Romney Flap Isn't Ridiculous, Or Absurd

Until today, I thought the Romney flap over MLK wasn't much. And while it might not be a deal breaker, I wouldn't be so quick to excuse it as ridiculous, or absurd, as some of the my friends on the Right are doing. It warrants serious consideration because of how it will track in the Fall.

In calling it ridiculous, Powerline finds a statute of limitations that I doubt would be extended to a Democrat:

Even assuming that this 29 year-old report accurately quoted Romney, I would have thought that the statute of limitations period on misrepresenting one's self to the press in 1978 has expired.

In calling it absurd and also noting Romney's apparently poor answering to the original issue, Ace seem to want to let it slide.

I don't know, same deal: So long as Mitt marched during one of these coordinated nationwide marches, which I'm assuming he did, I think it's an acceptable shorthand.

Perhaps the complete article will reveal more, but for now let's look at the recently unearthed quote and think about how it'll play in a commercial. Unfortunately, it fuels all of his negatives.

Mitt Romney went a step further in a 1978 interview with the Boston Herald. Talking about the Mormon Church and racial discrimination, he said: "My father and I marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit."

Yesterday, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom acknowledged that was not true. "Mitt Romney did not march with Martin Luther King," he said in an e-mail statement to the Globe.

Nothing like ginning up the Black vote against you in what will be a tight race versus Hillary, let alone against Obama. Worse than that, it portrays an image of a craven politician who will do or say anything to advance his interests. Falsely capitalizing on the image of a slain civil rights leader is simply not a good thing. For a man with a privileged and somewhat pious background, it's even worse.

Maybe Romney can finesse it, maybe he can cop a plea and put it behind him. But pronouncing it as either absurd or ridiculous doesn't quite cut it for me. I was leaning Romney and may still go with him. But how he handles this, assuming he can, will be a pivotal moment in the primary campaign.

Comments

[Sara]

This is a comment I posted at Ace's about an hour ago.

"I always assumed my Mother marched with MLK because I knew she was very active in the Civil Rights Movement and had marched several times and I knew that after MLK was killed, she was personally acquainted with Correta Scott King. To double check, I went back to her personal journals (she is deceased now) and read her own words which said, "Today we marched in solidarity with Dr. King. It was exhilarating!" Turns out she marched in Buffalo, NY on a march planned to coincide with a major MLK march in another city. The date was close in time to the Romney time. Makes me feel as if that was the way civil rights activists all thought back then, at that time marching in solidarity was considered marching with MLK."

[BobInStamford]

Wow, Willard talking out his ass, Rudy at death's door - looks like its hello Mike Huckleberry!!! He will make a FINE candidate patriots - really he will!!

[Sara]

Also, my Mother always wore a pin on her lapel that said NAACP/Charter. Most of my life, I assumed that meant that she was a charter member of the NAACP. Later, I found out that could not be correct since the NAACP was founded in 1909 and my Mom wasn't born until 1910. I have since decided it must have referred to a specific chapter, but I really don't know for sure.

[BobInStamford]

So your mom liked to BS like Willard - what's the point?

[Sara]

$$shole, I think my point was crystal clear. Are you reading challenged or just plain stupid? Go do your rah rah for The Huckster and waste a vote. Makes no never mind to me.

[Mike]

The superficial issue is he screwed this one up, a guy who's known as slick tries a slick explanation, he blew it. He could have just said we supported MLK, we marched, our record is strong on civil rights. The deeper, and yes more relevant issue is he and his father were into civil rights long before the democrats were. There is NO denying that Mitt and his family were ahead of the curve on civil rights.

[Dan Riehl]

Boob is a Lefty, Sara. He'd vote for Stalin if he was on the ballot.

[BobInStamford]

Such tired old comparisons of the Left and Communism. You guys need new material. And some better candidates.

[mish]

The reason this "see saw" comment is important is because it's just another in a long list of Mitt flip flops. There's something inherently wrong with the man.

