Romney: Dog ‘enjoyed’ riding on car roof

[Poiuyt]

Romney: Dog ‘enjoyed’ riding on car roof


(CNN) — Under fire from a leading animal rights group, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney defended the family dog’s mode of transportation to a 1983 summer vacation.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) criticized the Republican presidential hopeful after The Boston Globe reported that Romney transported his dog in a rooftop carrier when the family drove from Boston to Ontario.

“If you wouldn’t strap your child to the roof of your car, you have no business doing that to the family dog,” Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA said in a statement. “I don’t know who would find that acceptable.”

==

“He scrambled up there every time we went on trips, got in all by himself and enjoyed it,” Romney said of the Irish Setter.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/06/29/romney-is-in-petas-doghouse/

Yeah, right.

[Debi]

1. Which is why he pooped all over it...out of sheer joy

:puke: what a jackass! :grr:

[hvn_nbr_2]

67. "I'm so happy here I could just shit" - Romney's dog

Guess it's time to update that old cartoon that used to get passed around offices.

[Fleshdancer]

90. If only it had a sunroof n/t

[Radio_Lady]

97. Believe it or not... I saw a Golden Retriever peeking his head out of a sunroof...

today, in Tigard, Oregon, at the Washington Square mall.

I always worry about dogs getting eye problems when they lean out a side window.

[LiberalFighter]

2. The dog knew that was the best possible vantage point to allow its urine

and feces to mess up the car.

[WindRavenX]

3. I wish this was some sort of joke.

But no, we really DO have a clueless trilobite running as President.

[Kingshakabobo]

4. I suppose the dog liked defecating and urinating on itself in the cage?

It's a well know fact dogs LOVE to shit in their own cage...:sarcasm:

Fucking liar for Jesus.

[tridim]

5. At least he didn't strap Aunt Edna to the roof.

She can't weigh more than 100 pounds.

Officer: "Do you know what the penalty for animal cruelty is in this state?"
Mittens: "No officer I don't"
Officer: Well.. I'm sure it's pretty stiff.

This all has a "National Lampoon's Vacation" vibe to it. Romney is a strange dude for sure.

[eShirl]

6. maybe it was less traumatic than riding with them in the car?

[Throwing Stones]

22. rofl

at least on the roof Seamus didn't have to wear his magic underpants or listen to those freaks go on about Jesus and spaceships.

[BuelahWitch]

62. Or sing Mormon hymns!

[smoogatz]

42. DUzy guy? Hello?

I think we have a winner.

[Beetwasher]

7. Really? The Dog Scrambled Up Onto The Roof Of The Car?

All by himself? Really? You sure your sticking w/ that idiotic excuse? That would be the first dog in history to be able to do something like that. That would be one hell of a super dog if it could do that. Call Guiness.

What a fucking disgusting, vile piece of shit this guy is.

[poverlay]

19. Yeah, I heard it was an SUV. That dog must have had suction cup feet! n/t

[Rockholm]

100. I believe it was a station wagon.

They did not have SUV's back then.

[China_cat]

24. Well, I can believe the dog climbing.

We once had an Irish Setter who climbed trees in order to go over the fence. Higher than the roof of a car. But get in a crate? Not without a couple bottles of Heineken first. (Yes, he loved beer)

[canetoad]

30. Nope. Seen it myself

Year back on a dog walk, stranger's (now a friend) young boxer took fright at something. We all searched high and low and eventually found her back in the car park. Sitting on the roof of her owners car.

[Beetwasher]

35. An SUV?

:shrug: I don't buy it.

[canetoad]

36. A small one

RAV 4 I think.

And if you don't buy it, I guess that means you say I'm lying. In which case you had better PM me for the email addresses of the other people present that day.

Or just shut up.

[Beetwasher]

37. LOL! Uh, Chester

Take your meds and chill. I don't buy Romney's bullshit. Quite frankly I don't know if you're a liar or not and I could care less, but I wasn't talking about you. PM you to get the details? LOL! Like I care enough.

