Russert Breaks Out The Flip Flops For Mitt Romney On Meet The Press
By Logan Murphy Saturday Dec 15, 2007 12:01pm
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Meet The Press, a show that has come to be known as a conservative paradise and a haven for the White House in times of trouble, has suddenly turned into unfriendly territory for Republican presidential candidates. Rudy Giuliani walked away bruised and battered last week and today, host Tim Russert put the screws to GOP hopeful Mitt Romney.
Romney has flip-flopped on just about every issue, but in this particular clip, David put together a mashup of Russert hammering away at Mitt about his flip-flop on abortion as he waved a pair of brightly-colored flip flops in his face.
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Ron Paul next week on Timmeh's show
DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_About_Mormons
Don't care for Romney and I'm glad the "flip-flopping" is getting attention, but enough with the sandals already. Stupid, juvenile and tacky.
Ya think Tim has come to realize he has been cheering for the wrong team?
Does he want to be on the side of the prosecutors when the court of public opinions comes to session?
Was that bit of editing at the end necessary?
What was the response?
How did Romney attempt to weasel out of that one?
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. :p
Timmeh asked a tough question of a GOP candidate? Which one of his corporate masters told him to do that?
So Russert is a prop comic now?
How professional of him ... I can see Murrow doing the same thing, can't you?
I want to know how Romney responded... That would be interesting to watch.
THE TRUE MEANING OF MITT’S MORMONISM: MARRIED TO MULTIPLE POSITIONS
I hear Russert is opening for Carrot Top on his next tour.
They are like a pot-roast without the pot. Carrots and badadeahs.
-GSD
Romney is the greasiest man going. Nobody likes him. This guy pours millions of his own money into the campaign and he's not even winning. The guy has flip flopped on a number of issues. So the guy is giving his own money and changing his principles and he's still not winning. But you have to ask what on earth is driving him to the presidency? Why does he want it do bad that he's willing to change his fundamental principles and pay for the campaign himself?
GSD @ 13:
He'll also warm for Gallagher the next time around.
That whole thing was kind of useless without Mitts response.
Romney's best response:
Jesus wore flip-flops and I will not distance myself from the Messiah.
-GSD
Mr. Romney is not bound to the temporal tides of any one issue. His duty lies with a more permanent, if not mistaken, principle. Shame on Mr. Russert for his circus tricks.
and now
the flip floppers
come back to bite them
in the ass
why are repubs so stupid
heh...
This is blatantly one-sided without Romney's response, even is we are to assume that it would be a "non-response". But, come on people, you have pulled the same kind of editing crap that we all hate from limbaugh and billo. I thought we were better than that!
and besides, god I HATE Mitt Romney almost as much as I HATE guliani. Look at him up there with his hair all greased back and that dumbass plastic smile on his face. I HATE this guy! He makes me sick to look at! Greasy hair perfect teeth - the annointed one in so many ways. He has no idea what middle america is about. Fuck him hard. I'm so glad that Iowans aren't falling for his plastic, self-funded campaign. And his fucking sons campaigning for him, UGH. Riding around in that stupid bus, having been educated at the best schools, now riding around in a fancy bus and Romney comparing their campigning for him to the work of our soldiers in Iraq, you know - getting shot at and all. And as these silver spoon little rich kids are having their picture taken in front of a fucking cow in Iowa, our soldiers are trying to evade getting blasted by a car bomb, eating dried military meals, baking in 120 degree heat with a 100 lb pack on them. Yeah but Romney's kids, riding around in an air-conditioned bus, and having to stop at the local Ruby Tuesdays for lunch, well that's JUST AS TOUGH, I guess. God I HATE Romney!
This fucker, Romney... I can't understand why he's still in this race. But then again, if the republicans picked a silver-spooned, AWOL frat boy with a drinking problem over a military hero, I guess I CAN see how they'd be so taken by this guy. The only difference between Romney and Bush is that Romney prays in a different church and Romney's so greasy, NOBODY wants to have a beer with him. God I HATE this little fucker!
Thank you for the opportunity to rant.
It's fine to question a candidate about flip-flopping, but waving flip-flop shoes as a prop is tacky.
Truth B Told @ 1:
Will Russert ask Paul if he is willing to dismantle so many federal agencies, such as the Department of Education and Medicare and Medicaid, which would then place many citizens, especially the poor, at great risk? Will Russert ask Paul if he is willing to allow corporations to get away with polluting the environment? Will Russert ask Paul why he has not backed Kucinich's proposal for a single-payer health care system in this country, which would place people above profit? Paul is supposed to be a great believer in the Constitution but does not believe in allowing a woman the right to have an abortion. Paul's foreign policy is quite laudable but his domestic solutions to problems in this country would be a disaster.
