
23
@20: <a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com">Santorum</a>
GODDAMN NOFOLLOW. Let's see if a few more extraneous tags break up the pattern enough.
GODDAMN NOFOLLOW. Let's see if a few more extraneous tags break up the pattern enough.
25
@20, 22, 23: You can use "<" in place of "<" and it should work as well. And of course, to display "<", you actually have to write "&lt;". And to display "&lt;", you have to actually write "&amp;lt;". And to display...
At any rate, <a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com" rel="nofollow">Santorum</a>
At any rate, <a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com" rel="nofollow">Santorum</a>
26
Damn! That rel=nofollow is goddamned persistent! Maybe replacing the = with a =
<a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com">Santorum</a>
<a href="http://spreadingsantorum.com">Santorum</a>
29
Here's the first half. Bear with my inability to put names to famous pundits faces - I have some kind of name blindness issue where the names come to me hours later. You'll know who they are.
Got to run - more poor quality transcription as soon as I can get back to the computer...
-------------
[Romney] I'm running for office, for pete's sake.
[On screen] He wants to be President, but what does he really believe?
[Female voice over - transcriber doesn't recognize the voice] Who is this guy? Can you trust him?
[On screen] Opposed the stimulus
[Romney] I have never supported the President's recovery act, OK? The stimulus. No time, nowhere, no how.
[On screen] After he was for it.
[Romney] I think there is need for economic stimulus.
[Fox News Guy - forgive the transcriber's leaky brain] You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character.
[On screen] How many flips? Well..
[Another pundit who's name is household. Apologies, I have name blindness] The big issue with Mitt Romney is abortion. Has he flip flopped on abortion.
[On screen] Yes he has.
[On screen] Pro -choice
[Romney] I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose
[On screen] The right next step to preserve the sanctity of life is to see Roe v Wade overturned.
[Female pundit] He was pro choice, then he's pro life
[Male pundit] .. or he flip flops again, just like he did on abortion, just like he did on Ronald Reagan
[On screen] Against Reagan
[Romney] Look, I was an independent during the time of Reagan - Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan - Bush.
[On screen] For Reagan
[Romney] The principles that Ronald Reagan espoused are as true today as they were when he spoke them.
[Reagan] There you go again [sighs]
[Leno] You remember Mitt Romney? He invented 'Obamacare' before he was against it?
[On screen] Health care ...then
[Romney] Well that's what we did in Massachusetts. We put together an exchange, and the President is copying that idea. I'm glad.
[On screen] and now
[Romney] 'Obamacare' is bad news, and if I'm President of the United States, I will repeal it.
[On screen] Immigration
[Romney] I don't think I've ever hired an illegal in my life.
[On screen] 2 minutes, 14 seconds later
[Romney] We hired a lawn company to mow our lawn, and they had illegal immigrants that were working there.
[more in a bit]
More...
Got to run - more poor quality transcription as soon as I can get back to the computer...
-------------
[Romney] I'm running for office, for pete's sake.
[On screen] He wants to be President, but what does he really believe?
[Female voice over - transcriber doesn't recognize the voice] Who is this guy? Can you trust him?
[On screen] Opposed the stimulus
[Romney] I have never supported the President's recovery act, OK? The stimulus. No time, nowhere, no how.
[On screen] After he was for it.
[Romney] I think there is need for economic stimulus.
[Fox News Guy - forgive the transcriber's leaky brain] You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character.
[On screen] How many flips? Well..
[Another pundit who's name is household. Apologies, I have name blindness] The big issue with Mitt Romney is abortion. Has he flip flopped on abortion.
[On screen] Yes he has.
[On screen] Pro -choice
[Romney] I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose
[On screen] The right next step to preserve the sanctity of life is to see Roe v Wade overturned.
[Female pundit] He was pro choice, then he's pro life
[Male pundit] .. or he flip flops again, just like he did on abortion, just like he did on Ronald Reagan
[On screen] Against Reagan
[Romney] Look, I was an independent during the time of Reagan - Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan - Bush.
[On screen] For Reagan
[Romney] The principles that Ronald Reagan espoused are as true today as they were when he spoke them.
[Reagan] There you go again [sighs]
[Leno] You remember Mitt Romney? He invented 'Obamacare' before he was against it?
[On screen] Health care ...then
[Romney] Well that's what we did in Massachusetts. We put together an exchange, and the President is copying that idea. I'm glad.
[On screen] and now
[Romney] 'Obamacare' is bad news, and if I'm President of the United States, I will repeal it.
