My take on Mitt's latest FAIL.

[Raven]

This is a long post, unusual for me. I hope you'll bear with it.

Up to now I haven't quite been able to figure out what makes Mitt Romney tick but last night while listening to the BBC, it all came together. Sometimes you learn things about people just listening to them, without the distraction of watching them too. You pick up nuances in their voice and what they are saying that you don't pick up otherwise. Last night I was awakened by thunderstorms at about 2 a.m. and, unable to go back to sleep, I tuned into BBC Radio. They were doing a segment on the Olympics (of course) and Mitt's magical mystery tour. I lay there in the dark, no distractions, and just listened to the man. Here are my conclusions:

Mitt is not a very smart man. Oh, he has the IQ and the degrees alright. I shared an office when I was a young associate at a law firm with a guy who was a Harvard Law grad and a member of the Harvard Law Review. Very bright guy but not very smart. He had absolutely no idea how to deal with clients and he did not know what he did not know. Not knowing what you do not know is a very dangerous thing. This guy washed out of law pretty quickly and, of all things, went into finance.

Mitt Romney reminds me of that guy. He does not know what he does not know and it showed in England. He had barely landed on that "little island" when he began pronouncing about how he thought England was doing with their Olympics. A smart man, in answer to Brian Williams' question, would have said: "Well Brian, I've just arrived here and haven't had time gather the information necessary to make a judgment."

Mitt Romney is a very insecure man with an over-inflated opinion of himself. Strange combination but we've all met people like this. I could hear both of these traits in his voice last night. Brian Williams' question about the Olympics played right into these traits and Mitt took the bait. What I could hear was a man who, because of his basic insecurity, couldn't resist the temptation of looking like the smart one at the expense of someone else...in this case, the entire English nation. And, because he ran an Olympics, he has convinced himself that no one else is capable of doing it as well. Insecurity and an over-inflated ego right there for all the world to see.

Mitt Romney doesn't understand people and he doesn't much like them either. He is simply not all that interested. He meets the Opposition Leader and promptly forgets his name. That tells me he just wasn't interested enough to remember it, or, that he's such an important guy, he didn't have to remember it.

Mitt Romney doesn't know what he doesn't know. This is a man who clearly didn't do his homework on the British security system. I listened to him blow that cover last night and could hear the braggadocio in his voice. He just couldn't help himself.

And finally... Mitt is not a loyal man. Perhaps the most troubling thing I heard last night was the way he dissed his wife. He was actually chuckling when he essentially said: "well, this is Ann's horse and I don't care enough to be interested in how it does." Now, we all know that, politically, he wants to distance himself from this horse, but it's a little too late for that. He could have said " I am very excited about Ann's horse, this is her passion and she is a very accomplished horsewoman. This horse has made a huge difference in Ann's health and I am very grateful for that." Opportunity missed. I'm guessing that his advisors told him to blow Ann and her Olympic horse off, and he did.

My bottom line: this is a man with a jumble of very bad character traits...seriously bad character traits. At this stage, he's only hurt himself...the English will recover quickly from his visit. I am convinced that we would not recover from his Presidency.

[pnwest]

1. very well thought out. sounds a lot like

Narcissistic Personality Disorder to me.

[rocktivity]

19. Couldn't agree more

Reagan's superficiality, Nixon's paranoia, Bush I's hubris, McCain's confusion, Bush II's arrested development.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1029252


rocktivity

[lolly]

33. So, you're suggesting the guy who had these made is narcississtic?

|

[pnwest]

42. i know, isnt that just the wierdest thing? creepy.

[chervilant]

43. hmm...

May be sociopathy, too--with narcissistic tendencies.

[AynRandCollectedSS]

45. Bingo!

I was close to someone diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder and read about 20 books on the subject. I would bet ANYTHING that Mittens has NPD.

Lying
Bullying
Controlling
One-upping
Inflated self image BUT, insecure at the same time

ALL classic signs of the disorder. I just wonder if he is a sociopath as well.

