Romney in Ohio: Opportunistic, Unhelpful, and always Out-of-touch
Posted: October 30, 2012 Filed under: Mitt Romney | Tags: hurricane relief 126 Comments
You may remember that I was recently impacted by Hurricane Isaac and that I’m still living in a Hurricane Katrina reality. I know FEMA. I know major disasters. I know aftermaths of major disasters quite personally. Romney tried to turn an Ohio campaign event into a “relief” operation and once again, he proved himself completely unready, unfit, and too insensitive to hold any public office. He is so opportunistic that he is basically grave dancing once again.
The stop was billed as a “storm relief” event, and attendees were asked to bring non-perishable foods and other items for those affected by the storm. Long white tables to one side of the cavernous James S. Trent Arena were piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods.
Two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: “Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.”
But there remained many trappings of a campaign rally, including the soundtrack and a biographical Romney video.
Romney stood on a chair and spoke for less than five minutes. As throngs of supporters, reporters and TV cameras surrounded him, Romney made note of the items on the tables behind him.
“We’re going to box these things up in just a minute and put them on some trucks, and then we’re going to send them into, I think it’s New Jersey. There’s a site we’ve identified where we can take these goods and distribute them to people who need them,” he said.
He related a story of cleaning up a field after a high school football game, and told the crowd that he remembered when some Katrina evacuees were brought to Cape Cod — a destination that was much colder, he joked, than Houston, where the evacuees thought they were originally headed.
“And you know what? There were cars lined up, people dropping off all sorts of goods of all kinds, some things that were temporary like food, but others that were permanent like TV sets and clothes. It was just amazing to see the turnout. Its part of the American way,” Romney said.
As he wrapped up his remarks, Romney said that “to make this an enjoyable work setting, we’ve asked a great entertainer, Randy Owen, of Alabama, to be here. He’s an extraordinary guy.” Owen was scheduled to be a featured guest at the original rally, scheduled for the same venue, at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
He joked that the canned goods and other donations were a “cover charge” for supporters to hear the band’s performance. And then he hopped down from the trunk and, while the band played, he and Portman helped to put items in bags.
The Red Cross repeatedly says to send money and donate blood and to send NOTHING else. They have their own suppliers and they buy materials and food in bulk. I’ve spent a lot of time in line to get food and supplies from Red Cross emergency centers. They are really skilled at this. They send out trucks with hot food. They have standardized bundles of cleaning supplies, water, food, toiletries, and baby supplies that they load from warehouses and ready prior to disasters. They don’t need outside stuff. It makes their jobs difficult. They’ve said this repeatedly before and after every recent disaster. You’d have to be really stupid not to have heard that by now given the huge number of weather related disasters we’ve had this century.
Andrea MitchellVerified@mitchellreports
Red Cross tells us grateful for Romney donation but prefer people send money or donate blood dont collect goods NOT best way to help #Sandy
The RED CROSS needs your blood, your money, and your volunteer services. It does not need campaign tricks masked as charity supplanting government responses to disaster.
I’m also still just appalled that Romney could get up in front of the press and people and liken the clean-up after a major disaster to his experience cleaning up a high school football field after a game celebration. Disaster clean up of this kind of gargantuan task. It’s a commitment for years and for billions of dollars. Why does everything every one else experiences have to have a tie back to him?
I’m looking for my pictures of the three story, 5 block long and two block wide pile of trash and chipped trees that was refilled several times over after Katrina. I’m sure his experience compares to bulldozing every one’s belongings that rushed into the streets during the flooding from the levee failure here. There were parishes where 99% of the buildings and homes were destroyed where around 50,000 people lived and worked. How the hell can you compare cleaning up a football field to that?
Also, the worst abuses in the recovery were made by crony private contractors with connections to the Bush family and Cheney. I can only imagine what kind of privatized cronyism we would get from Bobby Jindal if he were more in charge of disaster monies. Mitt Romney would cut FEMA funding badly.