[On screen] Immigration
[Romney] I don't think I've ever hired an illegal in my life.
[On screen] 2 minutes, 14 seconds later
[Romney] We hired a lawn company to mow our lawn, and they had illegal immigrants that were working there.
[more in a bit]
31
If you're going to eat strawberry jam instead of syrup for breakfast, my favorite (thanks, Mom!) is a waffle with sour cream and strawberry jam.
32
Gotta say, though, that a spineless, gutless opportunist who can be led with a treat is much more appealing than a raging psychotic bigot.
Romney is a coward and a creep, but most of the other candidates make me fear for my rights.
Ow... shit... I just sprained my integrity.
Romney is a coward and a creep, but most of the other candidates make me fear for my rights.
Ow... shit... I just sprained my integrity.
33
btw Dan,
Was the jam in question Santorum's brand?
I hope not. Feeding Santorum jam to a youngster is child abuse.
*And now everyone is glaring at me from ruining their appetites*
Was the jam in question Santorum's brand?
I hope not. Feeding Santorum jam to a youngster is child abuse.
*And now everyone is glaring at me from ruining their appetites*
34
The only candidate with a real shot in beating Obama at the moment would be Huntsman and he isn't even close to winning the nomination. (Neither are Ron Paul or Santorum.)
Every candidate that has surged during the primaries so far was dropped after they took an actual look at his/her policies. McCain was the not-Romney candidate in '08 and whoever of these frontrunner-clowns is getting the nomination will need a hell lot of luck to win the presidency. And the Republicans will do what ever they can to wreck this country as much as possible for the presidential election.
Every candidate that has surged during the primaries so far was dropped after they took an actual look at his/her policies. McCain was the not-Romney candidate in '08 and whoever of these frontrunner-clowns is getting the nomination will need a hell lot of luck to win the presidency. And the Republicans will do what ever they can to wreck this country as much as possible for the presidential election.
35
and here's the rest with apologies for the delay:
[Pundit] Flip Flop Mitt
[Romney] But I believe the world is getting warmer.
[On screen] Global warming
[Romney] I believe that humans contribute to that.
[On screen] Or not
[Romney] My view is that we don't know what's causing climate change on this planet..
[On screen] The climate isn't all that's changing.
[Chris Wallace] Mitt Romney's reputation as a flip flopper who changes position because of political expediency
[News anchor] If Republicans didn't like Mitt Romney's position on the so called union busting proposal in Ohio, all they had to do was wait one day before he changed it.
[Romney] I'm not speaking about the particular ballot issues
[On screen] At least this time it took a whole day
[News anchor] But by today, Romney had a different answer.
[Romney] I fully support Governor Kasich's - I think it's called Question 2 in Ohio
[Pundit] He's changed his position on a number of issues
[On screen] Will not sign pledge
[News anchor] Republican Mitt Romney says he will not sign a No New Taxes pledge
[On screen] Then he did
[Romney] I'm proud to be the only major candidate for President to sign the tax pledge
[British accented interviewer] Your view has changed so dramatically [Romney pulls a face at this assertion]
[On screen] For assault weapons ban
[Romney] I just signed a piece of legislation extending the ban on certain assault weapons
[On screen] Against assault weapons ban
[Romney] I do not support any new legislation of an assault weapon ban nature.
[On screen] Not exactly a straight shooter, is he.
[Conan O'Brien] Experts are predicting kind of a tough fight between Romney and his biggest ideological opponent - Mitt Romney from four years ago [Laughter from audience] Those guys don't agree on anything.
[Female pundit] And there are two Mitt Romneys
[Male pundit voice over] This guy has played both sides of the fence with equal fervor
[On screen] TARP
[Romney] TARP got paid back, and it kept the financial system from collapsing.
[Interviewer] So you feel it was well worth it
[On screen] Yes
[Romney] Oh it was the right thing to do.
[On screen] You know what's coming
[On screen] No
[Romney] TARP ought to be ended
[On screen] Auto rescue:
[Chris Matthews] Mitt Romney flip flopped again - he's trying to take credit for saving the auto industry
[Romney] I'm not willing to sit back and say - too bad for Michigan, too bad for the car industry
[Chris Matthews] after he proposed letting the auto industry die.
[Romney] That's exactly what I said. Let Detroit go bankrupt.
[On screen] What?
[Romney] Let Detroit go bankrupt.
[That guy from Fox again] You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character
[On screen] OK, brace yourself.
