Ann Romney attack

[bobbys]

I think the White house sent out one of their attack dogs and it backfired.

DNC must have hired a republican strategist for this one!

[Bobcat]

I can only assume that Hillary Rosen, who made the idiotic statements, has no children or maybe just no scruples.

I agree that saying Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life is a good way to alienate just about every women and a lot of men, too.

[Donn]

I can only assume that Hillary Rosen, who made the idiotic statements, has no children or maybe just no scruples.

I believe she has 2 adopted children, so it must be a lack of scruples...or common sense.

[Paul Pless]

Her post apology 'explanation' tweets were pretty pitiful too. . .

[switters]

improper use of door, voiding warranty of a crib and endangering the child's life, not supporting the american auto industry, part of the housing bubble.

I can't believe she admitted to all that.

[Bobcat]

Her post apology 'explanation' tweets were pretty pitiful too. . .

When you're wrong admit it

When you're in a hole stop digging.

Some people here could do well following these notions

[SaltyBoatr]

I think the White house sent out one of their attack dogs and it backfired.

If you are going to assert that Hillary Rosen comes from the White House, then I assert that Rush Limbaugh speaks for the Romney campaign.

This thread sounds like regurgitated Fox News talking points attempting to trump up a pseudo scandal to divert attention from Willard Romney's genuine problem with tanking poll numbers among female voters.

[Bobcat]

I believe she has 2 adopted children, so it must be a lack of scruples...or common sense.

Unless she has hired help that raises her kids. Even then, her comments are unsupportable

I was not able to find anything that suggested she had kids.

[Bobcat]

If you are going to assert that Hillary Rosen comes from the White House, then I assert that Rush Limbaugh speaks for the Romney campaign.

This thread sounds like regurgitated Fox News talking points attempting to trump up a pseudo scandal to divert attention from Willard Romney's genuine problem with tanking poll numbers among female voters.

Why don't you just admit that Rosen said some stupid stuff? Do you really think that I am offended that a woman who raised a family is said to have never worked a day in her life because of Fox news?

Rosen is an idiot at best. I may be on the same side as her politically, but she's still an idiot that said some really indefensible crap.

[Donn]

I was not able to find anything that suggested she had kids.

It isn't difficult.

From Wiki:

On January 22, 2003, Rosen announced that she would resign as head of the RIAA at the end of 2003, in order to spend more time with her partner, Elizabeth Birch, and the couple's twins (a boy and a girl).

Link

Note: I'm just assuming the twins were adopted.

[Bobcat]

It isn't difficult.

From Wiki:



Link

Note: I'm just assuming the twins were adopted.

Thanks I missed that. They may not be adopted.

[Donn]

They may not be adopted.

They may not be human, either.

From WaPo:

She stepped down in 2003, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family, attorney Elizabeth Birch and their two adopted children. (The couple separated in 2006.)

Link

[Bobcat]

They may not be human, either.

Why would you think that?

[SaltyBoatr]

This dust up is fake.

Designed to hide embarrassing Romney gaff where he said that his top adviser on "women's issues" is his wife, (who has never worked a day in her life).

Ummm, can a man be more out of touch with working class women that Willard Romney?

[S.V. Airlie]

Well, unless jt's cut off at the pass, it;s going to be fair game. Michelle better be prepared to wear some armor unless one side or the other refuses to jump in the quicksand. I hope, for his sake, that Obama had nothing to do with it.Guess I'll have to deal with never ending attack ads until November.

[Donn]

Ummm...

Are you aware of how childish and stupid it looks when you start a sentence with "Ummm?"

[Paul Pless]

how does one get the title, "Democratic Strategist"?

[wardd]

Well, unless jt's cut off at the pass, it;s going to be fair game. Michelle better be prepared to wear some armor unless one side or the other refuses to jump in the quicksand. I hope, for his sake, that Obama had nothing to do with it.Guess I'll have to deal with never ending attack ads until November.

you're not aware of any attacks on michelle?

[wardd]

how does one get the title, "Democratic Strategist"?

when one is too ethical to be a republican strategist

[Donn]

how does one get the title, "Democratic Strategist"?

30+ visits to the Obama White House?

[Keith Wilson]

Oh, cry me a river. If this is the worst thing you can find to criticize, your cause is lost.

[delecta]

This dust up is fake.

Designed to hide embarrassing Romney gaff where he said that his top adviser on "women's issues" is his wife, (who has never worked a day in her life).

