Mitt Romney: It makes sense to use a TelePrompter

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gestures while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010.

/ AP

Republicans, as a rule, don't exactly hold politicians who use TelePrompters in high regard.

"[W]hen you run for president of the United States, it should be illegal to read off a TelePrompter," Rick Santorum said last month in Louisiana. "Because all you're doing is reading someone else's words to people."

Santorum, who has called President Obama the "reader in chief," and Newt Gingrich are among the long list of Republicans who have mocked the president's use of a TelePrompter. Here's Gingrich last month: "I've already promised that if the president will agree to seven three-hour debates in the Lincoln-Douglas tradition, he can use a TelePrompter if he wants to."

But the man who seems to have bested Santorum and Gingrich in the race for the GOP presidential nomination doesn't see what's so wrong with using a TelePrompter. In a video leaked to Gawker.com by a disgruntled (and now fired) Fox News employee known as the "Fox Mole," the presumptive nominee is shown chatting with Sean Hannity before going on air. After producers inform Hannity there is a script for the segment - which Hannity will read off a "prompter" - the two men mock Mr. Obama for using a TelePrompter, with Hannity saying, "I think Obama sleeps with his."

But the two then sing the praises of the device in keeping a candidate from saying something he might regret.

"It does make some sense though" to use a teleprompter, Romney tells Hannity. "I do understand."

He adds: "It keeps you from saying something you don't mean, you get the message out precisely the way you want to get the message out." Romney says he has used a TelePrompter "maybe five times" in the campaign. Romney in recent months has tended to use a teleprompter for most major speeches.

"It's smart," Hannity agrees. "You're right. You don't want to make a mistake. I'll tell you, they're out to just eviscerate anybody who makes a mistake."

Santorum seemed to be targeting Romney's TelePrompter use in the comment above and in remarks in February, when he told a Michigan audience: "I never have to worry about what I say because I will say what's on my heart. I might not say it the most articulate sometimes and I understand that, but I have no TelePrompters. I answer questions."

Some have been confused by Republican attacks the president's use of a TelePrompter, and Democrats note that presidents from both parties have used the device for more than half a century.

"It's a strange obsession because it's inane," wrote Robert Schlesinger in U.S. News and World Report last month. "Teleprompters are tools. Sure they're high tech if you've just emerged from the 1950s...but ultimately they're just a medium for prepared remarks, substantively no different from a sheet of paper on a lectern."

Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post has an explanation: For Republicans, "the use of a Prompter gets at authenticity." Mr. Obama's dependence on a prompter, by this thinking, reveals him to be far less than presidential - someone who, Cillizza writes, is simply "reading words written for him by someone else from an electronic device." Seen in this context, Santorum's decision to attack Romney for using a prompter makes sense - it squares with the critique by Santorum and Gingrich that the former moderate Massachusetts governor is less than authentic when he claims to be a conservative.

Romney has been burned multiple times throughout the campaign for his off-the-cuff comments, some of which have reinforced the notion that he is not in touch with the average American. (Among them: That wife Ann "drives a couple of Cadillacs," that he has "some great friends who are NASCAR team owners," that he would bet Rick Perry the rather odd sum of $10,000 over who was correct about Romney's record.) In a world where a poor choice of words can derail a campaign message, it's no surprise that Romney sees the value in sticking to the script - even if he'll only admit as much when he thinks no one is watching.

[ChicagoanNick]

Ron Paul continues to poll better than any other candidate against Obama, beating him in the latest Rasmussen poll - yet the GOP continues to prop up Romney.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ron-paul-only-candidate-able-to-defeat-obama-in-new-poll-2012-04-12

Why? Ron Paul get the majority of Independents, some Democrats, and most all Republicans. But Mitt Romney gets few Independents, no Democrats, and few Ron Paul supporters. Only Paul can beat Obama.

[cbsnews_viewer]

Santorum ran out of money. Romney puts his foot in his mouth, but the country senses what he is about. Chicago Tribune reporter John Kass, has stated that "Romney will turn left the second he secures the nomination". I have seen nothing to prove this writer's observation incorrect yet. Apparently Romney is hoping being the not-Obama is enough to get him elected.

