Y’know, at first the story about Mitt Romney’s dog Seamus was a nice little fillip — a schadenfreude-inducing anecdote that reflected Mitt’s occasional bouts of cluelessness. Recently it sparked a funny website (I want a “Never Forget Crate Gate” T-shirt) and an attempt to Google-bomb a new definition for “Romney.”
(For those just joining us, back in 1983, for a long family driving trip, Romney put the family dog in a carrier and strapped it to the roof. At one point, the dog had a case of diarrhea, possibly related to the stress of the ride. Romney’s solution: stop at a gas station, hose down the dog, and keep driving.)
But now, when Mitt seems completely incapable of discussing his vast personal wealth without coming across like J. Pierpont Morgan glaring at a beggar, I think it reveals a fundamental flaw in Mitt’s personality. One that makes him unfit to be President.
(Not that he’s more unfit than Gingrich or Santorum or Paul. But that’s a very low hurdle to clear.)
On all the issues, Mitt is well-rehearsed and lifelike. Sure, there’s a gloss of insincerity to the whole exercise, but at least he doesn’t trip over his own talking points like some of the other Republican contenders. But when it comes to his own riches, he seems to have a blind spot. The gaffes are coming so thick and fast, it’s hard to keep up with them all. He admits to a tax rate of about 15 percent. $374,000 is “not very much” money. He can’t come up with a decent dodge on his tax returns. “I like being able to fire people.” “America is right and you’re wrong!”
Mitt can (sort of) handle the day-to-day business of politics. But he apparently can’t handle criticism aimed at him personally. (Hell, he still hasn’t managed a coherent explanation for tying his dog to the roof.) At some fundamental level, he’s lived such an entitled life that he is nonplussed and more than a bit offended when people raise questions about him.
It’s as if, somewhere deep inside, he’s saying “Look, I’m rich, successful and handsome. I could do anything I want. But I will deign to be your President. I’m even willing to visit crappy little diners and say all kinds of stupid stuff to get the job. Can’t you people show a little gratitude?” Just as he might have said to Seamus, “Look, I went to all the trouble of strapping you to the roof and giving you a free ride across the country. You should be grateful. So stop whining and getting shit all over my car!”
It’s the same mindset that drove him as a venture capitalist: he’s working hard and growing wealth. If your job gets lost in the process, well, you should be thankful that he’s making your company (sorry, your ex-company) more efficient and competitive.
Yes, folks, We Are All Seamus. Mitt is offering us a free ride on the roof of his car. So just shut up about his millions and his offshore tax shelters and his heartlessness. Stop shitting on his car and enjoy the ride.
and an aside on the cost of journalism.The Boston Globe reporter that broke the story is worried and until recently had refused to write again about Seamus and Mitt .
http://jimromenesko.com/2012/0…
but Obama has the greater liability given he’s surrounded by people from the Clinton (and Bush!) administrations who were responsible for policies that precipitated the 2008 crisis which we are still in (see Frontline episode on Brooksley Born or the documentary “Inside Job”), has surrounded himself by Goldman Sachs execs and has historically received a significant amount of donations from the bank and investment industries (in particular Goldman Sachs) than Republicans.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pre…
When I was in college, I knew a fellow student of undistinguished personality who happened to have a remarkable dog, “Ralph.” The dog had scads more personality than the owner whose name also happened to begin with an “R.”
In fact, the dog was so much more memorable than his master that, by mistake, friends occasionally referred to the owner by the dog’s name instead.
Ralph was a loyal obedient servant to his master, accompanying him everywhere and carrying groceries, books and sundries in a fitted set of saddle packs.
When “R” and his wife decided to move across company by car and trailer, they packed-up an entire household before realizing that they couldn’t take both the washing machine and the dog.
Now, the washing machine was one of those old wringer varieties, which the owner had gotten for literally nothing, but “R” was as parsimonious as they come, so he actually considered leaving the dog behind and taking the washing machine.
It was only the outcry from his friends that forced him to reconsider.