Mitt Romney's favorite Novel: "Battlefield Earth" by L. Ron Hubbard

[Up2Late]

(Or at least that's what he told Fox "news") They showed the video of him saying that on The Colbert Report tonight, and since most here aren't
"Fox & Friends" viewers, I thought I'd pass this along for those who missed it.

Don't worry, he won't win (I hope).:hide:

[Spinzonner]

1. So, when will John start campaigning for him

[Inspired]

10. Or Tom? n/t

[Greyhound]

2. I'd like him to get the nomination, after all, the choice between a

Mormon and a black man or a woman would ensure that nearly all of the fundamentalist reich-wing assholes would stay home.

I will admit that, while it was needlessly long and incredibly self-indulgent, I enjoyed the book...

when I was 12.

[Up2Late]

4. I haven't read it, so maybe you could fill those who haven't read it.

Do you remember much Scientology stuff in it? Or were you too young to make that connection at 12?

[Greyhound]

14. Thousands of years in the future, the Earth was conquered by the Psyclons, a race of galactic

overlords that maintain their power through sole possession of the secret of interstellar travel, and turned into a slave race. The story that Hubbard takes about 900 pages to tell, is how the human hero, Johnny something, discovers the secret and destroys and supplants the Psyclons.

It has many misconceptions that scientology is based on of course, but it is a pure SF novel.

There is a really bad movie that http://imdb.com/title/tt0185183/">John Travolta made of it, that given enough drugs/liquor, can be really funny to watch. Kind of a "Plan 9 from outer space" type of flick, with much better special effects.

[ieoeja]

18. You're thinking "Mission Earth".

There really isn't any Scientology connection in Battlefield Earth that I could tell. His Mission Earth decology is crawling with it with both the "Earthlings descended from space aliens" belief and the "ends justifies the means" morality.

Similar to the other poster, I loved Battlefield Earth when I was a kid. Re-read it a couple years ago, and wasn't as enamoured.

[arcane1]

9. the book didn't do much for me..

"Mission Earth", however, had me laughing my ass off :)

[Greyhound]

15. I waded through about 6 of the books, hoping for some point or plot to emerge,

before I gave it up. Can't say I liked it at all.

Battlefield Earth was campy enough to forgive the atrocious writing, Mission Earth was just a waste of innocent trees, IMO.

Maybe I wasn't old enough to correctly read between the lines.

[arcane1]

26. the satire in it was great..

but yeah, it was waay too long, and went downhill fast.. I suspect he liked the idea of making it an even 10 books more than making it interesting :P

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Boy, that movie sure was a winner.

John Travolta with the big snot tubes comin' out of his nose... Quaaaaaaality. :rofl:

[LibDemAlways]

5. I think he has Battlefield Earth confused with the

Left Behind series. There's no political advantage for a repuke to be cozying up to the Scientologists. He wants to attract the rw fundies. Last week he said that when he heard about the shootings at VT, he sought comfort in "the Bible." No mention of the Book of Mormon.

This is just another cheap attempt to pander to the wingnuts. Unfortunately, he misspoke.

[bklyncowgirl]

12. You could be right--he might have just gotten confused

Sort of like when he went before a group of right wing anti-Castro Cubans and proudly stated in broken Spanish -- Patria o muerte, venceremos! a trademark Fidel Castro slogan.

Mittens is comic relief in the Republican campaign.

[mark414]

6. christ, that movie is a pile of stinking garbage

me and a buddy watched it once for kicks and i have to say that it's probably the worst movie ever made...worse than Plan 9!

[rpannier]

7. So...he's a SciFi buff

I'm curious...is the book as bad as the movie.

Dune was a great book and a crappy movie.

Anyone know if Battlefield Earth is the same?

[Frank Cannon]

11. Never saw the movie, but the book is not very good.

I've NEVER read any science fiction by L. Ron Hubbard that wasn't infantile. His writing is straight out of Flash Gordon.

[bermudat]

13. Battlefield Earth was an enjoyable read.

I read it ~20 years ago before I knew or heard about Scientology. I don't recall any Scientology principles in that book. His subsequent sci-fi books stank to high heaven.

[w4rma]

30. I think the book is the basis of the whole Scientology religion.

Their religion appears to be that aliens seeded humans here on Earth and John Travolta is imprisoned in a mountain or something and if he escapes more will come and claim control. Or something like that.

Be nice to any aliens you meet, I guess.

[Greyhound]

16. The Sci-Fi channel version of the book is actually pretty good, IMO.

It's one of those 6 hour mini-series, and had sufficient time to include most of the story elements of the Herbert masterpiece.

While no film can measure up to the mental pictures that Herbert creates, I found it thoroughly enjoyable.

As for BE, very badly written and interminable, but interesting idea, and the film is so bad that it can be a hoot to watch with the right combination of friends and mind altering substances.

[Up2Late]

20. I guess it all depends on what you're into, I liked the Dune movie, but found the book boring.

I put the book down after about 30 pages, but then again, I had untreated ADD as a kid, so maybe I could read it today and get more out of it.

[On the Road]

8. Scientology AND Mormonism?

That is one heady brew! I can't believe his head hasn't exploded.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

27. Sounds like a bad combo to me too! nt

[Up2Late]

17. kick n/t

:kick:

[Up2Late]

19. Here's the link to the Colbert Report video of what he said...

<http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/play.jhtml?itemId=86137>



Mitt's Favorite Book -- Mitt Romney's favorite author is L. Ron Hubbard. He's not a Morman, he's a Scientologist.

[nealmhughes]

21. How odd, I like the Book of Mormon, especially I Nephi.

Isn't that where the giant salamander commands Mormon to bury the plates?

It's almost as good as the Book of Enoch, with its angel list . . .

[htuttle]

25. I remember that part

During the rectification of the Vuldronaii, the Traveler came as a large, moving Torb. Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex supplicants, they chose a new form for him - that of a giant Sloar! Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day, I can tell you!

Oh wait. That was from Ghostbusters...

[Up2Late]

36. LOL! I thought that bit sounded familiar!

You had me going all the way till the end on that one. :rofl:

[KamaAina]

31. Giant salamander? Wouldn't that be a... Newt?

The plot thickens... could we be looking at a Willard/Newt ticket here? :tinfoilhat:

[Forkboy]

22. That's funny...on my local news just now

they were talking about this and pointed out that when asked this question before that wasn't his choice.

Mitt,Mitt,Mitt...what are we going to do with your slimy lying ass?

[Breeze54]

23. On Romney's My Space profile

he has a list of his favorites, according to my local news last night,
and under books, 'Battlefield Earth' is NOT listed. It's some other book.

I heard the same news item Forkboy!

Mitt the Shit is a complete liar. Total and complete plastic man.

[Forkboy]

24. That's it...thanks!

I forget things within seconds. :freak:

Mitt is the slimiest Repub running...and that's saying something!

[democrat2thecore]

28. Scientology AND Mormonism. Hmmmmmm. -nt

[AtomicKitten]

29. I do believe Mittens wins the bonus round!

:rofl:

[Ninja Jordan]

32. Nobody who says that deserves to be president

[AnnieBW]

33. Can Mormons Be Scientologists, too?

Can they be members of two crazy cults at once? :dilemma:

[aquart]

34. Nonetheless, he's making a great impression on Leno.

Smart, funny, adorable...what is he really?

[Forkboy]

35. none of the above