[canetoad]

60. You already look silly

just keep on going.....

[Beetwasher]

91. The Only One Who Looks Silly

Is the one buying Romney's bullshit and flying off the handle demanding PM's. That would be you, Einstein.

[slampoet]

87. The term SUV wasn't around in 1983. The first SUV wasn't even made.

The SUV thing is an other lie.

[Rockholm]

101. My story about cars and dogs on top.

I have a Land Rover. My 2 large dogs jump in the back, no problem. A few weeks ago when my vehicle was in for a check-up, I was given and LR-3 as a loaner. I went home. I decided to take the dogs to the beach. The LR-3 sits a few inches higher than my Land Rover. My dogs could not jump any higher to get in.

Mittens story is disgusting. They, by the way, had a station wagon.

[Throwing Stones]

72. the story actually states that it was one of those station wagons with wood paneling on the side

from the early 80's - probably a Gran Turino or Country Squire. I'm sure any of the larger breeds could easily get on the roof of one of those. I know my 25 pound Schnauzer could scale an Escalade, though, if he wanted to. Mitt of the magic underpants probably put a goody treat in the kennel and thought that since Seamus went after the treat he must like having the shit literally scared out of him.

Apparently, woodenness (Gore) bad, sociopathy ("emotional-free crisis management") good.

[Strawman]

8. Mitt would crank up Hip to be Square on the car cassette deck

and Fido would run excitedly onto the roof of the car in anticipation of shitting all over himself on a 12 hour trip again! What fun! :sarcasm:

For a dog, to shit its carrier or crate where it is laying, it has to be either very sick or very upset.

That is psychotic. That his campaign would actually brag about something like that as "emotionless crisis management" is fucking insane.

Romney/Vick '08!

[hedgehog]

11. MAybe some hired hand on the campiagn is desperately trying to get

the word out on what craziness lies under Romney's smiling exterior.

[mitchum]

51. Exactly...

excellent point about how distressed a dog must be in order to soil its crate
I also like the "Hip To Be Square" crack :)

[hedgehog]

9. Read the article - Romney apparently did this routinely!

Why didn't the family take two cars if need be instead of torturing the dog? Why not leave the animal in a kennel?

[dysfunctional press]

102. and that's why the dog would "scramble" up there...but it doesn't mean he liked it.

he had been trained to "know his place"


romney/frist '08- keep america safe from it's pets...:rofl:

[thereismore]

10. Now we know he does this routinely... people who hurt animals often are

sociopaths.

[ellie]

12. He is so over.

People love their dogs like children.

[Longhorn]

13. Right, because dogs always know what's best for them!

My kids probably would have thought it was fun, too, for a little while!

Why can't they ever just admit they screwed up? :shrug:

[Strawman]

14. Romney/Vick '08!

:sarcasm:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. Nah. Romney/Frist! -nt

[Strawman]

33. Wow. I'd completely forgotten about the Cat Killer.

Left the Senate to get ready to run for President. How's that working out for him?

[JacquesMolay]

105. good one m8

...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. "He was my driving eye dog," remarks Romney.

"He was very handy for the long haul," continued the Presidential hopeful. "If I was tired, bored, sleeping, or my retinas were detaching from all that booze, we could count on that dog to always get us home. One bark meant turn left, two barks meant turn right, and if there were no barks for a while that meant a low bridge several miles back."

[poverlay]

20. Did he really say that about the bridge? Cuz that's actually pretty funny. Cruel, but funny. n/t

[kskiska]

16. So it was the dog's idea all along?

…regardless of whether state laws may have prohibited that mode of transportation. I wonder what the plans were for rain.

Mitt stopped to hose off the car and the dog, then went on his merry way, wet dog in the wind and all.

I guess their luggage was more valuable to the Romney family than this poor dog.