Ummm, can a man be more out of touch with working class women that Willard Romney?

Perhaps she should have tweeted this instead of the other embarrassing follow ups. Seems to me Rosen knew nothing about this and is being covered for by a completely embarrassed Obama campaign.

What do I see from time to time on here?

Whack whack mole?

[Paul Pless]

Oh, cry me a river.

Hey that's my line.

[SaltyBoatr]

30+ visits to the Obama White House?

I guess that makes the gay male prostitute who repeatedly visited the Bush Whitehouse a Republican Strategist? Right Donn?

[S.V. Airlie]

you're not aware of any attacks on michelle?

Recently, I can recall only one. Her transom.,In 08, I'm sure there were a few, but I don't often read or pay attention to attack ads and in 08, I was living on a boat with no TV.

[Norman Bernstein]

This whole 'controversy' is ridiculous.

Hillary Rosen was an idiot to make the statement... and her statement was roundly criticized by virtually everyone on both sides of the aisle, including Obama himself.... so this story doesn't deserve to have ANY shelf life.

Interesting, though, that this idiotic statement by Rosen will get 4-5 days of airplay.... while Allen West's accusation that there are 80 Democrats in Congress who are members of the Communist Party will be pretty much ignored.

The most interesting thing about this isn't really Hillary Rosen's gaffe... the controversy really should be about Romney forming an opinion on the topic based on his wife's opinion.

Yes, that's right.... Hillary Rosen's statement was a 'gaffe'....which, by definition, is something someone says which shouldn't have been said... but was basically truthful.

Ann Romney has most certainly faced severe trial in her life..... raising 5 kids, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis... that's enough to challenge just about anyone. However, Rosen was at least somewhat right: those challenges facing Ann Romney were severe.... but they were a LOT less severe, when her husband was rolling in cash. We could undoubtedly find thousands of women facing similar, or even worse, challenges.... without the economic assets which would make the task a great deal easier.

So, it's true, I think, that Ann Romney would NOT be a person who could reasonably attest to what is important to most American women. MOST american women have families, AND work... and don't have a quarter billion lying around to help them through the rough patches. The real story here is Mitt's reliance on his wife to represent 'American women'.

[SMARTINSEN]

........ living on a boat with no TV.

That might be a good thing to do until the election is over. It is going to be a stinker of a dirty campaign. These opening salvos are just the warm up.

[Donn]

but ending a sentence with a proposition?

Did you mean preposition?

[S.V. Airlie]

That might be a good thing to do until the election is over. It is going to be a stinker of a dirty campaign. These opening salvos are just the warm up.

Had no choice, but didn't miss it.

[David G]

Interesting...

I'm coming into this topic fresh. Never saw the Hillary Rosen comments on Ann Romney, except here on this thread.

First thing I come to: we have bobbys - who "thinks" the president's people sent an 'attack dog' to savage Ann Romney. Of course - as usual - he has no evidence for his suppositions. He just thinks it. Bobby ol' buddy - you got any evidence? Or should we all just assume you'll go to any lengths to slander Obama?

Then we have Bobcat noting that an attack on AR - a fairly sympathetic figure - is bad strategy. I'd have to agree. At this point, I haven't read the language from Rosen.... but am assuming there was an attack. And it sounds like a gratuitiously nasty one.

Next up is Pless, saying that Rosen's explanatory tweets were pretty lame as well. Sounds like she really stepped in it!

More of Bobcat calling Rosen an idiot.... various other peripheral comments... then at #15 -- an actual link to Rosens comments. Turns out she said this:

"What you have is Mitt Romney running around the country, 'well, you know, my wife tells me that what women really care about are economic issues and when I listen to my wife, that’s what I’m hearing,'" she said Wednesday night. "Guess what? His wife has actually never worked a day in her life. She’s never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school and how do we worry, why do we worry about their future."

Rosen also said that Mitt Romney seems old-fashioned when it comes to women, and he "doesn't really see us as equal."

Turns out Rosen's comments weren't an attack on AR for 'never having worked a day in her life'. She said nothing about there being anything inherently wrong with that choice.

Turns out that Rosen was actually reacting to Mitt's comment (which I've heard him make before) that his wife was his primary (only?) advisor on Women's Issues. Rosen was saying that AR's life and circumstances made her unfit to serve that role, and Mitt a fool for putting her in that role. And advisor? Of course! The primary one? Preposterous and ludicrous. Salty's linked article explains it fully, if you haven't looked at it.

