Mitt Romney’s father George Romney was truly a progressive voice in the Republican Party in the 1960s. The Atlantic did a piece in 2012 about George Romney’s commitment to civil rights, when Mitt was running for president and refusing to speak on the larger civil rights issues his father had championed. George Romney supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Martin Luther King Jr’s movement and was a zealous proponent of desegregation and economic equality.
Meanwhile, Mitt… *sad clown noise*… um, never publicly championed civil rights or anti-racism or anything like that. But Mittens has had time to ponder. And so he decided to become the first major Republican to walk with racial justice protesters. He stepped out at a protest yesterday in DC and posted photos on social media with the simple statement “Black Lives Matter.” He also spoke to a Washington Post reporter as he marched:
.@MittRomney is marching with a group of nearly 1,000 Christians to the White House. Here he is on video saying why he’s walking: “… to make sure that people understand that Black Lives Matter” https://t.co/KCxJNchCMs pic.twitter.com/Za0Am2WL8g
— Hannah Natanson (@hannah_natanson) June 7, 2020
Romney’s group of protesters was a subset of 1000-1500 evangelicals from the DC area who decided to join the existing protests in Washington. He reportedly stayed for about 90 minutes. Romney’s aide said Mitt’s decision to join the protest was “spontaneous.” I mean… good for him. It’s a good first step. Let’s see if he does anything else.
Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/JpXUFlxH2J
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 7, 2020
This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s—“Force alone will not eliminate riots,” he said. “We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.” pic.twitter.com/SzrcAyfPD8
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 6, 2020
Photos courtesy of Mitt Romney’s social media and Avalon Red.
Countdown to Trump calling him a total loser, the biggest loser anyone has ever seen, in 3, 2, 1….
Junior did yesterday. He’ll retweet Junior. He still hasn’t dealt with all the attacks on his precious Nagini over the weekend for her ridiculous commencement address
The attack has begun. He’s challenging Romney’s sincerity & blubbering about Utah poll numbers. Romney isn’t up for re-election until 2024; poll numbers now are irrelevant
One of Romney’s sons adopted a black child several years ago. I suspect that the Romneys are beginning to realize that all their wealth, privilege, and power aren’t going to protect that boy as he goes out into this world.
Lightpurple.. some reporters have made fun of the kids too. His father was very pro civil rights in a time when white Repubs weren’t. Marching too.
Made fun of his adopted black grandson?!?!?!?!
This is set up for Romney 2024.
Agree 💯! But I can’t help being happy to see him supporting the movement.
Of course it is, but it’s better than Tom Cotton, who is also positioning himself for 2024. I’d never vote for Romney, but I think he’s sincere, while I think Cotton is also sincere in his racist beliefs.
Yep. All about his next presidential campaign. If he actually sticks with the issue I’ll pay more attention. Right now just feels like a photo op.
Honestly, I’d be good with that. I will always want and vote for a Democrat for POTUS, but we need the alternative to be someone who is at the very least capable, and has a little shred of human decency, so that if we lose, we aren’t thrown into an apocalypse like we are right now. While I don’t like or want either in power, Romney GOP > Trump GOP.
I agree it was likely a personal strategy and a photo op, but he’s pretty much the only one even doing that much, and voting for the 1 count of impeachment, so good.
Maybe this is rude, but does this do anything helpful for him in terms of getting the Republican nomination? Several times recently he had been the only Republican voice of reason, but that seems to be a negative in the modern Republican Party.
It is possible he’s going to try to run as a ‘take back the GOP from the crazies’ ticket. There are a lot of moderate Republicans that are more than a little uncomfortable with how things have been going, wondering where the hell this hard right turn into extremism for the mainstream party came from and what the hell ever happened to the ‘law’ part of ‘law and order’.
I know my Republican grandparents actually re-registered as Independents when Trump got the presidential nomination. Their opinions of GOP shenanigans have not improved these last four years. “Shit, even Nixon had the sense and the shame to HIDE it,” keeps coming up.
Cool…but I don’t believe that he did this for any reason other than to vex the orange nightmare. Ol Mittens is still a solid Republican, and we all know where they fall on the spectrum of progressiveness, with or without the orange one.
