# The Romney Tapes - thoughts as to how they'll affect the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 17, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007 "2012-09-17T21:14:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/441 "2012-09-20T20:13:30Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Being classified by the govenment as being in poverty does not necessarily equate to being totally unable to buy food. There are currently people in this country who are receiving food stamps who are also buying houses and cars and paying utilities and clothing their children and…well, you get the idea. Food stamps are _assistance_ to people in need as defined by the government, not a last alternative to dumpster diving. When you are in poverty, it is difficult to buy food. The majority of people who are at that level do not have the extra cash to be paying for houses, cars, utilities, and clothing. Food stamps are a last resort, because they would be dumpster diving otherwise. All instances of people having expensive luxury items while on food stamps are a statistical anomaly and insignificant, thus irrelevant to the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/442 "2012-09-20T20:25:54Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > When you are in poverty, it is difficult to buy food. The majority of people who are at that level do not have the extra cash to be paying for houses, cars, utilities, and clothing. Food stamps are a last resort, because they would be dumpster diving otherwise. All instances of people having expensive luxury items while on food stamps are a statistical anomaly and insignificant, thus irrelevant to the conversation. I totally agree, but how do we fight the perception that people on foodstamps are freeloaders? I posted an old vid of Newt Gingrich and in his rather affluent area of Cobb Country Georgia, the people interviewed all thought, like Newt and his Contract with America back in 1994 that there was just too much fat in government spending. When asked where to cut? An overwhelming majority said Welfare, cut the lazy moochers… but when the books were checked at how much money went to Welfare it was only 1% of the entire budget of the County. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/443 "2012-09-20T22:34:53Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > In Social Psychology this is referred to as the “Just World Hypothesis” - it is a form of psychic insurance that reassures us that because _we_ do right, nothing bad will happen to _us_. Those people need to read the book of Job again. ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/444 "2012-09-20T23:01:27Z")
[Another damn good day in polling for Obama.](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/president/) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/445 "2012-09-20T23:12:50Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > I totally agree, but how do we fight the perception that people on foodstamps are freeloaders? I posted an old vid of Newt Gingrich and in his rather affluent area of Cobb Country Georgia, the people interviewed all thought, like Newt and his Contract with America back in 1994 that there was just too much fat in government spending. When asked where to cut? An overwhelming majority said Welfare, cut the lazy moochers… but when the books were checked at how much money went to Welfare it was only 1% of the entire budget of the County. If I knew that I’d be president! 😃 Well no, not me, since I actually wasn’t born here. But I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/446 "2012-09-20T23:25:36Z")
Re: Tm Pawlenty - I read that he is not wealthy, and there was some question about what he was going to do after his term as Governor. I think he saw a good job opportunity and jumped for it. Also, he obviously saw the writing on the wall that there was no cabinet position in his future. ---
**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:** [September 20, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/447 "2012-09-20T23:38:32Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Re: Tm Pawlenty - I read that he is not wealthy, and there was some question about what he was going to do after his term as Governor. I think he saw a good job opportunity and jumped for it. Also, he obviously saw the writing on the wall that there was no cabinet position in his future. True, but “I’m co-chair of the Republican Party’s campaign to win the Presidency of the US” is the sort of thing most employers would accept as an excuse for their new hire to delay starting their job. It’s not like he saying “Well, I planned to spend some time with my buds in Vegas - mind if I start in November?” ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/448 "2012-09-21T00:22:28Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Gee, it’s almost like without food stamps nobody would be buying any cereal! :rolleyes: > > If they weren’t cashing the checks they’d be depositing the cash. People gots ta eat, ya know, and it’s not like food stamps are people’s only access to packaged food. I seem to recall that the food stamp program was initially intended to help both the poor and the farmer by bringing the two together. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/449 "2012-09-21T00:36:46Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > True, but “I’m co-chair of the Republican Party’s campaign to win the Presidency of the US” is the sort of thing most employers would accept as an excuse for their new hire to delay starting their job. It’s not like he saying “Well, I planned to spend some time with my buds in Vegas - mind if I start in November?” True, but at a reported potential salary of over $1million, that’s $84k/mo. Would you stick to a sinking ship and forgo $84k in salary for the month of October? I’m betting Timmy looked at the math and said “F\* it, I’m outta here.” ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/450 "2012-09-21T01:28:29Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I can’t believe that. > > However, one of the comments made me laugh. This one for me: > [@some yutz](#): > > “Somos todos Mexicanos ahora!”–Mitt Romney, Cinco De Mayonnaise 2012 And, no, I don’t think he was in brown face. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/451 "2012-09-21T11:08:05Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > This one for me: And, no, I don’t think he was in brown face. I love the picture of mitt in a sombrero with a big mustache and the caption: He is part of the juan percent. But I don’t think he was in brown face either. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/452 "2012-09-21T12:08:15Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I’m just asking an honest question, Omg. If I’ve missed your overall point, I apologize. You quoted a lot of statistics and provided a lot of data, but I don’t know what exactly you’re getting at, that’s all. Enlighten me. Nothing? You don’t want to take the chance to summarize the exact argument you’re making? ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/453 "2012-09-21T12:45:25Z")
[Starving Artist](http://www.art-for-a-change.com/blog/images/sept2006/lobaido3.jpg)? > [@Knorf](#): > > Those people need to read the book of Job again. I’m afraid the Senate just cut it from the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/454 "2012-09-21T15:41:22Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [Pawlenty quits as Romney campaign co-chair](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/pawlenty-quits-romney-campaign-co-chair-132022573--election.html). > > Does this guy take career advice from Sarah Palin? Why would he quit with just 6+ weeks left to go on the job? One would think for a winning campaign, he’d want to be known as a key part of that… > [@JohnT](#): > > True, but “I’m co-chair of the Republican Party’s campaign to win the Presidency of the US” is the sort of thing most employers would accept as an excuse for their new hire to delay starting their job. It’s not like he saying “Well, I planned to spend some time with my buds in Vegas - mind if I start in November?” I like [Paul Constant’s interpretation](http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/09/20/t-paw-is-done-eating-the-republican-partys-shit) in The Stranger. Pawlenty did terribly when he ran for President. He was overlooked for VP in 2008 and 2012. He was unable to help Romney win the caucus in Minnesota. Pawlenty is probably just tired of it all and heading out. This isn’t like Palin. It looked bad when Palin resigned, since she had an obligation to the people that elected her. Pawlenty resigning from Romney’s campaign makes Romney look bad, since it looks like people are getting off a sinking ship. > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I love the picture of mitt in a sombrero with a big mustache and the caption: > > He is part of the juan percent. > > But I don’t think he was in brown face either. Yeah, it’s obviously just an unfortunate case of bad makeup and maybe bad lighting contributing to it. It’s just funny that out of all the times he’s been on TV, on CNN, Fox, Live with Regis and Kelly, any number of other shows and channels, it happened to him when he was on Univision. It probably also didn’t help that he’s trying to reach out to Latinos, and he referred to “illegal aliens” which is a term many consider offensive. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/455 "2012-09-22T11:07:04Z")
SNL does the Romney tapes!: [SNL video](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/09/21/snl_mocks_undercover_romney_tape_says_he_meant_black_people.html) This came from SNL’s Weekend Update Thursday Edition. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/456 "2012-09-23T02:42:59Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > SNL does the Romney tapes!: [SNL video](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/09/21/snl_mocks_undercover_romney_tape_says_he_meant_black_people.html) > > This came from SNL’s Weekend Update Thursday Edition. Not horrible…but still pretty weak tea compared to what [John Stewart did](http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/wed-september-19-2012-pink) with the Romney tapes / Fox News angle (starting just before the 2 minute mark). ---
**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:** [September 24, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/457 "2012-09-24T18:44:52Z")
[Romney’s lead among Americans 60 and over is crumbling](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/24/us-usa-campaign-medicare-idUSBRE88N04Z20120924). > [@](#): > > On a secretly recorded video released by the liberal magazine Mother Jones, Romney was shown telling supporters at a $50,000-a-person fundraiser that 47 percent of Americans would never vote for him because they do not pay federal income taxes, feel they are “victims,” and depend on government benefits. > > Democrats accused Romney of dismissing a range of Americans, including elderly people who depend on government programs such as Medicare and Social Security. > > Romney’s campaign rejected that, but the **recent polls suggest that such claims may be resonating with Americans aged 60 and older, who for months had been the only age group to consistently support Romney over Obama.** > > … > > A Pew poll, conducted September 12-16 and released last week, showed Romney with only a 47 to 46 percent lead among registered voters aged 65-plus. He also trailed Obama by 7 points among people aged 45 to 64 - a huge potential voting bloc that analysts say is increasingly concerned about retirement security. > > To illustrate the challenge that Romney could face in November, analysts note that Republican John McCain won 53 percent of the vote among those 65 and older in 2008, and lost to Obama with 46 percent of the overall vote. The recording didn’t decide the election, but I truly think it has swayed a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/458 "2012-09-25T08:14:31Z")
**Anecdote alert:** my niece, who has been rabidly anti-Obama, has now hit the “I still don’t want to vote for Obama but do I have to vote for Romney?” stage, something I thought I’d never see. I think the various news stories are having some effect (and I think I scored a hit with the airplane windows comment as well). ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/459 "2012-09-25T13:18:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > **Anecdote alert:** my niece, who has been rabidly anti-Obama, has now hit the “I still don’t want to vote for Obama but do I have to vote for Romney?” stage, something I thought I’d never see. I think the various news stories are having some effect (and I think I scored a hit with the airplane windows comment as well). My wife, who absolutely loathes anything political, who has vowed to never ever vote no matter how much I argue with her about it, yesterday told me she is considering voting to make sure Romney never sees a presidency. A day later and I’m still dumbfounded. I feel like hell froze over. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/460 "2012-09-25T13:55:54Z")
> [@](#): > > hit the “I still don’t want to vote for Obama but do I have to vote for Romney?” stage Gary Johnson on the ballot in all 50 state. If she’s a social conservative, Virgile Goode on the ballot in many (most? all?) states. > [@Sinaptics](#): > > yesterday told me she is considering voting to make sure Romney never sees a presidency. > > A day later and I’m still dumbfounded. I feel like hell froze over. My brother who also hates politics and is pretty racist is voting for Obama because he can see how Romney would gut the middle class. My brother is not a very ‘intellectual’ person and if he can recognize that, then it is pretty darn obvious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=24)