Romney and the Former Navy Seal

[jsteele]

I think everyone can agree that Romney seems to lack a set of core values -- or if he does, he hides them very well. But, the other thing I detest about him is his willingness to exploit anything and everything for political gain. Previously, the best example of this was his middle-of-the-night criticism of Obama for siding with the Egyptian protesters against free speech. That statement was wrong on multiple levels, but that's another post. Now, Romney has succeeded in going even further. Yesterday, Romney inserted a new item into his stump speech. He described meeting Glen Doherty -- one of the four Americans killed in the Benghazi attack -- at a holiday party several years ago. At at least one speech, Romney teared up talking about Doherty. Romney went on to use Doherty as an example to support Romney's criticism of President Obama.

This has not gone over well with Doherty's family and friends. Here is what Doherty's mother had to say:

"I don't trust Romney. He shouldn't make my son's death part of his political agenda. It's wrong to use these brave young men, who wanted freedom for all, to degrade Obama,”

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12008755850115/mother-of-navy-seal-killed-in-libya-speaks-out/

Here is what a friend of 20 years said:

"Whether it be Republican, Democrat, Green Party, Libertarian, it doesn't make a difference. Because this guy is using our great friend, our humble, and honorable great friend...who is truly larger than life...He has become part of the soapbox routine for politics in a presidential race."

A neighbor who had been at the party with Romney and Doherty informed Romney that Doherty was one of the former SEALs killed in the attack. Based on Doherty's telling of meeting Romney at the party, it is unlikely Romney would have remembered on his own:

"Mitt Romney approached him ultimately four times, using this private gathering as a political venture to further his image. He kept introducing himself as Mitt Romney, a political figure. The same introduction, the same opening line. Glen believed it to be very insincere and stale.

"He said it was pathetic and comical to have the same person come up to you within only a half hour, have this person reintroduce himself to you, having absolutely no idea whatsoever that he just did this 20 minutes ago, and did not even recognize Glen's face."

http://mynorthwest.com/108/1353861/Romney-story-doesnt-jibe-with-fallen-SEALs-account

[Anonymous]

No Jeff, not everyone agrees with you. This may be your site and you can run it anyway you want but no I don't think Romney lacks a core set of values.

[Anonymous]

Romneys core is freedom and capitalism.

Obamas core is centralized control and socialism.

[Anonymous]

Wow, thanks for posting this. Is the criticism from his friend and mother getting traction in the MSM?

[Anonymous]

"But, the other thing I detest about him is his willingness to exploit anything and everything for political gain. "

Beer Summit????

As all Presidents do, at State of the Union, they all do this.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:"But, the other thing I detest about him is his willingness to exploit anything and everything for political gain. "

Beer Summit????

As all Presidents do, at State of the Union, they all do this.

The comparison with the beer summit is absurd. If that was a political exploitation, at least it had the side effect of helping to improve race relations. Romney's statement about Obama and the protesters and this use of the death of the former SEAL are in entirely different leagues.

Think about this: Romney's memory of Doherty was so poor that he introduced himself to him 4 times in the same evening. Then, after polls show that voters think Romney lacks compassion, he gets emotional and breaks down while talking about Doherty. That is a whole new level of exploitation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No Jeff, not everyone agrees with you. This may be your site and you can run it anyway you want but no I don't think Romney lacks a core set of values.

Please explain those core values. I'd like to get them on the record for once. If you know, then tell.

[Anonymous]

Yes Jeff we know how you feel-- many of us just think you are wrong. Very wrong. Actually wrong in a very scary way and this is a perfect example. Perhaps you can create a list of things he can't talk about. Of course, top of that list would be people who he met who have died in horrific fashion which the President considers a "bump in the road."

For it.

[Anonymous]

My husband's good friend from college is another lifelong friend of Doherty's and is also livid about this.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Yes Jeff we know how you feel-- many of us just think you are wrong. Very wrong. Actually wrong in a very scary way and this is a perfect example. Perhaps you can create a list of things he can't talk about. Of course, top of that list would be people who he met who have died in horrific fashion which the President considers a "bump in the road."

For it.

This must be coded message day on DCUM. In the Fall the leaves are strong.

[Anonymous]

So Jeff, by your logic, should we also expect an equally critical missive of Big Bird's desire to not be used as the president's political football? Which ironically is a hail Mary at this point. You saw that RCP has put PA, NH and WI into the toss-up category just today.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:So Jeff, by your logic, should we also expect an equally critical missive of Big Bird's desire to not be used as the president's political football? Which ironically is a hail Mary at this point. You saw that RCP has put PA, NH and WI into the toss-up category just today.

The fact that you view a former Navy Seal who was killed defending US diplomatic personnel as equivalent to a cartoon bird tells us a lot about you. None of it is good.

[Anonymous]

I thought that it was a really gross way to portray himself as sensitive. You can comment on the security situation without using someone like that.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Can't say that I agree with you at all.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Jeff, by your logic, should we also expect an equally critical missive of Big Bird's desire to not be used as the president's political football? Which ironically is a hail Mary at this point. You saw that RCP has put PA, NH and WI into the toss-up category just today.

The fact that you view a former Navy Seal who was killed defending US diplomatic personnel as equivalent to a cartoon bird tells us a lot about you. None of it is good.

Yet you can't even get the acronym right. It's SEALs. Get over yourself or maybe take a stand on the plethora of families of our KIA who receive the EXACT same form letter, auto-penned by the CINC.

Faux outrage is wearing thin Jeff. I'm certain you can find consensus on that.