On 60 Minutes this evening, Mike Wallace interviewed Republican presidential nominee wannabe Mitt Romney.
Two observations:
1. It was creepy the way old man 89-year-old Mike Wallace was talking about how physically attractive Romney's wife Ann is.
2. It bugged me when Wallace grilled Romney's five sons about their lack of military service.
Interview excerpt--
"Three of you went to Harvard Business School, one to medical school. All married. Nobody seems to have rebelled, gone off the rails. How come?" Wallace asks.
"Where a lot is given a lot is expected. So we have to live up to that standard," Craig Romney tells Wallace.
While all of them have served their church doing missionary work around the world, their answers vary about putting on a uniform and going to war.
"I feel guilty having not done it," Josh Romney tells Wallace.
"I’ve seen a lot and read a lot that has made me say, 'My goodness, I hope I never have to do that,'" Ben Romney says.
"Not one agreed or thought about serving in the military," Wallace remarks.
"There are other sacrifices to make as well. And I hope to be able to make a sacrifice of that caliber at some point in my life," Matt Romney says.
"Did you ever serve in the armed forces?" Wallace asks Mitt Romney.
"I did not," Romney replies.
Why not?
"I was at college. Then I went off and served my church for two and a half years in a mission," Romney replies.
And because of his high lottery number, he was never drafted to serve in Vietnam, something he says he regrets to this day.
I don't think 60 Minutes should get anywhere near talking about military service and presidential candidates.
The Dan Rather story that relied on fake documents to trash George W. Bush and his National Guard service is still too fresh.
CBS should avoid anything that brings to mind that disgraceful episode.
Furthermore, the U.S. has a volunteer army. Does Wallace know that?
Most 37 to 25-year-old Americans, the age range of Romney's sons, have not served.
It's ludicrous to suggest that a candidate's kids must serve in the military in order for that candidate to be considered eligible for commander-in-chief duties.
Wallace was talking as if the five sons were on the same plane as draft dodgers. His insinuations were typical of the libs' favorite chickenhawk talking point.
Romney's sons shouldn't have to explain why they didn't serve in the military.
While Wallace was on the attack, I'm surprised he didn't badger the five married sons about whether they had premarital sex. Maybe he did and editors elected not to use it in the segment.
As it was, Wallace asking Romney if he had premarital sex with his wife Ann was way, WAY over the line.
3 comments:
Wallace was talking as if the five sons were on the same plane as draft dodgers. His insinuations were typical of the libs' favorite chickenhawk talking point.
Well put.
So we have a litmus test on religion and military service (and whether or not you've "sacrificed" your sons and daughters off to the military) in order to be considered presidential material. At least as far as Republican candidates are concerned.
Mitt Romney's responses irked me too, regarding the war. We were greeted as liberators in the beginning. The real downward spiral was when the bombing of the golden mosque took place, instigated by al-Qaeda. That kind of tactic- along with targeting of innocent civilians, was not predicted by anyone. Even those who worried about post-war operation planning.
You know...the 2nd story about Ali is a great story.
But it leaves a bad taste as well; because I can't help but feel, based upon experience with watching 60 Minutes, that even with this, there is a political agenda; that in the backdrop, there is criticism of, "oh, look how awful war is. Look what Bush caused."
It gripes me to no end.
I don't like the way the Republican candidates tend to make such sweeping generalizations about how the war was conducted.
It's all political posturing.
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