Just kidding. Actually, I’ve never met the man — although I’ve seen him on YouTube.
But one of my readers DID see him this week, and had a disappointing experience. I just now got around to this e-mail from yesterday:
Hello Brad,
I have been a punctuated reader of your blog, and wanted to express disgust for a recent visit by Mitt Romney (and to ask the best way to go about sharing this with others). Today at a "Ask Mitt Anything" I finally had my worst fears about the of the American presidential race verified.
After taking away the cameramen, reporters, photographers, staffers, AARP & Ed in ’08 representatives, outspoken Mormons, and political dignitaries there were only a few actual people seeking answers to genuine questions. I thought at this event, I might actually get to ask something. I positioned myself to be seen by those with microphones and was told that I would be able to ask a question next. I looked to the other microphone to see a staffer coaxing a supporter who had already rejected an offer to ask a question, finally ask something.
Another softball… "What would you do about immigration and the illegals already here?" His response, like the thirty minute one from Rudy’s last visit to Columbia was simple – build a fence and avoid addressing the difficult issue of existing illegal aliens.
Anyway, time was winding down and they only had time for one last question. Finally, I thought. Instead someone went on about a lack of spine within the Republican party. Irony…
Next I made my way to the front of the crowd to ask him myself, simply as a concerned citizen. After waiting in the hot building for about 15 minutes – it was finally my turn. "Hello, Governor Romney, I have a question."
His response: "I’m sorry, i don’t have time, I have a more hands to shake, can we talk later?"
"Sure" I replied in amazement. I was too surprised to be adamant.
His staffer assured me, after my second rejection, that I would be able to ask my question individually as he was leaving.
I stepped aside, and waited another fifteen minutes. As the gentleman (who just assured me that I was going to be able to ask Governor Romney my question) announced to the remaining few individuals the end of the meeting I stepped up to ask my question.
"Governor Romney" I said ask he walked by and out the door smiling without making eye contact with me. "Can I ask my question now?" I inquired to his campaign rep.
"I’m sorry, you’ve gotta be quick," he responded. Then an officer stepped in to push me away.
I’m sorry too. Sorry that I wasted my lunch break to attend a live commercial for Mitt Romney. Sorry, that events like this can be labeled "town hall." Sorry, that candidates fear discussing real issues with real voters. Sorry, that someone running for president would run from an unassuming 22 year old. So much for his platform of strength.
The note was unsigned. But, whoever you are, this is one way to share it with others.
Personally, I don’t make much of this — somebody’s always going to be the questioner on deck when it’s time for the candidate to move on. And feelings are going to be hurt. But since I was unable to attend the event myself (I was out of town), I’ll pass on this correspondent’s experience.
Now — was anybody else among you there? Perhaps someone who’d like to put his name behind his viewpoint? We’re all ears.
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By the way, what is a “punctuated reader?”
Before I make my comment, I would just like to state. I agree that this person shouldn’t of been treated this way. At least one of the staff members could of been honest and tell the person they just didn’t have time instead of leading him on.
As for my real comment. I’m no politician, but I like to be active in these type of events. I would have to say this is very similar to trying to talk to any presidential candidate.
Phony? After such an intro, I was expecting to hear this candidate quoted as saying something like “Get lost, sonny!”
It would be disappointing, but if that makes Mr. Romney a phoney… well.
So now you’re using an unsigned e-mail as a source? Well, you’ve either shown Mr. Romney to be a phony, sort of, maybe, or you’ve shown that someone wants to discredit Romney enough to lie about him, which leaves us right where we started with respect to Romney.
But I do have a question: If someone had written you an anonymous e-mail questioning the sincerity of someone you like, someone you might actually have taken the time to go see, would you have run it here, too?
Weldon, please tell me that at least you recognize irony — as in, me pretending to make something of this note…
All right, I’ll be perfectly straightforward. I’m sure this was a very frustrating — and even insulting — experience for this young person. I also doubt that it was Romney’s fault. I even doubt it was the fault of his staff. There was probably one person promising this voter a chance, believing he would get the chance, while across the room there was another staffer, possibly more influentially placed, who was determined to hustle the candidate out no matter what.
Or maybe somebody was being a total lying skunk; I have no idea.
