Mitt to NAACP: If you understood me, you'd support me

[ProSense]

Mitt to NAACP: If you understood me, you'd support me

by Jed Lewison

I believe that if you understood who I truly am in my heart, and if it were possible to fully communicate what I believe is in the real, enduring best interest of African American families, you would vote for me for president.

Can you imagine a more condescending and arrogant approach than telling people that they reason they don't support you is that they don't understand you?

...Romney is still speaking—and he managed to elicit boos from the crowd, which had been quite polite, when he used "Obamacare" as a term of derision.

<...>

Mitt Romney trolls NAACP
— @pareene via web

- more -

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/11/1108567/-Mitt-to-NAACP-If-you-understood-me-you-d-support-me

[RagAss]

1. He really needs to fake a heart attack and get off the fucking stage !!

[underseasurveyor]

3. HA!

[CBGLuthier]

2. Is he quoting "scripture?"

I believe stewardship of the "inferior" races is/was a large part of the mormon doctrine.

[Windy]

9. He ACTUALLY said this???!!! Wow..... that should be broadcast far and wide.... incredible. nt

[Buns_of_Fire]

31. No, I think he was channeling the Teddy Bears...

[lunasun]

34. Just admitting he cant talk to anyone at NAACP

"and if it were possible to fully communicate" OMG

Seems this full of it snob has a hard time with a lot of places and different groups where he has campaigned .

[WI_DEM]

4. So in other words he doesn't think they are smart enough to see him for what he is?

[Scootaloo]

11. That's standard Republican rhetoric

They really, truly believe that blacks in America don't vote Republican, because blacks "have trouble thinking critically," or that they are "trapped on the democratic plantation," or are otherwise mentally hindered by not being white.

I've never seen it stated so blatantly to their faces at Mitt just did though. Never. And by a presidential candidate? Wow. Fucking WOW.

Someone needs to condense this into a good message to beat the fuck out of him with.

[anAustralianobserver]

22. Exactly - that's what stuck out to me too!

Last edited Thu Jul 12, 2012, 07:58 PM - Edit history (1)

I think in his case it must be a religious thing as well as a money-elite thing to be able to look at and speak to people like that - with that soft-spoken, father-knows-best attitude - as if they are his children or congregants in his church.

That kind of personality only charms the most authoritarian and socially delayed. To anyone else it's viscerally creepy!

[anAustralianobserver]

23. And yes, it seems black people to him are lost children of another tribe or something that he can

help lead to the real Jesus and Jesus' real party, the 'free'-market GOP.

[Ganja Ninja]

12. That about sums it up.

I think they understand him fine.

He's a man who believes that being rich entitles you look down on people who aren't. It means you're better and smarter then them. That you're a God and they're little more than bugs to be stepped. Everything you have is deserved and everything they have no matter how meager is unearned for which, by the way you owe the rich a debt of gratitude.

[jberryhill]

17. He hedges that with "if I had words to communicate it" or some such

It's couched, somewhat, in a statement to the effect of "I'm not doing a good enough job communicating who I really am" sort of way.

But taking it that way is no better - "I'm not able to make myself understood".

Because, really Mitt, actions speak louder than words when it comes to who you are.

[lpbk2713]

5. I find it incredible to think even he would insult anyone's intelligence that way.

I actually thought this was a joke until I played the video.

His desperation has gotten the best of him. He's done for now.

[soccer1]

27. Mitt obviously doesn't believe the people he was speaking to are intelligent.

If he did, he wouldn't be speaking to them as if they were toddlers who don't understand what's in their best interest. His arrogance is astounding. Whew.

[Drale]

6. Mittens, buddy, you don't even understand yourself

how can you expect anyone else to understand you?

[jberryhill]

7. Baby, do you understand me now?

[jberryhill]

8. Translation - "If you weren't so stupid, you'd understand me"

[cindyperry2010]

10. exactly and that should

go over real well calling people stupid

[sarge43]

20. Nailed it. He has all the empathy of road kill and apparently just as much smarts. n/t

[PatSeg]

13. I wish they had shown

some shots of the audience. I would have loved to have seen the facial expressions.

[sufrommich]

14. Well, you know, those common people

don't really understand what's going on.