Exactomundo, I came here just to say this. He is not genuine, he just wanted to stick it to Trumptard. Miss me with that.
Agreed. Still it was refreshing to see a Republican not being a total jerk about human rights. Or just for a few minutes … any republican not being a jerk period. I pray every last one who helped PRESIDENT BABYGATE looses badly. We need to vote!!
I don’t think this had anything to do with vexing Trump, but for standing with his convictions. He was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump on one of the articles on impeachment.
Ahhhhh, that’s why he did it. He looks just like his father. He needed a color pic documenting their generational importance. I’m sorry. I’m glad he walked. Whatever. Walking and taking selfies does absolutely NOTHING. It’s something he can very easily do. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say Congress should be in nonstop meetings and hearings on order to pass overdue legislation. They should be paving roads for the dictator’s exit. They should be looking out their office windows at the protestors with confirmation posters proclaiming victory. We hear you. We’re MOVING. We’re working. We’re accomplishing. Here’s proof. Let the protesters do their job. It’s time Republicans do their job. Colin Powell saying what’s-his-face drifted from the constitution is a very mild and endearing way of putting it. He shit on it. If our constitution meant as much to Republicans as they’re always claiming, well…. We wouldn’t be here. So get back to work Mitt. You’ve got the pen.
I’m also very skeptical of all politicians but these photo ops are worth something. It shows republicans this doesn’t have to be a partisan issue. This should be obvious but I don’t see many other republicans doing it. It seems politicians would rather turn everyone against each other. Fox News is pretty much telling viewers the protestors are coming to destroy their homes and kill them.
I get all the skepticism of Romney. I wasn’t a fan when he ran for president either. But I will say, of all the spineless Republicans here in DC, who are too afraid of Trump’s supporters to even sneeze in his general direction, Romney has time and time again stood up and said no. He has voted against Trump/McConnell’s stupid legislative ideas when it mattered. He has repeatedly said that Trump is a terrible human and a terrible president (although not in those words, obvs). I can count on one hand (using far fewer than 5 fingers) the number of Senate Republicans who have the balls to do that.
Yup. We should take it, because we need the evangelical vote. He’s stood up against Trump and been bullied relentlessly for it. I’ll give him credit for this.
Like was said on twitter, this is a W, and I’ll absolutely take the win.
Agree with everything you said.
I think this is an important thing to note. While we can accuse Romney of being performative or scheming for his next political move, he has consistently put himself out there as the opposing voice against Trump when all other Republicans either have fallen in line or are too chicken sh*t to speak up. His actions do matter.
Yep any antiTrumper is a good one. We need all the allies we can get. Just like the Lincoln Project is staffed with dyed in the wool GOP operatives. I like them because they are out there hammering bunker bitch. The Dems should take the gloves off and take a page from the Lincoln Project.
While I can at least understand why some people have had positive reactions to this, I’m not sure that a hollow or insincere performance is really helpful to the cause. I keep thinking that it may be more insulting for him to pee on all our legs, tell us it’s raining, and think we are all too dumb to know the difference.
I definitely have more respect for him than the “others”, although would vote Democrat no matter what unless things go further into the Twilight Zone but that particular insanity is not foreseeable in my lifetime. I know people say if Trump wins I’m moving, well I am seriously thinking of taking a sabbatical for 4 years from these rocky shores, and I mean it. I’m duel Brit-U.S. citizen and I know it’s madness over there too but these armed to the gills Red Hatters will be running the show with nothing to lose because term limits scare me. Plus my lovely English relatives are awesome. I am probably related to a Brit on here. I relatives in almost every town in England. My ancestors were horny. But the weather where I live, sigh. P.S. Thank goodness for all you CBer’s, I can read comments here and maintain my blood pressure, it’s nice : )
BLM to Mitt as long as they don’t want their SS….
