# Romney staffers were holding people prisoner at a PA rally. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917 "2012-11-05T02:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/1 "2012-11-05T02:52:26Z")
One man passed out. This link has some images of tweets from people at the rally. [http://americablog.com/2012/11/romney-staff-refusing-to-let-frostbitten-children-leave-pa-rally.html](http://americablog.com/2012/11/romney-staff-refusing-to-let-frostbitten-children-leave-pa-rally.html) > [@](#): > > This is happening right now at Mitt Romney’s rally in Pennsylvania. Apparently it’s freezing, and Romney’s staff is refusing to let rally-goers leave. People are begging reporters for help. This link also has some tweets. [http://www.democrats.org/news/press/romneys\_pa\_fantasy\_turns\_into\_disaster](http://www.democrats.org/news/press/romneys_pa_fantasy_turns_into_disaster) > [@](#): > > Michael Barbaro ‏@mikiebarb > “We’ve got to get out! My daughter is frostbitten,” begs mom, asking to leave Romney rally. Staffer replies: “It’s not cold enuf for that.” > > Michael Barbaro ‏@mikiebarb > W/ Romney more than an hour late (but now speaking), dozens of people stuck in the cold, begging staffers to leave, use the bathroom… > > Michael Barbaro ‏@mikiebarb > Rally in PA just went eerily quiet for 3 mins after a man collapsed in the audience. No music. No speaker. He’s. Okay now tho. > > [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org) ‏@MoveOn > BREAKING: USA Today reporter says @MittRomney staffers are trapping people at rally in #PA. Won’t let them leave. [https://twitter.com/MoveOn/status/265245565833592832/photo/1](http://pic.twitter.com/M6svk9qN) This is desperation. They needed that crowd for the cameras. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/2 "2012-11-05T03:04:16Z")
Your first link doesn’t work. Your second link is from an inherently biased source. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/3 "2012-11-05T03:07:36Z")
Suspicious. Too pat, too perfect, to much in line with precisely what I expect. What could they have done, to “trap” people inside? Lock the doors? All of this to manufacture an illusion that will either be dashed to bits in a couple of days or prove to be unnecessary? Need more solid for me to crank up the renounce, denounce, and condemn machine. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/4 "2012-11-05T03:09:00Z")
The first link works fine for me. Are you saying that these tweets are fabricated out of whole cloth, or that they’re somehow being spun by a biased source? Unless you’re saying that they’re fake, it’s hard to see them as saying anything other than what they plainly say. The Romney campaign is desperate. They need bodies for the cameras. The last thing they need is video of people leaving a rally. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/5 "2012-11-05T03:09:02Z")
[This version](http://www.mediaite.com/online/romney-staffer-on-letting-frostbitten-child-leave-pennsylvania-rally-its-not-cold-enough-for-that/) indicates it was security concerns from the Secret Service. > [@](#): > > Most reporters in attendance noted that the difficulty stemmed from security concerns, not from an attempt to maintain crowd numbers. As Kucinich reported, eventually, people were allowed to leave, and the problem seemed to be confined to the area behind the stage. The Huffington Post‘s Jon Ward reported that, despite the cold, there were satisfied customers: I still think Romney is an ass. He really didn’t need to be late to his own rally and make people wait in cold weather. It’s 41F right now. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/6 "2012-11-05T03:15:46Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I still think Romney is an ass. He really didn’t need to be late to his own rally and make people wait in cold weather. It’s 41F right now. Yeah, what kind of politician is ever late to a rally? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/7 "2012-11-05T03:22:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, what kind of politician is ever late to a rally? :rolleyes: I was defending Romney despite the fact I think he would be a bigger disaster than Bush and that’s not good enough? I hope like hell it’s true that staffers were keeping people from leaving and he gets eviscerated at the polls. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/8 "2012-11-05T03:29:13Z")
Shit, if his policies, his personality, and his avalanche of bullshit isn’t enough, a bit of harmless kidnapping and torture ain’t gonna make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/9 "2012-11-05T03:29:23Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Your first link doesn’t work. Your second link is from an inherently biased source. To be fair, the first link is pretty biased as well, judging from my past visits. My prayers go out to Romney supporters who had to suffer discomfort, injury and trauma for their candidate. Whomever they are. Especially the children - nobody ever thinks of them. The tweets, btw, are by a NYT reporter: [https://twitter.com/mikiebarb](https://twitter.com/mikiebarb) Michael Barbaro @mikiebarb “We’ve got to get out! My daughter is frostbitten,” begs mom, asking to leave Romney rally. Staffer replies: “It’s not cold enuf for that.” Michael Barbaro @mikiebarb To be clear. Staffer said that to reporters. Not to mother. **Because the OP’s case probably won’t survive scrutiny: Hijack!** In another thread, a poster asks how we can promote real change. A: Start a blog about a Republican congressman who gets, say 55-60% of the vote. Highlight dubious stories like this one. There was a terrific effort some years back, extended over 4-6 years, to oust a New Jersey Republican congressman. Since all Republicans vote in lockstep, there’s plenty of material. And mining rallies for awkward quotes by supporters is child’s play. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/10 "2012-11-05T03:39:30Z")
