Sleazy Pro-Obama Attack Ad from Unions
The latest pro-Obama attack ad from the unions rips a quote from Mitt Romney’s “47% video” completely out of context:
The ads quotes a guy who picks up trash in Romney’s La Jolla neighborhood. He claims Romney doesn’t care about him. Then it shows Romney saying: “And so my job is not to worry about those people.”
OK, we’re going over old ground here, but let’s do it anyway.
As I’m sure all of you remember, the full context of the “47%” interchange has nothing to do with whether Romney would “care” about people like this guy. Romney was asked how he would get people to take care of themselves. Romney’s message in response was twofold: 1) responding to the part of the question directed at electoral strategy, and 2) dismissing the part of the question that implies he has a duty (or the ability) to convince freeloaders to take care of themselves. Here is the full context:
Audience member: For the last three years, all everybody’s been told is, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.” How are you going to do it, in two months before the elections, to convince everybody you’ve got to take care of yourself?
Romney: There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. And I mean, the president starts off with 48, 49, 48—he starts off with a huge number. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect. And he’ll be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. I mean that’s what they sell every four years. And so my job is not to worry about those people—I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. What I have to do is convince the 5 to 10 percent in the center that are independents that are thoughtful, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon in some cases emotion, whether they like the guy or not, what it looks like. I mean, when you ask those people…we do all these polls—I find it amazing—we poll all these people, see where you stand on the polls, but 45 percent of the people will go with a Republican, and 48 or 4…
Romney is saying: in this election, when I am seeking out votes, my job is not to seek votes from people who will never vote for me anyway. Nor is my job to preach personal responsibility to people who care nothing for the concept. My job in this election is to persuade the people in the center. Period.
To imply that he would not “care” about this American or any other as President is a completely different proposition entirely. And the people who made this ad know it.
The ad is an insult to honesty.
I await the fact-checkers with their Pinocchios and such, to tell us that this ad completely ignores the context. I’ll be holding my breath in the corner . . . turning blue.
Thanks, again, to dana.
UPDATE: And thanks to commenter, er, “BABY GLOCK,” for pointing us to this National Review piece by Charles C.W. Cooke that puts the nail in this coffin:
Get the sledgehammer message? Mitt Romney doesn’t understand! Romney could have no idea about quotidien things such as trash collection because his wealth and detachment prevent him from having to know what life is like for blue-collar workers such as Mr. Hayes.
There’s just one problem with this, and it lies on page 251 of Mitt Romney’s book, No Apology:
During my campaign for governor, I decided to spend a day every few weeks doing the jobs of other people in Massachusetts. Among other jobs, I cooked sausages at Fenway Park, worked on asphalt paving crew, stacked bales of hay on a farm, volunteered in an emergency room, served food at a nursing home, and worked as a child-care assistant. I’m often asked which was the hardest job – it’s child care, by a mile.
One day I gathered trash as a garbage collector. I stood on that little platform at the back of the truck, holding on as the driver navigated his way through the narrow streets of Boston. As we pulled up to traffic lights, I noticed that the shoppers and businesspeople who were standing only a few feet from me didn’t even see me. It was as if I was invisible. Perhaps it was because a lot of us don’t think garbage men are worthy of notice; I disagree – anyone who works that hard deserves our respect. – I wasn’t a particularly good garbage collector: at one point, after filling the trough at the back of the truck, I pulled the wrong hydraulic lever. Instead of pushing the load into the truck, I dumped it onto the street. Maybe the suits didn’t notice me, but the guys at the construction site sure did: “Nice job, Mitt,” they called. “Why don’t you find an easier job?” And then they good-naturedly came down and helped me pick up my mess.
Here’s Romney working as a garbage collector:
GO TO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2939233/posts
Mitt working GARBAGE TRUCK WHILE GOVERNOR, SO HE COULD LEARN ABOUT ALL THE JOBS BEING DONE FOR HIS RESIDENTS
THERE’S EVEN A PICTURE!
BABY GLOCK (a613f3) — 10/2/2012 @ 10:43 pmBest part of the Governor video is Mitt describing feeling “invisible”… exact same word used by hit-piece.
Robert C. J. Parry (a5133c) — 10/2/2012 @ 10:49 pmBest part of the Governor video is Mitt describing feeling “invisible”… exact same word used by hit-piece.
Robert C. J. Parry (a5133c) — 10/2/2012 @ 10:49 pmThanks, BABY GLOCK.
Updated with a hat tip.
Patterico (83033d) — 10/2/2012 @ 10:50 pmThose intrepid fact finders at the DNC goofed again. How could they possibly have known. I dunno, maybe skim Mitt’s bio?