That’s the way the world works with a lot of things going on in a limited space of time.
This intrigued me, though, because I think a lot of people decide whom to vote for or against on the basis of such incidents, and that’s exactly why candidates spend as much time shaking hands and smiling as they do.
I also thought it was interesting, in an ironic sort of way, because of the way people reacted to my Edwards column — hence the self-mocking headline.
Yes, weldon, I use this e-mail as a source, a source that is a key to one thing — how this source, whoever he is, reacted to an incident. I suspect this is not an unusual reaction, but I don’t know that. If I were looking for something for the newspaper, I would disregard this entirely. But this is interesting precisely because it is from a non-professional, the sort of unfiltered cry in the dark that we professionals routinely dismiss, and are excoriated for doing by the more egalitarian elements among our readership.
A number of people criticized me for citing an “anonymous” source in my Edwards column. You cite THIS “anonymous” source that I presented, without conclusions, above. Big difference: I know exactly who MY anonymous source was, and how much I trust that person. It’s up to you whether to trust ME, and I give you more information from which to judge me than most columnists do, between my rather confessional columns and this almost stream-of-consciousness blog. When I have a subjective judgment, I present it for what it is, and leave it to you to make what you will of it.
As for this — it’s a snapshot, a Polaroid left on the ground by who knows who. After it is trampled by the departing crowd, I pick it up and look at it and wonder. Being the sharing sort, I show it to you. (I’m picturing this scene as though shot by Fellini, or Antonioni). Look at this — what do you think of it?
That’s it.
One more thing, weldon: “someone you might actually have taken the time to go see.”
This IS someone I might actually have taken the time to go see. But I was in Savannah, keeping a doctor’s appointment. I read to the end of the e-mail purely because it was from an event I had wanted to go see.
Pardon me, Brad. I guess I was feeling a bit punctuated.
Sometimes those commas and quote marks dig at me like mosquitoes, latched on like little corkscrews.
You say ironic; I would have said facetious. But that’s not an argument. It’s just your way and mine.
I do regret presuming you had an agenda by bringing Romney and phony up in the same breath, particularly after his “conversion” on abortion, when here I am with more of an agenda, wishing Romney could find some traction.
That’s irony, too, ain’t it? But I’m not being facetious.
Hey, the would-be questioner was a 22 year old. I would like to know what his question was going to be. If he (or she) is like most 22 year olds, the burning question on his (or her) mind was probably something like “What will you do to make my life better?” or “What are you going to do to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuel and plant mor trees?” or some youthfull inanity. I’m not saying 22 year olds oughtn’t be able to ask questions, I’m just saying we oughtn’t take them too seriously. They generally haven’t lived long enough to ask the right questions. Dave
Hello,
I sent the message, and was quite surprised to see it on your blog. Thanks for sharing it. I also understand your hesitation to label this encounter as meaningful, but it wasn’t simply a “sorry, we’re out of time” response. It was a refusal to be nailed down on a potentially difficult issue. What infuriated me most was the solicitation of those who didn’t want to ask questions in the face of those who were promised they were going to be next. Not to mention his avoidance and dismissal as I shook his hand. Lastly the way he walked by me and purposefully avoided answering the question he just promised me I would be able to ask – one that wasn’t even going to be asked in front of a live audience.
But it wasn’t just this issue that he refused to be nailed down on. On immigration he simply says “let’s build a fence” but avoids the more important issue of what to do with those who have already made a home and life for themselves in our nation. When responding to inquiries about environmental protection, he simply refers to his own plan to reduce domestic oil production. He talks about making government smaller and reducing taxes, but simultaneously advocates a 1 million soldier increase in our military. I won’t even talk about his position(s) on abortion.
To those who have said it might have been a simple misunderstanding between Gov. Romney and his staff, I can assure you that was not the case. I explained what happened to the staffer who directed me to wait in line and ask Gov. Romney directly. Then after Gov. Romney suggested I wait until things cooled down, the same campaign rep promised me that I would be able to ask following the event. He encouraged me to wait patiently for another 15 mins. That same staffer announced the end of the meeting with his agenda for the rest of the day in hand. He then told me I wouldn’t’ be able to ask my question and instructed an officer to stand in my way as they exited. It was absolutely disgusting. If it was a campaign event, it might have been less of an issue, but to label it a town hall meeting with the title “Ask Mitt Anything” pushed me over the edge.