[pnwest]

61. me too. Two of them actually. They are walking

black holes of misery that suck everything out of you, and then drop you like a hot rock when they've drained you dry.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Agree 500%

Mitt is not a very smart man.
Conniving and self absorbed yes.
But just not very smart when it
comes to anything beyond his
own well-being.

Mitt also has a jittery aggression in his voice
(and his thoughts) that seem somewhat unhinged.
Is he known to have temper tantrums?

[Raven]

3. You are right about the "jittery" in his

voice. I heard that last night. He just couldn't help himself. I haven't read anything about temper tantrums but wouldn't be surprised.

[MADem]

44. You hear it too? It's not just me, then!

He always sounds as if he's stretched just a half inch short of snapping.

[soccer1]

4. To be fair and accurate.....

Mitt didn't say "well, this is Ann's horse and I don't care enough to be interested in how it does." You put quotes around the statement and that's not what Romney said in the interview, at least from what I've read.

[Raven]

5. I know I did but I prefaced it

with he "essentially said" and thought that would be clear enough. If it wasn't, my apologies.

[soccer1]

6. No apology necessary.....

and I agree with you that Mitt is not very smart. I saw your qualifying words "he essentially said," so I knew it wasn't a direct quote and it was your take on his statement but there were quotes around the statement. I get so annoyed when Obama is misquoted to support an opponent's view, so I'm a stickler for accurate reporting of what a person says. Well thought post and I enjoyed reading it.

[33Greeper]

7. I agree...

A Romney Presidency would not be good for America.

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. I have thought this for a long time

I don't see any way that he could have legitimately earned his resume. The guy is dumb as a post, with a complete lack of personality.

How could a person of his age and experience exhibit a complete lack of social awareness? Do his gobs of money pad his way through his everyday interactions with others?

And how did someone so dumb earn those gobs of money?

[Avalux]

14. Mitt was born with gobs of money. He never had to get along with people on his own merit.

I think he probably does have a good head for finance (or - figuring out how to maximize his wealth), and was surrounded by people who assisted with and benefited from Mitt's business dealings. Doens't mean they ever liked him, or wanted to just hang out with him because he was a decent guy.

His emotional IQ is zero and he is not a team player, simply because he's never had to be. The relationships he's had are based on his wealth and people wanting a part of it. I'm sure when Ann decided to marry him, the number one factor was the money.

[jerseyjack]

28. "...when Ann decided to marry him, the number one factor was the money."

---that's because you ain't never seen him unzipped.

[Avalux]

29. And how would you know?

I'm going to go throw up now.....

[JHB]

23. His name opened doors he didn't have to find social ways to get through...

...and his success in his line of business was precisely because of his lack of social awareness.

Doing deals was like a puzzle, he just has to find the right approach to get owners inclined to sell to sell on terms that were good for him. He could focus obsessively on the bottom line because it was all just numbers, not jobs he was killing and lives he was throwing into chaos.

Success meant making his numbers bigger, by whatever means. Period.

[xtraxritical]

37. Also if you could'nt make money in the '90s and early '00s - fogedaboudit.

[wildeyed]

9. "Doesn't know what he doesn't know"

Exactly! Because eh was good at finance, he thinks he is automatically da bomb at everything else! And this is a scary trait in a world leader. There is too much to know it all. You have to know what you don't know.

[Raven]

10. I used to tell young lawyers

starting out in my office "there is no such thing as a stupid question." Knowing what you don't know is a sign of wisdom and self-confidence. Romney has neither.

[hedda_foil]

11. Perfect description! No wonder he's been reminding me so much of the Shrub.

Has anybody else been finding them almost interchangeable lately?

[fried eggs]

12. I've blocked most of W's presidency out my mind but..

If I recall correctly, Bush had a circle of people around him who pulled all the strings, kept things secret from us, and acted very arrogantly towards the public and press. Dubya was like the drunk puppet who didn't really know what was going on but his administration kept us from prying or questioning him.

Mitt, on the other hand, is a one-man fortress. It's not clear if he is being advised to behave this way or if he's essentially gone rogue on his advisors. I can't even begin to imagine how fucked up and secretive an administration of his would be because he naturally walls himself off from us "peasants."

