Sheer Political Genius: Romney Still Talking About That Elitist Sounding $10,000 Bet
In Saturday’s debate, Rick Perry made a claim about a line he said was removed from Mitt Romney’s book. (Politifact has the basic facts here. They claim Perry’s statement is “mostly false.” I’m not so sure.) Romney reacted by saying, essentially: oh yeah? As a really rich guy, let me bet you a huge sum of money that you’re wrong!
As you watch the clip, take care to note the extremely self-satisfied looks on each of these guy’s mugs:
Romney immediately drew fire for being “out of touch” — which he was, in spades. And today, he’s defending it — giving 24 hours of extra oxygen to a fire he should have allowed to die on its own.
Now, I’m not perfect, and I understand that debating requires one to think on one’s feet. And it’s easy to criticize sitting at my breakfast table. But it seems to me that both sides of this exchange were largely planned out.
And so, with that in mind, a little free political advice:
Mr. Romney: If a candidate makes a claim about you, and you are certain it is false and want to highlight that fact, why not extend your hand, tell him he’s wrong, and say that whoever loses the fact check on this one has to wear a dunce cap at the beginning of the next debate?
When he refuses, you can have a ready-made quip at the ready, and refer to it next time around. (No, I’m not giving you the quip. That kind of stuff costs money, pal. I can do it for . . . how does $10,000 sound?)
But making a big-money bet, and then yapping about it on Monday morning on the tube?
You get to wear the dunce cap.
UPDATE: Excellent! No sooner do I put up this post than Karl comes along and articulates exactly what I was thinking when I read that Politifact piece about the accuracy of Perry’s claim.
it’s not just how arrogant Wall Street Romney is… he’s godawful cheesy too
happyfeet (3c92a1) — 12/12/2011 @ 7:58 amSort of like mentioning the price of arugala (is that how you spell it?).
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 12/12/2011 @ 8:22 amThe bet was probably more troublesome to reporters and other Democrats than it was to Republicans. But it was a bit clueless. A better form is to offer long or humorous odds, such as “a thousand dollars against a onion bagel.” The same point is made without the financial elitism.
Kevin M (563f77) — 12/12/2011 @ 8:29 amSince he believed he was right, he made a bet he knew he’d never have to pay off in the first place. It was nothing more than a rhetorical device.
Even if he did have to pay it off, if a presidential candidate couldn’t get up $10,000, I’d be suspicious.
NJ Mark (ebc589) — 12/12/2011 @ 8:39 amPat
Romney’s campaign against Ted in 94
Does anyone remember how personal and ugly that race got?
EricPWJohnson (2a58f7) — 12/12/2011 @ 8:52 amRomney did zero to build the conservative base while in Mass. rino base-just a little.
sickofrinos (44de53) — 12/12/2011 @ 9:29 amComment by Kevin M — 12/12/2011 @ 8:29 am
You used to be able to say “Dollar to a Do-Nut”, but even Do-Nuts cost more than a Buck these days.
AD-RtR/OS! (5bf382) — 12/12/2011 @ 9:35 amThis reminds me of trying to split hairs with the wife.
I try it virtually every time, it has never worked.
gary gulrud (d88477) — 12/12/2011 @ 11:22 amThe bet is nonsense but certainly a window on Mitt’s “mine is bigger mindset.”
[note: released from moderation. –Stashiu]
ODB (dcf97e) — 12/12/2011 @ 2:27 pmProfessor Jacobson has a post up on Mitt all negative all the time.
He says Newt should give back Freddie and Fannie our money he made as consultant.
He drags out Sununu to hit Newt for disloyalty in undercutting H.W.’s tax raises, the one’s the latter swore he wouldn’t countenance.
He continues to say ‘going to the end of the line’ is amnesty, that Romneycare is a success and different from Obamacare, that the peace process should be supported,…
Deef, dumb, and blind.
gary gulrud (d88477) — 12/12/2011 @ 2:49 pmThis is capitalism as much as I think it is stupid.
Dohbiden (ef98f0) — 12/12/2011 @ 4:02 pmImportant correction :
Rick Perry did accept that bet. Repeat Rick Perry did accept that bet!
I was watching the debate live and I didn’t realize it.
Sammy Finkelman (b17872) — 12/12/2011 @ 7:49 pmImportant correction to important correction:
Comment by Sammy Finkelman — 12/12/2011 @ 7:49 pm
SF> Important correction :
SF> Rick Perry did accept that bet. Repeat Rick Perry did accept that bet!
