Mitt Romney Offers Gentlemanly Response to Hubbub Over Anonymous Comments
Twitter has been all aflutter with Palinites upset over the anonymous comments by ‘supposed’ Romney staffers in a TIME.com news article. It’s been very painful to watch the “Romney” search on Twitter because of the many harmful and divisive things that are being said, particularly before a mid-term election. Granted the comments by the anonymous staffers are completely uncalled for, but I believe the sensational reaction has been equally wrong-spirited.
The thing that is painful to watch is when the upset Palin supporters presume that these anonymous ill-speakers are actually conveying the mind and will of Mitt Romney. I don’t believe that is the case. Mitt Romney has been nothing but gracious towards Sarah Palin, or any other GOP member for that matter.
These types of ugly remarks and over-reactions have severe effects on the unity of the party. Why should we let the tasteless remarks of two staffers divide thousands of conservative, who should be unified allies, into warring factions? Mark Halperin of TIME.com is probably laughing his hind end off over the schism he’s caused amongst our ranks.
Here’s how it went down:
The Time.com quote:
One adviser to Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and, by traditional standards, the putative 2012 frontrunner, says of Palin, “She’s not a serious human being.” Another Romney intimate warns, “If she’s standing up there in a debate and the answers are more than 15 seconds long, she’s in trouble.”
The upset responses:
ReagantoPalin.com: Romney Campaign Staffers Attack Sarah Palin
Conservatives4Palin.com Reagan to Palin: Romney Campaign Staffers Attack Sarah Palin
Tammy Bruce (radio talk-show host and blogger): When it Comes to Palin, Romney Decides the Gutter Suits Him Best
Rebecca Mansour, founder of C4P, but is now official adviser to Palin, promotes Tammy Bruce’s blog post via Twitter.
Erick Erickson of Redstate.com and Allahpundit add fuel to the fire.
A long-time Palin aide fights back and criticizes the Romney camp … anonymously via Politico. (Sorry, but that is just too ironic.)
Plus many more I’m sure.
Mitt Romney responds via Twitter:
TIME says unnamed advisors disparaged @SarahPalinUSA. Anonymous numbskulls. She’s proven her smarts; they’ve disproven theirs.
I would think this answer would placate some of the concerns of Palin supporters. Mitt denounced the anonymous commentors, and goes on record saying Palin has proven smarts, and again castigates the commentors. I thought it was sincere, gracious and well spoken. As someone commented on twitter: smart of @MittRomney to realize that an anonymous quote war w/ @SarahPalinUSA won’t get anyone anywhere.
Frankly, I am even more astonished by further responses to Mitt Romney’s. When Romney offers an olive branch they accuse him of what else? 24 hour flip-flopping.
Responses to Mitt’s tweet:
Conservatives4Palin: Mitt Romney Surrenders Quickly
Tammy Bruce blog post update: “pathetic, immature response from Romney”
Uggh.
This rhetoric needs to be toned down quickly. It is not even the mid-terms yet. If this continues it will be one very ugly primary, perhaps rivaling that of 2008. And the uglier it gets the more likely our nominee will lose in 2012.
What should we as supporters do? Get some class like Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. That means you, unnamed “numbskull” commentors. And that means you, Tammy Bruce. And that means me, Nate Gunderson.
~Nate Gunderson
Update: To further my point that all staffers don’t “speak the mind of the candidate” as Tammy Bruce suggests, Rebecca Mansour (Palin adviser) tweets this: Just to clarify things. This is my personal Twitter account. Just mine. These are my personal thoughts. It’s called free speech. Period.
Update 2 by Jayde: Follow-up tweet from Rebecca Mansour (Palin adviser)
@RomneyCentral Let’s work together on 2010.
UPDATE 3 by Jayde: Some background information regarding Mark Halperin, author of the Times article in which he claims he spoke to an ‘adviser’ of Mitt Romney and an ‘intimate’ of Mitt Romney:
Halperin worked for ABC for 20 years, with 10 of those years as their Political Director. “In that role, he was responsible for political reporting and planning for the network’s television, radio and Internet political coverage. He also appeared regularly on ABC News TV and radio as a correspondent and analyst, contributing commentary and reporting during election night coverage, presidential inaugurations and State of the Union speeches. At ABC, Halperin reported on every major American political story, including working as a full-time reporter covering the Clinton presidential campaign in 1992 and the Clinton White House.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, on June 30th, he was named as MSNBC’s newest Senior Political Analyst.
Last year, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann co-authored a best-selling book about the last presidential election called ‘Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, Palin and McCain, and the Race of a Lifetime’ which was released in January of this year. He and Heilemann claim truthful behind-the-scenes information (over 300 interviews) about then-candidates.
Knowing Halperin’s background, with Obama’s plummeting poll numbers (could MSNBC’s low ratings be a factor?), he is attempting to throw a skunk into the Republican coalition family reunion. Let’s focus on the real threat to America – the Obama Administration and the progressives who support him.
