# Romney a dog abuser? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 15, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720 "2011-10-15T05:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/81 "2011-10-16T03:22:25Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Aw come on, the original plan was to tie his leash to the car and have the dog run alongside it, for three hundred miles. [sidebar anecdote] I can’t resist telling this anecdote, in which I saw exactly this, although not quite 300 miles. I got on cable car in San Francisco at Fisherman’s wharf. Another guy gets on with a **HUMONGOUS** Irish Wolfhound on a leash. Note that this cable car line is one that goes up one of those world-infamous steep SF hills. While the car went up the hill, the dog galloped alongside the whole way. (This was 30-some years ago, when you could get away doing stuff like that.) [/sidebar anecdote] I agree, more-or-less, with **user\_hostile** , who (up-thread) doesn’t see too much to get worked up about. Although, maybe not completely. In one of the above-cited news stories, Romney allegedly claims the dog was known to love riding on top of the car. I find this very believable. Dogs LOVE to go for car rides, and they LOVE to have their face out the window in the wind. And dog carriers are certainly well-ventilated – not like a solid wooden crate. And the stories say Romney put a windshield on the front. So far, so good. Now for some things I’m not so comfy about: – I didn’t see any mention, in any of those articles, about the weather conditions. – I didn’t see any mention of how frequently they might have stopped to check on the dog. A 12-hour 300-mile trip seems extremely long. – I envision that they may have done short local roof-top trips with the dog, which would not be 12 hours, and would be at slower speeds. That might be what doggy was familiar (and happy) with. – I have some problem with the idea of doing 12 hours at highway speeds. Even with windshield, I could see some wind chill factor here. – Now, just add water. He hosed off the dog, then hit the road again? With soppy doggy a-flapping in the breeze? NOW we have windchill. NOT cool. Oh, wait a minute. Yes that must have been WAY COOL. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/82 "2011-10-16T03:49:15Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I agree, more-or-less, with **user\_hostile** , who (up-thread) doesn’t see too much to get worked up about. Although, maybe not completely. In one of the above-cited news stories, Romney allegedly claims the dog was known to love riding on top of the car. I find this very believable. Dogs LOVE to go for car rides, and they LOVE to have their face out the window in the wind. And dog carriers are certainly well-ventilated – not like a solid wooden crate. And the stories say Romney put a windshield on the front. So far, so good. > > Now for some things I’m not so comfy about: > – _I didn’t see any mention, in any of those articles, about the weather conditions._ > – I didn’t see any mention of how frequently they might have stopped to check on the dog. A 12-hour 300-mile trip seems extremely long. > – I envision that they may have done short local roof-top trips with the dog, which would not be 12 hours, and would be at slower speeds. That might be what doggy was familiar (and happy) with. > – I have some problem with the idea of doing 12 hours at highway speeds. Even with windshield, I could see some wind chill factor here. > – _Now, just add water. He hosed off the dog, then hit the road again? With soppy doggy a-flapping in the breeze? NOW we have windchill. NOT cool. Oh, wait a minute. Yes that must have been WAY COOL._ Apparently, it was in the summer–temperatures are pretty balmy day and night that far north (but I don’t have a weather report, so YMMV). The reason I say this is that he brought his kids along for a trip to the Great Lakes–I infer that summer would be the best time to pull this off. Dog would not have been soaked to the bone when he got in the carrier. He would shook himself off before getting back in. This is what dogs do. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/83 "2011-10-16T04:23:07Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Has no bearing on whether he’s a good President or not anymore than Clinton’s adultery (which is certainly morally worse). Just an excuse to smear Republicans. Well, he’s not President at all. Or did you mean it has no bearing on whether he’s good Presidential material? If so, I completely agree with you. It’s being a Republican that makes him not suitable to be President. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/84 "2011-10-16T04:26:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s amazing how people can know what was going on in the mind of a dog 25 years ago. Whole bunch of mosquitoes is my guess. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/85 "2011-10-16T04:30:59Z")
Ahhh, for the carefree days when the family would go out on a week’s vacation and have the freedom to dump a bag of dogfood in a metal bowl (and a gallon of water in another), tie the dog to a tree, and tell him not to knock over the bowls 'cause that’s his dinner and he ain’t getting more for another 7 days. Of course, the damn dog would kick the bowls over with 43 minutes. So, you know, by _some_ standards, Mitt did all right by his pooch. