Romney's Message Is Changing/Romney Secret Tape (merged)

[SquirrelySquirrel]

I live in a very red part of a very red state, and yeah, I know bumperstickers don't vote, but I've seen only one measly sticker for Mitt. It was a small oval on the back window. I've seen way more Obama stickers than ones supporting Mitt. I have seen a few anti-Obama stickers, but the same car doesn't have a pro-Romney sticker on it. Here in the Buckle of the Bible Belt, many fundies and evangelicals are going to have a hard time voting for a Mormon.

I'm slightly north of the Bible Belt, but still in a mostly red state, and I have yet to see any signs or bumper stickers that are pro-Romney. There are plenty of anti-Obama ones, of course. This is something I've also noticed on FB. I've probably got an even split of left vs. right and I have not seen one post cheering for Mitt. Not one. At least when McCain was running they had an all-American hero to cheer for, despite the nitwit at his side.

The votes for Mitt are going to be votes against Obama more than anything, IMO, and I hope the lack of enthusiasm keeps people at home come election day. I don't even know how you can be on Team Mitt. Has anyone figured out where he stands on the REAL issues and what he plans to do??? Other than tax cuts for his buddies, and wanting to cut everything that still makes me somewhat believe in this country, I have no clue what the man stands for. No fucking clue. He still won't answer anything of real importance with a clear-cut response.

If Mitt wins I really don't know if I can continue to have any faith in my fellow Americans. I hate to sound all dramatic, but it's do or die time for this country and if they didn't learn from 8 years of Dubbya, I don't know what the hell it will take.

I am very, very concerned that the GOP is going to prevent thousands of people voting in swing states like Florida and Ohio with lawsuits claiming voter fraud, purging records, and limiting times to vote.

Yes, this. And how GOP supporters can't see through this is beyond me. I know facts and logic aren't their strong suit, but seriously!

[mpheels]

The voter ID stuff really burns me up. My grandmother, if she were still alive, would be disenfranchised by most of the plans. She gave up her driver's license in 2002 after my grandfather died. She never replaced it with a non-driver photo ID because she lived in a very small town (~800 people), and had lived there since 1943 - no one was going to ask her for ID. That town doesn't have a permanent DMV. The mobile DMV is in town one afternoon a month for 6 hours. The closest full service DMV is 45+ minutes away. It's really damn difficult to obtain a photo ID when you 80 years old, live alone, don't drive, and are dependent on family members who live hours away or the kindness of friends/neighbors who are also too old and/or poor to get keep up with IDs for themselves.

[Mythicwings]

I think even the term "pro-birth" is too kind. They are anti-choice. If they were pro-birth they would at least support pre-natal care, including ready availability of drug-abuse-treatment programs for pregnant women. As it is, even bumping pregnant women to the head of the waiting list isn't enough for them to get clean before the baby is born, let alone in time to improve the odds of a good outcome for the baby.

Yeah :( They are so profoundly NOT "pro-life" it's appalling. The "pro-lifers" I know really do honestly love babies - but who the hell doesn't???

[Witsec7]

The voter ID stuff really burns me up. My grandmother, if she were still alive, would be disenfranchised by most of the plans. She gave up her driver's license in 2002 after my grandfather died. She never replaced it with a non-driver photo ID because she lived in a very small town (~800 people), and had lived there since 1943 - no one was going to ask her for ID. That town doesn't have a permanent DMV. The mobile DMV is in town one afternoon a month for 6 hours. The closest full service DMV is 45+ minutes away. It's really damn difficult to obtain a photo ID when you 80 years old, live alone, don't drive, and are dependent on family members who live hours away or the kindness of friends/neighbors who are also too old and/or poor to get keep up with IDs for themselves.

As immigrants my parents were made to take literacy tests.

[Mythicwings]

I'm slightly north of the Bible Belt, but still in a mostly red state, and I have yet to see any signs or bumper stickers that are pro-Romney. There are plenty of anti-Obama ones, of course. This is something I've also noticed on FB. I've probably got an even split of left vs. right and I have not seen one post cheering for Mitt. Not one. At least when McCain was running they had an all-American hero to cheer for, despite the nitwit at his side.

The votes for Mitt are going to be votes against Obama more than anything, IMO, and I hope the lack of enthusiasm keeps people at home come election day. I don't even know how you can be on Team Mitt. Has anyone figured out where he stands on the REAL issues and what he plans to do??? Other than tax cuts for his buddies, and wanting to cut everything that still makes me somewhat believe in this country, I have no clue what the man stands for. No fucking clue. He still won't answer anything of real importance with a clear-cut response.

If Mitt wins I really don't know if I can continue to have any faith in my fellow Americans. I hate to sound all dramatic, but it's do or die time for this country and if they didn't learn from 8 years of Dubbya, I don't know what the hell it will take.

Yes, this. And how GOP supporters can't see through this is beyond me. I know facts and logic aren't their strong suit, but seriously!

Yeah, Squirrely, now that you say that - I don't think I have seen a single pro-Romney post on FB at all! Just the normal bat-crap-crazy stuff about Obama.

