I don’t necessarily think this makes him unfit to be president…but it does reinforce my thoughts that he’s completely out of touch with so many facets of life/society/culture.
And, the blog is interesting…thoughts?
There was a follow-up interview last year or so in which someone asked about the incident. He laughed it off and said, “I love my dogs,” and when the interviewer said something else, was laughed off, and Romney’s handler ended the interview.
Dogs Against Romney had a small but very effective (and funny) protest at Westminster. It was covered by CNN, NPR, Huffington Post and lots of other media outlets.
It is a story that continues to dog Romney (pun intended). I don’t believe he was being deliberately cruel, but it does show a breathtaking lack of empathy in his character. Which as a potential POTUS, is very scary.
Sort of like LBJ picking up his beagle by the ears…
I’m with Mao. That incident showed not only a nearly sociopathic lack of empathy for a vulnerable critter, it displayed a STUNNING lack of judgment and common sense.
Someone who makes that sort of decision has no business being POTUS. And he laughs it off like it’s nothing, no big deal…IMO worsening the incident. A wise man would at least admit to the mistake/lack of judgment, maybe use it as a teachable moment (dogs are not luggage). Not this guy.
Why wouldn’t we hold a politician, who potentially will govern all of us, to the same standards to which we would hold ourselves or a friend? (party affinity notwithstanding).
The story I heard was that there were 7 people in the car and they wanted to take the dog along on the vacation rather than leaving him behind. They secured his carrier on top of the car and made a windshield to block the wind from the front. Since the dog sustained no harm, I’m not concerned about it without some detail that tells me the dog was distressed by it. I would assume that he was not. Many dogs ride in the back of pickup trucks (not safe unless the dog is secured), with theif heads out the windows, and various places like that.
It’s just sometime to try to damage him politically. There are serious issues facing this country and the liberal press (those mentioned in this thread are all liberal) chooses to cover how Mitt Romeny transported the family pet dog on the family vacation almost 30 years ago rather than looking at the destruction of the separation of powers that is the foundation of our system of government. Clearly, the dog was not harmed in any way, or that would be part of the story.
BTW, how it can be argued that loading up the kids and family dog into the station wagon for a family vacation by road trip is out of touch with the average American family is just beyond my comprehension. Perhaps, to be considered in touch, the family should take three separate jets to their vacation with the dog they bought for photo ops.
This old hat again?
Wasn’t that in an era when child safety seats were optional, or buckling up in the back seat. Or people riding in the back of a pickup…
yeah, it’s campaign smear.
[I]In brief, as the Boston Globe first reported in 2007, in 1983, Mitt Romney, then 36 years old, drove his station wagon packed with five sons and his wife on a 12-hour trip from Boston to Ontario, where his parents had a cottage on Lake Huron.
He took a dog carrier and attached it to the station wagon’s roof rack, built a special windshield, and put his dog Seamus into the carrier, where the dog remained for the 12-hour trip.[/I] [I]
Was the dog distressed? Was it illegal under Massachusetts law as cruelty? There is some evidence that both are true.[/I] [I]
During the trip, the Boston Globe reported, Romney’s oldest son, Tagg, looked around through the rear window and yelled, “Dad — gross!” A brown liquid was dripping down the back window — [/I] [I]diarrhea from an animal that just might have been caused by the stress of being inside a cage for 12 hours on top of a car going 60 mph.
And what did Romney do, even after knowing of the dog’s diarrhea? Did he realize that perhaps Seamus should be shown some mercy, cleaned up and allowed in the car, to sleep on someone’s lap?[/I] [I]
No.[/I] [I]
Here’s how the Globe described what Romney then did:[/I] “As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway. It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.”
7 people in a station wagon…and you want to throw in a wet dog with that…:lol::lol::lol::lol:
some folk would have put the luggage on the roof and the dog inside - just sayin’
In the era of no seatbelts/restraint, kids in pick-ups, no helmets, etc. – I can maybe see this being ATTEMPTED. He did (supposedly) make some sort of windshield.
But when the dog started having diarrhea all down the back of the car? How important was it to get to their vacation destination with such dogged (pun intended) determination? I’d rather teach my kids that they are stewards of their pets and animals.
So it might take a couple of hours to clean the dog up, rearrange the luggage, etc. So the car might have been a bit stinky (you think a pack of kids doesn’t generate odors?). You do what is right for your animals, especially if your bright idea caused the animal’s distress in the first place.
Folks, this was 30 YEARS ago! There is no evidence he ever did it again. He pulled over and cleaned the dog up so he didn’t have to finish the ride covered in poo. I would bet after that, he kenneled his dog rather than bring him on vacation!
Seriously, though, is that the only crap the media can come up with to make him out to be a bad guy?
You think with 7 people inside there was a lot of room for luggage? :lol:
Yep, that’s been 30 years ago.
Think back of all the things you did back then you would never ever do again.
I agree it was a long time ago and (hopefully) one-time event. However, let’s face it, not many of us can relate to someone like Mitt Romney with his background and wealth. But many sure can relate as pet owners. And in that, it’s speaks to character, and again, empathy - whether toward dogs or people.
The auto bailout is a prime example. Romney openly advocated managed bankruptcy of the auto industry, rather than gov’t bailout. As a successful venture capitalist, his opinion makes sense. It’s what he did for a living, and did extremely well. His objective being to make money for the company.
What he did not consider, or find of value, was how his version would have destroyed the lives of millions of people in the auto industry. There it is again - that breathtaking lack of empathy.
Umm…did you miss the part about him having to stop and clean the diarrhea that was running out of the crate and down the side of the car? To ME that would be a clue that the dog was distressed.
didn’t the dog have to suffer twice? They had to get home didnt they? unless they got smart and put the luggage in the dog crate and the dog in the backseat.
Seriously…WHAT backseat.
He has 5 kids there.
Naturally he could stick a couple of boys in the crate…
There was no return trip for Seamus…
http://www.dogsagainstromney.com/2012/01/urgent-crate-gate-update-did-mitt.html
Well, there is this …
Did Mitt Romney’s dog seek asylum in Canada?
Mitt Romney may not have told the whole truth about the scandalous tale of his Irish Setter, Seamus, being strapped to the roof of his car during a 12-hour family road trip to Canada. According to a trusted Politicker tipster, two of Mr. Romney’s sons had an off-record conversation with reporters where they revealed the dog ran away when they reached their destination on that infamous journey in 1983.
Mr. Romney’s wife, Ann, has previously said Seamus survived the trip and went on to live to a “ripe old age.” As of this writing, Mr. Romney’s campaign has not responded to multiple requests for comment on this story.
http://www.politicker.com/2012/01/31/did-mitt-romneys-dog-seek-asylum-in-canada/