[muffin1]

17. Vile piece of shit

I would be more than happy to strap ol' Mitt to the roof of my car, and take off down the highway for several hours.
I want to bring this up to my dickhead freeper boss, but I just KNOW he would say it's no big deal. Just the liberal media trying to bring down a good man. I HATE THESE FRIGGING PEOPLE.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Beelzebud]

18. Why do I think of Clark Griswald on the movie Vacation?

[smokey nj]

21. Dog: Romney's an asshole. I should have ripped his throat out when I had the chance.

[durrrty libby]

23. "Dog ‘enjoyed’ riding on car roof""

I love it. The idiot keeps digging a deeper hole for himself

[originalpckelly]

25. OH MY GOD IT WAS REAL! What a fucking bastard!

I thought it was very likely this was a false story, these little stories come out of nowhere, like Bush almost blowing himself up with the hybrid.

BUT THIS IS FUCKING REAL! REAL! That asshole literally strapped his fucking dog to the roof and drove with the dog there. What a real piece of shit he is!

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[originalpckelly]

44. This happened in the early '80s, Seamus is probably dead.

[Throwing Stones]

74. You're likely correct - Irish Setters don't live very long, relatively

but it's sad to think of the life that poor doggy had.

On the roof of the car at 60 mph?

:wtf:

[cwydro]

27. Oh sure,

he just climbed up with his claws all over the car and just got right in. Yeah. OK.

[npincus]

28. If someone does a proper ad, it's ALL OVER for Romney

Seriously... Love for dogs and aversion to animal cruelty transcends political affiliation.

[Mist]

31. Hey, Mitt, can I strap you to the top of my car and watch you shit down your leg? It'll be FUN! nt

[damntexdem]

32. I bet the dog would have enjoyed it more had there been an ...

open sun roof.

;-)

[wicket]

34. What a total pigfucker

:grr:

[ThomCat]

38. Thank you, PETA!

:applause:

[rudy23]

39. They're trying to tell the base--Romney will "go there".

Actually, I think his campaign is like Kang and Kodos's campaign. He comes off like an alien trying to seem human.

I guess that happens in every election. But especially this one.

[pacalo]

40. This man clearly doesn't have any common sense.

I thought this was a joke when I first saw it. When I add this revelation to the fact that he lied to the press about being an avid hunter, not considering that the truth could easily be found out, I've decided his belt doesn't go through all the loops.

[piesRsquare]

41. The article "noted that Romney built a wind shield carrier"

So this "carrier" that the dog was in on top of the car (for a lengthy drive) wasn't even DOT or FAA approved.

Fucking piece of shit Romney!

[mod mom]

43. Try it out on him for a 12 hour jaunt and see if he feels the same.

[aikoaiko]

45. PETA position: dogs = children.

PETA sucks.

[Bluebear]

46. So IOW a dog on top of a vehicle is OK? nt

[aikoaiko]

54. Its really not that much different than in the back of a pickup

And that happens a lot, at least where I live.


As long as the dog was secure and there was a wind barrier, I think people are just being hysterical.

[Schema Thing]

61. Yep. I see that a lot.

The dogs do seem to enjoy it, and I've seen them moving about all over, jumping onto the toolbox even, as the truck is going down the highway.

Otoh, It's far from safe for the dog.

[Beaverhausen]

69. Yeah, and I've seen dogs fall out, too

It isn't what any responsible pet owner should ever do.

[laundry_queen]

77. Friends of ours had their dog die like that.

Well, my husband's friend. Going 65mph when the dog decided to jump out. The wife was behind in her car and saw it happen, and ended up running over the dog after it jumped out.

It's unreal how many people I see doing this. I once saw a dog on the back of a 1 ton flatbed, on the highway. :crazy: He wasn't tied up or anything. wtf are people thinking? Idiots.

[originalpckelly]

64. How 'bout we strap you to the top of a car in a dog carrier...

and see how you like it?

