Mitt Romney hounded for $10K bet

AP

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is getting hammered by both his Democratic and Republican opponents for challenging Rick Perry to a $10,000 bet on Saturday night, leaving the former Massachusetts governor on defense.

Romney challenged Perry to the $10,000 bet during Saturday night's debate after the Texas governor accused Romney of once advocating for using Massachusetts' health care mandate as a national model.

"This was an outrageous number to answer an outrageous charge from [Perry], and it's been proven wrong time and time again, and he keeps raising it," Romney said on Fox News Monday morning. "I said 'Okay, let's put something outrageous there'. It's like saying 'Hey, I'll bet you a million bucks X, Y, or Z.'"

The GOP candidate criticized President Obama and his supporters for using the moment to cast Romney as out of touch with the American electorate.

"What the American people are tired of listening to is President Obama trying to find some way to deflect blame," he said. "He's been pushing this idea that somehow I'm not in touch with everyday people, because I put out an outrageous number for an outrageous charge."

Indeed, the Democratic National Committee immediately seized upon Romney's proposed wager, tweeting lines like, "FACT: $10,000 is almost three times what the average family spends on groceries in a year." Bill Burton, who runs the pro-Obama group Priorities USA, said the comment shows Romney "could not be more out of step."

Still, it's not just Democrats following that line of attack. Perry on Fox News Sunday called the bet "a little out of touch with the normal Iowa citizen." The Perry campaign also produced a web video focusing on Romney's position on the health insurance mandate and the debate moment. While ominous music plays and images of Romney flicker, words on the screen read, "One bet you can count on... the truth isn't for sale."

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman -- who is trying to gain momentum in New Hampshire, where Romney currently leads -- went so far as to create an entire website slamming Romney for the debate moment: 10kbet.com.

Romney was left backpedaling Sunday in New Hampshire, when he told the media that "after the debate was over, Ann came up and gave me a kiss and said I was great and she said 'There are a lot of things you do well; betting isn't one of them."

While Romney's net worth was estimated by his campaign to be between $190 million and $250 million, the candidate on Sunday shared a story about a time in his life when he lived on a very modest income. As a Mormon missionary in France in the 1960's, Romney said, he lived on no more than $110 a month in apartments with little or no plumbing.

It's unclear how much lasting damage the bet could do to Romney, who already appears to be losing ground to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Romney's wealth is no secret -- his $12 million San Diego home and his New Hampshire lakehouse valued at more than $10 million have been the focus of media reports, and during a visit to Florida this summer, he raised some eyebrows by telling a group of jobless workers, "I'm also unemployed."

[safari_man]

I think anyone who's had a childhood has said 'wanna bet' about 10,000 times. The story is ridiculous; the bet is as unprovocative as can be. The hand was extended with a ludicrous value to just get Perry to back up his words. If the challenge isn't taken, who do you think won?

The rabble in twitterdom caused a stir, media types see chum in the water and begin salivation. Alas it's just Romney in the surf, not a delightsome sea lion. But let's just say we got the real thing and let the public believe there is flesh on the menu again. Sharks gather in. Ignorance reigns because the RINO simply must be defeated!

The press has categorized Perry's accusation as false many times since Saturday's debate closed. This goes unmentioned however because by golly there's meat to be chewed.

[jonweber34]

Blue Team stupid and gay! Go Red Team!

Red Team greedy, stupid, ..., and gay! Go Blue Team!

Hmm... I wonder why things will never get better in this country...

[oftenplayful]

Folks are jumping to actually silly conclusions about this. You have to know something of the setting: Rick perry has long been known in Texas to be a vicious campaigner; he has been called "the Barracuda" when running for election. He'll stretch the truth to any extreme, tell any lie and keep telling it over and over--just as long as he things it may grab him a few votes. What he has said, and keeps on saying though proven false, about the entry in Romney's book, is such a lie. Romney has answered this to Perry before,and knows what was in his own book. This was not a bet. Romney was 100% certain he was right, and he knew that Perry knew it was a lie and thus Perry would never take the bet. The amount of the bet was immaterial, whether $10, $10,000, or 10 million. It was not a real bet. It was an exposing of Perry as a consistent liar.

[stevex47]

When he's in negotiations with world leaders, is he going to bet away Florida or Wyoming ?

I thought at least one tea birther like mittens maybe had one or two brain cells...I was wrong.

[esq777]

Willard Romney is the ultimate east coast elitist. He makes wind-surfing John Kerry look like a man of the people

[norcalruss]

I would like to congratulate Willard the Waffler for reminding people what a bunch of out-of-touch jackasses there are in the GOP. I used to live in Iowa and there are a lot of minimum wage jobs there. Willard asked Ricky to bet him nearly an ENTIRE year's salary for a full time minimum wage earner. Ricky ain't too bright but he was smart enough not to take the bet.

Willard, with his two TEN MILLION DOLLAR HOMES just doesn't get it! The GOP is completely out of touch with the Middle class, the working class, and the downscale. The only people they are in touch with are the well-off, the bible-thumpers, and the immigrant bashing, gay bashing xenophobic bigots. You can't win too many elections if you can't expand your base to ordinary Americans.

[leroybrownsmom]

What's worse, a $10,000 bet, or strapping your poor dog to the roof of your station wagon -- even though he's having diarrhea -- for a 12 hour road trip? Yes, Romney did exactly that in 1983 and never apologized for it. http://www.ilovedogs.com/2011/12/mitt-romney-put-dog-on-car-roof-for-12-hour-road-trip/

[norcalruss]

So, in addition to making bets for obscene amounts of money, Willard also abuses animals? Nice Guy! Just what we need to lead this nation.

[kainos2]

Oh, but taking a dump on public sidewalks and streets - now THAT'S "in touch" with the American people, isn't it Mr. Obama? So glad you "identify" with lazy Marxist aggressors.

[norcalruss]

by ghostfighter-2009 December 12, 2011 8:16 PM EST
???I thought you said yesterday you were an Occupy participant?
+++++++++++++++++++++
Maybe that was before Kainos2 took a dump on the street and became a lazy Marxist aggressor....

[oftenplayful]

mikevetman,due to the way the question was worded, and that it was sent from a man in Texas, I strongly suspect he is a Perry supporter. Purpose of question was to give Governor Dum-Dum a golden opportunity to go on at length about his poor upbringing in contract with Romney's. Diane Sawyer even asked Perry first to answer that question! Talk about giving a candidate a silver platter.....

[MariePearle]

Why not simply donate the $10K to a charity of the winner's choice?