If it helps get Trump out of office, I’m all for it! I know it’s photo OP he’s using to get votes but that’s ok. As long as dump gets beaten at election I’m happy
I have seen a lot of people tweet that he’s beginning his 2024 campaign for President. I doubt it. Maybe I’m wrong. But Trumpism has taken over the R base. And after trump is gone (God willing and the creek don’t rise), Trumpism will live on. He didn’t invent it. He excited and exploited what was already in that poisonous white base. I don’t see how Romney wins the nomination. It’s going to take 2 decades, maybe more, no less, for the Republican party to clean their house. And that’s if they want to clean it. I don’t think they do.
@Darla, you are right that Trump only exposed the nature of the Republicans.
But I can also sense that the party also knows they are almost finished hence the reason they are throwing the kitchen sink.
I guess we will find out during the 2024 R primary. If we make it there! BTW, Trump just tweeted about this very video, sneering at and mocking Romney. Trump “knows” that all hearts are as dark as his own.
I don’t see Ann Romney agreeing to another presidential campaign 4 years from now.
I think it’s the opposite of a 2024 run. I think he’s given up on politics and wanted to get elected and he is now determined to vote his conscience. That’s the quickest way to torpedo things with the Republican Party.
I wonder how Ronna Romney McDaniel feels about all of this
The next family event is going to be a bit awkward
At the very least, he is setting a good example. If he influences any other Republicans to join him, it is a very good thing.
It’s PURE performance art which has NOTHING to validate it…either with votes or policies and he’s pulled this stunt TOO OFTEN in the last 3 years for me too pay it ANY MIND!
I’m too cynical at this point to think he’s not doing this to better his own position somehow, but… he’s doing it, so I hope this is his first steps toward supporting this movement by working with Democrats and voting for permanent police reform legislation.
If his behind the scenes talk matches the walk, then that is progress. I’m thinking it is mostly personal PR and trying to shore up his historical record.
This is like the Mattis letter, I think. It doesn’t mean a lot to me, personally. It feels performative. But, I can see this sending a clear message to other Republicans.
I think this too. While there may well be ulterior motives, if it will give any Republican supporters/voters pause to think, influence them or make them more open to change, or help any who may be secretly appalled at how far things have gone and need a way back – then it is valuable for that reason alone.
Romney is a Mormon and one of the reasons he’ll never win a WH run is his faith. Warren Jeffs, etc., damaged the image of the church. In CA the Mormon and Catholic churches spent 52M to argue against same sex marriage and thankfully lost. He is not popular in CA, notice he had an easy run in a Mormon state, Utah.
It is really tough for me to take seriously a man whose chose to have Paul ‘Ayn Rand gives me the feels, down there’ Ryan and a VP running mate.
“Binders full of women” seems downright innocent now. I remember hating Romney so much. Oh how standards for Republicans have fallen.
I know. His 47% thing made me so angry, and while it’s still wrong, now it seems almost harmless, compared to the orange toddler.
The craziest thing about that binders full of women quote was that he was saying something to the effect of: “I noticed there weren’t a lot of women in the field so I have binders full of women candidates.” (my paraphrasing). Like it actually was not something horrible it just got misconstrued.
I still get angry about that, because Trump isn’t an anomaly. He’s just the next point on the GOP slide into fascism. It’s all of a piece.
Here’s the quote: “I had the chance to pull together a cabinet, and all the applicants seemed to be men. […] I went to a number of women’s groups and said, ‘Can you help us find folks?’ And they brought us whole binders full of women.”
So he noticed there was a gender discrepancy and worked to fix it which I applaud him for, however, the media took the quote out of context and ran with it. I’m sure the Tea Party would have been considered him a RINO for that just like they say he is for saying “black lives matter,” hiring a gay man, and voting to impeach a president who has defied the Constitution.
F*ck, that’s ^^ a pathetic paragraph; dude diversifies his workplace, says black people matter, and upholds his oath to the country, and suddenly he is being crucified by the Tea Party because he is a traitor. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph help us all.
The reason he got made fun of “binders full of women” (and I remember watching the debate where it happened very clearly) – wasn’t because he was trying to diversify the workplace, it was because it came across as very tone deaf. Like he didn’t know any women he could have promoted so he had to go to a group and get binders so that he could hire some. He is in such a male dominated world that he didn’t know how to find women who could work in the cabinet.
