# 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:** 26
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/501 "2012-09-27T16:26:23Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Really? The novel in fifth grade? I seem to remember that it’s pretty long, and has some non-trivial relation to sex. Are you sure you didn’t read the short story? It’s only twenty pages or so. And, of course, it’s much better. We read the novel in 8th grade, in my Catholic school. I didn’t know there’s a short story version. I’ll have to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/502 "2012-09-27T16:29:37Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Really? The novel in fifth grade? I seem to remember that it’s pretty long, and has some non-trivial relation to sex. Are you sure you didn’t read the short story? It’s only twenty pages or so. And, of course, it’s much better. Its possible - it was 30 years ago. I might have gotten the novel from the library myself for the sexy parts 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/503 "2012-09-27T18:24:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > We read the novel in 8th grade, in my Catholic school. I didn’t know there’s a short story version. I’ll have to look it up. I think I read the novel myself at about that age, but it’s a little advanced for your basic curriculum. Good on your teachers for picking a tough book. But yes, I think the short story is much better. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/504 "2012-09-27T18:40:03Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Really? The novel in fifth grade? I seem to remember that it’s pretty long, and has some non-trivial relation to sex. Are you sure you didn’t read the short story? It’s only twenty pages or so. And, of course, it’s much better. I read the novel around fifth or sixth grade. Saw the movie in class. The sex stuff didn’t make too much of an impression, but Cliff Robertson dancing during his big acid freaking scene may have scarred me for life. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/505 "2012-09-27T19:39:33Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > I think I read the novel myself at about that age, but it’s a little advanced for your basic curriculum. Good on your teachers for picking a tough book. But yes, I think the short story is much better. That’s interesting. My school was fairly conservative (I mean, we still had nuns teaching some grades), and I do remember some kind of sex stuff in the book that stood out as being unusual for an 8th grade book. Then again, you never know with Catholic schools. I went to a Christian Brothers high school, and writing a “rape fantasy” was an assignment for the senior English AP class (taught by a woman, before the obvious jokes come out.) ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/506 "2012-09-27T21:45:04Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The new 47% ad from the actual Obama campaign is actually harder and more brutal than the DNC ad: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4) WOW. :eek: Brief, subtle, make your point and get out. Mr. Obama is _wicked_ cool. 🆒🆒🆒 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/507 "2012-09-28T01:13:41Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The new 47% ad from the actual Obama campaign is actually harder and more brutal than the DNC ad: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4) Ouch. That one hurts. I hope they don’t decide to take off the gloves. ---
**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 29, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/508 "2012-09-29T18:25:52Z")
Here’s the newest gaffe: [Ann Romney: biggest fear is for Mitt’s “mental well-being”](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/29/us-usa-campaign-annromney-idUSBRE88S00820120929) Can we infer that Mittens is slowly going coo coo for cocoa puffs? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/509 "2012-09-29T19:30:37Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Here’s the newest gaffe: > > [Ann Romney: biggest fear is for Mitt’s “mental well-being”](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/29/us-usa-campaign-annromney-idUSBRE88S00820120929) > > Can we infer that Mittens is slowly going coo coo for cocoa puffs? Holy crap, this is pretty bad. I mean I think we can say that she knows him pretty much better than anyone else. And she actually said in response to what her biggest worry was should Mitt be elected: “I think my biggest concern obviously would just be for his mental well-being,” Biggest concern would be for his mental well-being. Do voters want to have concern about the president’s mental well-being? With critical things going on in the mid-east or with the economy, does anyone want to worry about the president’s mental well-being? I think not. Putting myself in her shoes, I can imagine if my wife was interviewing for a high-level executive position, and I was at her potential CEO’s house for a dinner (common thing to do with high-level executive’s - see how they perform in social situations). What if the CEO asked me : What is your biggest worry should your wife get this job? Just off the top of my head, I’d say something like: “Well, my biggest worry would be that I would not see her as much! When she works on projects, she gets very invested in them, and really puts all her efforts into them. For example, on her last job, she really did fantastic work on…” You see where I’m going with this. It’s a no-brainer. I think she does not want him to be elected. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/510 "2012-09-29T19:46:34Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The new 47% ad from the actual Obama campaign is actually harder and more brutal than the DNC ad: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B9xCCaseop4) Jeez, the best spokesman for the Obama campaign is Romney. That ad was just _brutal_, and Obama didn’t have to say a damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/511 "2012-09-29T20:01:03Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Here’s the newest gaffe: > > [Ann Romney: biggest fear is for Mitt’s “mental well-being”](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/29/us-usa-campaign-annromney-idUSBRE88S00820120929) > > Can we infer that Mittens is slowly going coo coo for cocoa puffs? Perhaps Ann is concerned that Mitt will become more cold and robotic than he already is. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/512 "2012-09-29T21:08:53Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > Off topic of course, but is Flowers for Algernon really semi-obscure? We had to read the novel in class in the fifth grade. I doubt they’d let fifth graders read the novel. I’m surprised no one mentioned the movie, “Charley,” which got Cliff Robertson an Oscar. I guess that is obscure also these days. > [@](#): > > Oh, and that Democratic ad featuring Romney quotes is one of the most brutal I’ve ever seen. I approve - its about fucking time the Dems played hardball. I hope he stays just as brutal in January. If these Republicans hate government so much, they shouldn’t mind federal money being cut from their districts. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/513 "2012-09-29T21:19:27Z")
I would have thought _Flowers for Algernon_ was almost a universally required book in English literature, somewhere along the line. I had to read it, though I don’t recall whether in grade school or high school. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/514 "2012-09-29T21:48:38Z")
Holy fuck, that’s one hell of an ad. And I bet it works the living daylights out. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/515 "2012-09-29T22:45:20Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Holy fuck, that’s one hell of an ad. And I bet it works the living daylights out. I can’t wait for the followup ad: Interviewer: “What is your biggest worry should Mitt be elected to the White House?” Ann Romney: “I think my biggest concern obviously would just be for his mental well-being.” Voice over: “You know Mitt Romney best Ann - thanks for the warning.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/516 "2012-09-29T22:49:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I can’t wait for the followup ad: > > Interviewer: “What is your biggest worry should Mitt be elected to the White House?” > > Ann Romney: “I think my biggest concern obviously would just be for his mental well-being.” > > Voice over: “You know Mitt Romney best Ann - thanks for the warning.” Funniest ad ever if they cut to the Star Trek scene where Jim traps the robots in a logic loop and they freeze up, etc. Just paste Mitt’s head over one of theirs. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/517 "2012-09-30T14:54:02Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I can’t wait for the followup ad: > > Interviewer: “What is your biggest worry should Mitt be elected to the White House?” > > Ann Romney: “I think my biggest concern obviously would just be for his mental well-being.” > > Voice over: “You know Mitt Romney best Ann - thanks for the warning.” I think Team Obama shouldn’t touch this with a 10 foot pole. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/518 "2012-09-30T14:59:17Z")
Aside: Has anyone mentioned that [a big GOP donor has been indicted in an alleged Dominican resort scam](http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/27/14126093-big-gop-donor-among-2-indicted-in-alleged-dominican-resort-scam?lite)? (I didn’t find a thread on it, so I thought I’d ask here.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/519 "2012-09-30T15:20:43Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > I think Team Obama shouldn’t touch this with a 10 foot pole. 100% agreed. It’s incredibly dirty, and takes the campaign to a personal level Obama deliberately, and correctly, avoided in 2008. It also takes away from one of his most fundamental positive attributes, which is the perception that he’s a person of dignity and self-restraint. Furthermore, Ann Romney’s meaning was quite plain; she’s worried about the stress the job would take on her husband. All that tells me is that Ann Romney is a perceptive woman. The job DOES take a huge strain on the people who do it; every President ages about twice as fast as a normal human when in office. Obama looks like he’s aged 7-8 years since 2008; both Bush 2.0 and Clinton went into office looking about 50 and came out looking 65. To take Mrs. Romney’s claim as meaning anything else would simply be a lie, and the kind of really obvious, mean lie that could do more harm than good to Obama’s campaign. Frankly, he should just keep running the 47% ads. They’re devastating, and the polls suggest they’re helping Obama keep an election-winning lead. ---
**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 30, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/520 "2012-09-30T16:54:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’s incredibly dirty, and takes the campaign to a personal level Obama deliberately, and correctly, avoided in 2008. It also takes away from one of his most fundamental positive attributes, which is the perception that he’s a person of dignity and self-restraint. I agree the campaign shouldn’t use it because it would be a dirty smear and they have the much more substantial 47% thing to run with. > [@RickJay](#): > > Furthermore, Ann Romney’s meaning was quite plain; she’s worried about the stress the job would take on her husband. All that tells me is that Ann Romney is a perceptive woman. I think it’s a clear gaffe. The wife of a potential president, who would have the nuclear launch codes, is not supposed to be publicly concerned about “his mental well-being.” I doubt the thought would have come into her mind if Mittens was his usual self. She must see he’s stressed out and under pressure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=27)