Romney's tone deaf, example #999

ColoradoGuy · Mar 28, 2012

In an interview he related an oh-so-funny story about his connection with Wisconsin, where he is currently campaigning, apparently remotely by telephone:

“One of most humorous I think relates to my father. You may remember my father, George Romney, was president of an automobile company called American Motors … They had a factory in Michigan, and they had a factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and another one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” said Romney. “And as the president of the company he decided to close the factory in Michigan and move all the production to Wisconsin. Now later he decided to run for governor of Michigan and so you can imagine that having closed the factory and moved all the production to Wisconsin was a very sensitive issue to him, for his campaign.”

Romney said he recalled a parade in which the school band marching with his father’s campaign only knew the Wisconsin fight song, not the Michigan song.

“So every time they would start playing ‘On, Wisconsin, On, Wisconsin,’ my dad’s political people would jump up and down and try to get them to stop, because they didn’t want people in Michigan to be reminded that my dad had moved production to Wisconsin,” said Romney, laughing.

Whatever the business merits or not of that decision, Romney's handlers really ought to get their guy a muzzle.

blacbird · Mar 28, 2012

What's the matter with you, Colorado? You have a problem with a guy humored about cutting lots of jobs?

caw

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 28, 2012

Perhaps Romney thinks people don't talk to each other. Or maybe he's stuck in the early eighteenth century, when a Massachusettser would never trust a New Hampshireman. In that world, outside of Michigan nobody cares about Michiganders, and Coloradoans are complacent as long as Colorado gets jobs.

TerzaRima · Mar 28, 2012

Weird, I actually was just coming here to post that. Yuk yuk! Hey, remember that time Dad laid off a bunch of folks so they had no livelihood? Ow, ow, my sides.

MacAllister · Mar 28, 2012

Yeah. And the hits just keep coming.

Romney with Jay Leno talking about Health Insurance:

“People with preexisting conditions — as long as they’ve been insured before, they’re going to continue to have insurance,” Romney said on NBC’s “Tonight Show.”

But, Leno asked, what if they haven’t been insured?

“Well, if they’re 45 years old, and they show up, and say, I want insurance because I’ve got a heart disease, it’s like, `Hey guys, we can’t play the game like that,’” Romney answered. “You’ve got to get insurance when you’re well, and if you get ill, then you’re going to be covered.”

The exchange highlighted a challenge for Romney as seeks to capitalize on the controversy over President Obama’s health care law, which is currently before the Supreme Court. As a whole, the law is unpopular with the American public. But the component that bars health insurance companies from denying coverage to those with preexisting conditions is favored by the vast majority of Americans – 85 percent in a recent New York Times/CBS News poll.

Romney, who wants to repeal the federal health care law, has said he would replace it with a new law. Among the components of the new law, Romney says, would be not allowing insurance companies to deny coverage because of a preexisting condition. But Romney would only allow this for those who have been continuously insured for a fixed period of time. Romney has not specified the period of time someone would need to be insured in order to qualify.

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 28, 2012

It sounds like one of those hee-hee-don't-give-the-game-away kinds of jokes the privileged tell each other in private. I can really see it.

Devil Ledbetter · Mar 28, 2012

You may remember my father, George Romney, was president of an automobile company called American Motors … They had a factory in Michigan, and they had a factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and another one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” said Romney. “And as the president of the company he decided to close the factory in Michigan and move all the production to Wisconsin.

And I'm sure everyone can relate to having a father who is president of American Motors. :tongue

Those were dogshit cars, btw.

Chrissy · Mar 28, 2012

Romney, who wants to repeal the federal health care law, has said he would replace it with a new law. Among the components of the new law, Romney says, would be (1) not allowing insurance companies to deny coverage because of a preexisting condition. But Romney would (2) only allow this for those who have been continuously insured for a fixed period of time. Romney has not specified the period of time someone would need to be insured in order to qualify.

What the.... am I missing something here? Doesn't (2) cancel out (1)?

