# Ann Romney's RNC Speech **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 29, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005 "2012-08-29T04:21:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/81 "2012-08-31T00:34:39Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Callous is a good word—for what you wrote. But perhaps there’s some organism infecting your brain. If so, can you share with me your financial information so I can be sure to dial up to the appropriate level of sympathy? How is it callous to point out that Ann Romney tells us to vote for her husband? And that said husband espouses policies that would make the lives of people with MS or breast cancer harder? The issue isn’t that Ann Romney had breast cancer or has MS. The issue (among other issues) is that Romney is wholeheartedly in favor of policies that would callously deny others access to the same treatment she has has. Or any treatment at all. Why are you so incapable of admitting this fact? It’s not Ann Romney’s riches many of us find reprehensible. It’s her failure to admit to having such riches. And her callousness towards those who don’t share her unearned privileges. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/82 "2012-08-31T01:00:17Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Translation: Anne is rich. The disease that may kill her is not as bad as the disease that may kill me or someone poor. Her mortality is not as scary to her as yours is to you. Why? Because she’s rich. A person who loses a child, but is wealthy, will not feel as much heartbreak as you. Seriously, how the fuck do you get that out of her post? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/83 "2012-08-31T01:00:43Z")
There is no point in invoking logic or reality with the likes of **magellan01** and his ilk. He’s drunk the kool-aid and there is no chance of rational discussion. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/84 "2012-08-31T01:06:39Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > How is it callous to point out that Ann Romney tells us to vote for her husband? And that said husband espouses policies that would make the lives of people with MS or breast cancer harder? > > The issue isn’t that Ann Romney had breast cancer or has MS. The issue (among other issues) is that Romney is wholeheartedly in favor of policies that would callously deny others access to the same treatment she has has. Or any treatment at all. Why are you so incapable of admitting this fact? > > It’s not Ann Romney’s riches many of us find reprehensible. It’s her failure to admit to having such riches. And her callousness towards those who don’t share her unearned privileges. She does not deny her wealth. But focusing on her mortality she’s not saying she’s not rich. The two have nothing to do with each other. Except, evidently, in your mind. Some people have a problem with the wealthy because they charge that they view those poorer than them as being less human. You do the converse here. You seem to think that if her humanity is dialed up, that her wealth becomes less. The two thing have nothing to do with each other. It’s like claiming that the the blueness of a person’s eyes gets diminished by their being taller. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/85 "2012-08-31T01:09:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > There is no point in invoking logic or reality with the likes of **magellan01** and his ilk. He’s drunk the kool-aid and there is no chance of rational discussion. Thanks you for yet another of your valuable contributions to SDMB debates. “Kool-aid” and “ilk” it one short post. Your value to the boards is incalculable. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/86 "2012-08-31T01:11:11Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Seriously, how the fuck do you get that out of her post? It necessarily follows from her attitude. She deprives Anne Romney of the most fundamental aspects of being human. In her her mind, wealth erases, or degrades the most fundamental aspects of our humanity. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/87 "2012-08-31T01:18:45Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > It necessarily follows from her attitude. She deprives Anne Romney of the most fundamental aspects of being human. In her her mind, wealth erases, or degrades the most fundamental aspects of our humanity. You really didn’t read any of my posts, did you? For the fifteenth time Ann Romney is the one depriving people of their fundamental humanity by a) pretending she’s ever faced the same financial problems we do and b) telling us to vote for her husband and his plans to hurt cancer and MS patients who don’t share her wealth. In her mind it’s okay to do that as long it means she and her husband can pay less in taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/88 "2012-08-31T01:21:41Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > It necessarily follows from her attitude. She deprives Anne Romney of the most fundamental aspects of being human. In her her mind, wealth erases, or degrades the most fundamental aspects of our humanity. Can you lay out the logic of that a little bit? I’ve honestly got no idea how you could possibly arrive at that conclusion, based on anything she’s posted here. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/89 "2012-08-31T01:40:15Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > There is no point in invoking logic or reality with the likes of **magellan01** and his ilk. He’s drunk the kool-aid and there is no chance of rational discussion. I’m honestly beginning to suspect that they’ve developed an RNC version of the zombie fungus. ( [National Geographic](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/05/110511-zombies-ants-fungus-infection-spores-bite-noon-animals-science/) ) > [@](#): > > It takes about three to nine days from initial infection for the ants to become completely zombified, the team found. At first, the infected ants go about their normal business, residing in their nests, interacting with other ants, and even feeding. > > “I think of them then as chimeras: part ant and part fungus,” said study leader David Hughes, an entomologist at Pennsylvania State University. > > “As time goes on, the fungal part increases until that ant’s behavior is no longer its own.” > > The new work also found that the fungus tends to kill its ant hosts at high noon, although the exact reason for this timing remains a mystery. I’m expecting a lot of heads to explode at high noon on Nov 7th. Then I’ll be running around telling people “I told you so” ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/90 "2012-08-31T02:02:07Z")