SF> I was watching the debate live and I didn’t realize it.
That’s because in fact he did not accept that bet. I just now finally listened to the You Tube video. I have a debate transcript. There are problems with that transcript I was using.
ABC played some highlights over in the middle of the debate, and so there’s alittle bot that is transcribed twice – and it’s not exactly the
same in both cases.
The first time, the transcript goes:
[Mitt Romney speaking] ..But– but the real difference, I believe, is our backgrounds. I spent my life in the private sector.
21:21:31:00 I– I understand how the economy works. And I believe that for Americans to– to say goodbye to President Obama and elect a Republican, they need to have confidence that the person they’re electing knows how to make this economy work again and create jobs for the American middle class.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:21:47:00 Your response?
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:21:49:00 (THROAT CLEAR) Just a second. You had four allegations, do I get four responses?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:21:53:00 Take your time. (LAUGHTER)
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:21:55:00 Okay. Let’s start with the last one, let– let’s be candid. The only reason you didn’t become a career politician is you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994. (LAUGHTER)
MITT ROMNEY:
21:22:03:00 Now– now wait a second, that– (AUDIENCE BOOING) I mean you’ll– Okay, go ahead.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:22:11:00 –you’ll get another response, go ahead.
MITT ROMNEY:
21:22:12:00 Okay. (LAUGH)
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:22:14:00 Do I– do I get to– continue–
MITT ROMNEY:
21:22:15:00 Please, please.
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:22:16:00 No, and I’m just saying….
The second time, the same stretch of dialogue is transcribed as follows:
ANNOUNCER:
21:42:32:00 You’re watching live ABC News coverage of the Iowa Republican Party debate. (MUSIC)
21:42:41:00 (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MITT ROMNEY:
21:44:48:00 (MUSIC) The real difference, I believe, is our backgrounds. I spent my life in the private sector. I understand how the economy works. And I believe that for Americans to– to say goodbye to President Obama and elect a Republican, they need to have confidence that the person they’re electing knows how to make this economy work again and create jobs for the American middle class.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:45:07:00 Your response?
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:45:10:00 (CLEARS THROAT) Just a second. We had four allegations. Do I get four responses?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:45:14:00 Take your time. (THROAT CLEARING) (CHUCKLE)
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:45:15:00 Okay. Let’s– let’s start with the last one. Let’s be candid. The only reason you didn’t become a career politician is you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994. (BOOS)
MITT ROMNEY:
21:45:24:00 Now– now wait a second, now wait a second. That’s– that was– that was–
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:
21:45:31:00 That was– you’ll– you’ll get another response, go ahead.
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:45:34:00 Do– do I get to go ahead and continue?
MITT ROMNEY:
21:45:35:00 Please, please.
NEWT GINGRICH:
21:45:36:00 No, and I’m just saying–
The first time it says Newt Gingrich’s initiual comment was accompanied by applause and the second time by Boos. I think there was just boos – amild booing ove rthe idea.
In the case of the bet, Rick Perry did not say, but OK
But he said he’ll show him the book.
Sammy Finkelman (d3daeb) — 12/15/2011 @ 12:14 pmI now looked at the ABC transcript.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-iowa-republican-debate/story?id=15134849
At the bottom it says:
(Editor’s note: Due to a transcription error, the initial version of this debate transcript misstated Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s response to Mitt Romney’s question about betting $10,000 over Romney’s Massachusetts health care plan. Gov. Perry’s actual quote was: “I’m not in the bettin’ business, but…”)
In other words, Rick Perry, did NOT say: OK and therefore did not accept the bet. He was offering to show Mitt Romney the book anyway.
It still has the two versions of the transcript of the same piece of video starting with But– but the real difference, I believe, is our backgrounds…
It is not exactly the same as what I got from a third party site The Critical Post. (There are no time stamps at ABC News site.)
The Critical Post transcript is at http://thecritical-post.com/blog/2011/12/abc-iowa-republican-debate-saturday-10-december-2011-video-transcript-text-tcpchicago/
Although there is one correction, both still have Newt Gingrich’s statement:
The only reason you didn’t become a career politician is you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994.
…followed by laughter the first time it is transcribed, and by boos when it is repeated. But it was the exact same piece of video both times.
The exact same video was broadcast twice, first live and then a highlights, and I think there were only boos…
Sammy Finkelman (d3daeb) — 12/19/2011 @ 10:50 am