Regardless of my current opinion about Gov. Romney, my question was simple…for all his rhetoric about fighting Islamic jihadism and the need for a strong military I wanted to know… “How does a victory in Iraq translate to a defeat of Al Qaeda which knows no national borders.”
Respectfully,
Justin Young
Columbia, SC 29205
Sounds like ‘campaigning as usual.’
Mr. Young’s comments are very convincing. Compared to the rather bland and entirely unconvincing series of articles by the State’s editorial page editor this really shows how to drive home the same point basic point regarding a politician – sincerity. Phony or not Mr. Romney clearly would not make a good president. As evidenced by the exchange with Justin Young, he clearly lacks the diplomatic skills needed in the 21st century world we live in.
Political staffers are trained to recognize a hit job when they see on. The questionner himself said that Romney didn’t want to be nailed down by his question–can you blame him? The campaigning stage in politics is a game. When opponents try to sabotage a campaign with various tactics, I don’t blame a politician or his staffers for a defensive game plan that tries to marginalize political operatives doing hit jobs.
BTW, how many 22 year olds get involved in politics unless they have been recruited by or volunteered for a campaign? My guess, he’s either a vounteer for a rival GOP campaign, or a liberal operative and the staffers probably knew it.
My guess, he’s either a vounteer for a rival GOP campaign, or a liberal operative and the staffers probably knew it.
-SCC
So what. Romney should answer any and all questions in a town forum style meeting and let the chips fall where they may. After all, the town consists of folks from all political persuasions, not just those loyal to Mr. Romney. I guess conservatives have grown so used to the carefully choreographied, scripted “town hall” meetings of the current president it’s hard to imagine any candidate actually taking a risk by answering a question.
That’s my point exactly. He lured people there by offering an opportunity to ask questions, then refused to do so. I wouldn’t have cared so much if he hadn’t shamelessly labeled this event “Ask Mitt Anything.” Nor would I have likely attended.
Of course that title is going to attract people to come and ask difficult questions, as I had hoped to do. However, rather than offering a chance for potential voters to seriously inquire about issues they cared about, he ended up soliciting questions from supporters and turned the whole into a free commercial via the local nightly news. I would hope a presidential candidate would at least have more candor than a daytime talk show host.
I’m not saying what he did was stupid or even unexpected. What I am arguing is that it was dishonest and such behavior shouldn’t be expected from someone running from the office of president of the United States. More importantly, if the campaign trail presents a candidate as his best, I can only imagine what it might be like if he were handed full executive power. After eight years of an administration which has forgotten that it serves the people, I would hope that sincerity and transparency would be things we all look for in a presidential candidate.
“BTW, how many 22 year olds get involved in politics unless they have been recruited by or volunteered for a campaign?”
Literally thousands. Have you ever set foot in DC? Interns and staffers abound. Very few of them were “recruited” or have any sort of involvement with a campaign.
Lets vote. Which candidate is more phony:
Candidate A is “caught” collecting his thoughts before a big campaign speech looking a bit tired, perhaps a bit apprehensive. Then as soon as his name is announced he immediately puts on his game face and performs well.
Candidate B publicizes a campaign appearance as “Ask XXXX Anything”. This appearance is billed as a “town hall” style forum aimed at addressing the concerns of the typical voter. But XXXX only fields questions from selected, loyal supporters while ignoring the tough questions from those who may have reservations about XXXX.
Bloggers you decide. Is the real phony candidate A or candidate B?
Looks like others agreed – unfortunately this didn’t come sooner….
Concord Monitor: Romney “Must Be Stopped”
“Add it all up and you get Mitt Romney, a disquieting figure who sure looks like the next president and most surely must be stopped.”
It continues: “If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats. If you followed only his campaign for president, you’d swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you’re left to wonder if there’s anything at all at his core.”
And it concludes: “When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state’s first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we’ll know it.
“Mitt Romney is such a candidate. New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no.”
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/12/22/concord_monitor_calls_romney_p.html