How would Romney handle FEMA if he was elected president?
In a June 13, 2011 GOP primary debate, Romney suggested that states should assume a more significant role in disaster relief. The debate took place soon after a tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri and other communities, and moderator John King of CNN asked Romney whether states should take on a greater role in paying to repair and rebuild.
“Absolutely. Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better,” Romney said. “Instead of thinking in the federal budget, what we should cut — we should ask ourselves the opposite question. What should we keep?”
When asked a follow up on whether disaster relief should shift to the states, Romney said: “We cannot — we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids,” he said.
“It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we’ll all be dead and gone before it’s paid off,” he added. “It makes no sense at all.”
Romney did not go as far as some reports have suggested, which say he would shut down the agency entirely. But he has made it clear that he would shift more responsibility to the states or private agencies when it comes to disaster relief in an effort to reduce federal spending and the deficit.
Romney isn’t just a totally out of touch failure as a governor, he’s a disaster in the making.
The FEMA site explains it all to Mitt Romney:
Donate to Sandy Survivors
The best way to support survivors of Hurricane Sandy is to make a financial contribution to the voluntary organization of your choice.
He thinks he knows everything and what’s best for every body and he’s wrong ALL the time.
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Romney isn’t fooling anyone.
That level of immorality should burn.
Good Grief, that is ugly – taking advantage of others’ misfortunes for a campaign event? That is the lowest of the low.
This is like the third time he’s done grave dancing … he’s still grave dancing on the Benghazi deaths
One would think that in times of trouble, everyone pulls together to help each other. This kind of behaviour is not that. What a scuzzbag, and I don’t use that term lightly. If Romney were a decent human being, he would reach out to the administration to find out what he and his mighty campagne could do to help alleviate the suffering of so many, but no, given a choice he tries to exploit the suffering of others to enhance his own opportunities. Much like he did with Bain. Scuzzbag!
Pardon the spelling mistakes – Campaign
and grammar mistakes – Was instead of were.
I’m absolutely gobsmacked that this man is doing nothing, nothing to make things better, and so I type without my internal spellcheck.
I saw it live and let me tell you as a survivor of major hurricanes and disasters–including horrible tornado outbreak in Omaha as a kid–I was appalled beyond what I thought was possible.
Why doesn’t he just write a 10 or 15 million dollar check himself? Why do all these rich corporations don’t donate, they just ‘encourage’ other people to donate? Walmart could write a billion dollar check if they wanted to and a lot of other corps could too. They won’t.
These people are PATHETIC!
Obama’s at the Red Cross http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/obama-hurricane-sandy-red-cross_n_2044318.html?1351621222 …
He’s going to make remarks there. Hopefully, he’ll tell Romney to quit making their jobs difficult.
Salon.com @Salon
Unbelievable: Bush’s Katrina-era FEMA director blasts Obama for responding to #Sandy… too quickly! http://trib.al/PlEU3V
PostPolitics @postpolitics
Romney ignores questions about eliminating FEMA http://wapo.st/SsrRq7
Sorry Dak, I commented on this too. I missed your comment on this act of cowardice by Romney
No problem… better chance some one will see this.
Mitt Romney Vetoed Flood Prep Funding In 2004, Blamed For Subsequent Flooding http://huff.to/XT5v2s via @HuffPostPol
“Yes, Romney’s a Liar, But This is Getting Ridiculous” @thenation tells the whole story of Mitt’s Jeep lie. @WeGotEd http://www.thenation.com/blog/170903/yes-romneys-liar-getting-ridiculous …
Charles Pierce has a post about Mitt’s record as Gov. of Massachusetts when they were hit by May Day floods in 2006:
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/mitt-romney-mothers-day-floods-2006-14260979
Among other things, it seems Massachusetts owes New Hampshire a great deal of money for dams built in that state to enable flood controls for them. It’s the Republican governors who want to renege on that promist to NH. Figures.
