Romney: Sons Serve Country By Campaigning

Presidential Hopeful Defends His Five Sons' Lack Of Military Service

(AP)  Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military, saying they're showing their support for the country by "helping me get elected."

Romney, who did not serve in Vietnam due to his Mormon missionary work and a high draft lottery number, was asked the question by an anti-war activist after a speech in which he called for "a surge of support" for U.S. forces in Iraq.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, also saluted a uniformed soldier in the crowd and called for donations to military support organizations. Last week, he donated $25,000 to seven such organizations.

"The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told some 200 people gathered in an abbey near the Mississippi River that had been converted into a hotel. "My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."

He added: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

Romney's five sons range in age from 37 to 26 and have worked as real estate developers, sports marketers and advertising executives. They are now actively campaigning for their father and have a "Five Brothers" blog on Romney's campaign Web site.

Romney noted that his middle son, 36-year-old Josh, was completing a recreational vehicle tour of all 99 Iowa counties on Wednesday and said, "I respect that and respect all those and the way they serve this great country."

The woman who asked the question, Rachel Griffiths, 41, of Milan, Ill., identified herself as a member of Quad City Progressive Action for the Common Good, as well as the sister of an Army major who had served in Iraq.

"Of course not," Griffiths said when asked if she was satisfied with Romney's answer. "He told me the way his son shows support for our military and our nation is to buy a Winnebago and ride across Iowa and help him get elected."

The town-hall-style meeting was the first of eight events scheduled for Romney just three days before the Iowa Straw Poll, a nonbinding beauty contest among the Republican presidential contenders.

In the days leading up it, Romney is airing a new television ad in the state in which he encourages supporters to attend the event, portrays himself as an outsider to Washington and takes swipes at both Republicans and Democrats there.

"Washington politicians in both parties have proven they can't control spending, and they won't control our borders," Romney says in the ad. "I will, but I need your help to do it."

While former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who is considering a campaign are not participating, Romney has been actively organizing with the aim of gaining momentum into January's Iowa caucuses, which kick off the presidential nominating process.

[realpatriot1]

Wow, they're doing their part by getting Daddy elected so he will keep other people's kids in Iraq.

Let's give them the Medal of Honor.

[toldyouso21]

All soldiers and prospective soldiers should stop re-enlisting and if their tour is up, refuse to be backdoor drafted to stay. Then they should all buy Winnebagos and support anyone for president, they can claim they serve the country better that way. Ditto for the National Guard. Wonder how long THAT mindset would be tolerated by our government? Romney is not fit to be President. His sons could serve both him and the country by enlisting and finally putting another Republican mouth where all our money is going to.

[randalds]

Vote for Mitt and switch one gutless yellow-bellied coward and his family for another that's just like the one we have!

[randalds]

"My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."

Sounds like Cheney saying he had "other priorities", right up until the time he gets the chance to send other people's kids off to die. The republicans have become the party that talks big about war and national security, but wimps out when it comes to putting their as*ses on the line. They've become the party of war cheerleaders and cowardly *******. Gutless chicken-hawks the lot of them.

[jsilver2th]

Oh I see... what's good for Romney is good for America!

[jerr11]

Yeah, George Bush's daughters are doing the same thing too.

They're serving the country valiantly by partying into the night.

[mudrose-2009]

Well, hell if we have to evaluate everyone that becomes President, let's see Willieboy didn't serve either and I suppose he didn't inhale either. So what qualified him to be President?

[skyhawk761]

This is par for the course with Republicans. Talk the talk but you sure as hell won't walk the walk.

[randalds]

Well, hell if we have to evaluate everyone that becomes President, let's see Willieboy didn't serve either and I suppose he didn't inhale either. So what qualified him to be President?

Posted by mudrose at 03:03 PM : Aug 08, 2007

Because, unlike Bush, he has a brain. Bush isn't unqualified to be president because he's a coward (even though he is), but because he's an ignorant idiot.

[myidoncbs]

The ultimate goal of the LDS church, as stated publicly by its early leaders Joseph Smith and Brigham Young (but not mentioned so publicly by more recent Mormon leaders), is to establish the Mormon Kingdom of God in America, and to govern the world as God's appointed representatives. The possibility that the Mormon church might control America is a frightening prospect.