[CynicMom]

Here's the video: Romney Video

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I have relatives who are planning to vote for Romney, but even while they're out there stumping for him it's mostly anti-Obama talk. Namely, they're paranoid that Obama is going to slash the defense budget and they'll all lose their jobs (they work in the shipyards). Those relatives also watch Fox News 24/7. Let's just say it was quite an entertaining few days I spent at their house...!

Thing is, some of them have significant health issues, and yet they're all just adamant that "Obamacare" is going to be the death of everything and the end of the world, even WHILE lamenting that they either have no insurance or the insurance they do have is refusing to cover this or that, or that they can't change jobs because they need to keep their health insurance from the current job, etc etc ETC. I might say well, I've been under a national plan before... but then it's all about how the US is unique in the world and those sort of socialist systems from your country won't work here, etc... (to be frank it's all about Those People, that supposedly freeloading "Other" 47%. Creepy? You betcha.)

It's good to be home. :)

[Naga Viper]

This is something I've also noticed on FB. I've probably got an even split of left vs. right and I have not seen one post cheering for Mitt. Not one. At least when McCain was running they had an all-American hero to cheer for, despite the nitwit at his side.

I've seen quite a few pro-Romney posts, despite being nowhere near the Bible Belt and conservatives comprising maybe 5-10% of my friendbase. :( But hopefully that's just that side feeling more cornered and being more vocal as a result. Fortunately, not all my hometown friends—who pretty much make up my entire conservative bloc—feel that way, but it does make me resistant to complacency in this election.

[slickcat79]

Yeah :( They are so profoundly NOT "pro-life" it's appalling. The "pro-lifers" I know really do honestly love babies - but who the hell doesn't???

*raises hand* Not that I claim to be pro-life or anything, but babies are loud and smell weird :?

[Mythicwings]

*raises hand* Not that I claim to be pro-life or anything, but babies are loud and smell weird :?

Oh. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Kira]

A court ruled that Ohio has to have early and weekend voting before the election. It will be hard for them to claim voter fraud in Ohio because Obama is building a good lead there. If it was really close that could happen, but at this point Ohio is barely a swing state. Florida is very close and with Florida being Florida who knows what will happen. The good news is that Obama doesn't need Florida. If he wins Ohio and Virginia he'll win.

[Kaylee]

When I was younger I could have supported the libertarian POV, but I've seen first hand what free markets do when it comes to medical care, I do not want SS to go away and I certainly want a political party that supports SS marriage and abortion. The libs are wishy washy on these points and don't want to legislate a woman's right of choice or a persons right to marriage regardless of gender.

This is where I'm at right now. I've shifted from far-right libertarian (Ron Paul type) to more mainstream libertarian views on social issues, but I'll be voting Democrat. I think the Libertarian party is going to swing more to the right because of the large influx of Ron Paul and Tea Party types over the last few years and I'm finding myself more in agreement with most of the things the Democrats support on healthcare, women's issues, and marriage equality. I'm still a little iffy because I am also very pro-gun, but I think that marriage, reproductive choice, and affordable healthcare are the more important issues right now.

I wonder how many other people are changing from Republican to Democrat or unaffiliated because of the crazy that's been on display over the past year or so. I've always considered myself pretty far right, so I'm assuming/hoping that many of the more moderate people will be voting against them this election as well.

[Mythicwings]

This is where I'm at right now. I've shifted from far-right libertarian (Ron Paul type) to more mainstream libertarian views on social issues, but I'll be voting Democrat. I think the Libertarian party is going to swing more to the right because of the large influx of Ron Paul and Tea Party types over the last few years and I'm finding myself more in agreement with most of the things the Democrats support on healthcare, women's issues, and marriage equality. I'm still a little iffy because I am also very pro-gun, but I think that marriage, reproductive choice, and affordable healthcare are the more important issues right now.

I wonder how many other people are changing from Republican to Democrat or unaffiliated because of the crazy that's been on display over the past year or so. I've always considered myself pretty far right, so I'm assuming/hoping that many of the more moderate people will be voting against them this election as well.

I hope you are right! It is simply because it is so upsetting when I see people I know who don't really pay attention to politics and who are in support of things like what you said, " marriage, reproductive choice, and affordable healthcare" - still insist on voting Republican because their parents are Republican and they just seem absolutely clueless about how the GOP has changed. Maybe the problem is that the people I'm talking about don't like politics at all, to the point of avoiding information, so what they tend to hear is all the yelling from the crazies/GOP-manipulators. I had one of my very best friends take me out for my birthday before the 2008 election and on the way home tell me how upset she was about how "Obama...*insert crazy stuff from Palin*...". I was shocked she would believe it! She is very smart, and also with her beliefs and values, she would be voting for Obama without batting an eye, but he is a Democrat so therefore, she seems deaf to what he is about vs the bullshit she hears from the GOP. She just believes it. I don't get it, and don't know what to do about it. I just don't know :(

ETA that my friend is not religious, not at all, not even a smidgeon, nor is she racist or wealthy or any other target demographic the GOP abuses with lies, and she is in her 50s, so it isn't that she is just young and hasn't changed yet from her parents' POV. So confused here :(

[MyName]

I am insanely jealous over you who live in red states but have not seen Romney stickers or fb posts.

