-
Artur Davis Says Scandals Are Real
May 19, 2013 | 3 comments
-
Good New Book: ‘Precipice’
May 19, 2013 | 1 comment
-
A Long Record of Obamite Thuggery
May 16, 2013 | 4 comments
-
DeMint Supports Defense
May 14, 2013 | 5 comments
-
Update on Tom Perez
May 14, 2013 | 0 comments
The Spectacle Blog
I know I’m late in weighing in on this, but I think the Romney $10,000 bet offer will prove to be an extremely harmful gaffe. It will make him the butt of Leno-like jokes for months to come. Indeed, it might effectively sink his campaign. Even watching his expression when he said it, it didn’t look like somebody who had any sense of trying to offer an exaggerated bet to make a point; in other words, there was no humor or irony in it. It looked and sounded like a man for whom $10,000 is within the realm of readily disposable income. In other words, it all but screamed “PLUTOCRAT!”
Somehow, I don’t think that will sell well in Iowa, or anywhere for that matter.
View all comments (8) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/12/12/romneys-10k
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Dan| 12.12.11 @ 9:56PM
He's been selling the same thing for six long, long years.
And beyond his 21 to 23%, who is buying anything that he's shilling?
Yet we're constantly told by our supposed political betters that he's the one most "electable!"
Frank Marschino| 12.13.11 @ 10:16AM
This is by far the most overblown matter I have ever heard. If we are going to disqualify a candidate because of a flip "I'll bet you...." remark, then we have allowed our political campaigns to be completely hijacked by the gotcha' media we so despise.
loulou| 12.13.11 @ 11:00AM
Romney hijacked himself.
Clearly 10 grand is chicken feed to him.
Not that I care that Romney is a millibillionaire but his $17,000,000 renovations to his La Jolla house is off-putting.
AVCurmudgeon| 12.13.11 @ 11:04AM
@Frank, I get your point but I think you're missing the point here. It's not a "gotcha" on a silly gaffe, nor is it just about "I bet you..."
All said and done, a candidate wins because he resonates with people. We all know that members of the professional political class are not "one of us", and usually hate it when they pretend to be. But we don't need them rubbing their elite position in our noses, either.
So as to the bet: $10K? Like that is pocket change for the man (which it is, but as I say, don't rub our noses in it). Bet all the scrod in Boston against all the chili in Texas if you want, or even "all the money in my pocket against all the money in your pocket", but not a specific dollar figure that just serves to remind everyone that the average American is feeling economic pain that you cannot even begin to imagine.
Lesser Weevil| 12.13.11 @ 11:10AM
To me, it just looked like a stiff, awkward, slightly creepy attempt at levity--typical Mitt, in other words. I didn't get this "PLUTOCRAT" vibe at all.
Dai Alanye | 12.13.11 @ 11:31AM
Yes, Romney should have made it ten bucks, instead. You'll notice, however, that it took Perry aback, and he refused the bet, undoubtedly for good reason. But were he quicker, he could have said, "Let's make it ten million, Mitt, just to make it worth my while."
But Perry is not only distorting Romney's original statement, he simply isn't a smart enough debater to seize an advantage when it offers.
Of course Romney could have said in lieu of the bet, "There you go again!" It has worked well in the past.
Oldefarte| 12.13.11 @ 11:53AM
With all of the tremendous problems existing in this country and in the world at large presently, I simply fail to understand the mentality or lack thereof of the universal conversation over his comment/offer of a $10 thousand bet. WTF comes to mind! Does this either qualify or disqualify him to effectively administer the office of the presidency? I don't know who's more Gumpish here, the news journalists writing on this SPEAKING STUPIDLY by a candidate [and wasting valuable paper/space over such trivality] or the supposed semi-intelligent bloggers/readers/commentors of same!!!!!!!!
Dai Alanye | 12.13.11 @ 11:56AM
On the matter of the nomination I've become a flip-flopper. I originally favored anyone-but-Romney, and welcomed the rise of Gingrich. Since he gained a lead in the polls, however, he's turned into the bad old Newt -- snarky, grandiose, and too easy to dislike. A potential loser, in other words.
Considering the importance of beating Obama, and the practicalities of the matter, for utilitarian reasons I now favor Romney with a strong conservative VP.
That is to say, Santorum. Choosing Bachmann would immediately bring the Dan Quayle effect into operation, with the news media having a field day over every gaffe, real or perceived. Rick Perry would, if anything, be worse, while Ron Paul is no true conservative, and easy to caricature.
Another possibility exists, certainly. If a non-candidate conservative would take the chance -- a Rubio or Jindal -- the odds might be even better than with the relatively unknown Santorum. But a strongly-conservative VP is a must both for policy reasons and to increase Romney's electability.