Slog
News & ArtsThursday, October 4, 2012
2012 I Am Not Endorsing Mitt Romney, But He Sure Cut a Fine Figure During Last Night's Debates, Didn't He?
Posted by Rob McKenna on Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Rob McKenna didn't write this.
If you’re like me, you enter every single election a blank slate. I just never know which name I’m going to check the box next to in November until I carefully weigh each candidate by their statements, their values, and their integrity. As some very prominent Seattle thought leaders know, voting along party lines is a non-starter.
With that in mind: How about Governor Romney’s performance in the debate last night? As you know, I haven’t made any formal declarations of support for Governor Romney. That’s because I was waiting for the debates to make up my mind as to which candidate I was getting behind. And I haven’t decided yet (there are three more debates, remember) but I have to tell you, I liked what I saw in Governor Romney. He was forceful, funny, lively, and enthusiastic. Take a look at this video of him telling Jim Lehrer how to run the debate:
Now, that’s a man who knows how to lead!
All right, by his own campaign’s admission, some of Romney’s statements weren’t exactly, well, true. Okay, more than “some” of his statements weren’t strictly true. Let’s say, “several.” All right, “many.” But there was only one presidential-looking person on stage last night, and that definitely wasn’t the president.
This is not—repeat, NOT—an endorsement, but I very much liked what Romney had to say about education, about loosening the constrictive reigns on business, about returning to a pre-Obamacare health care system that merely needed a few tweaks to maintain its position as best in the world. President Obama seemed more interested in landing a couple of zingers than making a substantive case for another four years in office. (Maybe the lack of teleprompters on the stage had something to do with this?) I haven’t made any decisions yet, but Governor Romney sure did make a compelling case for himself last night. I’ll be keeping a close eye on him during the next two debates to see if he keeps it up.
1
"...about returning to a pre-Obamacare health care system that merely needed a few tweaks to maintain its position as best in the world."
"best in the world" - source?
Tell that one to the uninsured.
"best in the world" - source?
Tell that one to the uninsured.
5
I'm sorry, Mr McKenna -- did you just say that the individual you identified as lying throughout the debate last night was the most compelling of the two candidates for the executive? Is that really the yardstick (broomstick?) you're espousing? "I don't care he's right, I only care if he sounds good?"
6
I just never know which name I’m going to check the box next to in November until I carefully weigh each candidate by their statements, their values, and their integrity.
Me neither. Thanks for making my work much easier in the governor's race today.
Me neither. Thanks for making my work much easier in the governor's race today.
10
Boy howdy, that Romney sure did look presidential and leaderly didn't he? Sure damn near everything he said was a bald faced lie. In fact he's more full of shit than the local sewage treatment plant but man can he look like a leader. Not to mention the way he told the moderator, who made the rules of the debate and is in charge of managing the debate, how the rules should be implemented. Boy was that leaderly.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not endorsing that lying sack of shit but boy didn't he look more like a president than the actual president?
He didn't even need any face paint this time.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not endorsing that lying sack of shit but boy didn't he look more like a president than the actual president?
He didn't even need any face paint this time.
11
Readers of The Stranger,
Please do not think that I am behind anything you see on The Stranger's website today. The staff is merely impersonating me for their own ends. While I certainly see the humor, and recognize the rights of newspapers to print whatever they see fit, I have to make it clear that the view expressed under my name are not my own, and I did not approve any of them.
I have contacted their offices and my legal team about possible ramifications of this, but I simply wanted to make it clear to the readers immediately what is going on, in case the facts are not going to be reported here later.
Thank You,
Rob McKenna
Please do not think that I am behind anything you see on The Stranger's website today. The staff is merely impersonating me for their own ends. While I certainly see the humor, and recognize the rights of newspapers to print whatever they see fit, I have to make it clear that the view expressed under my name are not my own, and I did not approve any of them.
I have contacted their offices and my legal team about possible ramifications of this, but I simply wanted to make it clear to the readers immediately what is going on, in case the facts are not going to be reported here later.
Thank You,
Rob McKenna
13
This is like the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia in 1968.
For one brief moment, SLOG presented free and open discourse from both sides...but then Stalin sent in the tanks to shut it down!
15
Hey actual Rob McKenna: the link on Stranger profile to your website is broken.