I’ll also add I’m not sure where the idea that JFK didn’t get shit for being from a wealthy family came from, because he certainly recieved it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/91 "2012-08-31T02:02:22Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > But perhaps there’s some organism infecting your brain. You are out of line. Knock it off. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/92 "2012-08-31T02:04:56Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > I’m honestly beginning to suspect that they’ve developed an RNC version of the zombie fungus. While not clearly aimed at any poster, this is doing nothing to promote actual discussion. Knock it off or take it to The BBQ Pit. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/93 "2012-08-31T02:12:47Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Can you lay out the logic of that a little bit? I’ve honestly got no idea how you could possibly arrive at that conclusion, based on anything she’s posted here. He represents the party that sincerely believed that W had a more distinguished military record than Kerry. And you’re asking for logic? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/94 "2012-08-31T02:15:21Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Callous is a good word—for what you wrote. But perhaps there’s some organism infecting your brain. If so, can you share with me your financial information so I can be sure to dial up to the appropriate level of sympathy? Dude, quit while you’re ahead. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/95 "2012-08-31T02:16:50Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > A frind of my family lost two of her children to accidents. She probably makes $60,00 per year, but the husband she also lost had left her a nice life insurance policy. Can you give me a gauge of how comforting I should try to be? Screwy Tapatalk.. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/96 "2012-08-31T02:36:16Z")
(Screwy Tapatalk…) I don’t know if you are trying to misunderstand what everyone is saying, but if not, try this. First, try to separate from your thoughts the idea that any rational person thinks that generic wealthy people are not human. Okay, now, in your example above, that sounds horrible and I sympathize with anyone who has lost a child. No amount of wealth or insurance money could lessen that tragedy. But this woman is not running for President on the Republican platform. She sounds like a regular middle class person. Imagine a woman whose husband had killed their children and then himself, thus invalidating his life insurance and obviously multiplying the horror. Say she misses a week of work, what with the multiple funerals and all. Her boss fires her for taking unapproved leave. As she’s being escorted out of the building, her boss (your friend ) says she really knows how she feels, after all, she went through the same thing. Do you think that is a jerky thing to say? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/97 "2012-08-31T02:51:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Best part of the speech imho. Reminds voters that they share similar experiences with everyone else. They had their share of lean times. > > Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten that he’s super rich now. 😃 But, he earned that money through years of hard work. But they shouldn’t want to call any close **attention** to all that hard work and the nature of it, that would kill Romney’s chances of winning. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/98 "2012-08-31T03:02:03Z")
Yeah, seriously, the fact that the Romneys are rich isn’t the problem. Most pols on this level are, at least compared to us common folk. But why take the tack “I’m just like you, I’ve struggled financially?” Because you haven’t. It’s pandering, it’s untrue, and it really insults the intelligence of the American people. Funnily, enough, I remember tons of abuse directed at the Kerrys back in 2004 because they were rich. But I don’t think they tried to insult the electorate by insisting that the private school educated, windsurfing Kerrys were “just like us” with their hardscrabble tuna and pasta dinners by candlelight. The thing is, I think Ann Romney seems like a nice enough lady. She just seems clueless and insulated from the economic reality that most Americans live in. Her health woes are certainly humanizing and are the kinds of tragedies that affect everyone - but being able to tackle a devastating diagnosis with resources that she had is very different from someone without the privilege and access to treatment. I think it was a tactical error to not acknowledge their wealth and privilege. It would be easy to say, “Yes, we’ve been blessed by the opportunities America presented to us. We want to give back, and have been giving back, by being involved in public service.” It seems like a softball sailed across the plate and Ann’s speechwriters missed. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/99 "2012-08-31T03:04:55Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > She does not deny her wealth. Her whole nonsense spiel about eating pasta and tuna and having a desk made out a door and two sawhorses was meant to do just that: deny her wealth and privilege. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005/100 "2012-08-31T12:48:06Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So sorry that there are rich people for you to be jealous of Envious of. The Romneys are jealous, the rest of us are envious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ann-romneys-rnc-speech/633005.md?page=6)