With Weak 'Treason' Response, Romney Misses McCain Moment
The Obama campaign and a few others are finding fault with Romney Monday for declining to immediately correct a woman at a campaign event who alleged that President Obama had committed treason. Think Progress has already flagged the video, which you can watch below. Romney's critics were looking for a mavericky John McCain moment, as in the famous one in 2008 where McCain took the microphone from a woman who called Obama an Arab and chastised her.
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At Monday's Ohio rally, a woman in the audience said, "I do believe he should be tried for treason" apparently as an aside to someone nearby in the middle of her broader question. It was kooky and offensive, but Romney replied only to the question asked, not the aside. Ben LaBolt, Obama's campaign press secretary tweeted:
When will @MittRomney stand up to the extreme voices in his party?Where's the leadership he keeps calling for?
— Ben LaBolt (@BenLaBolt) May 7, 2012
Romney's answer to LaBolt seems to be, "in a few minutes" because a reporter on the ropeline soon asked him if he agreed with his supporter, and he replied, "No, of course not." That seems appropriate, if not quite as clear or as confrontational as McCain's moment, but then, Romney's not John McCain. Maybe this is just impetus for Romney to pick someone a little more practiced at shouting down his audiences as his vice presidential pick. We know just the guy...
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