What do you call that? An oxymoron, right? Or maybe just a moron.

rugcat · Mar 28, 2012

Among the components of the new law, Romney says, would be not allowing insurance companies to deny coverage because of a preexisting condition. But Romney would only allow this for those who have been continuously insured for a fixed period of time.

So they cannot deny coverage for pre existing conditions -- unless you're trying to get insurance, in which case, they can. Not sure how that works.

I guess it means they can't actually boot you to the curb if you purchase insurance while healthy and then later discover you have cancer -- you know, the reason you got the insurance in the first place.

Hell of a deal.

Alessandra Kelley · Mar 28, 2012

Chrissy said:
What the.... am I missing something here? Doesn't (2) cancel out (1)?

What do you call that? An oxymoron, right? Or maybe just a moron.

For many people, insurance policies are renewed with new terms every year. So if someone gets very ill during the year, when renewal time comes around the insurance company throws them out for having a pre-existing condition. It's like having a very short-term lease.

You can have been faithfully insured for twenty years or more, one year at a time, and still be at risk of being cut off just when you need insurance most.

Perhaps those are the people Romney means.

Chrissy · Mar 28, 2012

I see. Thanks for explaining. I honestly did not know that was a legal practice.

Although, now that I think about it, the same thing happened to me with homeowner's insurance. After they paid a claim, they booted me.

blacbird · Mar 28, 2012

Oh, but wait: Just remember that your practical alternative, among Republicans, to Mitt Romney in this Presidential cycle, has now whittled down to Rick Santorum.

We're going to hear a lot more Mitt Romney humor in coming months. We ought to start collecting Mitt Romney jokes. I have one:

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"To look for a new job."

caw

Don · Mar 28, 2012

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"She knew if Romney caught her, she'd end up in a kennel on the top of his car, flying down the highway at some gawdawful speed."

Gregg · Mar 28, 2012

blacbird said:
Oh, but wait: Just remember that your practical alternative, among Republicans, to Mitt Romney in this Presidential cycle, has now whittled down to Rick Santorum.

We're going to hear a lot more Mitt Romney humor in coming months. We ought to start collecting Mitt Romney jokes. I have one:

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"To look for a new job."

caw

Very possible that we'll have four or eight more years to make jokes about President Romney.

Nymtoc · Mar 28, 2012

ColoradoGuy said:
said Romney, laughing....

It's that patented laugh of his that merits analysis--
"Hah-hah-hah-hah!"
--which follows his most unfunny statements and which, I'm willing to bet, is electronically produced.

Mclesh · Mar 28, 2012

Once again, I feel so many emotions reading through this thread, I don't quite know what to say. The healthcare hits close to home, especially in Mac's quoted example of the 45 year old with no insurance.

Sometimes things aren't that simple. I lost my cousin, 45, a few months ago. He was working poor; had a full-time job but not enough to afford insurance. He relied on clinics for care. When he was ill, he was given antibiotics and sent home where he collapsed and was taken off life support the next day. I can't help but wonder if he'd still be around if he had decent medical care.

And the jobs -- well, that's just funny, isn't it? It's always fun when someone gets laid off and finds their job has traveled to another state. A real knee slapper.

blacbird · Mar 28, 2012

Gregg said:
Very possible that we'll have four or eight more years to make jokes about President Romney.

It's possible, sure. It's politics. External events can intrude. There's seven months to go. Your fondest wish may be granted.

The current situation:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html

To quote former major league pitcher Joaquin Andujar, a minor rival of Yogi Berra for wonderful utterances, when interviewed after a game in which a very weird thing happened that allowed his team (St. Louis Cardinals) to eke out a miraculous win:

"You can sum up baseball in one word: You never know."

caw

ColoradoGuy · Mar 28, 2012

Devil Ledbetter said:
Those were dogshit cars, btw.

My friend had a Gremlin. Now those were odd cars.

MacAllister · Mar 28, 2012

I was just talking with a friend the other day about the Pike Place Market, where we've both worked in the past, and have a lot of mutual acquaintances.