Considering Timmeh is actually asking "real" questions, has any American stopped and thought that maybe, just maybe, Mr and Mrs Corporate America WANT a Democrat to win the WhiteHouse?? Perhaps, maybe, perhaps BOTH parties have the EXACT same corporate sponsors/friends???
rasta @ 9:
Torpedo....los! And the USS Romneybot sinks beneath the waves......
ConcernedCanuck @ 24:
Either that or they have seen the writing on the wall and since the GOP is gonna lose anyway the talking heads are gonna nail the Repugnants this time around so they can claim to be unbiased and nonpartisan.
What has happened with Tim? He has grown some teeth. I do not know if this is true, but it seems like some of the execs noticed that guys like Obermann did not fall off the end of the world for doing hard journalism and commentary. They also took note of the ratings for Countdown. Dan Abrams has also joined the fray. It is pretty clear that the tone on many shows is changing. If you recall, just a year ago, the vast majority of the media was little more than a reading of a WH press release. I recall an interview with Tim Russert and Bill Moyers (April 2007).
Bill was questioning him about the show, where the WH leaked the Aluminum tube story to the NY Times over night, so it ran front page Sunday AM. Then the WH flooded the Sunday morning talk shows to make a case for war. Cheney came on MTP unplanned. He quoted the NYT story (Judith Miller). Tim did not challenge him, and he was given carte blanche to make the administration's case. Moyers said (paraphrased), "Many think that was the definitive moment where the WH and the media became inseparable."
Russert was clearly uncomfortable. It was obvious that he was giving what Moyers said a great deal of thought. In answering Moyer's questions, he said, he had no idea Cheney would be on the show until he came in Sunday morning. He said the ground rules for MTP are, people come on the show and he can ask any question he wants. When a guest is scheduled, he often gets phone calls that provide him with lines of questioning he might want to explore.
He said his best tips come from 'middle people'. They know what is going on, but would lose their jobs if they went public. On the day Cheney came on, he said he waited by his phone as long as he could, but it never rang.
Russert is a blue-collar guy and could be a valuable ally going forward. Hopefully, what we are seeing is a preview of a much more aggressive journalism from him. But, it could also be an anomaly. I guess we will have to wait and see.
I can't stand Mitt Romney's politics, though I find Giuliani even more repugnant and can't even comprehend a Huckabee candidacy.
However, I am tired of the 'flip-flop' gimmickry...hard not to be after the Kerry fiasco.
Instead of gimmickry, just confront these pols on their policy reversals and ask them to explain why it isn't just simply pandering to gain the nomination? And then ask why they can be trusted to adhere to the policy that they are currently spouting at the moment.
We did not see Romney's response, but I'm sure it had to be along the lines that his thinking has evolved on the matter. Well, what's to stop a questioner from suggesting that once he has the nomination, his position will further 'evolve' in a general election?
In other words, just expose the pandering and hypocrisy for what it is.
When push comes to shove, network execs put profits above all else. They would give Osama Bin Hidin' a daily talk show on prime time if he could pull in a 30 share.
Hype-Jersey @ 14:
hell hes rich!he can steal more money later!
I don't like romney for many reasons, but you folks need to stop using the phrase "flip flop". Remember it was made popular when Kerry changed his mind about a funding bill (when the early version made certain provisions for funding, and the later version remove those provisions that he felt were vital).
It's a word used by people who don't think people should be allowed to change their mind. If you watch the full response on msnbc's website you will see that he says he had a change of heart. Whether you accept that change of heart was motivated by new evidence, as he says, is one thing, but don't use the base and neanderthalic language of warring republicans.
We shouldn't applaud these tactics at all, like this video does.
Maybe Russert sees, like the rest of us, that the GOP field this time around is so pathetic that there's no point in trying to coddle them. Seriously, this is the worst pack of presidential candidates a party's had to choose from in a LONG time. There's really no point in trying to save them.
Give $100 to Kucinich today: https://services.myngp.com/ngponlineservices/contribution.aspx?X=aDlDFFT...
Hype-Jersey @ 21:
dont be afraid to hate!its good for you!!!!!!!!!!
The Flip Flopping Is Not Over And Romney Will Not Be The Only One
Any Republican nominated to represent their Party will have to do a little "flip flopping" before it is over. Their appeal to the Republican base assures a need to change direction in a general election. War, Al Qaeda is out to get us, well be the real flip flopper. Economy, we are doing so good under Bush's policies, will be the other flip flopping lie. Instead of slipping and sliding, they will be flipping and flopping, as their message is dated.
Joseph
Interpreter of Maladies @ 5:
There was also editing in the middle, with the second insertion of the flipping.
This takes away credibility from these video clips.
No real substantive comment here, but my reaction after viewing the vidio was a little chuckle and an audible comment to myself, "Nice editing."
