Romney supports the war effort fully... or does he.

[jterrell]

Quote of the Day

Iraq war supporter and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, asked today about the fact that not one of his five sons has served in the U.S. military: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

Romney noted that one of his sons is driving around Iowa in an R.V. to help spread the Romney message. Which is like driving a Humvee through Baghdad, only different.

[Danny White]

Originally Posted by jterrell

Quote of the Day

Iraq war supporter and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, asked today about the fact that not one of his five sons has served in the U.S. military: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

Romney noted that one of his sons is driving around Iowa in an R.V. to help spread the Romney message. Which is like driving a Humvee through Baghdad, only different.

Obviously, he has no obligation to force his sons to enter the military... but that is one lame excuse right there.

Sometimes people need to think about how something is going to sound before the words come out of their mouth.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Originally Posted by Danny White

Obviously, he has no obligation to force his sons to enter the military... but that is one lame excuse right there.

Sometimes people need to think about how something is going to sound before the words come out of their mouth.

Agreed.

I will not lie. I have had trouble with the ideas of many candidates never having spent any time in the military yet are so cavalier in what to do with them. Or never having any children going in the military when they are promoting that other people's children be sent off to war on extended tours.

Nobody can force one's child into the military...well I guess they can if the child is in legal trouble but you get what I mean.

However saying what he said was about idiotic. Then again I think he is the Republicans version of John Kerry from the last election. Mr. Flip Flop.

[ConcordCowboy]

August 8, 2007

Questions About Romney’s Sons and Military Service

By Michael Luo


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — It is a question that Mitt Romney has gotten before on the campaign trail. Sometimes it is asked innocently; sometimes with a clear edge.
A woman at an Ask Mitt Anything forum earlier today in Iowa raised the question again, asking whether any of Mr. Romney’s five sons are serving in the military, adding pointedly, “If none of them are, how do they plan to support this war on terrorism by enlisting in our U.S. military?”
Although his campaign said his remarks were taken out of context, Mr. Romney’s response is drawing criticism, because he said, in part, “one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected.”

Mr. Romney expressed appreciation for the country’s “volunteer army” and said “that’s the way we’re going to keep it. He explained his sons had made
different career choices in life and had not chosen to serve in the military but he mentioned a niece whose husband he said had just been called up by the National Guard.

He added that he respects and values “very highly those who make a decision to serve in the military” and referenced the “surge of support” for members of the Armed Services he recently called for on the campaign trail. As part of that call, he personally donated $25,000 to various organizations that support military personnel. But he wound up his response with this: “It’s remarkable how we can show our support for our nation, and one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I’d be a great president. My son, Josh, bought the family Winnebago and has visited 99 counties, most of them with his three kids and his wife. And I respect that and respect all of those in the way they serve this great country.”

The Romney sons are each working in various capacities on the campaign. Their blog, The Five Brothers, is a prominent on their father’s Web site. Mr. Romney’s oldest son, Tagg, quit his job in marketing for the Los Angeles Dodgers to work on the campaign full-time. The others are squeezing in time from their regular jobs to do fund-raising and campaign appearances for their father. Josh, 31, a real estate developer in Salt Lake City, has been driving an R.V., dubbed the “Mitt Mobile” to all 99 counties of Iowa. He set foot in Jasper, his 99th county, today.

Driving from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids today to meet up with their parents for the final Ask Mitt Anything forum of the day, Tagg and Josh said their father’s remarks needed to be considered in context.
They expressed respect for those who had served in the military and said they had simply chosen different routes in life. “The military is a voluntary thing,” said Tagg Romney, one of three Romney sons who graduated from Harvard Business School. “I’ve got a ton of respect for those who do it and make a huge sacrifice for this country.


I chose a career 16 years ago that took me down a different path.
“If I was ever called upon to serve my country, I wouldn’t think twice,” he said. “I would be there in a heartbeat.”
Josh Romney said his family is doing what it can to support the troops. “My dad’s made a big point of trying to support the troops,” he said, adding military service is “just something none of us have done.”
But when asked whether they thought the question was unfair, Tagg Romney said, “there’s no such thing as an unfair question in politics.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...itary-service/

[ABQCOWBOY]

I too have a very difficult time electing a President that has never served in the military. You just can't understand unless you have done it.

[Eric_Boyer]

This happened in Bettendorf, IA yesterday, and I was there. It was a John Edwards supporter that asked the question - which I found ironic.

