It all depends on what the definition of 'saw' is
Mitt Romney stepped in it again recently when he said he "saw" his father march with Martin Luther King in the '60s. Whether George Romney, then governor of Michigan, actually marched with Dr. King is in dispute; it's certainly possible, because the elder Romney had a good record on civil rights and did in fact lead marches in favor of the movement.
But the younger Romney wasn't even in the country on the dates when his dad is alleged to have marched with Dr. King.
Too bad. When I first heard Mitt talking about his dad, I thought we might at last have something in common. I did see my dad march with Martin Luther King, back in June 1964 when the civil rights leader was in Fresno to lead a rally and give a speech at Ratcliffe Stadium. I saw him because I was there, too.
Earlier Romney got in some rhetorical hot water with a claim that he's been a life-long hunter, when in fact, he's only been a couple of times at most. If that's the definition of life-long hunter, then I guess I'm one, too. So me and Mitt have something in common after all.
Comments
...ask him about the twelve days of xmas,..i mean golden plates...he's got the midas touch for sure but making a killing on the mortgage crises might cost some votes.
Posted by: john swift | December 24, 2007 4:30 PM
Maybe Mitt Romney did see his dad march with Martin Luther King, but people also see ghosts, the Virgin Mary on a Tortilla, flying saucers, and Bigfoot. People also hear voices, and ever since Reagan, a Romney hero, cut funding for mental hospitals, more of these individuals, like Mitt, are walking the streets. It's likely some of them think they are President or even running for the office, but they lack Mitt's funding, and schizophrenia (flip-flopping).
There is even a side to Romney, in which he looks angry that the public questions his sincerity. Could it be there are two faces to his ambition?
Posted by: Bob | December 25, 2007 10:20 AM
Before the net ever existed for the public, before instant news gratification, before I was born, my dad rode in the car behind Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. Yet I can say, "I saw my dad riding in Kennedy's last motorcade" even though I wasn't physically present. How can that be? Newspapers, Zapruder, and other media recorded the event, that's how. My dad has related the experience verbally to me (called "primary source" in the news world). I haven't been fishing in many years, but I consider myself a "lifelong" fisherman.
I think this is petty nitpicking on simple syntax of the candidate's choice of words. Unlike Clinton's slimy manipulation of "is," the reference to "saw" by Romney is an expression of awareness of the event, and calling himself a "lifelong" hunter is his perogative (maybe he's including a few BB gun incidents from childhood as many boys have experienced...)
Again, petty dissection of any politician's speeches can uncover miscues and ambiguity. Ed's, get over it and stick to substantial matters.
Posted by: Matt McIntyre | December 26, 2007 9:37 AM
There's actually no evidence that the elder Romney marched with King, either. So maybe Mitt figuratively "saw" his father figuratively "march" with King?
In any case, if I were a Republican (which I'm gladly not anymore, as of this year), I would be more concerned with Romney's 180-degree flip-flops on substantive issues like abortion and gay rights. Is he someone who will figuratively "believe" anything it takes to get elected?
Posted by: Mike D. | December 26, 2007 11:05 AM