Howler of the campaign season so far. President Obama, speaking in Dever yesterday disparaging Mitt Romney's oft-touted business experience:
And the notion was that somehow the reason people can’t pay their bills is because they’re not working hard enough. If they got more productive, suddenly their incomes would go up. Well, those of us who’ve spent time in the real world — (laughter) — know that the problem isn’t that the American people aren’t productive enough — you’ve been working harder than ever.
Where exactly is this "real world" of which he speaks? I've lived in what I would call the real world all my life, and I never encounter people like the president in it. No one who reaches the level of presidential candidate has the faintest idea what the real world is like, even if they started their careers with a nodding aquaintance of it.
Not that Romney's private-sector experience isn't fair game. He's made it the centerpiece of his resume, rather than his term as a governor, so it's entirely proper to examine his record and ask how exactly that qualifies him for the presidency. Running a venture capital firm isn't exactly like punching the clock five days a week and hoping you get home from the assembly line in time to watch the last two innings of the afternoon ballgame. Brother, that's real.
Comments
I agree with you, but I have to insist that Obama has lived substantially closer to the real world than Mitt Romney. When Romney needed spending money while in college, he sold off blocks of the stock his father had given him. Me? I sold my own blood.
Obama had nothing like the pampered childhood - indeed, entire life - that Romney has enjoyed. Obama's childhood meals were paid for with food stamps. Romney's were prepared by the domestic help. Romney says he's "worked" in the private sector. Well, he graduated from business school and was promptly placed in charge of a large financial company based entirely on his father's fame. Neither man has ever punched a time card, but Obama had to make substantial student loan payments while teaching constitutional law. College instructors are not well paid.
Romney quite literally started at the very top of every job he's had - Bain, the Olympics, and governor of Massachusetts. He has no idea what it feels like to choose between adequate food and the rent. He doesn't know the lost sleep occasioned by writing a check not knowing whether it will bounce. You and I know those feelings and those choices. Obama at least grew up with them. Romney apparently doesn't know they exist.
I don't think "I don't worry about the poor" and "I like being able to fire people" were gaffes. I think they were moments of unfortunate honesty on Romney's part.
I don't mind in the slightest that he's rich. I'm bothered that he apparently doesn't realize that the rest of us aren't.
Littlejohn you can "insist" all you want, it doesn't make your comparison valid. President Pantload hasn't had a real job in his life. He sucked off the system like a professional scam artist and misrepresented himself as whatever he needed to be to game the halls of academia and launch himself into politics. He's never accomplished anything of import and he's lived a cosmopolitan lifestyle, not one of need by any stretch. (the food stamps story is crap)
Leo is correct in that ANY person that reaches the White House is removed from what yours and my daily struggles might be, and that's not a bad thing in and of itself in my opinion, but that's because I don't allow my life to be consumed with jealousy and envy of what other people have and I don't and constantly blame others for any and all misfortune that comes my way.
The whole "he's so rich he can't understand" is preposterous unless you're willing to apply that to every President from Washington (who was extremely rich) to JFK, FDR, heck even as recently as your nominee in 2004 John Kerry....
I told you all along a ham sandwich will beat Oblama. Well, it looks like Mittens is my ham sandwich and trust me, this will not be close in the end. Black & Cool will only carry you so far, his record will sink him like the frickin' Titanic.
Tim, teachers everywhere will be interested to know that you consider them parasites. My wife is a teacher, as was Obama. "President Pantsload"? What are you, twelve?
Although I agree Romney is your proverbial ham sandwich, I will refrain from predicting a winner. A poor economy always bodes ill for an incumbent. I seriously doubt that "it will not be close" though. Interesting that you felt the need to point out that the current president is black. I thought you Republicans paid no attention to that sort of thing. Now I know better.
Tim, teachers everywhere will be interested to know that you consider them parasites. My wife is a teacher, as was Obama. I never said that, nice try though. My entire family is comprised of teachers and has been for decades. I have no problem with teachers that teach, I have problems with teachers unions that suck the very life out of the education system and allow perilously inept and misguided people (like Oblama) to rise to the level of "educator"
"President Pantsload"? What are you, twelve? I believe it's an "apt" desrciption, the only thing he's soiled worse than himself is our economy.
Although I agree Romney is your proverbial ham sandwich, I will refrain from predicting a winner. A poor economy always bodes ill for an incumbent. I seriously doubt that "it will not be close" though. Consider the Bradley Effect...
Interesting that you felt the need to point out that the current president is black. I pointed out his skin pigmentation allowed him opportunities not available to average people and stand by my theory that were he white, Hillary would be President.
I thought you Republicans paid no attention to that sort of thing. We point it out when it's germane as an observation in support of the facts, not as an excuse like liberals do.
Now I know better. Sadly, all you really know is how to parrot talking points.
"I pointed out his skin pigmentation allowed him opportunities not available to average people and stand by my theory that were he white, Hillary would be President."
And by "average people" Tim Zank means "white." Because reverse racism, of course.
As far as comparing Obama to Romney: Obama at least has some idea of what it's like to work for a living;
"WASHINGTON (AP) – Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you're in Romney territory."
I think it's been underreported just how rich this Romney guy is.