Mitt was giving out free breakfast so I showed up in my Ron Paul shirt. He gave me a dirty look and I smiled and winked at him. That loosened hiim up a bit, he smiled back at me.

I'm not looking to start trouble - except with Guliani. Just getting name recognition out.

Anyway - a fascinating tidbit is Mitt's dad ran for president and was doing very well - until he flip-flopped on the issue of the War in Vietnam. He initially was for it, but as public sentiment changed, his views conveniently changed as well and he came out against it. He claimed he was brainwashed by pro-pwar generals. Americans tend to not vote for candidates that are easily brainwashed

[ConcordCowboy]

Well at least Romney's son's support him...Unlike Guliani's son.

[AtlCB]

I think it's idiotic to criticise someone, because their son/daughter isn't serving in the military. Their own lack of service is fair game.

[Danny White]

Originally Posted by ConcordCowboy

Well at least Romney's son's support him...Unlike Guliani's son.

TOO FUNNY!

[Jarv]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

I too have a very difficult time electing a President that has never served in the military. You just can't understand unless you have done it.

I guess that leaves Hilary out

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by AtlCB

I think it's idiotic to criticise someone, because their son/daughter isn't serving in the military. Their own lack of service is fair game.

There is some merit to that but not entirely.

There is an entire generation of politicians who advise heavily in favor of war mongering but yet do not encourage their children to serve at all.

These politicians can send your kids to war so what there kids do is a talking point.

Everyone who send me 50 bucks I honor and appreciate you, now hurry out and do it today!!!

[AtlCB]

Originally Posted by jterrell

There is some merit to that but not entirely.

There is an entire generation of politicians who advise heavily in favor of war mongering but yet do not encourage their children to serve at all.

These politicians can send your kids to war so what there kids do is a talking point.

Everyone who send me 50 bucks I honor and appreciate you, now hurry out and do it today!!!

How do you know that his kids simply didn't want to join? Kids normally do the opposite of what their parents want.

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by AtlCB

How do you know that his kids simply didn't want to join? Kids normally do the opposite of what their parents want.

If thats the case then there are mnay more appropriate responses than what was uttered.

I have kids, I understand some level of rebellion, I am also not stupid. If military service was pushed in the home it is extremely unlikely 0 out 5 kids would have served.

Romney is Mormon and I'd be willing to bet he supports the Church doctrine on service and his kids followed those aspects.

[AtlCB]

Originally Posted by jterrell

If thats the case then there are mnay more appropriate responses than what was uttered.

I have kids, I understand some level of rebellion, I am also not stupid. If military service was pushed in the home it is extremely unlikely 0 out 5 kids would have served.

Romney is Mormon and I'd be willing to bet he supports the Church doctrine on service and his kids followed those aspects.

I honestly do not know much about the Mormon religion.

My father was in the Air Force and didn't want any of us joining the military. He wanted all of us to go straight to college. Two out of three of us joined the service. I bet even Mormon kids can be rebellious.

The other thing I find ironic from the left is that none of you complained about Chelsea Clinton not joining the military. If you're going to condemn, you should be consistant.

[jterrell]

Romney Makes Major Mistake

http://news.aol.com/elections-blog/2...major-mistake/

Posted Aug 8th 2007 4:10PM by Scott
Filed under: President 2008, Republicans, Gaffes, Mitt Romney

Mitt RomneyI slammed Barack Obama on his various gaffes last week so now it's time to take my medicine and smack one of my own. Mitt Romney, a lower first-tier/upper second-tier candidate actually said this today:

"The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told some 200 people gathered in an abbey near the Mississippi River that had been converted into a hotel. "My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."

OK, I can live with that, the military isn't for everyone. While I was in (serving aboard a ship only a crew member could love), there were people I'd never want next to me if it came to a fight. Those who don't want to serve shouldn't. But Mitt didn't stop there, he added this:

"One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

Uh, Mitt? I can't believe you actually meant to say that. Let's see, sleeping in the dirt, dodging IEDs and battling al-Qaida versus traipsing around Iowa trying to get people to donate money to you. I see how they are both "showing support for our nation."

Romney is not polling well and is not a very likable guy. This makes me like him even less and as I said about Obama, this is exactly the type of statement that makes me think that he's just not presidential material.

From this veteran to you Mitt, I thank your sons for their great service to our nation. Their vote-gathering skills will serve the greater good of every citizen of the U.S... or not.