[magical thyme]

25. it's hard to imagine, but I think he's worse than W

I think W, by his 2nd term, started moving away from Cheney a bit and softening his stance. I think he came out of his drunken stupor and saw bits of the damage they were wreaking....

Mittens, on the other hand, is truly a mess. It really is all about his bottom line. Nothing and nobody else matters beyond what they can do for him. Nobody can open his eyes.

I agree totally with the OP on her analysis. The only thing Mitt had to do getting off the plane in London is be pleasant and agreeable. All he had to say is he was sure it would be a wonderful Olympics. But he just couldn't resist one-upping them, and his need to one-up everybody will take precedence over everything. Foreign policy under such a person would be a nightmare. He really believes his own bs. Maybe he actually thought they wanted his supposed Mr. Fixit expertise, lol...

[eridani]

36. Not really. The Srhub was a failure who could fake being jus' plain folks

Rmoney is a success who can't.

[Kath1]

40. I do!

Romney seems like a trickier, even more sociopathic version of W. That's what scares the hell out of me. The thought of Bush Act II just makes me sick to my stomach.

[tsuki]

13. I would add that Mitt is the product of

two intelligent, dynamic and personable parents. These traits are not inheritable. That is why second generation is usually a loser generation.

And it is also the reason, I feel, that to protect the meritocracy, the death tax must be reinstated at about 90%.

[DirkGently]

15. Everything he has flows from wealth & status

He's used to people agreeing with him because of what he has and who he is.

I think he's academically much smarter than W. Socially, ethically, and philosophically, he's light-years behind Obama.

I also agree with the OP that he's a pole greaser -- his idea of moving himself upward is to use his existing advantages to push others down. The classmate gets assaulted, the daughter-in-law gets tripped. The dog goes on the roof. His wife gets diminished and dismissed.

He's clever in a basic way, but his attitude is entitlement, and his MO is abuse of those in no position to fight back.

He is very simply an amoral bully who believes the world exists to enrich and exalt him.

[lolly]

31. Wait--tripped his daughter-in-law?

I hadn't heard about that.

I heard about shoving his kids' faces in their food (total laff riot, no?) and steering a blind teacher into a door (LOL! LOL!).

When did he trip his daughter-in-law?

[DirkGently]

35. Something about a 3-legged race at a 4th of July shindig

[riverbendviewgal]

16. I agree with what you wrote

In all that you wrote One thing that I have been thinking lately is Rommey is missing emotion...He seems to have some Asperger syndrome.

[EverHopeful]

21. I've been wondering that myself

especially after his London debacle.

[lolly]

32. Asperger's might be part of it--

But Asperger's doesn't make you mean.

Other people might think an Aspy is standoffish or rude because they don't read social cues, but they don't go around looking for someone to pick on or belittle.

On edit: The incessant lying is also atypical for Aspergers. In fact, they often get in trouble because they don't know when a lie might help them out.

[tblue37]

60. People with Asperger's often have trouble reading social clues, but

they are often sweet, generous, and loving, if somewhat clumsy in many social situations. I have several friends with Asperger's, and not a single one of them acts like a nasty and amoral sociopath the way Romney does. I suspect he has some sort of personality disorder, though.

[allan01]

17. re:My take on Mitt's latest FAIL.

friend in australia says tht mit reminds him of a used car salesma. the way he dresses and poses .

[lambiepie]

18. wants to be President too much

I agree and he doesn't have the courage to stand up and say what he really thinks.His real personality to me came through when someone at a rally disagreed that corporations are people. Romney's reply, Of course corp are people.He was booed.It was the way he answered that was so condescending.Also the way he stares at his wife when she speaks in interviews is spooky.I'm sure he never listened to her before so was confused how to act.I think advisors are telling him to not stare and to change his weird walk as I've noticed he's done both somewhat.The chemistry between the Romney's seems contrived.

[Jessy169]

20. Mitt fits the classic definition of sociopath

Profile of the Sociopath

Glibness and Superficial Charm

Manipulative and Conning -- They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

Grandiose Sense of Self -- Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."