He also balked at giving money to victims in Lowell in spite of huge cash reserves and available emergency funds.
wow … no wonder why MA hates him
Give up some blood Mitt. The RC needs it. Or even better, call in your brood of spoiled BOYS and make them give up some blood. That’s the only way they’re likely to shed any blood for the country that’s made them mega-rich.
Right on, sister.
Don’t count on any of the “Romney clan” giving any blood….Unless of course they accidently cut their fingers counting money!
Mouse!!! Right on & well said as always!
Hey, socalannie, I agree.
OMG….Socalannie……I am so glad you are here. How are you doing girl?
well, hi there!
Mouse! Missed ya! I’m fine, thanks, kid in college now & back to work. How are you? {{{Big Hug}}}
Hi dakinikat! Great post!
Glad you and the family are doing well and I missed you too girl! I hope you hang around and continue commenting here, I’ve thought of you so often. I even occasionally read at “YOU KNOW WHO’s” place, just to see if you’re commenting. I’m so glad you decided to comment here tonight. It made my day. 🙂
{{{Big Hugs}}} right back at ya.
Yeah, gave up at the other place. Can’t even look at it now.
Yep……It’s a sad, crazy mess over there. I look forward to seeing you here more often.
Will do! 🙂
I’m working from home today. I just lost it with a young woman calling from Crossroads GPS. She started her spiel about how bad ObamaCare is. I told her she was wrong & no amount of money or coercion would make me vote for R/R. I told her they only care about how much $$ they have in their offshore accounts & not what’s best for American or Americans. Told she needs to get out of there & do her own research & vote the person that would make America better – Pres. Obama.
I know that I should have stayed calm & given her an educational talk about lying, women’s rights, the economy & even FEMA – but when I heard Crossroads GPS, I saw red.
I couldn’t have stayed calm either. I might have stomped the phone and I’m certain I would have used profanity. You did a great job. I have no doubt she got the message.
Thanks, but I still wish I would have engaged her, asked her how as a young woman she could support Romney/Ryan & anyone in the Republican Party. Missed opportunity. It probably wouldn’t have done any good – but I would have felt better. It’s just that I’m so angry – at women in particular – who are voting Republican. I personally know 3 & it’s tough to even speak to them civilly. I feel like I’ve corseted my body & brain every time I’m forced to interact with them & “be nice.”
The National Memo » 10 Forgotten Scandals Surrounding Mitt Romney http://bit.ly/Svb1pt
ecocatwoman, i have been polled twice since last night. But they were both auto one,bad connection, sounded like she said WP the one today said American Fund or Future.
Those are so-called push polls. They don’t poll people. They try to push right wing memes at voters through what sounds like a polling question. It’s a way to spread lies.
ecocat, remember the Democrats for Reagan group in 1980? I was a registered Democrat back then, and one of those witless members called me to ask if I would join other Dems and vote for Reagan. I told her that I would cut off my right arm before I’d voted for a Republican. I hang up on such callers now.
I’ve tried talking to Republicans and you get Republican talking points.
We get no live calls from Republicans, Crossroads, Romney campaign, etc here in Virginia at all. None. Every single call is a robo-call. Interestingly, one of my neighbors is part of an organization paying people $14 an hour to make GOTV calls to conservatives reminding them to vote for Romney. He posted on the neighborhood FB page but lied, of course because that’s how they roll, and said he would pay $14 an hour to people to make GOTV calls that were “absolutely non-partisan and would not mention any candidate” so I contacted him. I figured WTF, I’ve done this enough times for free, I’d be delighted to be paid for it. Then I got the email back from him explaining that it was in fact partisan. I told him I wasn’t interested and could not remind people to vote for Romney no matter what the pay. He said he understood and that was that. No apology for lying to lure people in. Today’s Republican party is the lyingest bunch of lying M$#@r F@#$%rs that have ever soiled this planet. That’s all there is to that.
