07/24/2007
Mitt Romney on Obama Osama Comparison: "Lighten Up"
You may have seen the photos, first published on TMZ, of Republican candidate Mitt Romney happily posing next to and holding up a sign comparing Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden.
Romney is questioned about the signs at another campaign appearance. His answer? "Lighten up."
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 10:21 AM EST by Andy in 9/11, Barack Obama, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, News, Republican Party | Permalink
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OK, I would vote for a Republican only after I clawed out my own eyeballs, but isn't the use of the word "comparing" a bit hysteric ?
The sign groups three people -- Barak Obama, Osama bin Laden and Hillary Clinton -- as ostensibly poorer choices than Mitt Romney. It does not say that Barak IS LIKE Osama.
Having a sign that said Sears Tower, bowling ball and raven may aggregate three things colored black, but it does not directly COMPARE a bowling ball to the Sears Tower.
I don't know, I just think this is shrill and hysteric and makes all of us look like soft skinned losers when the electorate still clearly has an appetite for a leader who is tough in the face of challenges (challenges far greater than some dumb sign).
If this is just to create white noise to counteract Repuglican white noise, so be it, but it does nothing to advance awareness of the real issues.
Flame on...
Posted by: Becks07 | Jul 24, 2007 10:31:13 AM
I don't think there is a bigger douchebag currently running for president. Please let him be the GOP nominee!
Posted by: Acolyte | Jul 24, 2007 10:31:31 AM
Romney's message to all of America's darker-skinned citizens:
LIGHTEN UP!
Posted by: Rey | Jul 24, 2007 10:35:54 AM
The sign was clearly inappropriate at best. Romney can't claim ignorance... his handlers knew what the sign said even if he didn't. It was pretty offensive, both to people of color as well as to women. The creator of the sign also mis-spelled "mama", which doesn't surprise me at all.
Another thing:
WHY IS THERE AN AD ON THIS SITE ADVERTISING FREE DELIVERY OF ANN COULTER'S COLUMNS? The site, www.humanevents.com, is showing Coulter's nasty face and huge adam's apple as I type this. Andy, did you know?
Ick.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 24, 2007 10:43:42 AM
What an ass.
Posted by: SC | Jul 24, 2007 11:01:05 AM
I second Becks. I will add that Mitt bluntly saying "Lighten up," while fun, doesn't turn me on as much as Michael Bloomberg saying "Get a life." Actually, none of the candidates turns me on as much as Michael Bloomberg.
Posted by: MattGaymon | Jul 24, 2007 11:01:32 AM
Right on Becks. The Romney campaign obviously didn't make that sign, and even if they had, I probably still wouldn't care much.
It saddens me that politicians have to spend so much time and energy trying to dodge "scandals" like this instead of focusing on real issues. I think the press - this site included - does need to lighten up.
(PS: For the record, I'm not a Romney supporter. I'd seriously consider voting for Satan over that asshat.)
Posted by: Rich | Jul 24, 2007 11:25:53 AM
I've got no love for Romney, but that is a great answer. It's nice to see that the handlers for these types of people finally learned something from the piss-poor handling of both Gore and Kerry's campaigns. Everyone should just lighten up, get a life, and stop their damn whining. Between this and the witty fun of the Obama Girl phenomenon, I like where this election is headed. But for the record, I'm a Bloomie fan, too.
Posted by: Aatom | Jul 24, 2007 11:59:36 AM
What kind of fucking moron can't spell "momma?"
Posted by: nuflux | Jul 24, 2007 12:22:57 PM
Republicans can go fuck themselves. ALL of them...
Posted by: Robert In WeHo | Jul 24, 2007 12:27:01 PM
This crop of republicans suck beyond belief. They are vomit inducing.
Posted by: Himbo with Highlights | Jul 24, 2007 12:32:33 PM
Perhaps she meant MOMA--the Museum Of Modern Art.
Posted by: db | Jul 24, 2007 12:39:34 PM
Gays
Pedophiles
Murderers
What? Lighten up! I'm not comparing gays to pedophiles, I'm just saying I'm not either of them.
Seriously? Asshole.
Reminds me of when Canada's current Conservative (trend here maybe?)prime minister took out attack ads saying "Does -Liberal candidate- support child pornography?"
Posted by: karashi | Jul 24, 2007 12:51:19 PM
Folks i hate that somehow they have this Ann Coulter ad on here too. I have blocked HumanEvents through adsense in all possible ways and have posted a strong post to the Google forums and can't get them to pay attention. Rest assured we did not invite the and have asked that it be blocked for months now.
I should note here that we welcome all kinds of opinions on Towleroad. We do not welcome those who are disrespectful of others.
It's also a shame that all the authors of HumanEvents are banned from our site as a result of this. All they have to do is drop Ann and we would take ads from their other, more respectful fringe extremists.
Mike
Andy's (biz) partner
Posted by: mike | Jul 24, 2007 1:39:16 PM
I have a friend who just dropped Google ads because of the Ann ad's on her blog......her str8 friends were complaining about the ad's.
It's unfortunate that you have to resort to dropping something totally because of douchbag ad's.
Google really needs to work out a system where the ad's are more targeted and appropriate for the site's it serves. One size fits all dosen't work in advertisment or sex.
Posted by: Joshua | Jul 24, 2007 1:48:40 PM
NO TO
ROMNEY
HITLER
and BABY RAPERS
Lighten up!
Posted by: Gregoire | Jul 24, 2007 1:54:49 PM
NO TO
ROMNEY
BRIGHAM YOUNG
POLYGAMISTS
WARREN JEFFS
Lighten up!
Posted by: db | Jul 24, 2007 2:25:29 PM
BECKS07, you cannot be that obtuse. the right wing has been trying to tie barack HUSSEIN obama to islam and, hence, to terrorists like osama bin laden. there is an insidiousness at play here that seeks to tie obama and hillary (by guilt by assosiacion) to the rovian soft-on-terrorism bromide against all democrats. to perceive romney's posing next to a sign that clearly links obama and hillary to bin laden as innocuous, is naive at best. other than schlepping his dog cross-country on the roof of the family car, romney know's what he is doing. "lighten up" sounds depressingly similar to dubya not wanting to play "gotcha politics" during the 2000 campaign and later -- after invading iraq -- flippantly stating, "bring 'em on."
Posted by: nic | Jul 25, 2007 3:05:35 AM
As much as I HATE HATE to agree with any Republican. Good Lord people. Lighten the hell up. Get the stick out of your ass and concentrate on something important. Criticize Romney on the HUNDREDS of valid points, not on this stupid ass shit - it makes you look like deuchebags.
Posted by: Dan | Jul 26, 2007 2:58:44 AM