This I agree with. Mitt IS a fool in many ways. This is just one more example of how out of touch he is.

ETA - I see Norman made essentially the same point while I was typing. Great minds think alike, you betcha!

[Donn]

Turns out Rosen's comments weren't an attack on AR for 'never having worked a day in her life'. She said nothing about there being anything inherently wrong with that choice.

Turns out that Rosen was actually reacting to Mitt's comment (which I've heard him make before) that his wife was his primary (only?) advisor on Women's Issues. Rosen was saying that AR's life and circumstances made her unfit to serve that role, and Mitt a fool for putting her in that role. Salty's linked article explains it fully, if you haven't looked at it.

This I agree with. Mitt IS a fool in many ways. This is just one more example of how out of touch he is.

You might want to check into it a little more fully. Then again, you might not.

[Bobcat]

Anyone who says that a stay at home mom who has raised a number of kids has never worked a day in her life is an idiot. It's hard work. My guid wyfe stayed home raising our hellions. I was glad to go to work. So do take it as a slam on stay at home parents.

Mitt is an out-of-touch plutocrat with a tin ear, but that's for an other thread.

[S.V. Airlie]

You missed one David G. Norman's comment that this assumed or real attack on AR was/is all over the news including criticism for her comments from such notables as Obama. You indicated in your post that the bilge is the only place you have heard anything about it. Who is right?Norman who has stated that this lady's comments are all over the news or you, who have only heard about this gaffe, as Norman called it,in the bilge?

[David G]

You missed one David G. Norman's comment that this assumed or real attack on AR was/is all over the news. You indicated in your post that the bilge is the only place you have heard anything about it. Who is right?Norman who has stated comments are all over the news or you, who have only heard about this gaffe, as Norman called it,in the bilge?

As usual... your thinking is muddy and inadequate.

There's a third option. Both are true. That's quite possible, since I deliberately stay away from the short-term news cycle. Most of the quick-hitting stuff I see is right here in the Bilge because I don't watch TV, or listen to talk radio, or even radio news (except a bit of npr... if it happens to pop up).

You really ought to think things through more before you post... buy <sigh> how many people have told you THAT before!!!!!

[wardd]

As usual... your thinking is muddy and inadequate.

There's a third option. Both are true. That's quite possible, since I deliberately stay away from the short-term news cycle. Most of the quick-hitting stuff I see is right here in the Bilge because I don't watch TV, or listen to talk radio, or even radio news (except a bit of npr... if it happens to pop up).

You really ought to think things through more before you post... buy <sigh> how many people have told you THAT before!!!!!

i told him

[David G]

You might want to check into it a little more fully. Then again, you might not.

Are you saying there's more to the story than my superficial understanding? I'm all ears... lay it on me.

The way you emphasize that final 'you' suggests that I might NOT be interested in the facts. BS, I say. When have you ever seen evidence that I wasn't interested in the facts? I'm always interested in relevant data. I know you seldom have any - but if you do, I am, as I said, all ears.

[S.V. Airlie]

Nothing to think about. I just know you and Norman keep tabs on political stuff more than I do. I just asked one question thinking I'd get a polite response at least. Hope springs eternal though. Norman made the statement which indicated the reports of this attack were all over the news which differed from what you posted.I found it interesting that you weren't in sync with him.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

So, if Romney's children are grown, what does Ann do all day, besides tour her stables and supervise the grooming of her Dressage mounts? Would she take her Dressage mounts to the White House like Andrew Jackson took his goats?

I asked my wife about Dressage Horses and she didn't know what I was talking about. This from a gal who was raised on a farm where all she had was a pony.

[ljb5]

I think the White house sent out one of their attack dogs and it backfired.

Who is Hilary Rosen and what is her connection to the White House?

[John Smith]

I can only assume that Hillary Rosen, who made the idiotic statements, has no children or maybe just no scruples.

I agree that saying Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life is a good way to alienate just about every women and a lot of men, too.

I think the entire world, including Biden in his interview with Shultz, miss the whole point. Ann Romney could afford to be a stay at home mother. Biden talks about women making this choice. Most women can't afford to be a stay at home mom.

[Bobcat]

I think the entire world, including Biden in his interview with Shultz, miss the whole point. Ann Romney could afford to be a stay at home mother. Biden talks about women making this choice. Most women can't afford to be a stay at home mom.