Gazzer (9b910f) — 10/2/2012 @ 10:53 pmMitt doesn’t care about a black garbagema = Mitt Romney doesn’t like black people. Cause wasn’t that the liberals rationale with the Willie Horton ad?
liontooth (c33c1e) — 10/2/2012 @ 11:12 pmMitt was just a White-boy from Beacon Hill slumming.
AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (2bb434) — 10/2/2012 @ 11:37 pmIt’s not like he was doing the job of a real real garbageman.
There are a number of different sites with different figures, but it would appear that the starting salary for a trash collector in San Diego County is about $33,000, the average salary is just under $40,000, and the pay tops out at about $47,000. While that won’t make you rich, it certainly does provide steady income in a county with 8.7% unemployment and a state with 10.7%.
But I guess now we are supposed to add Gatorade and hugs to compensation of garbage collectors. Forgive me if I don’t want to get up at 6:00 am in order to provide this.
JVW (f5695c) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:21 amWhere is the ad from the Obama’s garbage man in Chicago talking about all the handshakes and hugs he gets from Barack and Michelle? Don’t they care about their garbage man?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:51 am1) How many times has Obama gone out and helped pick up the garbage — even for a day?
2) For the slumlord’s defense, Barack Obama, Esq.
IGotBupkis, Legally Defined Cyberbully In All 57 States (8e2a3d) — 10/3/2012 @ 3:01 amThe One clearly doesn’t care about anyone but who is paying him the biggest bucks.
Patterico, you’re right. This quote was taken out of context. Romney didn’t say he doesnt’ care about this person as a human being. He did say that people who don’t pay federal income taxes aren’t thoughtful and don’t take care or presonal responsibility for his life. Hard to get my outrage meter to move on this add.
If the numbers from comment 8 are correct than a garbage man with a mortgage and a couple of kids would likely pay no Federal income tax, this making him part of the 47%. Not sure if this guy makes enough to pay federal income taxes or not.
#6 is probably right about the subtext of this message btw, from what I read turnout is going to be a big part of this election.
time123 (33ce8e) — 10/3/2012 @ 4:24 amIt was not clear to me in the video, but FWIW I read somewhere that the garbage trucks pictured lift those garbage “cans” automatically, so maybe he’s fibbin’ about lifting the stuff (or they have inaccurate video).
I have given water to trash collectors on record heat days, but hugging and thanking them for leaving my garbage cans rolling in the street?
The real problem isn’t the dishonest ad, it’s the media coverage. If Bush ran an ad like this and there was a picture of Gore or Kerry picking up trash you know it would be out everywhere the next day in a Bush smack-down. But even though the true facts are clear, don’t hold your breath waiting for it to come out.
If “military intelligence” is an oxymoron, they need to invent a new word for “journalism ethics”.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/3/2012 @ 5:07 amIn addition, I think the Romney house in question is new for them and Romney hasn’t even been there long enough to see the person that picks up his trash.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/3/2012 @ 5:10 amI’d like to see the first time they see each other face to face. I bet Romney will be gracious.
Mitt Romney gives cancer to unempolyed women and does not love his garbageman.
The Obama 2012 Campaign-we would tout our accomplishments, but there aren’t any. Let’s call Mitt Romeny The Devil instead.
Bugg (642d2d) — 10/3/2012 @ 5:50 amYou know how you deal with this union attack on America? You cut them out of the picture.
My wife is one of the few non-unionized teachers in her school (thank heavens for a right-to-work state). The unions have their intimidation racket for new teachers, compelling them to join. My wife and several others in her district also visit with those new teachers to let them know: 1) there’s an allegiance of non-union teachers too, 2) join the union if you don’t think you have any merit and will need to be protected because you’re not any good on your own, or 3) join the independent, merit-oriented teachers who don’t need a union to cover their incompetence.
When you put that Union bumper sticker on your car, it tells the rest of us you can’t make it on your own merits.
flyover freedom (b0bb5a) — 10/3/2012 @ 6:17 amSo who the hell hugs their trash man?
Obama? Biden? WTF? This is all they have and people will still vote for them?
Smarty (880bf6) — 10/3/2012 @ 6:21 amSanitation engineer compact thyself.
gary gulrud (dd7d4e) — 10/3/2012 @ 6:42 amYeah, right, Romney is “helping” the garbage men dump trash.
More likely he’s going through the garbage looking for his $2 million dollar wrist watch that the illegal housekeeper accidentally threw out.
Or maybe he’s making double-triple sure that his shredded tax returns are disposed of properly before anyone can find them.
P. Tillman (fcbc8b) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:06 amObama supporters have nothing but lies as args for reelection of the worst President in modrn history.
SPQR (0f7c06) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:08 amComment by P. Tillman — 10/3/2012 @ 7:06 am
Thanks for pointing out that Romney was looking for his $2 million dollar wrist watch. I wouldn’t have known that if it wasn’t for you. Good thing we’ve got you here to cut through all the BS.
