Pizza with ‘Papa’… Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney watches the Republican National Convention while playing with a few of his grandchildren from his hotel room on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012 in Tampa, FL. (Photo – Evan Vucci/AP)
Heh.
If you’re sick of hearing leftists’ manipulative meme “Mitt Romney is cold and calculating; he needs to HUMANIZE himself” it was eviscerated at last night’s GOP National Convention:
Townhall’s Guy Benson states my case:
If Barack Obama and David Axelrod had their druthers, every American voter would have a certain impression of Mitt Romney: An exceedingly wealthy, secretive, greedy robber baron, using his substantial means to identify and exploit small businesses — sucking them dry of capital, bankrupting them, and laying off all the hard-working employees, leaving a trail of human misery and destruction in his wake. After distributing those pink slips, he cackles and rubs his hands together while depositing his obscene profits into his off-shore bank account somewhere, then it’s on to the next victim. This is the cartoon liberals have painted of Romney, spending tens of millions of dollars on negative ads. It’s mean-spirited fantasy. Yes, Mitt Romney built an exceptional private sector career. Americans tend to celebrate that sort of thing. But he’s also a faithful, honorable, compassionate family man whose generosity and kindness hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention, at least until last night.
Three speeches during the closing session of the Republican National Convention shed light on the private deeds and values of the party’s nominee for president. I’d bet that the Romney’s weren’t thrilled by the prospect of airing their private (squeaky-clean) laundry for all the world to see because bragging about doing the right thing feels unseemly. But given the assault on Mitt Romney’s character and the consequential nature of the election, they relented and decided to allow others to sketch out those elements of Mitt’s life on his behalf. Kate touched on one of these speeches earlier. I cannot possibly share these vignettes any better than the speakers themselves. The hall was silent, and few eyes remained dry during these extraordinary testimonials.
Before we look at the videos, Byron York (Chief Political Correspondent for The Examiner) weighs in with an article titled “The most extraordinary story of the GOP convention“:
The portion of the program devoted to Romney’s religious service was enough to leave many viewers in tears — and with a higher opinion of Romney than they had before.
In particular, the program featured Ted and Pat Oparowski, a couple who lived in Medford, Massachusetts in the 1970s. They knew Romney from church, and when their 14 year-old son David was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 1979, Romney visited the boy regularly. “They developed a loving friendship,” Pat Oparowski said, recounting the many times Romney came to see her and her son.
David Oparowski’s cancer was terminal. During one visit, Mrs. Oparowski recalled, “David, knowing Mitt had gone to law school at Harvard, asked Mitt if he would help him write a will. He had some prize possessions that he wanted to make sure were given to his closest friends and family. The next time Mitt went to the hospital, he was equipped with his yellow legal pad and pen. Together, they made David’s will. That is a task that no child should ever have to do. But it gave David peace of mind. So after David’s death, we were able to give his skateboard, his model rockets, and his fishing gear to his best friends. He also made it clear that his brother Peter should get his Ruger .22 rifle. How many men do you know who would take the time out of their busy lives to visit a terminally ill 14 year old and help him settle his affairs?”
“David also helped us plan his funeral,” Pat Oparowski continued. “He wanted to be buried in his Boy Scout uniform. He wanted Mitt to pronounce his eulogy, and Mitt was there to honor that request. We will be ever grateful to Mitt for his love and concern.”
It was an extraordinary story, seldom mentioned in the press, and it left many in the hall in tears. “You cannot measure a man’s character based on the words he utters before adoring crowds during times that are happy,” said Ted Oparowski. “The true measure of a man is revealed in his actions during times of trouble — the quiet hospital room of a dying boy, with no cameras and no reporters.”
Guy Benson concludes:
My eyes welled up again just posting these videos. I couldn’t help by feel pangs of profound compassion for these families, and genuine gladness that a man as fine as Mitt Romney was active in their lives to comfort and help them during their struggles. Where is the monstrous, avaricious, uncaring money robot we’re always warned about in these anecdotes? He’s nowhere to be found because he doesn’t exist.