It was also a funny visual of women just popping out of these binders, which is why it has stuck around.
Now I don’t think it was the worst thing he could have said and at least he WAS trying, many men in power don’t even do that, but there is a reason its still around and its not just because its been taken out of context.
Becks,
See what bugs me is the media focused more on that comment than the issue behind it.
What should’ve happened was: “Oh, Romney needed to go to women’s groups for candidates because there weren’t any applying.” “Wow, why are there so few women in political environments?” “We need to rectify this, let’s work to end misogyny in the workplace and government.”
This is the crap that enables Trump. The media needs to focus on the root of the problem, not the memes.
I have a soft spot for Mormons. In early 1995 I was bumming around the Yucatan taking advantage of the recently devalued Peso. We ran into a group of Mormon kids on their mission trip and hung with them for almost a week. Their parents thought they were winning souls but in reality they were partying on the beach and dancing in Merida clubs. They were fun, kind, and more open minded than I would have guessed. I know its a racist and misogynistic cult, but so are most religions so I won’t hold that against them.
If Mitt is doing this in an effort to insult/piss off Trump, I am A-OK with that.
Mitt is not the only son who does not match his Father in awareness or ideals.
Trump.Must.Be.Defeated.
At this point in America the Dems must overtake POTUS, Senate and Congress if at all possible. Get elected, get to work at once, do not take your foot of the gas.
Is it truly so unbelievable that both parties can work together to rebuild?
Why? Seriously, WHY NOT?
Look at all the GOP senators out there, marching and saying Black Lives Matter!; all one of them.
Good for him for being the only GOP senator to stand his ground on stuff against their tyrannical bullshit. I thought his impeachment speech was phenomenal and I’m glad he is setting an example of how it SHOULD be.
I don’t trust him, so I automatically assumed this was for show and to help in a possible run for president. But I could be wrong. If he actually means well, good for him. Though imagine how much good he could have been doing if he was more like his father.
Even if it was for show it’s still better than not saying anything. A lot of people look up to him.
That’s nice, Mitt. Now if you wanted to show some real leadership, resign your identity/membership as a Republican and swear to caucus with the Democrats until the fascist GOP is dead.
Republicans: Say All Lives Matter…you’re in.
Democrats: Say Black Lives Matter while marching in protest hooked up to a lie detector test while writing a check to the ACLU while speaking out against Trump while creating an app that makes it easier to support black owned businesses….eh, too little too late.
He’s the only GOP senator with nothing to lose.
But it was still a good thing to do.
I wish I could see this as anything other than him setting up for his next presidential campaign.
I didn’t vote for Romney, but I did write to him thanking him for his integrity to vote to impeach the scumbag Trump. And for standing up against his party. Did you listen or read that speech at the impeachment hearing?
I don’t understand all the negativity. We need Republicans to voice opposition. It’s starting to happen. Read the New York Times article. People are still chicken sh*t , but the tide is turning. We need that momentum to make him a one term loser. Trump hates to lose.
Whether Romney or his staffers called reporters or not—photographers would have been there anyway. Any one of them will scramble be to sell that pic! Everyday influencers/reality personalities/celebrities do this all the time.
Whether you disagree on his past actions/votes—he is at least doing something!
I am always glad to see some of the moderate Republicans stand up to that tyrant. Several mod-pubs did that as they were leaving the job and not seeking re-election. Democrats can often work with moderate Republicans, but these tea party/extreme pubs are divisive.
I grew up in Michigan, and my grandparents – republican on one side, democrat on the other – had a lot of respect for Romney. He was a beloved governor during that generation, and given the times, someone who seemed to have a larger worldview than many others did. I think Mitt is doing more than he probably ever thought he would have to – I’m still not a fan, but I have to say, I’m not part of a club that demands complete and total unity, and so I’m not really in his shoes. He’d do well to honor his father by doing better. (Yes, I know, no politician is 100% great – well, Paul Wellstone was pretty great, and I’m an independent – but it was interesting to grow up hearing that two very different political factions in my family both had good things to say about Romney.)
I cannot dislike a man that stands up to the evil one. He voted to impeach. He pushes back, he calls out the liar.