Truly, this is consistent with Mormon culture. It doesn’t matter what the facts are, as long as you sincerely believe something is true. Mitt Romney is taking a page right from one of the 3 “Witnesses” to the Book of Mormon.

For details check out

http://romneyforpresident.townhall.com/g/5c0596ad-cb0f-42f2-b2cf-c00ba97be446

Like Mormonism, the blog isn’t what it seems. (Can I say that here?)

(Funny photos too!)

[jj]

"So your mom liked to BS like Willard-what's the point?"

Classic humor. LMAO! Because that is exactly describing what Sara just said-BS.

[docweasel]

The entire episode is hilarity mixed with hypocrisy: in '63 both Romney's were fanatical members of a cult that wouldn't allow blacks to be ordained (or even full members) for another 15 years, because of the whole "God cursed you with dark skin" thing.

But hey, they marched, so that makes it all better.

For more Mormon fun, google "mormon racism". It pretty much out-weighs any marching the Romney gang did with or without the good Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard.

[seekeronos]

And this folks... is why y'all should choose a consistent conservative who refuses to be a religious "Pander Bear" and a rampant Flip-Flopper (if not an outright liar).

Hands down, Fred Thompson is the man who squarely hits all the requisite parts of the coalition of conservatives - fiscal, social, defense, and limited gov't.

Anyone else is a shoddy compromise that will bring shame and defeat to conservatives in November of 2008.

[BobInStamford]

Willard is scheduled to announce that he gave Lincoln the pen he used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. He sure loves them Lamanites!

[Budahmon]

"The entire episode is hilarity mixed with hypocrisy: in '63 both Romney's were fanatical members of a cult that wouldn't allow blacks to be ordained (or even full members) for another 15 years, because of the whole "God cursed you with dark skin" thing. "

Hey, in '63 Bill Clinton and Al Gore and their ilk belonged to an organization/cult that would not allow blacks to vote in many states. So your point is?.....at least Romney supported Civil Rights unlike say...Sen. Halfbright, Sen Gore, George Wallace, Lester Maddox, that former idiot senator from South Carolina that put the Confederate Flag on the South Carolina Flag when Governor...hmmm I forget his name..I called him Foghorn.
We could go on and on with this..Democrat Senator and Governor and Representative....and bottom line Romney supported Civil Rights like most Republican office holders....unlike most Democrats...

[JP]

Regardless of Romneys "flip flops" he has a looooong way to go to catch up to Bill (I rode the back of the bus so Rosa Parks could sit in the front seat) and Hillary (I can't believe my confirmation teacher just happened to show up) before he can be crowned king of all panderers. At least his were based on reality. And I can say this even though Romney is not who I back for the office.
I see your point, though, docweasel. In your shoes, I,too, would find it easier to tear down the Republicans rather than try to build up Hillary-or try to make her seem human. That would be an impossible task.
One question, though. Why does the inevitable candidate have to go so far out of her way to tear down/destroy every other candidate? Does it have to do with the meaning of inevitable? Sort of like the meaning of "is"?

[tally]

i don't care that he was in error when he made those statements, stuff like that happens to everybody. what i do care about is how he tried to explain it - that was really pitiful. it could just be me, but i find several of his explanations odd. but then again, it can't be easy playing victim and aggressor at the same time.

[docweasel]

JP:
Why do I get tasked with building up Hillary!?
In case you are judging me a liberal Democrat for the simple reason I don't love Romney, I guess most of the country is now in the same boat.

For the record, I'm a life-long Republican, although I'm fairly libertarian about social issues. I just don't like racists- in answer to the above post referencing George Wallace and Albert Gore Sr.: they aren't running. Romney is, and Romney belongs to a racist, sexist, intolerant cult that preaches hate and discrimination in its basic tenets.

I wouldn't vote for Wallace either, if that makes you happy.