It's been a really hard year at the Market, and a number of long-term vendors we both know have died this year, or been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. What do these folks have in common? They're all freelancers, artists, without regular healthcare. Without a primary physician. Without insurance. So when they get a heart disease or a stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, it's because they finally collapsed somewhere and got rushed to the ER.

They were also, with a single exception, all under 60 years of age.

And under Romney's stated plan, we're all uninsurable.

Manuel Royal · Mar 28, 2012

Mclesh said:
Sometimes things aren't that simple. I lost my cousin, 45, a few months ago. He was working poor; had a full-time job but not enough to afford insurance. He relied on clinics for care. When he was ill, he was given antibiotics and sent home where he collapsed and was taken off life support the next day. I can't help but wonder if he'd still be around if he had decent medical care.

I'm sorry about your cousin. And hoping the same thing doesn't happen to me: a 51-year-old diabetic with no job and no insurance.

Until the relevant provision of Obamacare takes effect, nobody will sell me a policy even if I somehow had money for it. And under Richie R. Romney's plan, they'd still be able to turn me away because I wasn't continuously covered. (How the hell does he think he can sell that as a fair idea?)

Don't expect anything better from Santorum. But he will pray for you.

blacbird · Mar 28, 2012

Devil Ledbetter said:
And I'm sure everyone can relate to having a father who is president of American Motors.

Those were dogshit cars, btw.

I had a Gremlin bck in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Before which, I had a Pacer.

They were what I could AFFORD. A word Mitt Romney has to look up in the OED.

Actually, now that I think about it, how much actual driving of a car has Mitt Romney actually done in his whole goram actual life? Assuming he has such a thing.

caw

clintl · Mar 28, 2012

ColoradoGuy said:
My friend had a Gremlin. Now those were odd cars.

I worked as a student engineer for a local utility that had bought a fleet of them when I was in college. They were so awful that people were trying to get them to break down so they'd get replaced with something decent. One of them stranded me on the freeway when I was on an errand downtown.

muravyets · Mar 28, 2012

Gregg said:
Very possible that we'll have four or eight more years to make jokes about President Romney.

He'll stop being funny long before then.

SirOtter · Mar 28, 2012

Devil Ledbetter said:
And I'm sure everyone can relate to having a father who is president of American Motors.

Those were dogshit cars, btw.

Yep. I owned a Hornet. I will gladly testify that what Mitt's dad did to a fairly competent carmaker, Rambler, when he turned it into AMC is about what we could expect Mitt to do to the USA if and when he gets his, er, mitts on it.

I had a dream about Mitt the other night. He was selling name-brand, high quality refrigerators. The price was terrific, but he wouldn't deliver, and the deal was strictly cash-and-carry. What was I supposed to do, put the top down on my Mustang and drive the damn thing home sticking up over my trunk, held in by the seat belts? Again, typical of what we would go through under a Romney administration, methinks. A great deal that turns out to be the old bait-and-switch. Once again I am reluctantly condemned to voting Democrat.

muravyets · Mar 28, 2012

SirOtter said:
Yep. I owned a Hornet. I will gladly testify that what Mitt's dad did to a fairly competent carmaker, Rambler, when he turned it into AMC is about what we could expect Mitt to do to the USA if and when he gets his, er, mitts on it.

I had a dream about Mitt the other night. He was selling name-brand, high quality refrigerators. The price was terrific, but he wouldn't deliver, and the deal was strictly cash-and-carry. What was I supposed to do, put the top down on my Mustang and drive the damn thing home sticking up over my trunk, held in by the seat belts? Again, typical of what we would go through under a Romney administration, methinks. A great deal that turns out to be the old bait-and-switch. Once again I am reluctantly condemned to voting Democrat.

Hopefully, if the GOP lose the general election soundly enough, the extremists will get mad and go form their own party, and then the Republicans can take their party back.

I remember when I used to vote a mixed ticket. It seems like another world.

Romney's tone deaf, example #999

I've seen worse.

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