Plenty of my evangelical friends have 'liked' Mitt on fb. It is so sickening and frustrating.

[Nothing2CHere]

The votes for Mitt are going to be votes against Obama more than anything, IMO, and I hope the lack of enthusiasm keeps people at home come election day. I don't even know how you can be on Team Mitt. Has anyone figured out where he stands on the REAL issues and what he plans to do??? Other than tax cuts for his buddies, and wanting to cut everything that still makes me somewhat believe in this country, I have no clue what the man stands for. No fucking clue. He still won't answer anything of real importance with a clear-cut response.

This, the bolded. I attempted to have a conversation on Facebook with some uber-conservative relatives after one of them posted a cheap shot Obama meme (the one where he was at OSU and they got the hand-spelled O-H-I-O mixed up for something like 30 seconds). I asked them to give me reasons why I should vote for Romney. Of the three relatives who were engaging with me, not ONE could give me a reason that was pro-Romney. Ever single thing they listed was anti-Obama.

[Kira]

My friends say Romney is giving a press conference about the tape now. It's on MSNBC. This must be really damaging if he's issuing an apology, but he should have done it earlier. Who hold a press conference at night?

ETA: Romney didn't apologize. He said he should have said it differently. His base would have gone nuts if he apologized. He said he wants to see the entire tape and according to the person who released the tape there is more to come. Also lots of people are commenting on his appearance. I haven't seen the press conference, but some are saying he looked dishelved.

[Kira]

David Corn,the journalist who broke the story, said the video he'll release tomorrow will hurt Romney in a different way. I wonder what that means! I think the reason Romney looked so awful at the press conference is because he knows there's more to come. My guess is he either said bad thing about conservatives or he made racist remarks about Obama.

[Mythicwings]

David Corn,the journalist who broke the story, said the video he'll release tomorrow will hurt Romney in a different way. I wonder what that means! I think the reason Romney looked so awful at the press conference is because he knows there's more to come. My guess is he either said bad thing about conservatives or he made racist remarks about Obama.

uh-oh. Thanks for the heads up!

[JenniferJuniper]

ETA: Romney didn't apologize. He said he should have said it differently. His base would have gone nuts if he apologized. He said he wants to see the entire tape and according to the person who released the tape there is more to come. Also lots of people are commenting on his appearance. I haven't seen the press conference, but some are saying he looked dishelved.

I saw it. He looked panicked. He can't apologize because of the base, and he's going to be in deep shit with the onslaught of ads and debate questions that are going focus on not just what he said, but the way he said it.

He only "answered" three questions (he didn't really answer them) and then walked away with reporters shouting more questions at him. Looked really bad. And no presidential candidate calls a sudden late Monday night presser unless he's extremely worried.

And yes, David Corn says Mother Jones has more of the tape to come. Drip, drip.

Here is a pie chart that breaks down those "47%" that disgust Romney so much. Most of the people who pay payroll tax, but no actual income tax are lower wage earners who benefit from tax exemptions put in place by Republican administrations. All these people "see themselves as victims" and refuse to "take responsibility for their lives"? Good grief.

[Witsec7]

I am grinning like a Cheshire cat and cannot wait until Mojo releases tomorrows snippets.

When Romney was talking to his fat cat supporters he didn't mention that the red/republican states collect more in aid from the feds than they pay in taxes.

[synchroswimr]

I am grinning like a Cheshire cat and cannot wait until Mojo releases tomorrows snippets.

When Romney was talking to his fat cat supporters he didn't mention that the red/republican states collect more in aid from the feds than they pay in taxes.

I am looking forward to the new clips as well.

Did you see the Daily Show's RNC coverage? On one of the days, they talked to a bunch of states about the federal tax issue. Hi-larious

[Witsec7]

I am looking forward to the new clips as well.

Did you see the Daily Show's RNC coverage? On one of the days, they talked to a bunch of states about the federal tax issue. Hi-larious

I don't get them in real time, since I don't have tv, so I have a 24 hour delay on The Daily Show, but I was just loving it.

[synchroswimr]

I don't get them in real time, since I don't have tv, so I have a 24 hour delay on The Daily Show, but I was just loving it.

OMG, I love you even more. We don't have a TV either.

[Mela99]

Leopards don't change their spots, or whatever the platitude is. His message can change and evolve and do a little jig to the tune of 99 Luftballoons, but inside and out, Mitt Romney is still a vapid, ignorant, elitist turd that I look forward to watching crash and burn this coming November.

[BlackHawk]

If anyone is interested in the full speech video, I did find it on one site...

therightscoop.com/full-press-conference-mitt-romney-addressing-his-remarks-at-a-fundraiser/

Be forewarned however that it is a republican site and the comments will make you stabby.