Update 4 by Jayde:
Leave a comment for Tammy Bruce: http://bit.ly/aIsS6V
Hat tip to Jim (MRC commenter):
“You might want to add Mark Levin to that list, too. To hear Mark Levin’s take, follow the link below, wait until it has loaded, then drag the audio to the 1:08:35 mark.” http://bit.ly/aNi19U
How to contact the Mark Levin Show:
Phone: 1-877-381-3811
(Mon. – Fri. 6pm to 9pm)
Email: marklevin.show@citcomm.com
Update 5 by Aaronius:
Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told The Daily Caller emphatically that the comments about Palin in the Time.com article were not authorized, approved or encouraged by Romney.
“These anonymous voices don’t speak for Governor Romney,” Fehrnstrom said in an e-mail. “The truth is Governor Romney has a small circle of people who advise him, and they all know the high regard that he has for Sarah Palin, and he has expressed that view in numerous interviews over the years.”
*Hat tip (from Jayde) to Marybeth (MRC commenter) for bringing this story to our attention as it was breaking.
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People don’t know what’s good for them. This is why the country is the way it is because the people judge their decision based on the letter (D) at the end of a candidates’ name rather than basing it on the one who is right on the issues.
Mitt Romney for prez. in 2012!
“What should we as supporters do? Get some class like Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. That means you, unnamed “numbskull” commentors. And that means you, Tammy Bruce. And that means me, Nate Gunderson.”
You might want to add Mark Levin to that list too.
“To hear Mark Levin’s take, follow the link below, wait until it has loaded, then drag the audio to the 1:08:35 mark.”
http://tinyurl.com/2euwuf7
Divide and conquer people.
Time magazine is doing that with this article. They have relied on “unnamed sources” to start a war between Palin and Romney. This only makes for more Republican party in-fighting, when the real adversary is the Obama Administration. Let’s unite to get him out of office in 2012. Let’s not fight amongst ourselves.
I know I’m not the first to say it but, I don’t put much stock in a unnamed source that speaks to a liberal magazine.
I see little evidence of a rivalry from any statements made by Mitt Romney or Sarah Palin. Call me crazy, but it seems to me that the two are actually fighting on the same side. Mitt was the first of the two to endorse Nikki Haley was he not? Together they are pretty strong. Romney can get loads of money to a candidate, and bring them party connections, while Palin can engineer popular support among tea partiers.
Gee, now who would gain from seeing that destroyed? Who would prefer to see Palinistas and Romneyites fighting among themselves rather than work to defeat them? Who would stand laughing while one or two top Republican leaders go down? No, not Mike Huckabee…
See, here is the thing about Democrats. They have a tendency to support personalities rather than principles. Surely, they think that they are the same way. They see us as Palin-hating Romney zombies, and Palinistas as Romney-hating Palin zombies. In escalating this feud, we prove them right.
Now, when it comes to 2012, I doubt that I would vote for Sarah Palin in a primary, but her value as an activist cannot be denied. That’s what is important right now. 2012 can wait. When that battle is fought, if both candidates choose to run for President, it can be fought off of principled arguments made by both candidates, not throwaway quotes from some gutless unnamed source to probably spends his days in a Democratic campaign center.
Very good comments, all. Thanks.
Republicans should unite as one. Way too soon for bickering. November is more important.
Sure, I look forward to a heated GOP primary but now is not the time.
Romney 2012 all the way…..
Well what do you expect? It’s TIME. They’re not interested in journalistic integrity, they’re hiding behind the 1st amendment to shred the people they know have the power to take them down.
Palin’s great. I don’t think she’ll be the best candidate this time around. I certainly wouldn’t go around talking crap–and the people who work for Romney, I give them more credit than that. We know we’re on the same side.
This Tammy Bruce lady needs a chill pill.
‘A Sloppily Sourced Fire’ (Referring to the anonymous comments by ‘supposed’ Romney contacts and an anonymous Palin aid):
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/07/mitt-romney-politely-declines-misguided-feud-with-sarah-palin.html
I don’t know why ths is ‘news’ other than that the Palnista’s have taken it, added more to it and posted it all over the net. Exactly what is it they want? Romney’s response was appropriate. (Idon’t think he should have dignified he comment, but that’s just me). We don’t know th names of the unnamed souces on BOTH sides. Until we do, I’m just assuming they don’t really exist.
Also, by way of backgound on Ms. Bruce. She is openly gay, and is very upset over the CA prop 8 business. Many blame the LDS church, of which Mitt is a member, for it’s demise in CA.
I do not for a second beleive that Mitt would say any thing negitive about Sahra Palin, or any one else, and if she knows him at all (which she does) she would know those things are not true, and that he did not say any of the things the media makes up. I worked with Mitt on his last campaine several times and Mitt would not say any thing against a friend. To begin with because of Mitts religion he would not speak unkind words about a person. I will be so glad when Mitt anounces he will run again. I can’t wait to help him again, We need him so bad our Beautiful America is waiting for him. I feel he is our only salvation, along with alot of help through prayer.
Palin supporters have to realize it’s not in Mitt’s dna to level low brow jabs, even if it’s directed towards Mike Huckabee who definitely deserves at least some fire back let alone Sarah Palin for whom he’s always had an amicable relationship. Don’t fall for it Palin supporters!