41F? And people are worried about frostbite? This Minnesotan finally stopped wearing shorts only when it got below 50F, and I’m known in these parts as a shivering wuss. Is it even possible to get frostbite at 41F? My reasoning goes as follows: Water does not freeze at 41 degrees F, hence no frost, and hence no frost_bite_. QED. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/11 "2012-11-05T03:48:02Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > 41F? And people are worried about frostbite? This Minnesotan finally stopped wearing shorts only when it got below 50F, and I’m known in these parts as a shivering wuss. Is it even possible to get frostbite at 41F? My reasoning goes as follows: Water does not freeze at 41 degrees F, hence no frost, and hence no frost_bite_. QED. Yeah, 5 degrees celcius is not that cold. Bracing, but nothing to worry about ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/12 "2012-11-05T03:53:00Z")
Wow. You guys are really getting desperate. Redskins loss got you down? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/13 "2012-11-05T03:56:47Z")
Pretty bad record, Little Big Horn being the only bright spot. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/14 "2012-11-05T03:59:53Z")
If the frostbitten daughter is a teenager, then 40+F. is _“MasSIVE Cold, enough to OMG frostbite my toes off. **Literally**.”_ (If the story ends up vetted, and a child did contract frostbite, I promise that I will feel a twinge of embarrassment.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/15 "2012-11-05T04:08:03Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Wow. You guys are really getting desperate. Redskins loss got you down? There’s no doubt that people were not allowed to leave. The only question is who to pin it on. The Secret Service or the idiot campaign workers and by extension, the Head Asshole himself. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/16 "2012-11-05T04:27:45Z")
Campaign workers and staffers? That’d be the fucking day; if it’s not a cop or Secret Service, somebody would be having a very bad day trying to stop me from leaving. I’m not buying that it was staffers. Who the fuck would put up with that? ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/17 "2012-11-05T04:34:42Z")
Well, I would like to get in on this game. > [@davidm](#): > > The Romney campaign is desperate. They need bodies for the cameras. The last thing they need is video of people leaving a rally. Considering the crowd was said to to be at least 25K people, if not 30K, [I doubt a few people would have made much a difference](http://twitchy.com/2012/11/04/amazing-photos-unreal-crowd-packs-romney-rally-in-bucks-county-pa/). (lol @ the headline on the top left corner of the page. Eerie…) ---
**Author:** ![babygoat666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@babygoat666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/babygoat666)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/18 "2012-11-05T04:36:26Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > 41F? And people are worried about frostbite? This Minnesotan finally stopped wearing shorts only when it got below 50F, and I’m known in these parts as a shivering wuss. Is it even possible to get frostbite at 41F? My reasoning goes as follows: Water does not freeze at 41 degrees F, hence no frost, and hence no frost_bite_. QED. How cold would it have to be to be too cold you against your will? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/19 "2012-11-05T04:41:51Z")
I don’t like Romney one bit, but there is no way in hell I’m believing that he said “Hold them here, we need the crowd coverage for the cameras.” I’ll wait till tomorrow to see how this plays out. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917/20 "2012-11-05T04:52:50Z")
I’m not going to weigh in on the legitimacy of this incident without more information to go on. Whether it was frostbite, hypothermia, discomfort, or the plain old desire to go home, it doesn’t matter why that woman wanted to leave\*. \*That said, it does appear possible to develop frostbite at above-freezing temperatures if the wind chill is severe enough. According to [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/windchill/windchillglossary.shtml#frost](http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/windchill/windchillglossary.shtml#frost) (italics mine): Q: Is it possible to get frostbite if the temperature is above freezing but the wind chill is below freezing? A: The air temperature has to be BELOW freezing in order for frostbite to develop on exposed skin. \*Wind chill can bring the temperature to below freezing for humans and animals. \* [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-staffers-were-holding-people-prisoner-at-a-pa-rally/639917.md?page=2)