Pathological Lying -- Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.

Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt -- A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

Shallow Emotions -- When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

Callousness/Lack of Empathy -- Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.

Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature -- Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

Irresponsibility/Unreliability -- Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.

Entrepreneurial Versatility -- Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

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

Other Related Qualities:

Contemptuous of those who seek to understand them
Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them
Authoritarian
Secretive
Paranoid
Only rarely in difficulty with the law, but seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired
Conventional appearance
Goal of enslavement of their victim(s)
Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life
Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love)
Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim
Incapable of real human attachment to another
Unable to feel remorse or guilt
Extreme narcissism and grandiose
May state readily that their goal is to rule the world

[Frustratedlady]

26. Good grief! Look at how many of those fit.

I think he tries to make people think he is friendly and warm, but he can turn it on and shut it off very quickly. Ann tries to come across as a warm individual, but condescending is the first word that comes to mind when describing her. Too bad, as she could be a strong and effective first lady if she acted like a normal person. I couldn't stand 4 years of her, let alone of Mitt.

Obama and Michelle genuinely love people and especially the children. They have fun with the kids...all kids.

[ailsagirl]

38. I agree absolutely

Polls keep saying that people by far prefer Obama-- so why would anyone vote for Nitt?

We don't need another crazy person at the helm-- look what happened when W was "in charge" (if he was, actually). I don't know if our country will ever recover from what those SOBs did.

[DeeDeeNY]

49. Sounds like Dick Cheney too!

[virgdem]

22. I believe your analysis of Mittens...

is right on the money. Along with the Narcissistic Personality Disorder that he so obviously demonstrates, he is the perfect example of being "book smart and common sense stupid." He is totally oblivious to his mistakes, hence the long parade of mistakes and missteps that he has made in this folly of a trip. I just wish that our inept press would do their job and highlight these mistakes, but we know the way they are and there is little hope of that happening.

[dtom67]

24. It is a sad thing, but.....

The Repubs have gotten plenty of Morons, @ssholes, and Reprobates elected in the past. The fact that " Mitt the Git " is the most worthless piece of sh#t to ever hold an elected office will not prevent them from spending tons of money to buy this election.

Rove and the Koch Brothers think they could get Hitler elected , if they spent enough money.


the question is...

Could they??

[maddiemom]

27. Mitt is very low on the EQ scale.

Some years back in a graduate education/psychology class, we discussed our "smarts" being measured by IQ (intelligence quotient), but that our EQ (emotional quotient) was also a big factor. This was sort of a combination of street smarts and an empathetic (or maybe just shrewd) feel for others. I've never forgotten that, but have seldom heard it mentioned since.

[MrModerate]

30. It comes down to "emotional intelligence . . ."

Romney may be pretty smart guy, but there are happenings around him that any reasonably well-socialized person grasps with utter reliability that he doesn't even recognize are going on. The dog on the roof and "I'm unemployed, too" are telling examples of borderline sociopathy that would be absolute.frakkin'.disasters in a world leader — which is what Romney wants to be.

It's not even arrogance, per se, so much as obliviousness. For me, this — more than any of his other (numerous) character defects — disqualifies him for office.

I mean, if he can't even attend another country's party without peeing in the punch . . .

[speedoo]

39. I think you have him figured out.

It is now apparent why it has taken him so long to become the rethug nominee:
he s a very bad candidate.

[Blue_Roses]

41. "Mitt Romney doesn't know what he doesn't know"...

and doesn't care to find out. He has no cooth, social graces, street smarts, etc., that would give him any insight into how the "other man" feels, thinks, sees,etc. He could care less. His "smiles" is a well-learned act. What he doesn't get is that we don't care if he has millions and we don't begrudge him for earning it, but it's the way he earned and his total lack of "cooth" that turns people away from him. Not to mention the lying and bullshit that goes with it.

I think he really believes he deserves to be president because, well, he's Mitt. In his eyes, he thinks no one is better qualified, so what is our problem.

He is catty and condescending ta boot.

