Romney was a Vietnam war protester. He protested in favor of it. Then he dodged the draft

[NNN0LHI]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney

Romney attended Stanford University for a year. Although the campus was becoming radicalized with the beginnings of 1960s social and political movements, he kept a well-groomed appearance and enjoyed traditional campus events. In May 1966, he was part of a counter-protest against a group staging a sit-in in the university administration building in opposition to draft status tests.

In July 1966, Romney left for 30 months in France as a Mormon missionary, a traditional duty that his father and other relatives had done. He arrived in Le Havre with ideas about how to change and promote the French Mission, while facing physical and economic deprivation in their cramped quarters. Rules against drinking, smoking, and dating were strictly enforced. Like most individual Mormon missionaries, he did not gain many converts, with the nominally Catholic but secular, wine-loving French people proving especially resistant to a religion that prohibits alcohol. He became demoralized, and later recalled it as the only time when "most of what I was trying to do was rejected." In Nantes, Romney was bruised defending two female missionaries against a horde of local rugby players. He continued to work hard; having grown up in Michigan rather than the more insular Utah world, Romney was better able to interact with the French. He was promoted to zone leader in Bordeaux in early 1968 and subsequently became assistant to the mission president in Paris, the highest position for a missionary. Romney's support for the U.S. role in the Vietnam War were only reinforced when the French greeted him with hostility over the matter and he debated them in return. He also witnessed the May 1968 general strike and student uprisings.

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Have you ever brought up to a very conservative Vietnam vet how Romney avoided being drafted by running off to France to be a missionary during the mid-60's? I did yesterday in the local restaurant. The guys eyes began darting all over the place and he actually started to defend him and then stopped in mid-sentence when he realized he was about to try and defend a draft dodger. Then he caught himself and he gave it up. Pretty funny to witness.

[liberal N proud]

1. He was for the war because he knew he would not have to fight in it.

[trumad]

2. "Zone Leader"

IE: Cult leader.

[Hoosier Daddy]

3. Like his five sons now, he was 'serving in his own way'

:rofl:

[SpiralHawk]

4. Chickenhawkery is a core Republicon Family Value

Romey's chickenhawkery will endear him to the Republicon base -- they always choose chickenhawks to 'lead' them.

[bklyncowgirl]

6. Sounds like prime Presidential material (of the GOP variety) to me.

If he gets elected he'll get a pass too because he "understands" the military unlike a Democrat who did not serve or even one who served with honor. Witness what they did to John Kerry.

[pinboy3niner]

5. To be fair, he put his life on the line...

...with those wine-drinking French rugby players. :rofl:

[ellisonz]

7. “Sutherickin Schatash! It’s humiliatin’!”

Mitt Romney in 1968, Far Left.

He left for France a 19-year-old freshman at Stanford, a sheltered child of privilege full of ideas about how to shake up the French mission. He could be goofy, quoting Sylvester the Cat this way — “Sutherickin Schatash! It’s humiliatin’!” — in letters to friends. He was considered the free spirit of his crowd, the one who sneaked off to movies (discouraged for missionaries) and ate coq au vin (controversial because of his church’s prohibition on alcohol). He was a half-hearted Mormon whose beliefs, as he recalled recently, were “based on pretty thin tissue.”

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“I went into the president’s office and said: look president, ‘ith eitha you orh me that is goin to run thith place,’” he wrote to a friend, again imitating a cartoon character. He said he got nowhere, adding: “Really, it’s not that bad — it’s just that I feel like I’ve been broken.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/us/politics/15romney.html

Mitt Romney is cartoon-ish.

[SpiralHawk]

8. Coq au vin ? OMG. That sounds naughty.

What's wrong with patriotic American food like Weeners & Freedom Fries?

Now we learn that Herm Cain has a, um, thing for Eye-talian Pizza -- obviously part of the Foriegn Pope's attempt to inFILtrate & basTARDize US culchure.

Why do Republicons HATE normal patriotic American food?

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. His five sons are putting themselves on the line every day

just to get dad elected.

[LeftinOH]

10. Spending 30 months in France and not immersing oneself in the culture (and the wine) is revolting;

being a missionary (in France!!) --what a wretched waste of time. No dating, no smoking, no drinking for 30 months in France IN THE 1960s!! -OMG WTF!!!

[City Lights]

11. Cowardice flows from Mittens.

He is a disgusting creature.

[CanonRay]

12. I wasn't aware of this info

so thanks. Guess I never paid much attention to the Mittster.

[former9thward]

13. There is nothing in the OP or the link about his draft status.

What was it?

[NNN0LHI]

15. Here

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=full

[former9thward]

16. Thanks.

Although ultimately he had a high draft lottery number. I don't consider that dodging the draft any more than the millions of others who high numbers.

[NNN0LHI]

17. You don't think choosing missionary work in France over serving his country was not draft dodging?

That is an interesting concept you have there.

And you are welcome.

Don

[former9thward]

20. So you think that unless you enlisted for Vietnam you were not "serving your country".

Interesting concept you have there. I think the millions who opposed the Vietnam war may disagree with you. I know I do. What was your position on Clinton's activities?

[NNN0LHI]

22. Ah, so it is the Clenis is who was really bugging you, eh?

Just couldn't help yourself, could ya?

:hi:

Don

[former9thward]

23. I am not a hypocrite no matter what my politics.

I don't look away when someone on my side does something. Noticed you could not answer any of my questions.

[Festivito]

24. Nice and poignantly humorous. /nt

[Hart2008]

19. Did millions of others get a 2.5 year deferment as a religious "minister" in France?

Do think the fact that his father was a Repuke governor had anything to do with that?

:think:

[former9thward]

21. I am sure he was helped by his father.

But millions in that time period had educational deferments which lasted 4 years or more. Ultimately everyone had to face the lottery and he did too.

[bullwinkle428]

14. I'm surprised the guy you were talking to didn't bring up "The Clenis"!

:D

[hootinholler]

18. Just one little thing, one does not protest for anything.

You are either protesting or supporting. You can however demonstrate for either.