How will we ever learn about you??
How will we ever learn about you??
17
Hey guys -- like Dom said way back when at 6.04 am, just enjoy it! Here's to keeping it up, as it were, all day.
18
@11 though this was parody, I think there were some good questions being asked in the various posts. If you're planning on being governor of this state, this would be a good venue to talk with the people who you will govern. I think the school one would be a good place to start.
19
I admit, when I saw the first postings, I thought these were legit. But now they're clearly a joke. Will you be stopping soon?
20
Are you serious? Either you're patronizing us by thinking we'll believe that you haven't decided which candidate to vote for, or you are seriously, woefully dumb; I vote for the former. Give us a bleepin' break.
21
Being assertive about your positions and values is one thing--I do agree that Romney has a bigger stage presence than the president. I also understand that candidates spin facts to put their best foot forward when campaigning and debating.
But the number of bold face lies that I heard coming out of the Republican candidate last night was shameful. If you can't be trusted to tell the truth during a presidential debate, before a single vote has been cast for you, how can we trust you in the Oval Office?
Also, as a young voter, what struck me most was the following Romney quote: "I think it's, frankly, not moral for my generation to keep spending massively more than we take in, knowing those burdens are going to be passed on to the next generation and they're going to be paying the interest and the principal all their lives."
Minutes later, the candidate went on to clearly lay out how he would not change medicare (even going so far as to increase the funding of the program!) for those over age 55 (his generation), when funding medicare for the baby boomer generation is a HUGE part of our skyrocketing debt. At the same time, he advocated cutting other discretionary funding, and essentially made it clear that it was my generations responsibility to pay for entitlements to we won't get while trying to make due in an America where we get less assistance from the government. Where's the shared sacrifice in that?
Also, I would love to see Republicans clearly explain why government funded jobs (be they teachers, firefighters, border patrol or police officers, researchers, what have you) are so clearly inferior in their eyes to private sector jobs.
But the number of bold face lies that I heard coming out of the Republican candidate last night was shameful. If you can't be trusted to tell the truth during a presidential debate, before a single vote has been cast for you, how can we trust you in the Oval Office?
Also, as a young voter, what struck me most was the following Romney quote: "I think it's, frankly, not moral for my generation to keep spending massively more than we take in, knowing those burdens are going to be passed on to the next generation and they're going to be paying the interest and the principal all their lives."
Minutes later, the candidate went on to clearly lay out how he would not change medicare (even going so far as to increase the funding of the program!) for those over age 55 (his generation), when funding medicare for the baby boomer generation is a HUGE part of our skyrocketing debt. At the same time, he advocated cutting other discretionary funding, and essentially made it clear that it was my generations responsibility to pay for entitlements to we won't get while trying to make due in an America where we get less assistance from the government. Where's the shared sacrifice in that?
Also, I would love to see Republicans clearly explain why government funded jobs (be they teachers, firefighters, border patrol or police officers, researchers, what have you) are so clearly inferior in their eyes to private sector jobs.
23
If this is all a Stranger hoax, it's really, really stupid, and it destroys any credibility you have with anyone not on staff, and perhaps even those who are on staff. That's really a shame . . .
24
Our health care system hasn't been the best in the world (or even close to it) for many years. Reality, Rob, not lofty self-congratulations, would be appreciated. Even a vague concept of the fact that we have some of the worst health outcomes among developed countries would be helpful for someone running for office in this (not great) nation.
25
Readers of the Stranger,
This is the real Rob McKenna. The person who posted earlier, via a Stranger account created moments ago, is not really me. I've asked the Stranger to delete that person's account. I am Rob McKenna, I am running for governor, and I am blogging all day today on Slog. Please disregard anything "Rob McKenna" says.
I am talking to my lawyers and we will attempt to discover the IP address for this fake Rob McKenna and have their account shut down and we are prepared to take legal action as warranted.
Thank you,
Rob McKenna
This is the real Rob McKenna. The person who posted earlier, via a Stranger account created moments ago, is not really me. I've asked the Stranger to delete that person's account. I am Rob McKenna, I am running for governor, and I am blogging all day today on Slog. Please disregard anything "Rob McKenna" says.
I am talking to my lawyers and we will attempt to discover the IP address for this fake Rob McKenna and have their account shut down and we are prepared to take legal action as warranted.