I think you're missing the point. If you say that a stay at home mom "has never worked a day in her life" you're devaluing her labor and not recognizing that people work who don't get money for their jobs.

[Bobcat]

So, if Romney's children are grown, what does Ann do all day, besides tour her stables and supervise the grooming of her Dressage mounts? Would she take her Dressage mounts to the White House like Andrew Jackson took his goats?

I asked my wife about Dressage Horses and she didn't know what I was talking about. This from a gal who was raised on a farm where all she had was a pony.

What business is it of yours what she does to occupy her time?

Maybe she posts here incognito. You never know.

If you don't like Romney, that's fine (and I don't), but I am not going to run down his wife or kids

[Shang]

"Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft, where we are hard, cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand." *

F. Scott Fitzgerald,* "The Rich Boy" (1926),


Ann Romney’s prostrations to the contrary, she was born into great wealth, and has continued in that state ever since.
Raising a family is considerably easier if one has staff and servants to call upon, and if one does not have to consider income short-falls.

[David G]

I think the entire world, including Biden in his interview with Shultz, miss the whole point. Ann Romney could afford to be a stay at home mother. Biden talks about women making this choice. Most women can't afford to be a stay at home mom.

I think you're missing the point. If you say that a stay at home mom "has never worked a day in her life" you're devaluing her labor and not recognizing that people work who don't get money for their jobs.

I agree. It was a poor choice of words. Careless and offensive. I supported my wife for several years as a stay-at-home parent. I even served as the stay-at-home for a while when I was layed off. Work? It sure as heck IS work. And it's important, valuable, work - very beneficial, developmentally, to a young child.

But to pretend that an attack on stay-at-home parents was really the thrust of Rosen's comments (rather than a mistaken impression arising from an unfortunate and sloppy choice of words)... is disingenuous. She was really attempting to make a point about AR's qualifications to serve as Mitt's primary advisor on women's issues.

Rosen should have apologized for the impression she created that she was attacking the worth of being a primary parent. She does not need to apologize for the actual intent of her comments.

[tigerregis]

Attacks on candidate's spouses are odious and only a scoundrel(ess) would even consider such a tactic. I wouldn't vote for a GOP guy since DDE, but She has SFA to do with anything political, regardless of Romney's comment.
What I want to know, given his messages as of late, how a young guy avoided pregnancy for three years?

[David G]

tiger,

Don't you see? It was NOT an attack on Romney's wife. It just came across that way.

It was an attack on Romney for saying that he used his (non-representative) wife as his primary advisor on Women's Issues.

Rosen was addressing how out of touch Romney is:

[bobbys]

Who is Hilary Rosen and what is her connection to the White House?

.

Last year she played a Doctor at the White house.

[Shang]

Attacks on candidate's spouses are odious and only a scoundrel(ess) would even consider such a tactic.

Agreed, but WE didn't bring Ann Romney's consideration in ...the ROMNEY campaign did!

I wouldn't vote for a GOP guy since DDE, but She has SFA to do with anything political, regardless of Romney's comment.
What I want to know, given his messages as of late, how a young guy avoided pregnancy for three years?

Funny at best. Silly otherwise.

[Keith Wilson]

"What you have is Mitt Romney running around the country, 'well, you know, my wife tells me that what women really care about are economic issues and when I listen to my wife, that’s what I’m hearing,'" she said Wednesday night. "Guess what? His wife has actually never worked a day in her life. She’s never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school and how do we worry, why do we worry about their future."

The point of this remark, despite the unfortunate choice of words, is 100% accurate. A major party presidential candidate's choice of advisers is a legitimate political issue. Ann Romney, who as far as I know is a perfectly fine person, and who has certainly had her share of difficulties, has indeed never held a paying job. She has never needed to. While raising kids is never easy, she has never in her life had to worry about paying for anything she could possibly want, or about what would happpen if her husband were to lose his job. How many household servants does she have now? Has she ever been without them since college? Has she ever had to change a diaper herself? Repair anything? Clean the bathroom?

Sorry, manufactured imitation outrage is BS.

[Keith Wilson]

Kerry, of course, because I thought what he would do as president was better than what Bush would do. That's what's important. I think this is an utterly silly issue, and it will be gone in a day or two.

So how many household servants do the Romneys have, anyway?