Mitt Romney must NOT be elected president.

[mudrose-2009]

Let's see, is Chelsea joining the military? Was Hillary in the service? How about Obama? Edwards, that lilly-livered bumpersticker, well we know for sure he didn't serve. Now let's see, if you are Commander in Chief, seems to me that you or some member of the family should be in the military. Let's see now, what other criteria are we putting forth. Are you a religious person? Well, yes, I'm a Mormon, I'm a Catholic, I'm a Protestant. Oh then you can't be President either. As a matter of fact if you are religious in any way, you can't be on the Supreme Court either. So then I suppose for anyone to be President that have to have either served in the military or they can't be called Commander in Chief. And if you are on the Supreme Court now you should be an atheist. Something's wrong with this picture, but I just can't quite put my finger on it.

[randalds]

Posted by MyIDonCBS at 03:07 PM : Aug 08, 2007

Oh I don't know. I think I could get behind the whole having several wives idea.....

[jetauma]

Mudrose, Let's see Papa Bush gave Willie Somalia, he got us out. Willie had the Slavic problems and won. He didn't decive, betray and trick the nation in a war for his disgusting fatcat friends...where's the comaprison again?
Read, listen...turn off Fox...think for yourself!!!!!

[motherjones-2009]

Let's see, is Chelsea joining the military? Was Hillary in the service? How about Obama? Edwards, that lilly-livered bumpersticker, well we know for sure he didn't serve.

Posted by mudrose

CHICKENHAWK is a political epithet used to criticize a politicians and public figures who strongly supports a war or other military action, but has never personally been in a war, especially if that person actively avoided military service when of draft age.

Hillary, Chelsea, Obama, Edwards are not war mongers. They are cheerleaders for bush's war. On the other hand, bush, cheny, rove, krystal, fred thompson, mitt romney--let's face it, just about EVERY rethug you can name---all did everything but put on a dress to avoid military service. They are all cowards and hypocrites and you are a moron.

[mudrose-2009]

I like that idea I do - see if we don't have a military background President, he will just play with himself and little blue dresses and then we can call him Prince instead of President. But if he wants to defend the Country, then he or someone in his family has to be in the military, that gives him the qualification to become Commander in Chief instead of a figurehead the way Congress would like to keep him. So then the question remains, does one have to be in the military to be President or does one have to be in the Military to be Commander in Chief? Well, let's see now, we can take away Article II of the Constitution and just make him a figurehead. Yeah, that'll work, like Willie. But, I'm confused. Who then is President? Oh, come on now. It's just a word.

[huskerarmy]

"So then I suppose for anyone to be President that have to have either served in the military or they can't be called Commander in Chief." Posted by mudrose

Sounds good to me. I mean after all, how serious should we take someone who doesn't sense an obligation, and aren't willing to lay it on the line, to preserve and defend their own freedom? Yes indeed it should be a prerequisite!!!

[skyhawk761]

mudpuppy, it was your boys W and Dick that attacked Kerry and his service in the last election, someone that had actually served. Your defense is always Clinton this Clinton that. The facts are it was your party that started fiasco but no one in your party wants to fight in it. This was typical back in Nam and is showing its ugly head again in Iraq. Yes Clinton should have served back then, but he didn't lose his way to Alabama or state in public that he didn't have time for things such as Nam. That would be dumb and dumber that are now in the Whitehouse.

[mudrose-2009]

What, Hillary, Billary and Dippity-Do are not war mongers? Well, then that explains it. See, then if we are every again in jeopardy, they won't war monger. That means they will sip tea with whomever will be war mongering against us. It's called diplomacy. I don't know, do I want someone like that sipping tea with a monger, mongrol, mut, etc. Well, if they don't like the military, then it seems okay. Yes, we want a President that sips tea and to hell with what the constitution says about Commander in Chief. Just like Jimmy Carter when he went to rescue them people over at that Iranian embassy. We had pretty shoddy parts on those helicopters. Yup, just like Jimmyboy.