Thank you,
Rob McKenna
27
"If you’re like me, you enter every single election a blank slate."
Did you enter the 2008 election not knowing which box you were going to check for Attorney General? I seriously doubt it!
ANYONE who claims that they "enter every single election a blank slate" is a LIAR.
Did you enter the 2008 election not knowing which box you were going to check for Attorney General? I seriously doubt it!
ANYONE who claims that they "enter every single election a blank slate" is a LIAR.
28
SERIOUSLY JUST STOP. The minute you starting posting fake posts as McKenna's daughter was the minute this stupid prank lost any last lingering whiff of humor or relevance, and you need to just fucking quit it already. I support the hell out of the Stranger, and have voted in accordance with your endorsements in the last five years, but this seriously makes me consider voting for McKenna. STOP NOW.
31
I'll admit to being hopelessly confused about whether the posts are real or a prank and whether @11 is real or fake. I am fairly sure that @25, at least, is fake.
That said, the Slog posts as a whole -- real or fake -- made me like McKenna more. They come across as human, reasonable, and with a willingness to disagree cordially. Long before I questioned their authenticity, I found myself thinking "hey, maybe it wouldn't be a total disaster if this guy won."
That said, the Slog posts as a whole -- real or fake -- made me like McKenna more. They come across as human, reasonable, and with a willingness to disagree cordially. Long before I questioned their authenticity, I found myself thinking "hey, maybe it wouldn't be a total disaster if this guy won."
32
@28: Is someone forcing you to read Slog today? Are we tilting the screen at your face, propping your eyes open, and making you read? No? Then just stop reading if you hate it so much. Don't let a silly prank on a blog run by a free weekly paper have any role in your political decision-making.
33
Will the real "real Rob McKenna" please start calling himself Bob McKenna so I will know which on is really real? Thanks.
35
Ha ha...Please continue. The confusion (really?!) and irritation in the comments is great. And please let Rob answer a Savage Love letter.
38
@15: The fact that the website he posted does not work actually makes it more likely to me that is Rob McKenna.
Not that I think it is at all though, really.
Not that I think it is at all though, really.
40
Alright, here's the deal you fucking liberal shitstains. Consider this an official cease and desist from your friendly A.G. I am going to wipe the motherfucking court room floor with you immature, slanderous little turds, then I'm going to own your shitty little propaganda rag, which I will gleefully bequeath to one Mr. Tim Eyman. Then I will pursue each and everyone of you hippy fucks in civil court until I own each and every single meager asset you welfare cheats have managed to acquire.
Tell jewboy Goldstein he's first. I covet his raspberries.
Tell jewboy Goldstein he's first. I covet his raspberries.
41
Today, the Romney campaign is quietly stating that Romney didn't really mean what he said at last night's debate.
42
@20: Since you seem to have swallowed this whole ploy hook, line and sinker I guess we know who is "seriously, woefully dumb."
46
I want to apologize for my outburst @40. The fourth sentence should read "I will then". Anger got the better of me, and I began a sentence with a preposition. I will not let it happen again.
47
@46 - It's ending with prepositions that's a problem, and only really if you're speaking Latin. Also, "then" is not a preposition. "Than" is. Boy, you're not a very good fake lawyer, are you?
48
@47 - You wanna know what kind of lawyer I am? I'm the motherfucking top dog lawyer, the A. to the motherfucking G., you little asswipe. I'll decide what is and isn't a motherfucking preposition, and you will motherfucking bend over and accept it.
49
I'M the real Rob McKenna, The Umblest Person Going™.
When I was quite a young boy,
I got to know what umbleness did,
and I took to it.
I hate umble pie with an appetite.
I'm very umble to the present moment,
but I've got a little power.
When I was quite a young boy,
I got to know what umbleness did,
and I took to it.
I hate umble pie with an appetite.
I'm very umble to the present moment,
but I've got a little power.
51
@ 48, how do we know you are the real one? Any identifying moles, or maybe tell us something secret that only the one, true McKenna would know?
52
I am beginning to consider the possibility that I may secretly be Rob McKenna and have been for years!
54
@48- I have unlimited access to every data base in the state. I will not hesitate to make your life very, very uncomfortable if you dare question my bona fides again.
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