Well done.
Hype-Jersey @ 14:
There are many wealthy people in the world, but the most powerful is the President of the US. Many people driven to the pursuit of wealth are also driven to the desire for power. Sometimes wealth and power are inseparable.
Matt @ 6:
Yeah, I would have liked to see the ending of this one.
"What has happened with Tim? He has grown some teeth. I do not know if this is true, but it seems like some of the execs noticed that guys like Obermann did not fall off the end of the world for doing hard journalism and commentary. They also took note of the ratings for Countdown."
*cough*
Russert and Meet the Press has been top dogs in terms of rating for a while now.
have*
editing was stupid, but I'm glad to see Tim following his tough approach again this week. I was happy when he put it to Hillary in the debate and loved him cutting Rudy apart last weed. From what I have seen though he was a bit too easy on Mitt today. So, perhaps he is going back to his right wing ways? I have only seen clips, so I don't know - did he talk about Mitt's business dealings that Ted Kennedy used against him? Did he bring up the illegals working at Mitt's house? And I think it's very fair to bring up the cult Mitt belongs to. Would we elect a scientologist? I fear having a President that can't loosen up by smoking some weed, drinking a little, banging chicks - it makes us human. Can you trust a guy like Mitt that doesn't even drink soda?
As much as I hate Rudy I would rather have him in there than Mitt. Rudy is corrupt, but he's human. Mitt is just like a doll that feels nothing. I almost see him as a robot with no feelings. He'd put a bullet in someone no problem. People talked about Kerry, but this guy is just laughable in his changing positions. There is nothing he says that isn't party line. I get heat from my progressive friends over my love of Huckabee, but damn it he's the only one on that side that I could see as President that wouldn't cause me to just puke.
Didn't Romney's father come out against the Vietnam war though? I'll give the family name props on that one.
Mitt would turn into a cross-dressing Baptist with dyslexia if it would get him a vote.. lol
You can always count on Russert to tee-up a ball for the Republic liar to blast out of the park.
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Please post this information on all the websites you visit. So far over 50,000 people have responded. Thank you.
The "Born-Again Redneck" Movement, being led by Huckleberry, I mean Huckabee, is more dangerous than the Brylecreem, "A little dab will do ya" man, Mitt!
Sorry, bit I don't like the editing here... not at all. The actual clip speaks for itself, and his kind of creative editorial commentary is uncalled for.
If this kind of treatment was given to lots of the clips on Crooks and Liars, I'd stop visiting this site.
G @ 41:
Did you not get the memo?
Cheney has decided to run and has sent orders to PumpkinHaid to start 'taking out...' the competition.
Look for an announcement soon!
Cheney/Lieberman Unity 08!
Hey! My scenario is no more whacked than Hillary/Obama/Gulianni/Huckabee. What a collection of fools and tools.
how about using language. off the top of my head: "your amazing reversal of a vehemently articulated position which you represented as a core value casts doubt on your values and your sincerity, and makes us suspect that you find it easy to betray yourself, and thus your supporters. it gives the appearance of shallowness and political expediency. how can you possibly reconcile the total contradiction your past statements pose to your current position" silly little flip flops make me ill
Tim Russert painted himself into a corner when he aimed one half of the questions (and negative ones at that) solely at Hillary Clinton during the now infamous NBC debate. He has no choice but to go after the repugs too or be shown for the charlatin he is.
flip flops?
childish when used against kerry, childish here too...
Erroll @ 23:
really? how do you suppose Paul would be able to eliminate any of those programs you mention?
does he have unilateral authority to do so?
wouldn't it take Congress and the Senate to pass the legislation to authorize this?
You are assigning powers to Paul that not even he would recognize as Constitutional.
Is a tiny bit of liberalism (balance) returning to American media? As Keith Olbermann said, he's making money for MSNBC. Maybe they're realizing Americans want some balance back in the news. Everyone is tired of turning on the TV to GOP propaganda.
Russert/flip flops, I guess that was pretty clear-- ha ha ha.
What did the empty suit/play doh hair have to say about it??
While Russert's juvenile props are unworthy of even him, Mitt deserved to be skewered for his changing "values."
I don't believe that a man who has been politically active all his life suddenly changes positions on core issues like Abortion in his late fifties. What Mitt has done is to make himself over in a uber-conservative mode to get the nomination. Kind of stupid if you ask me, because he could have stood out from the crowd taking less crazy positions.
this clip is ridiculous.
poor Mitty. He'll do anything to appease the Bob Joneses and National Reviewers
So Timmeh's gone after Rudy and Romney? Will he do the same to Huckabee? I just wonder if this is more evidence of the MSM's love affair with Huckabee.
