"A True Test of A Man's Character is What He Does When No One's Watching"....John Wooden

[louis c]

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach of UCLA said it best, or to paraphrase, "A true test of a man's character is what he does when (he thinks) no one's watching".

Mitt Romney's true character was reveled in that hidden tape, as he spoke to his wealthy peers in Boca Raton, when he believed no one was watching. His true character was not captured when he spoke before live TV cameras to 70 million people, with comments that were prepared for him after hundreds of hours of preparation.

He really does believe that America is divided (nearly evenly) between "takers and makers". He really does believe that seniors who have contributed all of their lives through hard work, are a hindrance on his version of a society when they retire on Social Security. He really does believe that a single mother, working 30 hours a week for $400 should be contributing something in taxes, while the very wealthy have every right to look for tax shelters, even if they are over seas. Mitt Romney truly believes that others should fight wars that he supports, even when he or his sons are able bodied. Mitt Romney does believe that those fighting men and women should not be given a "hand out", even if they come home from war wounded or broken.

To take John Wooden's very insightful observation a step further, let's look at the tax returns Mitt Romney did disclose, and those he didn't. His tax return from 1997 through 2007 are the significant ones. You see, those are the returns that he prepared "when no one was looking". Those are his returns that he thought no one would ever see, or get to see. 2010 and 2011 are not important, because, to paraphrase John Wooden once again, Mitt knew those were the returns that would be important, because those were the ones that would actually be seen.

Mitt's Father said essentially the same thing when he released 12 years of returns when he ran for the Republican nomination for President in 1968.

Mitt Romney is a fraud. I live in Massachusetts. I remember his unsuccessful Senate run against Kennedy. I remember his successful run for Governor against Shannon O'Brien. I have worked on issues in the Massachusetts legislature that he opposed when he was Governor here.

President Obama should be using this line from John Wooden in the next debate, and make that point. Mitt Romney can say all the right things when he knows the red light is lit on top of the camera pointed at him, but Mitt Romney's true beliefs, those in his heart, are truly revealed when he thinks no one's watching

[987will]

1. Its human nature - when candid we speak from the heart!

I think when a person believes they are in the most candid of arenas, this is when they speak closest from the heart; which it seems was the case with Mr. Romney.

I think it’s in very poor taste and insulting for Mr. Romney to continue to back track from his statements and expect us to just swallow it. This is the type garbage that caused someone from his own party to call his campaign “a rolling catastrophe”. Did you hear him today – “I was wrong, I don’t think 47% of the people are a waste of time (ta-dah, it’s all better). Furthermore, what's even more troubling is Mr. Romney's innate ability to continuously display these "oops" moments and then attempt to backtrack in the face of apparent opposition. It leaves one to wonder: does this man get it, does he have a back bone, can he make a decision for himself, would he be able to lead???? I think what we're seeing is a "wishy-washy", unstable, indecisive person who will most certainly display the same traits if elected president. Please don't let this guy in office. Imagine him negotiating with other world leaders - speaking on our behalf. Not a pretty site!

[louis c]

2. He has no core beliefs

Mitt is an empty suit. He will say or do anything to close a deal, in this case, get elected.

It's as if he thinks we all have collective amnesia.

These are not "gaffes", but long winded dissertations on his felling that there should actually be a privileged class that leads because they have wealth.

He really is a Plutocrat.

[louis c]

3. Welcome, Newbie

As I was re-reading this post, I noticed that you are a new member of DU.

Welcome. This is my third Presidential Election at DU (Member since 2004).

You'll love it here.

[taterguy]

4. Like stocking your team with paid players?

Think Lew Alcindor didn't get paid?

Think again.

[louis c]

5. If true that may make him a hypocrite, but he's still correct in his statement.