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/86 "2011-10-16T07:14:22Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > Cite that the dog and car were given a gentle wash with a garden hose on loan from a friendly stranger? [Sure.](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/?page=1) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/87 "2011-10-16T07:44:24Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Wasn’t he the child of a nun that was gang raped by the violent mental ward full of killers for a few days? > > Or shit, was that Freddy Krueger? I get them mixed up. I just have to remember, Krueger was the one with a moral compass. Agree with your sentiments and those of some others 100%. But I’ve not been able to figure out why an alleged small child like **Curtis LeMay/Qin Shi Wangdoodle** gets all that much attention. I have the fucked-up little Anders Behring Breivik-wannabe on Ignore myself. But people keep “helpfully” quoting him, and it’s no surprise to me at all to see the little fuck defending animal abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/88 "2011-10-16T07:53:56Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > It’s generally well known in psychology that cruelty to animals is a sign of sociopathic tendencies. I know, but that’s what’s interesting about the Hitler factoid. Here you have the guy whose inhumanity to man is quite thoroughly established and quite possibly the most inhumanity man has ever achieved (kudos, A-man !), coupled with a deep love for animals (or for one animal, at any rate). Ergo, how one behaves towards animals is not necessarily indicative of how one behaves towards people. As I said, we’re pretty good at establishing arbitrary rules and boundaries for ourselves. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/89 "2011-10-16T12:16:22Z")
[Previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=426753) on the subject, minus the adultery argument. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/90 "2011-10-16T12:54:51Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > (or for one animal, at any rate). > Ergo, how one behaves towards animals is not necessarily indicative of how one behaves towards people. Eva Braun was a human being, however vile she may have been, she was still a human being. It is also well known that deep deep love for animals can also be the sign of serious misanthropy, sometimes to the point of sociopathy. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/91 "2011-10-16T13:05:29Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > Good judgment has fuck all to do with being president? Given the past few decades, I’d say plenty of presidents have done “just fine” without it 🙂 ---
**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:** [October 16, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/92 "2011-10-16T13:13:02Z")
So what’s the difference (besides location) between a dog in a carrier on a car roof, in the back of a pickup, or in a cargo hold of an airplane? None of them will be pleasant, but all are generally safe for the animal as long as the carrier is strapped down and the vehicle doesn’t crash. Romney’s bigger problem is having seven fucking kids, which to me is hugely irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/93 "2011-10-16T13:22:14Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > It is also well known that deep deep love for animals can also be the sign of serious misanthropy, sometimes to the point of sociopathy. Well known by whom, using what evidence? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/94 "2011-10-16T13:28:33Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Ergo, how one behaves towards animals is not necessarily indicative of how one behaves towards people. As I said, we’re pretty good at establishing arbitrary rules and boundaries for ourselves. This is a fallacious logical construction of this form: I have a mammal that is not a cat; therefor there is not indicative of mammalhood to be a cat. But let’s set that aside. Do you have any examples of great humanitarians who were pointlessly cruel to animals? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/95 "2011-10-16T13:32:43Z")
Didn’t Lyndon Johnson get in the shit for being a dog abuser? I think he picked a beagle up by its ears. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/96 "2011-10-16T13:47:09Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > > [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > > > It is also well known that deep deep love for animals can also be the sign of serious misanthropy, sometimes to the point of sociopathy. > > Well known by whom, using what evidence? I saw it on an episode of the Sopranos. Tony killed a guy over a horse. Anyway, back on topic, I am against Romney’s dog abuse, but I am for his [LMFAO abuse](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632218/lmfaos-sky-blu-was-other-man-mitt-romneys-plane-fight.jhtml). That Party Rock Anthem is worth a physical assault.\*\* \*\*No, not really. Although I guess we’re just lucky Romney didn’t strap him to the wings and tell the pilot to take off. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/97 "2011-10-16T14:41:48Z")
I’m looking for the example of someone who was cruel to animals and otherwise a great humanitarian. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/98 "2011-10-16T14:52:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s amazing how people can know what was going on in the mind of a dog 25 years ago. Can we please stop talking about Lewinsky. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/99 "2011-10-16T15:26:19Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > Well known by whom, using what evidence? “It is known, khaleesi… it is known.” Actually cruelty to animals is one of the things many serial killers share in childhood. It goes either way: love of animals doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a nice person and cruelty doesn’t mean you’re a serial killer. That said I don’t want a guy who did this to a dog (which I do consider a casually cruel and appallingly _STUPID_ act) to have access to both Air Force 1 and one of the nation’s only Panda families. Sooner or later the temptation’s going to get the better of him. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720/100 "2011-10-16T15:59:29Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > [Sure.](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/?page=1) That article mentions that Romney built a windshield for the dog carrier. It probably wasn’t a wonderful experience for the dog but it’s hardly the act of a sociopath. Romney’s problem is that he really doesn’t stand for anything. He’s worse than John Kerry when it comes to licking his finger and testing the breeze. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-a-dog-abuser/599720.md?page=6)