[Romney] I think people realize that I'm a man of steadiness and constancy
[Female pundit's voice] Who is this guy? Can you trust him?
[Male pundit's voice] Mitt Romney's reputation as a flip flopper who changes position - he's changed position on a number of issues
[Female pundit's voice] The mixed messages are what did it.
[Male pundit's voice] Some people are going to see those changes of mind as awfully politically convenient.
[On screen] What does Romney believe?
[Male pundit's voice] It's an issue of character
[Female pundit's voice] The core issues, for a man, as you said earlier, who doesn't seem to have a core.
[On screen] Whatever it takes to get elected.
[Romney] I'm running for office, for pete's sake.
[ends]
[Transcriber's grumble to the DNC - it's a pretty poor show that you can't actually be bohtered to transcribe this yourselves - there isn't even a transcription on mittvmitt.com].
More...
[Pundit] Flip Flop Mitt
[Romney] But I believe the world is getting warmer.
[On screen] Global warming
[Romney] I believe that humans contribute to that.
[On screen] Or not
[Romney] My view is that we don't know what's causing climate change on this planet..
[On screen] The climate isn't all that's changing.
[Chris Wallace] Mitt Romney's reputation as a flip flopper who changes position because of political expediency
[News anchor] If Republicans didn't like Mitt Romney's position on the so called union busting proposal in Ohio, all they had to do was wait one day before he changed it.
[Romney] I'm not speaking about the particular ballot issues
[On screen] At least this time it took a whole day
[News anchor] But by today, Romney had a different answer.
[Romney] I fully support Governor Kasich's - I think it's called Question 2 in Ohio
[Pundit] He's changed his position on a number of issues
[On screen] Will not sign pledge
[News anchor] Republican Mitt Romney says he will not sign a No New Taxes pledge
[On screen] Then he did
[Romney] I'm proud to be the only major candidate for President to sign the tax pledge
[British accented interviewer] Your view has changed so dramatically [Romney pulls a face at this assertion]
[On screen] For assault weapons ban
[Romney] I just signed a piece of legislation extending the ban on certain assault weapons
[On screen] Against assault weapons ban
[Romney] I do not support any new legislation of an assault weapon ban nature.
[On screen] Not exactly a straight shooter, is he.
[Conan O'Brien] Experts are predicting kind of a tough fight between Romney and his biggest ideological opponent - Mitt Romney from four years ago [Laughter from audience] Those guys don't agree on anything.
[Female pundit] And there are two Mitt Romneys
[Male pundit voice over] This guy has played both sides of the fence with equal fervor
[On screen] TARP
[Romney] TARP got paid back, and it kept the financial system from collapsing.
[Interviewer] So you feel it was well worth it
[On screen] Yes
[Romney] Oh it was the right thing to do.
[On screen] You know what's coming
[On screen] No
[Romney] TARP ought to be ended
[On screen] Auto rescue:
[Chris Matthews] Mitt Romney flip flopped again - he's trying to take credit for saving the auto industry
[Romney] I'm not willing to sit back and say - too bad for Michigan, too bad for the car industry
[Chris Matthews] after he proposed letting the auto industry die.
[Romney] That's exactly what I said. Let Detroit go bankrupt.
[On screen] What?
[Romney] Let Detroit go bankrupt.
[That guy from Fox again] You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character
[On screen] OK, brace yourself.
[Romney] I think people realize that I'm a man of steadiness and constancy
[Female pundit's voice] Who is this guy? Can you trust him?
[Male pundit's voice] Mitt Romney's reputation as a flip flopper who changes position - he's changed position on a number of issues
[Female pundit's voice] The mixed messages are what did it.
[Male pundit's voice] Some people are going to see those changes of mind as awfully politically convenient.
[On screen] What does Romney believe?
[Male pundit's voice] It's an issue of character
[Female pundit's voice] The core issues, for a man, as you said earlier, who doesn't seem to have a core.
[On screen] Whatever it takes to get elected.
[Romney] I'm running for office, for pete's sake.
[ends]
[Transcriber's grumble to the DNC - it's a pretty poor show that you can't actually be bohtered to transcribe this yourselves - there isn't even a transcription on mittvmitt.com].
36
@4,
Hot applesauce works as a syrup replacement, especially for corn(bread mix) pancakes.
Yay for breakfast!
Peace.
Hot applesauce works as a syrup replacement, especially for corn(bread mix) pancakes.
Yay for breakfast!
Peace.
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