Romney Bets the House



Rick, I'll bet you $500 Newt's next wife will be a brunette

I never thought I would be defending Mitt Romney but this crap about the $10,000 bet is ridiculous. At the 10,000th Republican debate on ABC, Mittens accused Super-Christian Man (Rick Perry in his secret identity) of getting some facts wrong about the Romney position on the individual mandate and bet Perry $10,000 that he was wrong. This was obviously a joke and he didn't literally mean he would bet that absurd amount of money on a trivial difference of opinion. (Haven't you used the expression, "I'll bet you a million dollars" when it was over something you were absurdly sure about?) But someone, I don't know who did it first, has twisted this throwaway line into an indictment of Romney as an out-of-touch one-percenter who has that kind of money to throw away. Rivals were quick to point out $10,000 is three months salary for the average Iowan and commercials were run painting the former governor as elitist. Like the rest of the GOP is soooo in touch with the average working stiff--so much so that they don't wanna cut payroll taxes. Yes, I do believe Romney IS an out-of-touch rich guy who has no idea what it means to struggle to make ends meet, but crucifying him for an innocent turn of phrase is going too far.

Tonight on the Last Word, Lawrence O'Donnell pounded away on this point for an entire segment and then went below the belt by pointing out Mormons are supposed to be against gambling. I thought that was unfair and beneath O'Donnell whom I usually agree with. It shows the slightest little thing can be picked up and magnified a thousand times.

Also Newt bitch-slapped Mittens by saying the reason the former Mass. governor was never a career politician was because he lost elections too much. Mittens should have shot back, "At least I wasn't dethroned from the Speakership for ethics violations, fat boy!"

Romney is awkward and insincere and it looks like Newtie has him on the run, but I think Mittens is being unfairly treated on this bet thing. Don't get used to it, though, Mittens. I still think you're a big jerk.