[mudrose-2009]

Oh, right putting yourself on the line, that's it. So then in the future you can't be President unless your served, but your a chickenhawk if you served which means you like to war monger and we don't want any more of those in the WH. So, sorry, no more Presidents in the military because we just won't war monger anywhere in the world no matter who, what or where someone war mongers us. We must never do unto others.

[huskerarmy]

Let's see, is Chelsea joining the military? Was Hillary in the service? How about Obama? Edwards... Posted by mudrose

None of them received serial deferments and turned around to cheerlead for a phony war that has killed hundres of those kids who had the guts and heart to serve. There is a difference...

[mudrose-2009]

Yeah remember Kosovo. Willie bombed the Chinese Embassy on the way out. Wow did that ever require diplomacy. Sorry, I was tending to my little blue dress and didn't notice the trajectory. Sorry, sorry, more tea! I'm a Rhodes Scholar and I am so very good at diplomacy, because I can.

[mudrose-2009]

Yup, putting on the Ritz. Putting that dress on and saying I'm not in the military. I didn't serve. I go out into the world and attack helpless little puppies. Because when I get elected I'm gonna be a chickenhawk, and if I don't get elected, I'm not telling anybody what my religion is otherwise I'm not allowed on the Supreme Court either. We'll make you pay your s.o.b's. Well interpret that Constitution anyway we *** well please and you can pound sand you can.

[hober_mallow]

Romney is a snake.

If you like that weasel Bush, you'll love Romney.

[mudrose-2009]

If you served in the armed forces then by definition YOU COULD NOT BE A CHICKENHAWK!
Posted by ozi

Tell that to Bushboy, don't tell it to me. They attacked Kerry for his service. He was swift boated because of his service. When he threw those medals out and spit on everyone. It was okay for him to spit on everyone, but nobody could spit on him. No sir. Not on Kerry, not.

[agnim]

"Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military .."

So we have another wise American parent who is not keen to waste his children's lives? LOL

Who would want a coward who drank much tequila and dodged the war zone to now be sending their children off to mindlessly surrender lives/limbs in a wasteful war?

Moreover, the guy doesn't believe in war. So why would he want to sacrifice the lives of his children for something he himself does not believe in? That would be stupid.

[mudrose-2009]

Romney is a snake.
If you like that weasel Bush, you'll love Romney.
Posted by hober_mallow


Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!

[agnim]

Posted by huskerarmy at 03:36 PM : Aug 08, 2007

Good point, which I overlooked in my previous post.

For supporting a war that is destroy young Americans, and in which he wouldn't fight or have his children fight, is as hypocritical a mindset as that of the present lunatic leader; but what can one expect from the deceptive christians except the usual devilishness. LOL

[gunownerdan]

Romney who?

Go Ron Paul!

ronpaul2008.com
HOPE for America

[shingles1]

"Romney: Sons (aka Tagg, Mutton, Jodhpurs, Bingo and Dingo) Serve Country By Campaigning"

That really IS the least they could do...

[gretagreen]

Romney makes the most ridiculous comments. How lame was this one! How can you possibly equate an election worker with a soldier??

So out of touch; so stupid; so wealthy; so safe.
Not getting my vote . . .

[ioweign]

Yeah remember Kosovo. Willie bombed the Chinese Embassy on the way out. Wow did that ever require diplomacy. Sorry, I was tending to my little blue dress and didn't notice the trajectory. Sorry, sorry, more tea! I'm a Rhodes Scholar and I am so very good at diplomacy, because I can.
Posted by mudrose at 03:40 PM : Aug 08, 2007


How many Americans were killed in Kosovo?

How many were killed by a blue dress?

[magoo2u1]

Please explain why the decisions of his adult children have any bearing on him?
He shouldn't have said a word, his response is is just plain stupid.

[soldat44]

'Romney: Sons Serve Country By Campaigning'


Which means they don't have real jobs because they don't have to work. What an elitest, out-of -touch comment to make. But then again, we're talking Mitt Romney here.

Tell that to the poor sob over there in the sh%t...Good God!

[mike71067]

The only reason this is in the news is because it's a negative story about a Republican candidate. That's it. A candidate's children have no bearing on a candidate's ability to run the nation. This is liberal bias in the mainstream news at its worst.

Please, give us a break.