[ohgeewhiz]

15. This is really worse than when he said he would..

"repeal Obamacare"

This is the real dog whistle as to what he thinks of black folks in general, and those in leadership positions in the NAACP, in particular.

The blatant racist knee-JERK thinking inherent in this comment from Romney is incredibly revealing.

I hope the media picks up on this, even more than the obvious "repeal Obamacare" promise he made.

Romney is a 21st century incarceration of 19th century slave-owner thinking ..

[BarbaRosa]

16. Ah, mitt,

your problem is that people DO understand you. Well at least thinking people, the rest just vote for whomever karl says to.

[liberal N proud]

18. That is just plain condescending

[RFKHumphreyObama]

19. In other words "I have nothing of substance to offer you"

And goodness, he sounds so wooden and artificial

[madashelltoo]

21. Robme did not come for votes

He came for the boos he got. That will make his hate-filled right wing element very happy. Knowing he stood in front of a room filled with educated African Americans and insulted them goes a long way in his camp. Robme's problem lies in the fact that he is a courageous LIAR. His lies don't simply encompass the African American, Latino populations; it's also directed toward the white community. It's not like he's coming to their house and saying something different. No, he's telling them the same pack of lies he's telling everyone else. If he wins, and I don't believe he will, the only consolation for African Americans and Latinos will be the priceless expression of surprise on the faces of those who supported him as we all go down the fucking drain together.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

24. He's expanded the list from nail ladies, college kids, and babysitters - to blacks

of the little people who don't understand how the system works. I wonder if that rich socialite from the Hamptons wrote his speech.

[soccer1]

25. I was thinking the same thing.......

that Mitt lifted his "sentiments" from the Hampton Range Rover woman. According to Hampton lady, she's hoping Mitt will do a better job of communicating how bad Obama's polices are for the "common people". Poor Mitt....just can't find the words to adequately express how concerned he is about the well being of the commoners. How ridiculous he sounds.

[RZM]

26. That's pretty much every politician's belief with every group

'If only you'd wake up and see things how I do, you'd understand that I'm the shit.'

Nothing new there.

We forget how ego-driven politics is. You don't get in unless you believe you're super-awesome.

I'm not usually one for blanket cynicism, but this is one area where it's appropriate. Scratch a politician (or a hardcore ideologue, for that matter) and you'll find somebody who thinks that in a perfect world their every belief would be vindicated.

[soccer1]

29. Yes,politicians push their "agendas" and....

point out time and time again why their way is the best way to put America on the right path. . But, Romney's just arrogant....actually, I'm not even sure that's the best word to describe him. I believe he is truly clueless about what the needs are of any person who is not within his social circle. I don't think he can relate in any way to the "others".....not even in an academic way. He has no understanding...from the gut or from intellectual pursuit. He can't even fake it. Fascinating but sad.

[RZM]

30. Romney is pretty delusional. But the statement here is par for the course

They all think that if people would just wake up, they'd see the right path. And it's not just politicians. All hardcore ideologues see things that way, including here.

[soccer1]

33. For sure, hardcore ideologues....

my way or the highway, thinking. And most certainly it is not just politicians who suffer from this "condition".

[coalition_unwilling]

28. Condescending, patronizing prick - n/t

[Mz Pip]

32. Keep digging Mitt

Pretty soon you'll find yourself in China where you offshored all those jobs.

[Ship of Fools]

35. Schulz had a great one-liner

for Lucy, in Peanuts: "I'm frustrated, inhibited, and no one understands me!"
Wonder what made me think of that...

[quaker bill]

36. "Because I know what is best for you.... and you don't."

...It might hurt for a few decades... but in the long run you will be better off for having survived it....

The fascinating thing is that this is probably not racist at all, as it likely includes all the "common people" who "just don't understand how systems work", per one of his wealthy contributors the other day.

If we only understood how the privledged class really has our best interests at heart, and how the suffering they will cause will make us "better people" over the very long haul, we would vote for them.

It is a new flavor of greed, the "patriotic greed". "I am only taking all this money for the good of the country". What you see may seem like amoral behavior, but trust me, "I have your best interest at heart".

Rationalization is an interesting dysfunction.