Grant Bennet, who served as an ecclesiastical assistant to Romney when he served as a Bishop (lay pastor) in his church, also spoke at the convention:
[Starting in the 1980's - continuing for 14 years...] Romney was a bishop in the Boston suburb of Belmont, a job akin to the pastor of a congregation.Mitt Romney’s little grandson reaches for him after Romney and Paul Ryan were joined by their families onstage last night after Romney’s acceptance speech. (Reuters)
An assistant back then, Grant Bennett, told Republican delegates at the GOP convention that Romney had “a listening ear and a helping hand.” He said Romney devoted as many as 20 hours a week at his own expense.
…
He then served as a stake president, the top Mormon authority in his region, which meant he presided over several congregations in a district similar to a diocese.He counseled Latter-day Saints on their most personal concerns, regarding marriage, parenting, finances and faith. He worked with immigrant converts from Haiti, Cambodia and other countries. Bennett has in the past described how Romney built relationships with other religious groups around his Belmont, Mass., hometown, after a suspicious fire in 1984 destroyed a new Mormon meeting house there.
Bennett further elaborated:
“Mitt prayed with and counseled church members seeking spiritual direction, single mothers raising children, couples with marital problems, youth with addictions, immigrants separated from their families, and individuals whose heat had been shut off.”
Byron York concludes:
Many critics say the Romney campaign needs to do more to “humanize” the candidate. What those critics might want to do is watch the Oparowski story and ask if they themselves could ever be as human, and humane, as Mitt Romney.
This is who Romney really is. Too bad these stories weren’t covered by the mainstream media.
There are many more stories to be told of Mitt Romney’s quiet, behind-the-scenes, selfless service and compassion. In the meantime, let’s share these stories far and wide.
Follow Jayde Wyatt on Twitter @YayforSummer
I enjoyed the testimonials given, I loved the way He is true leader in every way. Mitt Romney will ce a very good President of our country. A man like there has never been since our founding fathers.
It’s a shame that the biased and unethical mainstream media will continue to keep the public from knowing Mitt,most likely there will be full coverage of next weeks dnc! :-(
I am so happy that you wonderful people came forward and talked about the real Mitt Romney.I did not need to be told these things because He is living the Mormon Faith love God and sever your fellow man.My wish would be that the Whole country gets to Know the real Mitt as President of this great nation,and His lovely first lady Ann. God bless you both.
Those kids love their grandpa Mitt…and so do we!
Yes Mitt is really really great. It would have been even better if they had shown some heartwarming stories from some of the thousands of employees whose jobs Bain offshored to India and China and elsewhere. That would have shown his true compassion and humanized him like only the real truth can. Also too, dogsagainstromney. Just sayin’ ;^)
It was a great night. The speeches were great. I have heard of many people saying had they known these personal stories about Mitt in the primaries they would have voted for him. Mission accomplished…. onward and upward to a better America!
Our America is in trouble. And I have been shocked at how our politicians are so unconcerned. They are off on vacations, using the Presidential Jets (and fuel) and increasing our national debt at alarming speed.
I thank God for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. After following the convention I am even more sure of the Republican ticket to get our country back on target.
I am a woman with children and grandchildren. I am alarmed at the direction our country is going. I am pro-life and believe that the only time a living embryo or child should be removed from the womb is when God himself does so.
If we believe in God and his laws and values, it is up to us to stand in the breach and defend the innocent; to visit the widows and orphans, to feed the poor, and provide housing for the homeless. As I watched Romney and Ryan during the convention, I feel strongly that they will support Godly values, and guide this country back to the right path. I pray they win this race. And I will continue to do so. God bless Romney and Ryan and their families; the American People and the United States of America. I encourage each of you to research and study what each politician offers and check their record; for if we stay with what we have, we will only loose even more.
