Romney: Deal with Obama to halt campaign heckling would be 'nice,' but unlikely

To halt the escalating incidents of heckling at campaign stops, Mitt Romney said he's willing to meet with President Obama's campaign to reach an accommodation - but that he remains skeptical any deal can be struck.

Romney's comments, in a Fox Radio interview broadcast on Tuesday, came after Obama senior campaign strategist David Axelrod condemned the Democratic protestors who showed up at two recent Romney campaign events in Ohio. However, Axelrod also blasted Republicans by saying such behavior is "their tactic, not ours."

Asked if he would be willing to sit down with Axelrod to discuss a resolution, Romney said with a laugh, "I know America actually has a long history of heckling free speech." He continued, "It would be very nice if we could reach that kind of conclusion. I'm not sure it's possible, but it certainly would be a nice setting to reach."

And when asked if he would urge his supporters to stop heckling Obama's campaign, he said: "I can assure you that we do not believe in unilateral disarmament. Bilateral disarmament, that's a different matter. But unilateral, no way."

Romney's comments led Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt to blast Romney for not taking a stronger stand against heckling.

"We have sent a strong message to our supporters that this campaign should be an open exchange of ideas, not one where we drown out the other side by heckling and crashing events ... Campaigns are a reflection of their candidate, and Mitt Romney has a different view, endorsing heckling. With all that's at stake in this election, Americans deserve better," LaBolt said in a statement.

Some of the protestors who engaged Romney supporters at events in Pennsylvania were organized by liberal groups such as MoveOn and Occupy Wall Street and not affiliated with the Obama campaign. A MoveOn spokesman said the group did not engage in any heckling in Ohio.

On Saturday, Romney's campaign moved a stop it had planned in Quakertown, Pa., because so many members of the groups were creating a scene outside the Wawa convenience store where the former Massachusetts governor had intended to stop. The Obama campaign's own protest took place about 300 feet from that stop.

By contrast, the Romney campaign has allowed and encouraged its staffers to disrupt Obama campaign events. Spokesman Ryan Williams often takes one of the Romney campaign's official buses to events featuring Obama or Vice President Joe Biden, honking the horn and speaking to voters. Williams also recently made his way into a diner in Ohio where Biden was shaking hands and questioned the vice president about coal policy.

Axelrod himself was a target of hecklers in May, when he appeared at a news conference at the Massachusetts statehouse. Multiple staffers -- including Williams and spokesman Rick Gorka -- were on hand with at least 100 Romney volunteers and staffers, and they chanted at Axelrod throughout his remarks. On that day, Romney himself was making a surprise appearance in California at the headquarters of the failed energy company Solyndra. He said he condoned his supporters' behavior.

Sarah B. Boxer contributed.

[marychgo]

Typical Romney: It's not fair when Obama supporters (NOT the Obama campaign) heckle him, but it's perfectly alright when the Romney campaign staff heckles Obama or Axelrod.

[YoursTruly25]

What a crybaby lol Oh yeah, he's Republican. He can dish it out but he can't take it. I never knew the 1% were such whiny kids about little things. With that in mind it puts the whole "We're far more superior than the rest of the 99%" into perspective for me. It's not like Obama is telling his supporters to go and heckle him. They don't like Romney, I don't like Romney. I like to have someone who can relate to me and know what I'm going through during this tough economy rather than listen to someone who brags about his wife having two Cadillacs. Psssh. Obama 2012!

[RollotheNorman]

Well, you have to admit he is making a minor break with 43 here - Dubya's event's were usually carefully crowd controlled. Nobody but party faithful allowed in events. Protesters were allowed but preferably no closer than 800 yards. Not a lot of progress, but some. And so far we haven't seen a Repug propaganda set up op like Joe "the Plumber."

[Thinkbeforeyouwrite]

Reagan would have had better leadership skills than Mitt. Reagan would have put the kibosh on the heckling in his own unique way. Mitt is no Reagan. How can Mitt stand up to Iran and North Korea if he cannot set an example for his supporters and thinks. the interruption of free speech is acceptable. BOTH parties need to stop the juvenile antics.