I haven’t gotten any political calls this year. No polls. No robo-calls. Nothing. I wonder why? Could I be dead? I need to go check my pulse. BBL. Maybe.
“Mitt Romney Refuses To Talk About FEMA After Hurricane Sandy Event”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/mitt-romney-fema_n_2044213.html
The coward doesn’t have the guts to answer the question.
“Heck of a Job Brownie” said today he is stunned at the rapid response from the President and it raises “questions”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/30/bushs-disgraced-fema-director-stunned-at-sandy-response-why-was-this-so-quick/
Questions? About why Brownie was head of FEMA? Questions about Brownie lackadaisical non-response to the horror of Katrina? What an a$$hat.
Brownie is still a moron
Heh heh! What an idiot!
Everything in life raises questions for Brownie. Why does it get light in the morning and dark at night? What is that wet stuff that falls from the sky? Why are chipmunks called “chipmunks”? What is the difference between a couch and a sofa?
LOL!
ROFLMAO!
Look at these lovely ladies
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/30/romney-playing-campaign-videos-at-storm-relief-events/
Lies Lies Lies and more Lies …that’s all they offer these days and really stupid and/or racist people seem to buy into it.
Dak, one of the songs had the line “Knee deep in the water somewhere”,
yeah … amazing assholes there
Ahh, the rats come out, we now know their names.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/10/30/1111741/big-dollar-gop-donors-funded-voter-intimidation-billboards/
By the way I talked to my sister today in WVA, 3ft of snow, no power.
oh, I hope she has a working fireplace and a thick sleeping bag!!
I am really worried about her, she is my sister who has MS.
That’s awful, PD. Does she have family with her?
Lightening the mood for Halloween.
I saw that earlier on Raw Story … Henri, the existential cat is so funny!
I laugh my butt off as those videos. He has a good facebook page.
O, what a treat! Those are the sentiments of my Siamese cats, Blaise and Camille, who I once foolishly tried to dress up for pictures. They either pulled the item off and rolled up in a ball on a chair nearby to nap or they ran up the stairs leaving items along the way to hide under the bed from ghoulish owner.
I always wanted a cat when I was a child. My mother told me how my cousin would dress up her tom cat, put him in a baby carriage (2nd WW type carriage) and push him around. I figured all cats would put up with that. By the time I finally got a kitten, when I was 17, the desire to dress up my cats had long disappeared. I’ve never tried to “adorn” any of them. Instead I just worship them as they are.
ecocat, I only tried the dressing-up once, for a lark. I’ve had cats since I was five years old and was taught by my father, who had black labs mostly, to respect and care for my pets. I love the Siamese breed for its interactive, “talkative”, loving nature. These present cats are my only purebreds who, at 4 months old, were put in a “kennel cab” and flew up from their breeder in Clearwater, FL. I’ve never regretted making that decision.
So far, L’Haunting is by far the best video, out of the 4 I’ve watched.
My first kitten was a siamese, my next was half blue point siamese. I LOVE the talking. So few of my cats now (rescued off the streets) do that. I miss it. And siamese cats are even smarter than the “average” cat.
Connie, my 3-year-old rescue cat is a tortie and torties love to talk! It would be impossible to dress her up though. Too much “tortitude”. She’s a natural beauty anyway ( a dilute cream-and-lilac with sea-green eyes ) .
eco, good thing you never tried playing dressup with a cat. I can tell you from my daughter’s personal experience, cats do not like that. Cats think they are the higher form of intelligence and have no time or patience with lowly humans trying to use them as toys. As I still have my daughter’s three (she left, they didn’t, funny that), they live to order me around,not the other way around. Of course, Milly the wonder dog is not much different.
We mustn’t mess with Purrfection. No sense in pissing off Bastet.