[woo me with science]

80. It is very much different than the back of a pickup.

We've had several dogs over the years, and I grew up with dogs. I think I have a pretty good intuitive sense of what they enjoy and what they don't. A dog is low in a pickup bed, and a lot of dogs do enjoy riding in one, at least when you are not going at highway speeds. At highway speeds, I suspect our dogs would be uneasy or scared even in the low bed of a pickup.

Being caged on the top of an SUV while speeding down a highway would have been nothing short of terrifying for them.

They would have been freaked out just to be caged on top of the car. In general, dogs don't consider "high up" to be safe. They seek the lowest place possible during thunderstorms or in other scary situations.

I really thought this story was a hoax. What a horrible, cruel thing to do to a dog.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

84. 12 hours? In a box? On the roof? Not quite the same as the back of a pickup.

[Bluebear]

103. Stop! you're being "hysterical"!

:eyes:

[MissB]

50. PETA may suck in many people's eyes, but dogs = children

to way more than PETA members.

[aikoaiko]

55. I suppose thats true.

[BuelahWitch]

65. ,

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[slampoet]

86. Animal Cruelty is a RED-HOT precursor to sexual abuse and physical abuse

Animal Cruelty is a RED-HOT precursor to sexual abuse and physical abuse.


It has been used as evidence of abuse in hearings to take children away from abusive homes.


Since Romney has admitted to doing this, It is now a legitimate question to ask him if he ever beat or molested his children.


ANY social worker would ask the same question.

[mentalsolstice]

104. My initial impression of most people

...is based on how they treat animals. If they don't treat animals humanely, then I question how they'll treat the most vulnerable of our human population. Dogs=children, physically & mentally disabled, poor, elderly, disenfranchised, sick, etc.

When I was single, a guy was "outta there" if he didn't show my pets the utmost respect.

[mitchum]

52. Even a crazy clock is right sometimes...

I despise that organization, but Newkirk is right in this instance.

[aikoaiko]

56. Maybe, but dogs ride in the back of pickups all the time around where I live.

[mitchum]

68. Same here, but that's also not a good idea (n/t)

[Schema Thing]

73. It's not a good idea for safety reasons. The dogs often seem

to enjoy it however.

[Throwing Stones]

75. that's bs and you know it

I don't agree with most of PETA's tactics, but c'mon - the man put his dog in a crate on top of the car for a 1,000 + mile journey. What sick fuck would think that's okay?

[earthboundmisfit]

47. Abusers routinely claim that their victims "enjoyed" it

n/t

[Disturbed]

49. When this Ass Clown is in a hole he seems to enjoy grabbing

a bigger shovel. I hope this dogs him forever.

[Ian David]

48. The dog might "enjoy" licking peanut butter of Mitt's balls, too. That doesn't make it right. n/t

[mitchum]

53. LOL!!!

y'know, I'm laughing so loudly, my dog looks a little concerned

[Strawman]

70. But only because Mitt cried afterward

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

76. roflmao!!!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[radfringe]

57. HEY THAT GIVES ME A GRRRRREAT IDEA

When Romney loses the nomination - we can strap him to the top of his car and drive him outta town...

A nice ride in the country should cheer him up... :wink:

[MasonJar]

58. Hopefully this puts an end on the Romney candidacy. Let's see,

Mr Romney, from your defense of this unbelievably callous treatment of the family dog, it appears that the trip cited in the Boston Globe was only one in many times that you put poor Seamus and no telling how many other pooches unfortunate enough to reside in your house on the top of a car.

[Cass]

59. What a bunch of bullshit.

:eyes:

[tbyg52]

63. I don't care if the dog did get in by itself,

it's a stupid way to carry a dog. A kid might climb in there too, but would you let him/her stay?

[piesRsquare]

66. Original Text of the Article at Boston Globe

From http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/

"The white Chevy station wagon with the wood paneling was overstuffed with suitcases, supplies, and sons when Mitt Romney climbed behind the wheel to begin the annual 12-hour family trek from Boston to Ontario.