Gerald A (138c50) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:10 amP.Tillman shows us the hatred, bile and idiocy of Obama supporters. Yet again.
SPQR (0f7c06) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:10 amIllman’s hatred is a daily thing now. His vile actions speak to his own lack of character.
JD (ab8eee) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:11 amI’ e said it before. It really is quite clear who I’d prefer to have as a neighbor between Romney and Obama. Consider if you were worried about your wife or kids and you had both as neighbors. Who would you call to ask to check on them for you if you were away? If you would call Obama, you are a blithering idiot with no judgment.
SPQR (0f7c06) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:20 amWe’re gonna take the garbage out to the curb on November 6.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:27 amIf they are not fed, the trolls will eventually get bored and will go bother someone else.
BarSinister (664312) — 10/3/2012 @ 7:34 amHere’s a link to someone saying the SD garbagemen have robot-arm lift trucks so they don’t have to bodily lift ANYTHING:
http://www.jennyerikson.com/2012/10/02/mitt-romney-and-the-lying-trash-man/
If Jenny’s claim is verified, then THIS is the nail in the coffin of that ad. Track down that lying union a-hole on the job and videotape him!
gp (5a38d9) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:03 amIt’s obviously just a political hit piece targeting the anger of the resentful people among society. But there’s a pathos behind it. This video merely confirms the premise that left wingers are all about emotions and feelings, rather than results and behavior.
People have come out of the woodwork to provide moving anecdotes about all the times that Romney has given generously of his time and money to individual people in need, as well as to charities ($4 million in 2011).
But let’s say that some “rich folks” in upscale neighborhoods don’t go out of their way to wave at their garbageman, or they don’t go out of their way to leave the garbageman a twenty dollar gift at Christmastime…so what ?
Why does the garbageman demand that kind of affirmation from a rich person on his garbage route ? I mean, the garbageman may make a couple hundred stops each day—does he demand each of the 200 customers to drop what they’re doing and rush out to the curb to give the garbageman a hug and a trophy for picking up their garbage ?
The garbageman’s “reward” is his paycheck, and garbagemen do seem to get paid pretty well considering the skill set required. In some big cities, they get paid better than school teachers who have master’s degrees.
Why is the self-esteem of a garbageman dependent upon whether or not an extremely busy and famous man such as Mitt Romney goes out to give him a hug ? Why doesn’t the postal carrier make the same demand ? How about the person working the counter at the dry cleaners ? The lady who assembles bouquets at the local florist shop ?
Other than the obvious fact this guy is merely a pawn for a political hit piece, why is he the only one whining about a lack of affirmation from his customers ? It’s almost as if the garbageman feels like he believes his own job requires the pity of other people.
The truth is, garbage collectors provide a very vital service to society. And they get paid for it. It actually sounds like this particular garbageman doesn’t take personal satisfaction for how important the service is that he provides—otherwise, he wouldn’t be fishing around for affirmation for what he does.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:16 amThe trash collector in the video confirms the whiny-self-entitled attitude of so many in the public sector unions.
He earns a decent salary and benefits package that we, the taxpayers are paying for, and all he can do is whine? He has no self-respect, let alone gratefulness, in being able to earn an honest salary for an honest day’s work, and instead cries about how at 55 or 60 he might have aches and pains. I can only imagine how many unemployed people there are who would give anything to have an opportunity to earn his salary and receive his bennies package at 55 or 60, aches and pains included.
And let’s not forget, he is a union member thus well protected from any sort of job abuse that might take place.
p.s. where I live, the refuse collectors do not pick up the city provided trashcans & recycling cans. There is a mechanism on the front of the truck that picks them up and dumps them over the top of the truck.
Dana (292dcf) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:34 amOr maybe he’s dumping the bodies of his other wives to hide his polygamist roots…
P. Tillman (fcbc8b) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:42 am“JD, SPQR and Patterico’s ODS hatred is a daily thing now. Their vile actions speak to a total lack of character.”
Or brains in your case.
There, fixed that fer ya.
P. Tillman (fcbc8b) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:43 amHere in my little corner of SoCal “paradise”, the trash collection is privatized, and they use one-man trucks with a mechanized jaw device on the curb side to grab the receptacle, run it up to the top of the truck where the contents get dumped into the compactor, and then put back down (hopefully) at the curb where it was originally.
AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (b8ab92) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:47 amThis happens three times every trash day, thanks to the miracle of recycling and composting.
Personally, I think the comment at 8:42am requires some form of sanction.
Patrick?
AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (b8ab92) — 10/3/2012 @ 8:49 amComment by P. Tillman
The P. must stand for “Prick” in this case. He’s (she’s?) quite happy to do the whole Mormon-bashing thing (which is, after all, acceptable bigotry to lefties), but would no doubt take great umbrage at our racism if we made a casual Obama/Muslim joke.