Worst editing EVER... I can't believe how crappy the editing of these clips can be sometimes... Give us the whole lead up to the question, then don't even let us hear Romney's lame answer to the question. I mean it's cool and all that Russert put the flip flops on as a visual aid for the desensitized American public who needs such visual clues to remember that this Romney guy is full of crap... but let us see the entire clip. Many clips on this site lately even end in the middle of sentences. Come on...
Shane @ 58:
AGREED. I haven't been visiting as much anymore, are clips edited like this now on C&L?
OMG
Flip flops? Props?
Romney deserves the grilling, and it's about time MtP actually takes it to Repubs as much as it does to Dems, but bringing out flip flops to interview a presidential candidate?
Maybe Timmeh is auditioning for a job at FOX.
Russert, that's tacky. Go find yourself some dignity, and use it the next time you interview someone with presidential aspirations.
FWIW, I can't stand Romney, but this level of discourse is abysmal.
brian @ 50:
brian @ 50:
brian @ 50:
THIS is the ticket...even HE got so much shit for his obvious bias that he had to cover his ass by going after some Republicans.
Russert is a hack and always will be.
Biggest story of the last couple of days was Bush telling the Judge to back off on the CIA tapes and where was that in his questioning today? Also, where were questions on Romney's positons on Iraq? There wasn't any questions on Iraq today that allowed us to know Romney's stance.
Russert seems to think that journalism is catching guests changing their positions. That's all he tries to do that's the end goal of all his interviews. It's not to inform anybody about what a candidates position is.
Unprofessional
great moment and great colors. It could not have happened to a bigger dishonest WHORE and unethical guy.....
good by Mitt
digdug @ 61:
Timmeh duking it out for ratings against billo and hannity.
Heh. Emotional cripple fight!
Damn the liberal media!
Kenny @ 20:
I totally agree... this was an editing hack job. Looked like something off of Milkins hot air site.
Come on C&L... I expect better from you. The best thing about the morons your against is that you DONT have to edit their stuff to make them look silly. Just play it straight and they hang themselves.
Eric Jaffa @ 22:
Tacky under normal circumstances, yes. In Romney's case he should be flogged with those flip-flops on a daily basis. All politicians spin and retreat on old positions to some extent. But he is a pathological liar with no value system at all. I don't care what his religion is - I'm agnostic myself. But you have to have some core values. This guy's has nothing.
Russert was right on. I loved to see the hypocritical bigot squirm.
The worst part of this interview was Romney's declaration that our founding fathers established a religious, Christian nation. This idea was fabricated using out of context quotes and/or deliberate distortions of recorded history.
Go to Wikapedia and key in "founding fathers religion" and you can get a good idea of what or founders thought about God, religion and Christianity.
Remember - there is no mention of Christ in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration mentions God once and the Creator once. Thats it!
If Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin or Paine could here this man, they would arise from their graves and smite him.
Props? (and stupidly obvious ones at that) Congrats, Tim, you've finally brought all the majesty and respect of a Carrot-top routine to your show.
I always suspected Tim had no sense of humor at all, but I never expected him to go to such lengths to prove it -- first the giant flop of an interview with Colbert, now this...
I even hate that damn phrase "flip-fop". Find a thesaurus or something; why not vacillate? Or "non-committal fluctuation"? Or how about, when new facts are uncovered, "smart people reassess the situation and adjust their plans accordingly, rather than doggedly bashing their empty skulls against a brick wall"?
Hmm.... if only there was some example in the world of the failure to change one's mind upon a changing situation, and incorrect initial assumptions.... there must be SOME situation like that we could learn from... right Timmeh?
Actually, since Tim has a raging hard-on for the pope (now one Mr. Joey Ratz), I'm sure he will recall that the now Benedict has changed his mind on everything from clothes fashion to de-centralizing power from the papacy to the rest of the church. So I guess that makes him Pope Flip-Flop XXX? Would you shove your prop crap in his face, were he on your show?
Tim. Lame. MTP is turned to trash... NEXT!
Let's face it, the bar was lowered for the Presidency by Bill Clinton and W Bush. Now any Empty Suit with a fancy resume and a nice haircut, a few bucks and some powerful friends fancies himself the next leader of the free world. Forget about that "vision thing" Just promise that those with the most power and money in America that you will be a steward for their wealth. If your beliefs are not popular, take a poll and decide what you should stand for, feed your campaign more money, embrace your religion when it is useful for you and deny those aspects that may inconvenience your campaign. Google SouthPark for a funny Video on some funny truths about Mormon beliefs. Romney is the Hillary Clinton of the Republican Party
RE: "I get heat from my progressive friends over my love of Huckabee, but damn it he’s the only one on that side that I could see as President that wouldn’t cause me to just puke."
Let me refer you to a link on this same website:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/12/16/huckabee-squashed-charges-again...
This just MAY make you puke.
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