[washmohickory]

If the Democratic Party would show they had one iota of real concern about the national debt and begin to propose and support a balanced budget amendment with certain exceptions maybe the country would not be 16 trillion in debt. Maybe the public sector would have the money to spend during this recession. Talk to 5 elected democrats at the national and see if more than two of them would support a balanced budget agreement. They cry like babies when anyone starts talking about cutting jobs and getting the fed government back in control. If you don't wake up - we'll be Spain/Italy/Greece/Ireland just a few years down the road. Even Hillary said the debt was one of the highest security risk this nation faces.

[hypnotoad72]

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/04/14/158424/republican-leaders-debt-limit-hypocrisy/

Read it and weep. With ginormous tears...

[hypnotoad72]

Both sides have their share in this.

I say the more intelligent people should have a free pass, given how much the unintelligent have slung out... but then 80% of congress would get stuck with nothing to do...

[hypnotoad72]

Rather, the followers to both of these politicians.

But I'm sure one of the two politicians will try to find the chance to say something nasty and then spin it into something else before the other can, though...

[tvwatcher5345]

obama is doing God's work, he has slayed bin laden, ticked of the roman catholic hierarchy, put in two supreme court justices, and ticked off the people that elected and re-elected president cheney, i say obama has done the country good, and will do the country good and i say God Bless him! and a Merry Christmas to him!

[erichsh]

I see you're one of those nutjob bible-thumpin' jesus freaks, as the liberals like to say. But then again, you support Obama - so your religion is not an issue with them. Never mind.

[76SpiritOf]

All I have to say is our country is so divided, that our government will not accomplish anything regardless who is elected.

What we should do is tax PACs and campaign contributions at 50%. If we did the revenue raised would pay off the national debt.

It's too bad money buys the ballot box and funds the lies that the PACs run endlessly. Its even worse that so many of us actually beleive the political spin is credible.

I am voting for Obama simple because big money supports Romney.

[YoursTruly25]

I agree. I always think since when was the GOP ever "for the american people"? Big money creates big problems. Obama 2012.

[CBSDebbie]

I love the heckling as it shows the character of the candidate. If you can't handle a heckler you are going to get creamed looking across the table at Putin and China will smile and eat you alive.

[YoursTruly25]

Yes that is so true. How in the WORLD would Romney stand negotiating with North Korea? They would chew him up and spit him out lol

[RepublicansRFiscalLibs]

by truthseeker2727 June 19, 2012 5:39 PM EDT
ok, "lesserof2evil", what exactly did the last pres. administration do that was so lunatic, that "broght the country down to the dump"

------------

Were you FOR the "6-week" Iraq war? Do you mind that we Americans are paying for their universal healthcare?

Do you mind that we Americans are paying for ISRAEL's universal healthcare, too?

Do you know anything about Medicare Part D, in which the pharm companies could choose what to charge taxpayers?

Do you know that Bush, for the first time in history, borrowed war funding from FOREIGN sources?

Do you know that Bush, for the first time in history, LOWERED taxes during a time of war?

Obama continues these things. They might as well be the same person.

[unclebernies]

Obama has had to put up with a republican house of reps and a senate that that allows the minority to stop anything Obama wants to accomplish with filibuster rules. Obama needs 4 more years to dig this country out of a mess that Romney will make worse. Much worse

[hypnotoad72]

And in 2009-2010,

http://538refugees.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/the-democratic-super-majority-myth/

http://blog.reidreport.com/2011/07/myth-of-progressive-majority/

The time he had a 'majority' was not filibuster proof, people got shot, and other things...

Just thought I'd post this before somebody goes after you with a predictable whinge of "Between 2009 and 2010 Obama had complete control"...

[erichsh]

Doesn't matter, hypno. These days Obama feels free to do whatever the hell he wants by executive fiat regardless of Congress or the Constitution. He could have done the same thing starting Day One.