SNIP

"Before beginning the drive, Mitt Romney put Seamus, the family's hulking Irish setter, in a dog carrier and attached it to the station wagon's roof rack. He'd built a windshield for the carrier, to make the ride more comfortable for the dog.
Then Romney put his boys on notice: He would be making predetermined stops for gas, and that was it.

"The ride was largely what you'd expect with five brothers, ages 13 and under, packed into a wagon they called the ''white whale.''

As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon, keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble. ''Dad!'' he yelled. ''Gross!'' <b>A brown liquid was dripping down the back window, payback from an Irish setter who'd been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.</b>

As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There, he <b>borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway.</b> It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.

''Think about it,'' Tagg (oldest son) says, <b>''a 12-hour drive and the only time we stop is to get gas. When we stop, you can buy your food and go to the bathroom, but that's the only time we're stopping,</b> so you'd better get it all done at once.''

**********

I'm a veterinary technician, and have plenty of experience with animals. With the exception of health problems/medical conditions and rare instances, <b>dogs only soil their own pen when distressed or frightened</b>.

This dog was trapped in a makeshift "crate" strapped to the roof of the car for <b>12 hours</b>. After the unplanned stop, when Romney hosed off the poor creature and the car, the dog was obviously returned to the crate where it rode on the rooftop <b>while wet</b>.

This is animal abuse, plain and simple. It would have been considered animal abuse 24 years ago, too (I've been a tech for 23 years). It is VERY DIFFERENT from a dog riding in the back of a pickup truck for an hour or so.

Apparently, Giuliani shoots ferrets with a pistol. The pathology among these "people" is horrifying!

On Edit: PETA is on my shit-list too, but they're right about this!

[Matariki]

88. Where do you suppose that narrative came from?

"Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station"?

Do you think one of his kids related the events inside the car and what Romney said and did?

[Strawman]

71. Seamus Romney later claimed he was "brainwashed"

into liking riding on the roof.

[Throwing Stones]

78. if only we could've gotten Seamus to a deprogrammer

He might've actually enjoyed a life of chasing tennis balls and such.

Instead, the poor boy had to live with a bunch of self-absorbed freaks who apparently think that it's okay to abuse animals.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

79. Keith Olbermann is going to be reporting on this!!!!! eom

[Catchawave]

81. Ommmm- this needs it own thread ....

He's going to be talking about cat killer frist and puppy killer mrs Guiliani too...Why do Republicans Hate Americans....Pets!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

82. lol! It's true, those cat murdering, puppy killing, dog torturing bastards!

Going to post a thread on it in honor of my kitties!!!!

[Geek_Girl]

83. This guy seems really really dumb

I'm starting to think he'll be our next president

[Matariki]

89. !!!!

Oh horrors! You might be right! (is there a scream 'smilie'??)

[and-justice-for-all]

85. What a wack-o bastard....nt

[Jim Lane]

92. His supporters will probably say it shows that Mitt can be tough when he needs to be.

After all, 9/11 changed everything.

[AlienGirl]

95. In a culture where compassion is a vice, cruelty becomes virtue. Let's hope America's not there yet.

[Jim Lane]

98. Significant portions of the Republican Party ARE there already.

I was of course kidding about 9/11, but this part is serious: The incident will probably help Romney with some Republicans who perceived him as being a bit too effete (nonhunting Easter liberals can't take on al-Qaeda, but maybe animal abusers can).

[AZBlue]

93. SICK jerk!

[TwilightGardener]

94. Don't cry for Seamus. He is up in Doggie Heaven somewhere, wagging his tail

with glee. Act of Revenge #1--shitting all over the car. Act of Posthumous Revenge #2--costing Mitt the Presidency.

[shance]

96. Mr. Romney thinks this is funny. Isn't it cute when he mocks everyone, saying his dog loved it?

n/t

[Feron]

99. What a POS

I don't like PETA, but I agree with them in this instance. Poor dog.