I had a non-purebred Flamepoint Oriental Shorthair. He was very shy and quiet and loving. Later I adopted another non-purebred Flamepoint, thinking the personality would be similar. Nope! This one is extremely talkative, outgoing, ADHD, and as loving as he is loud. 🙂
Dak, I know you posted at FDL and I didn’t and did not know Richard de Berry known as Southern Dragon, has died. Reading FDL today I found out he was Cree Indian and used the tag my mother taught me,
“Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last fish has been caught. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten.” — Cree Nation Tribal Prophecy
http://firedoglake.com/2012/10/30/rip-richard-de-berry-aka-southern-dragon/
Oh, I”m so sorry he died. I knew he was sick. Yes, I knew him.
His Facebook page is filling up with memorials too. He was really a wonderful man.
Can we talk climate change now?
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/10/30/did-climate-change-cause-hurricane-sandy/
IMHO, whether or not this megastorm was born due to climate change or not, I think it should serve as a preview of things to come. We know the glaciers & Arctic ice is melting – that’s a fact. Sea level will rise due to this happening. Another fact. Can we stop this from happening? Probably not, but our actions can certainly slow it down. Would it really be a bad idea to try? Not really. It’s that or islands & coastal regions around the world will be underwater sooner rather than later.
The nuclear plants, here is an audio everyone needs to hear.
http://enenews.com/gundersen-26-nuclear-plants-area-hurricane-sandy-hit-power-lost-only-plan-spent-fuel-pools-heat-diesel-generators-pump-water-audio
Chris Matthews is talking Climate Change right now.
This is OT but Beltway Bob has written a truth.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/10/30/mitch-mcconnell-and-john-boehners-strategy-worked/?tid=pm_pop
That’s schitzophrenic but it’s what I’ve noticed myself. Makes no sense.
For those interested, I just heard a wonderful, happy story on NPR. It seems the Atlantic City feral cats at the boardwalk have survived the storm. A security guard said he saw 25 ferals walking down the boardwalk when the eye of the storm came ashore. As well, the cats he feeds were all accounted for.
Well that’s a happy story.
That is good news. The amazing feral cats.
Great to hear that news! Thanks for letting us know, Connie.
Great news!
Bastet was with them!
Mr Loaf is as bright as he seemed.
TMZ: Meat Loaf I Love Mitt But Can’t Vote for Him
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I’m glad we have tagged him with the Tom Snyder award! Meatball, Mr. Loaf.
He sent to California for an absentee ballot for the residence he sold like 17 months ago. Again, Republicans + voter fraud go hand in hand.
Dak I read you’re link to Wa Post and had to just start screaming, between Brooks, & Cohen I thought I was on another planet.
Wow, Matthews and Eisenhower just threw David Brooks a left hook, no a knock out. 🙂
This son of a …………. can’t stop
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/romney-obama-welfare-ad_n_2045877.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Romney is the lowest bastard I’ve ever seen run for president. Throw any kind of lying shit they can find at the wall and hope something will stick!
The Benghazi lies and the Ohio lies are the worst I’ve ever seen … He’s pissed off Chrysler and GM with his ads in Ohio. He keeps saying Chrysler is shipping jobs to China and the CEO of the company came out and said it’s not true twice now because he’s afraid of panicking the workers and investors. WTF kind’ve asshole does that? Has he shorted Chrysler or something?
An asshole who doesn’t care about anybody, and I mean anybody, but himself. A true paragon of entitled selfishness run wild.
Good news!
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/ohio-poll-obama-by-3-points-50-percent
Romnesia: when in 2006 as gov of mass you veto flood relief for your state,& in 2012 while running for president act as if you care while staging a victory rally relief rally in Ohio for saviours on the east coast for non-perishable items the Red Cross don’t need & refusing to answer questions about an agency(FEMA)that aides those in devastated areas. Then you may have a case of romnesia.
Shinita Parker, hello, glad you’re here, and it’s worse than a photo OP! We are talking lying. 🙂
Hi Shinita!!! Welcome to SkyDancing!
