Candidates struggle with their gaffes

In this March 26, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama, left, chats with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a bilateral meeting at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea. An open microphone caught Obama telling Russia’s outgoing president that he needed space to work out their disagreements over U.S. missile defense plans. "After my election, I have more flexibility,” Obama quietly told Medvedev, who said he would carry that message home. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called it evidence that Obama is hiding a secret agenda for a second term.

In this March 26, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama, left, chats with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a bilateral meeting at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea. An open microphone caught Obama telling Russia’s outgoing president that he needed space to work out their disagreements over U.S. missile defense plans. "After my election, I have more flexibility,” Obama quietly told Medvedev, who said he would carry that message home. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called it evidence that Obama is hiding a secret agenda for a second term. Photo by The Associated Press.

CONNIE CASS, Associated Press

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Who says Mitt Romney doesn't worry much about the very poor? That he believes corporations are people, too? That his wife drives two Cadillacs?

Romney himself, that's who. When it comes to portraying the Republican nominee as an uncaring, out-of-touch rich guy, he's his own worst enemy, offering up a bonanza for Democratic attack ads.

Romney hit the trifecta this time by saying that 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims, think "government has a responsibility to care for them" and are unwilling to step up and support themselves. But Romney's far from the first candidate to blunder into a buzz saw of his own words. His rival, President Barack Obama, still hasn't lived down a similar incident from 2008.

In both cases the uproar was amplified because the remarks were intended only for the ears of wealthy campaign donors, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center. "It's damaging when the public perceives that something said in private is not being said in public," she said.

Obama was caught on video belittling small-town Midwesterners in remarks to San Francisco liberals at a private fundraiser during his first presidential campaign. People struggling to get by in the small towns of Pennsylvania and the Midwest "get bitter, they cling to guns or religion," Obama said.

Obama's Democratic primary rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, pronounced his remark "elitist and out of touch."

Four years later, GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan is keeping the gaffe alive by pointedly declaring himself proud to be a Catholic deer hunter. And witness the Republicans' joyful riffing on Obama's more recent "You didn't build that" comment.

Steve Frantzich, a U.S. Naval Academy professor who wrote a book on candidates' "oops" moments, predicts an even faster rate of flubs in the future, thanks to smartphones, YouTube and such. "There is no backstage area in modern campaigns," Frantzich said. Words gone wrong are nothing new, however.

Romney has said he first learned to fear such slip-ups as a young man, when the presidential hopes of his father, Michigan Gov. George Romney, imploded 45 years ago under the weight of a single ill-chosen phrase.

Asked why he had previously supported the Vietnam War, the elder Romney said that during an overseas tour, generals and diplomats had influenced him with "the greatest brainwashing that anybody can get." He quit his campaign amid outcry and derision.

Some other overheard or off-the-cuff gaffes:

—OBAMA AND THE RUSSIANS: In March, an open microphone caught Obama telling Russia's outgoing president that he needed space to work out their disagreements over U.S. missile defense plans. "After my election, I have more flexibility," Obama quietly told Dmitry Medvedev, who said he would carry that message home. Romney called it evidence that Obama is hiding a secret agenda for a second term.

—OBAMA AND THE ISRAELIS: A technology glitch allowed reporters to overhear Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy last year grousing about the difficulty of dealing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sarkozy called Netanyahu a "liar" and Obama responded sympathetically, "I have to work with him every day."

—KERRY AND THE WARS: A response to a question at a campaign event tripped up 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Asked about a spending bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Kerry said, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." Republicans ridiculed the remark and featured it in an ad showing a windsurfing Kerry zigzagging "whichever way the wind blows." Kerry later explained it as "one of those inarticulate moments."

—CLINTON AND DRUGS: Bill Clinton was mocked for acknowledging in a TV interview that he had tried marijuana as a college student but insisting that he "didn't inhale." With character questions already dogging his 1992 campaign, the remark increased complaints that he was slick and evasive, but didn't keep him from winning the White House.