JVW (f5695c) — 10/3/2012 @ 9:08 am5. Comment by Gazzer — 10/2/2012 @ 10:53 pm
Those intrepid fact finders at the DNC goofed again. How could they possibly have known. I dunno, maybe skim Mitt’s bio?
These ads are not conbtructed along the truth.
It’s more what people think could be true, based on snippets of information, some of which may be distorted, rather than what actually is true.
What happens if people think it could be true, is that they’ll argue about the significance of the point the ad makes, but not the point itself.
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 10/3/2012 @ 9:17 amP. Tillman,
Did you really just assert that Obama has hidden dead bodies on behalf of his drunken, polygamist daddy ? You sound like one of those cranks who calls Howard Stern with knowledge about where Jimmy Hoffa’s body is buried.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 10/3/2012 @ 9:23 amOk, Tillman, we’ll play along with you…when you assert that Barack got rid of some dead bodies, was that before or after his daddy had his leg amputated as a result of drunkenly crashing his car into a tree ?
Barry barely ever saw his father—I doubt he was involved in assisting his father in covering up his adultery, and boozing, and abuse of women.
I don’t get why you would want to change the subject to something like this, when it’s in your best interest as an Obama supporter to keep narrowly focused on the awesome economy.
That photo is BEGGING for a “0” logo on the trash can
Captain Obvious (c62713) — 10/3/2012 @ 10:04 am“when it’s in your best interest as an Obama supporter to keep narrowly focused on the awesome economy.”
You mean George W. Bush’s economy? I agree.
P. Tillman (fcbc8b) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:14 pm#31—Most SoCal neighborhoods use that system. The trash collector never gets out of the truck. I have never said a word to my trash collectors. Lesson learned, I’ll invite him in next time for some tea.
PC14 (87cbf8) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:20 pmComment by P. Tillman — 10/3/2012 @ 12:14 pm
George Bush was like so 3 1/2 years ago.
I heard someone make a point the other day, Obama has spent his whole term blaming everything on the previous president. What is he going to do if he wins another term?
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:33 pmOh, yeah!! Joe Biden already beat him to it, blame it on the previous president, being the one he sees in the mirror!!
George W. Bush’s economy?? Really??? Have you been asleep for the last 4 years, Tillman?
The trucks in this area also are one man operations, with the automatic dumper. I say man, because I have never seen a woman driver. Not trying to be un-PC. As for hugging a garbage man; it can’t possibly be a good idea to hug someone who has been dumping trash all day, can it?
PatAZ (a12365) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:35 pmOr maybe he’s dumping the bodies of his other wives to hide his polygamist roots…
Comment by P. Tillman — 10/3/2012 @ 8:42 am
Liar.
JD (ab8eee) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:37 pmP. Tillman,
You’ve already accused Obama of assisting his drunken polygamist peg-legged father in the hiding of the bodies of dead women, and now you’re saying that Bush deserves the credit for Obama’s awesome economy of the past 4 years ?
Next, you’re going to tell us that Bill Ayers actually wrote most of “Dreams From my Father” from an outline provided by Obama.
P. Tillman, you sound like a racist who doesn’t believe that blacks are capable of writing books, or are deserving of credit for their own accomplishments. It also sounds like you believe blacks are inherently criminals, since you asserted that Obama helped his father bury the bodies of dead women that he murdered—without proof they actually committed such a crime.
Elephant Stone (65d289) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:43 pmThose of you on twitter will like this link.
background here.
carlitos (49ef9f) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:44 pmPretty sure he meant Obama’s economy. Obama has been president for nearly four years. We are worse off than we were under Bush. That’s just a fact.
Dustin (73fead) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:44 pmObama claimed it as his after the failed stimulus. Said if he couldn’t fix it he didn’t deserve a second term.
JD (ab8eee) — 10/3/2012 @ 12:59 pmHas anyone made a handy chart with unemployment, GDP growth and federal debt since Obama said that in 2009?
carlitos (49ef9f) — 10/3/2012 @ 1:18 pmP.Tillman shows the bigotry endemic in the Democratic party.
SPQR (6c816e) — 10/3/2012 @ 4:20 pmAnother unfair Obama ad (per ABC News)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/obama-ad-says-romney-backed-sweatshop-conditions-in-china/
The ad will begin running this week in New Hampshire, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, and Nevada — all states with sizable manufacturing sectors — the Obama campaign said.
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 10/4/2012 @ 4:41 pmCard Check is the goal of the Obama administration. Former ACORN employee, Anita Moncrief explains the SEIU / ACORN / Project Vote connection. She also explains how Kathleen Sebeilius and Hilda Solis got their jobs.
https://vimeo.com/50298485
Anita (ffde50) — 10/9/2012 @ 8:13 am