What happened here? NHC wasn’t wasn’t issuing advisories in North Carolina!
http://crooksandliars.com/node/62935/print
For “North of North Carolina” because it was no longer considered a hurricane. They still issued boat loads of warnings though, just not “hurricane warnings”. Still seems duh to me.
Look at the names on this list against aid for Katrina.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/steve-king-hurricane-katrina-aid_n_2045172.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Sorry I meant to put this up
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll460.xml
oh yeah, he’s with the anglo saxon church, the others are church changers, and church dippers.
Jonathan Chait argues that democrats should politicize Sandy
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/10/why-democrats-are-right-to-politicize-sandy.html
Politifact rates him “Pants on Fire”, Jeep refutes him. Now he’s going after GM and General Motors has weighed in against Romney. Hopefully this will end very badly for Rmoney!
Detroit Free Press: GM calls latest Romney auto ad ‘politics at its cynical worst’
I wonder if corporations can sue for defamation of character? They are “people, my friend.”
roflol
Detroit News reporter David Sherpardson reported some more choice words from GM over the ad, quoting a representative who said “At this stage, we’re looking at a Hubble telescope-length distances between campaign ads and reality….GM’s creating jobs in the US and repatriating profits back to this country should be a source of bipartisan pride.”
Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith released a statement responding to the latest Romney ads:
I wish that the people who need to read this would read it. Unfortunately, they are all tone deaf, or as Shinita posted, they have Romnesia.
And Mr Loaf, given name Meat – I used to love his music. Now he’s a down and out has been getting into politics and making me regret introducing him to my children. Does Romney have one celebrity who is under the age of 50 and not white? Oh, sorry, Kirk Cameron and we all luvs us some Kirk.
I love it HT, given name Meat!
Thinking back I brought my kids his book for Christmas in 2000……….Meatloaf to hell and back……….I’ll suggest they donate it to the Mormon Church.
Has this been put up?
Ari Shapiro @Ari_Shapiro
Romney aide Stuart Stevens says “I agree” that Romney bio video blurs line b/t storm relief & politicking. “I don’t know how it happened”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/10/30/1112971/romney-campaign-plays-convention-video-at-non-political-storm-relief-event-in-ohio/
Sure he doesn’t 🙂 Wonder if he know how McCain came to be giving his campaign talking point speech at another “relief event”? Liars.
Demented war mongering scumbag yells at clouds.
First Read: McCain rips Obama on Libya at relief event
Good grief, the man is really senile. Sad to watch someone who once had some integrity degenerate this way.
He is a sorry excuse for his own legacy, what little there it of it now. I can’t imagine how bad it would be if he had won in 2008!
Can you hear me, Poppow go home, right now.
Ha! Powpow! Good one 🙂
I was laughing so hard I misspelled and made a new word 🙂
Just remember, this is the “decider” that chose Sarah Palin ….I think that just about sums up my thoughts.
Here I go again, has this been put up? I have been on the phone with my sister and haven’t read everything.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/mitt-romney-flooding_n_2042886.html
I don’t know if it’s been up before but I liked it.
Suck it wingnuts! As if it mattered 🙂
CBS/NYT Poll: Obama By 1 Point Nationally
42% of voters misunderstand the word “believe”. Interesting that they even asked.
Ralph, Lawrence O’Donnell is killing the Des Moines Register!
Glad someone is doing it. I read their endorsement and it made as much sense as some screed by Princess Dumbass of the North Woods. It was ridiculous!
I hope we can find a video of it, he brings up the reason they went for Obama 4 years ago, Health Insurance, and the last republican they endorsed Richard Nixon after the Washington Post had already found out he was a crook. It was really good.
John Cole on Rmoney’s campaign/relief rally in Ohio 😉
balloon-juice: So Much Fail In One Man
Posted in Assholes, Clown Shoes, Election 2012, Money Boo Boo