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Comments

wow 8 months ago

There a big difference in the "Obama and small town folks and guns, OBAMA AND THE RUSSIAN'S, OBAMA AND THE ISRAELIS, KERRY AND THE WARS and CLINTON AND DRUGS comments. These guy's were all right. Most small town folks love their guns and often use them to hunt/home protection. Obama does need time to work out the specifics for the Missle Defernse issues..,heck Regan had eight years to work on it and Bush had at least four...yet there is still nothing finalyzed on the subject. The Israli issue is a constant work in action...but at least Obama is still working on the issue and not simply " kicking the can down the road until something happens". John Kerry did vote for the Iraq/Afghan War and then he saw what the real deal was...so he changed his mind. Clinton did smoke weed back in the day as for inhaling..well Bill knows ya can't smoke anything unless ya inhale. All those fella's said what was true...which is waaaaay different from Romney.

Romney thinks 47% of Americans are mooches. Never mind that these people have retired & alrerady paid their dues in taxes and selfless sacrafice as many of these people are retired Vets/public servants. Romney is also a duche because he's PO'ed at people who are on a fixed income, makiing ends meet living day to day. He is mad and say's they don't pay taxes on their meager earnings. Yet OLE MITT THINKS IT'S JUST FINE FOR HIM TO NOT PAY ANY INCOME TAX AND VERY LITTLE CORPORATE OR CAP GAINS TAX on HIS LOOT...WHY ELSE WOULD SO MUCH OF HIS WEALTH BE TIED UP IN THE CAMMON ISLANDS AND SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS. He can afford to pay taxes...but he hides his money so that American Taxes cannot be collected, yet he PAM's that not enough people are paying taxes. Well Mittster...what are you willing to contribute?...obvioulsy not very much. You and your family have leached off this country for a very long time. Your Pop may have worked hard...but you nor your immiediate family have lifetd a finger to help anyone that wasn't part of your Utah Cult. None of ya have served in defense of this nation, none of ya have ever spent money or time to improve the common person, non of ya have ever come out of the clouds to even realize that perople in America are starving and it ain't because these people are lazy or want a hand out. Not everyone is nor will be financilly secure let alone rich, I get it...but that's because not everyone had or has a rich relative to spot them a few million dollar head start on life. You nor your family have gone without and that's fine...but buddie don't go thinking YSFBTEOE.....because Mr. Johnny Every Hair In Place...you ain't!!

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connor 8 months ago

I see so protagonistic and racist rhetoric by a President is acceptable so long as he was never financially able to follow certain tax laws?

I guess him and Moochelle should have gotten higher paid show positions at the hospital and ACORN offices.

Offering to sell out our allies and the individual rights and freedoms of US citizens to Russians is perfectly fine as long as you don't have a problem with entitlement spending and tax breaks for the lower income levels that negate any tax they have to pay?

Stating a fact is a crime but selling out your countrymen and proven allies while redistributing as much as possible to your union thug friends is patriotism in your eyes?

Hopeless.

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3336 8 months ago

You and I are getting along very well, so let's continue that way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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wow 8 months ago

America has been struggling with it's gaffs since the begining of this Nation. Some of the biggest gaff's are concerning "EQUALITY, FEEDOM, JUSTICE FOR ALL"......As a nation we've gotten better, but as a nation we'ver certainly looked stupified as innocent peole were and are still denied basic human rights. Just so ya know "WOMEN STILL DON'T GET EQUAL PAY FOR BEING EQUALLY QUALIFIED AND DOING THE SAME JOB AS A MAN". And if Romeny and other Republicans have their way....the Lillie Ledbetter act will be repealed and things wil get even worse than they are now.

We still have soooo many firts. The 1st Black President, the 1st Woman President...the 1st women to be in the Agusta Golf Club...and now we have the 1st Mormen to prove her's not ready to be President. I guess in that case, somehow justice does prevai.l

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