These stories makes your eye wet. Very touching stories.
I was a bit dissappointed this year RNC convention, however, Thank God! for genius Clint Eastwood performance. I laughed my head off (plenty aha moments, too). The incompetent Obama absent leader chair conversation was unforgettable. That was the BEST part of the convention for me. The media is very crtical b/c they know Eastwood message was very EFFECTIVE. Well, Eastwood made my day!!!!
“we own this country …..Politicians are employees of ours.”
“…when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.”
“…I think if you just step aside and Mr. Romney can kind of take over.” I LOve it!!!
When I look at Mitt’s eyes when I see him on television I can see the compassion in them. I love his soft, gentle eyes, and his smile crinkles. I knew why Mitt would not share stories about himself. We are counseled to be humble. Mitt is a humble servant of the Lord, and although many people cannot understand how someone as accomplished, intelligent and successful as Mitt Romney can be humble, I can. We would be a very lucky nation indeed to have Mitt Romney as our president. He would serve his country with humble greatness.
I knew Mitt’s Father nd Mother when I lived in Michigan. They were wonderful people!! Very giving and great exmples of Christlike lives!! I can see why Mitt is the way that he is!!!
I consider this post to be one of the most important we have ever published on MittRomneyCentral.com — Bar none!
Great work Jayde. It is my hope and prayer that every person that reads the content of your post and watches these videos will forward the link to the post and otherwise promote it using Facebook and Twitter and any other social media they can find.
The uninformed voter needs to find this lighthouse through the heavy liberal fog of darkness!
HUMANIZE… how about CANONIZE ;)
Not only did those stories HUMANIZE Mitt, they show what a WONDERFUL HUMAN he is. Someone should start a site where people can share these kinds of personal stories about Mitt. I’m sure they are plentiful…
@Vic – Thank you.
Dan says:
September 1, 2012 at 10:24 AM
HUMANIZE… how about CANONIZE ;)
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“CANONIZE” Romney!? That isn’t funny even as a joke, and the fact that you said it suggests that you do not have very strong religious beliefs and you know very little about Christianity. How on earth would one even go about canonizing someone that not only ISN’T A CATHOLIC, but who also DOESN’T EVEN BELIEVE IN THE HOLY TRINITY??? Seriously, could someone please explain to me how that could possibly work?
To JBinMD:
1. Sometimes you’ve got to cut jobs to save the entire business. Even you know that. And wasn’t it Obama that outsourced NASA? And hasn’t had employment below 8% since his presidency started?
2. Mormons do believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, should you for some reason consider that relevant.
3. The dog liked to ride on the car. He’d hop up happily into his wind-protected crate. It’s because they didn’t want to leave the poor pup alone that they took him with them.
If you’re going to make your decision based on these distortions, fine, but don’t expect others who frequent this site and who know the truth to stand idly by while you regurgitate them. After you’ve sat with a 14 year old kid dying of cancer or visited the family of a prematurely born child or shut down your business to look for a missing teenager you let us know and we can consider you an authority on human kindness.
To JBinMD
Enjoy your “sour” grapes!
Remember, also that Mitt gave his fathers entire fortune away. He made his own wealth and in doing so made many others wealthy. Just knowing this man would be a blessing. He stopped in the middle of the 2008 campaign to help people who had trees down in their yard. A tornado had caused serious damage. He and his boys worked to clear a yard for a family. He had no media present and did not speak about the work he had done.
I am praying daily for Romney to be elected in Nov. Our country needs him
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I’m soooo tired or hearing everyone say “we don’t know Mitt Romney”. I would wager a bet that there are hundreds of thousands more of these testimonials about Mitt Romney. I would also wager a bet that Mitt, being the Christian he is, doesn’t yell from the mountain top of all his charitable giving whether monetary, physical or emotional. He is a TRUE leader and I also prayer he is our next President.
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