[berni_mccoy]

46. Excellent analysis. I think more focus

Shoild be given to character in this election. If more people understood this they'd see the monumental differences in the two candidates this election.

[FlaGranny]

47. Ann's horse!

That statement about Ann's horse hit me right in the face. What husband in the world would say what he said if his wife's horse had made the Olympics. That's just weird. No pride, no interest? Even if he has no personal interest in the sport, he should be proud of his wife's accomplishment. Gives me the shivers.

[tanyev]

48. If Mitt's so uninterested in the horse, why did he personally select the music she's dancing to?

April 18, 2012

The World Cup finals for the elite sport of dancing horses, known as dressage, opened today in the Netherlands without the presence of two of its most prominent wealthy devotees, Mitt and Ann Romney. The Romneys' horse, Rafalca, will compete, however, performing to music personally selected by the Republican presidential candidate.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/romneys-dancing-horse-competes/story?id=16162590#.UBF9gDHzId9

[Raven]

56. If that's the case, the horse will surely

lose...he probably chose a polka.

[DeeDeeNY]

50. 'Apparently devoid of charm, warmth, humour or sincerity'

That phrase really said it all

[greytdemocrat]

51. Not a bad take on him! nt

[PCIntern]

52. Fine analysis...K and Hearty R

I still think he has a diagnosis pending.

[Bluenorthwest]

53. I think the same thing at times with him...

Showing some signs.

[Grammy23]

54. Bottom line here

After reading the comments here, it's easy to find some common threads that run through just about all of them. That is that there is something seriously flawed about Mitt and the American people know this and that is why he just can't make us like him. NO matter how many folksy stories they tell us or show us about his home life, background, influence of his own father--- they just can't humanize him in a way that overcomes the impression we've formed of this man.

Whether he is afflicted with a true diagnosable disorder or whether he is just an entitled Ass Hole, there is something wrong with this man. It is kind of fun to speculate and be an armchair psychiatrist and perhaps some of those who comment here have the credentials to make an educated guess.

What is sad to me is that while many of us here see a disaster ahead if he manages to get elected, the possibility exists that he will indeed be elected. Now I didn't say it would be legitimate. Just that he would somehow, magically, on election night be the one in Winner's Circle. The Republicans figured out some time ago how to manipulate the votes, disenfranchise voters by peeling off a significant portion of those likely to vote for Obama. Factor in the unacknowledged racism, the religious right who believe that Obama is a Muslim and you have a perfect formula for Mittens to "take" this race.

I have talked to relatives who believe the crap that is tossed out on Fox and other places, like talk radio. I couldn't believe my ears when my own son brought up the birth certificate issue only 2 or 3 weeks ago. He didn't say he ACTUALLY believed it....just that he had questions and he looked me dead in the eyes when he said that. I was so freaked out I almost went into a melt down, but managed to control my emotions but was more than a little disappointed that he would admit that.

This is way past ridiculous. It has come to the point where I am almost resigned to what the Republican party is going to pull off in November. But the bottom line is: WE ALL KNOW DEEP IN OUR HEARTS.....this man ain't right whether it's intelligence, emotional IQ, diplomacy or Social Graces. And hang on to your hats, folks, because he might just be the next person in the White House. And if that happens, I wouldn't even want to guess what we're in for over the next four years......but it can't be good.

[coalition_unwilling]

55. I totally dig what you're saying. But, really, didn't you take Romney's

measure from what that fucker did to his family dog?

As soon as I verified that the story of Seamus was not aprocryphal and that Romney himself had acknowledged it, I knew he was a friggin' sociopath.

All the subsequent stuff about John Lauber, the faux-police stops, ad infinitum, just corroborated that picture.

You can tell a lot about a person by how he or she treats his or her pets, imho.

[Cleita]

57. Nice post and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

You are right on.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

58. good post. only thing I disagree with is the Anne Romney deal. I've watched her....she is as

phony as he is. I wouldn't be surprised if it was HER idea to avoid the horse. she's in this
to win it, just like he is.

[patrice]

59. K&R + Good writing!

[Sherman A1]

62. Interesting

Thanks for posting.