[soldat44]

He shouldn't have said a word, his response is is just plain stupid.
Posted by magoo2u1 at 04:14 PM : Aug 08, 2007

All of his responses have been stupid.

Sometimes I wonder if he knows what planet he's on...

[oleander8]

'Romney: Sons Serve Country By Campaigning'

That's what Geo.Bush did. He actually got out of his National Guard military committment by joining the campaign committee of some southern politician....or so they say.

[ioweign]

The only reason this is in the news is because it's a negative story about a Republican candidate. That's it. A candidate's children have no bearing on a candidate's ability to run the nation. This is liberal bias in the mainstream news at its worst.

Please, give us a break.
Posted by mike71067 at 04:16 PM : Aug 08, 2007


No - this is just plain stupid!!

This is the best that he could come up with?

And he is suppose to be presidential caliber material!!!

[frb01]

He shouldn't have said anything. And while it is nowhere near the decision those entering the military have made, all of his sons have done at least a year in missionary service. The doubters should think about if they would be willing to give up a year or two for their cause and I think a lot wouldn't have. Besides his children should be called what they are which is adults with their own lives. Did Chelsea Clinton serve?

[gretagreen]

Agnim:
Why do you say Romney doesn't "believe" in war? It's not a religious belief. What do you mean?

[fryedbread]

I hope this quote sticks LOL

[fascistusa]

America is FASCIST. Corporate Monopolies RULE our Country.

ZEITGEISTmovie.com.

Only the Poor fight The War.

SCREW YOU RICH LYING SON OF A ***.

[mudrose-2009]

How many Americans were killed in Kosovo?

How many were killed by a blue dress?

Posted by IOWEIGN

How many were killed by someone who didn't pay attention. Well, let's see, WTC I, Embassy attacks, the USS Cole, to name a few. Blue dresses kill. It's called dereliction of duty. Maybe if Willie was more watchful instead of being a figurehead, so to speak. You don't get a pass you azz.

[soldat44]

He shouldn't have said anything. And while it is nowhere near the decision those entering the military have made, all of his sons have done at least a year in missionary service. The doubters should think about if they would be willing to give up a year or two for their cause and I think a lot wouldn't have. Besides his children should be called what they are which is adults with their own lives. Did Chelsea Clinton serve?
Posted by frb01 at 04:30 PM : Aug 08, 2007

ROFLMAO!!

[jsilver2th]

They keep saying he would be the first Moron to be President... Another lie... Look at W!

[zorlacskates]

"blue dresses kill." whoa, you really crossed into the deep end of the stupid pool with that one. really, really, dumb argument.

[mudrose-2009]

That's it. No one can be President any more unless they serve in the military. Or remove Article II from the Constitution and there will be no more Commaner in Chief. No more. He'll be just a Prince of a President. Congress will control the executive and the judicial and we'll call it the People's Congress, the proletariat. No more commander in chief. No more.

[gretagreen]

". A candidate's children have no bearing on a candidate's ability to run the nation"

I agree. But this story is about the candidate's stupid insensitive and ridiculous response regarding their decision not to enlist. It's not a story about his kids' decisions.

[pepperp1]

How many were killed by someone who didn't pay attention. Well, let's see, WTC I, Embassy attacks, the USS Cole, to name a few. Blue dresses kill. It's called dereliction of duty. Maybe if Willie was more watchful instead of being a figurehead, so to speak. You don't get a pass you azz.
Posted by mudrose at 04:36 PM : Aug 08, 2007

What a loon. Get over it they got got a blowy joby from someone other than his wife while the ocuntry prospered, all of this trama and deluisonl belief that dresses kill people, told ya they havve meds for that PPD now. What a loon. Get over it Bill got a blowy joby from someone other than his wife while the country prospered, all of this trauma and delusional belief that dresses kill people, told ya they have meds for that PPD now. Flipper Romney is going no where, he sons can make their own choice but serving in his campaign is not serving America in anyway and any comparison of service to our soldiers is arrogant stupidity.

[chalres-2009]

MUDROSE. JUST WHO DO YOU THINK WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION ON 911. CLINTON... YOU ARE A D.A. BUSHIE

[rushlimpdrug]

mudrose is proof that a *** can grow fingers and tap on a keyboard.