[josephp5]

Hannity---what a crock! He lambasts Obama for taking a vacation trip to New York. "How much does that cost the taxpayers?" worries Hannity. I guess he never realized how much further Bush's Texas ranch was from the White House, and how much more time Bush spent there!

[josephp5]

Hannity in March 2009: Obama "sleeps with his teleprompter... Is the teleprompter between him and his wife, or is it on the outside, one on each side?"

Hannity in April 2012: In response to Romney saying, "It does make some sense though" to use a teleprompter, Hannity says, "I do understand."

Has there ever been a more hypocritical weasel than Sean Hannity?

"It's smart," Hannity agrees.

This from Hannity, the man who

[josephp5]

...This from Hannity, the man who chats with Mitt (before his appearance) about the champion horses that they own, and mentions that they really shouldn't talk about this when the interview starts.

Has there ever been a more hypocritical weasel than Sean Hannity?

[Ben37221]

This shows the hypocracy of Hannity(insanity). Even Rush uses teleprompter, however, their audiance are too stupid to realize that why they critizes Obama for using teleprompter, they are doing just the same.

[josephp5]

True. I've actually heard Fox News watching friends of mine say that, unlike Obama, Bush never had to use a teleprompter!

It's the standard Fox trick. Fox commentators questioned whether it was constitutional for Obama to make a recess appointment to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Board, even though Bush had many more recess appointments at the same time in his Presidency! Fox also screamed in horror at the reconciliation process used to pass the Affordable Care Act (i.e. "Obamacare") even though George W. Bush's tax cuts were passed the same way!

That's the trouble with the whole Fair and Balanced thing. Fox only reports things that they can spin badly against Democrats, avoiding any comparison with Republicans that would put things in context. "That idiot Obama can't even give a speech without a teleprompter!"

[dlefevre23]

George W. Bush used a HUGE three ring binder to do each speech and with each page telling him exactly what to say and he read from it. People can go to YouTube and see it for themselves. It's just your everyday specious attack from a group of people that grasp for every idiotic reason to complain about a black president.

[bigremo]

Silly people! It's okay to use a teleprompter if you're a white guy. Duh!

[RGRobins]

Santorum, et al think using a teleprompter = reading someone else's words. That's not necessarily true. You might be reading your own words. UNLESS, of course, you don't know how to write.

[wbramh]

I'm reminded of Arthur C. Clarke's comment, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

While the TelePrompter is really marginally more sophisticated than paper notes (notes being a common tool when giving a speech to the nation or at a birthday party), the knuckle-draggers believe the electronic note is a form of modern sorcery.

Folks like Michele, Rick and Newt know their audience.

[Sean_B28655]

It has nothing to do with magic, it has to do with who's words are being heard.

A State of the Union address is one thing, I can live with a POTUS playing glorified newscaster. Running for office or answering questions, I want to hear the politician lie for himself.

[dlefevre23]

Again... George W. Bush read all his speeches out of a three ring binder. You can see it in the videos. They did this especially in the 2nd half of his presidency to avoid gaffes.

[DestroytheGOP]

No teleprompter can save Romney from accidentally speaking the truth. Examples: "Corporations are people, my friend." "I'm not concerned about the very poor." "Planned Parenthood? We'll get rid of that." It will be quite entertaining watching Romney's YouTube problem get bigger every week.

[HolyVoice]

"It's smart," Hannity agrees. "You're right. You don't want to make a mistake. I'll tell you, they're out to just eviscerate anybody who makes a mistake."

The truth of what Romney belives, would be considered a mistake by some--depending on what's said. McCain said at a Romney rally that Obama should be elected president of the US, but he wasn't reading it from a teleprompter.

But also, candidates can use Palin's method, and scribble on your palms what you want to say.

[wbramh]

My what an astounding revelation from Mitt.
The next thing you know we'll find out arugula is actually a consumable vegetable.