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Joan Walsh, Salon: Watch Mr. 1 Percent snap at a 99 percenter
Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 11:51 AM Pacific Standard Time
Watch Mr. 1 Percent snap at a 99 percenter
As Gingrich scores with race-baiting, Romney tries redbaiting, telling a voter, "America's right and you're wrong!"
By Joan Walsh
http://www.salon.com/2012/01/19/watch_mr_one_percent_snap_at_a_99_percenter/
Sometimes Mitt Romneys animatronic persona can be a political liability. Its why the story of strapping his dog Seamus to the top of the family car for a 12-hour drive continues to, well, dog him: Who could be that callous? But most of the time Id argue its a virtue, especially in a farcical GOP campaign that Paul Krugman calls the FOF primary, for fools and frauds. The moderately intelligent Romney rarely seems rattled by the insanity around him; he goes through the meet and greet motions day after day, knowing his piles of money will eventually tumble out of a dump truck and crush his rivals. His stoic mien also helps Romney lie with impunity.
But Thursday we saw a different Mitt Romney, a man apparently rattled by Newt Gingrichs rise in the South Carolina polls. Romneys troubles have partly to do with Gingrichs nonpareil race-baiting, but theyre also about an unfolding story line that depicts the man from Bain Capital, destroyer of jobs, dodger of taxes, as the perfect frontman for the top 1 percent in a time of rising (and long overdue) national concern with economic inequality. So when a man on a rope line outside Romney headquarters in Charleston asked him today, What will you do to support the 99 percent even though you are part of the 1 percent? Mitt snapped. He sounded a little more Chris Christie than Richie Rich, which is what so many of his GOP friends have been urging, but Im not sure its going to play well. Heres what he said, his face getting redder as he closed:
On MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell praised Romney for sounding Reaganesque, which left Ron Fournier aghast. Id say he built a straw man. That protester didnt say he thought Cuba and Russia had a better economic system, what he said was that Romneys part of the 1 percent, and which is true. Romney talked about the politics that divide, the fact is, its not politics that divides us, we are divided. There is a huge and growing gap between the rich and the middle class and the poor and by the way, thats an anxiety shared by blue-collar Republicans and blue-collar Democrats.
Watch Mr. 1 Percent snap at a 99 percenter
As Gingrich scores with race-baiting, Romney tries redbaiting, telling a voter, "America's right and you're wrong!"
By Joan Walsh
http://www.salon.com/2012/01/19/watch_mr_one_percent_snap_at_a_99_percenter/
Sometimes Mitt Romneys animatronic persona can be a political liability. Its why the story of strapping his dog Seamus to the top of the family car for a 12-hour drive continues to, well, dog him: Who could be that callous? But most of the time Id argue its a virtue, especially in a farcical GOP campaign that Paul Krugman calls the FOF primary, for fools and frauds. The moderately intelligent Romney rarely seems rattled by the insanity around him; he goes through the meet and greet motions day after day, knowing his piles of money will eventually tumble out of a dump truck and crush his rivals. His stoic mien also helps Romney lie with impunity.
But Thursday we saw a different Mitt Romney, a man apparently rattled by Newt Gingrichs rise in the South Carolina polls. Romneys troubles have partly to do with Gingrichs nonpareil race-baiting, but theyre also about an unfolding story line that depicts the man from Bain Capital, destroyer of jobs, dodger of taxes, as the perfect frontman for the top 1 percent in a time of rising (and long overdue) national concern with economic inequality. So when a man on a rope line outside Romney headquarters in Charleston asked him today, What will you do to support the 99 percent even though you are part of the 1 percent? Mitt snapped. He sounded a little more Chris Christie than Richie Rich, which is what so many of his GOP friends have been urging, but Im not sure its going to play well. Heres what he said, his face getting redder as he closed:
Lemme tell ya something. America is a great nation, because were a united nation and those who are trying to divide the nation as youre trying to do here and as the president is doing are hurting this country, seriously. The right course for America is not to divide America, and try and divide us between one and another, its for us to come together as a nation. And if youve got a better model, if you think China is better, or Russia is better, or Cubas better, or North Koreas better, Im glad to hear all about it. But you know what? Americas right, and youre wrong!
On MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell praised Romney for sounding Reaganesque, which left Ron Fournier aghast. Id say he built a straw man. That protester didnt say he thought Cuba and Russia had a better economic system, what he said was that Romneys part of the 1 percent, and which is true. Romney talked about the politics that divide, the fact is, its not politics that divides us, we are divided. There is a huge and growing gap between the rich and the middle class and the poor and by the way, thats an anxiety shared by blue-collar Republicans and blue-collar Democrats.
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Joan Walsh, Salon: Watch Mr. 1 Percent snap at a 99 percenter (Original Post)
Amerigo Vespucci
Jan 2012
OP
I was working when she said that and had the TV on for background noise...
Amerigo Vespucci
Jan 2012
#3
Enrique
(27,461 posts)1. "if you dare challenge me, go back to North Korea!"
how very unifying, Mitt.
monmouth
(21,078 posts)2. When is Mrs. Greenspan's contract up? She belongs on Fox...n/t
Amerigo Vespucci
(30,885 posts)3. I was working when she said that and had the TV on for background noise...
...but I did hear it. The liberal media in action!