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Mitt Romney Defends His Conservatism: Ted Kennedy Had To Take Out A Mortgage To Beat Me

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Mitt Romney– or anyone else on the stage, for that matter– was not about to escape tonight’s debate without being asked to explain and defend just how conservative he is. And he took that opportunity with gusto, though his answer about his record took a bizarre detour when he, once again, used the fact that Ted Kennedy had to take out a mortgage on his house to beat him in a Senate race.


RELATED: Mitt Romney On Illegal Immigration: ‘The Answer Is Self-Deportation’

The question proposed to Romney was whether he had an answer to many who called him “insufficiently conservative.” “I have a record,” he replied, but immediately added, “and the fun of running against Ted Kennedy, what a great thrill that was. I didn’t beat him, but he had to take a mortgage out on his house to make sure he could defeat me.” He continued by defending Romneycare, adding, “My health care plan is one that, by the way, is one that we’re allowed to have under our Constitution.” He then promised to repeal Obamacare, as he did not think it was valid under the federal constitution.

The mortgage quip is a line that Romney has used before, and it received similar levels of cringing last time, but as this has been one of the more low-key debates as far as tone and flair is concerned, something about him emphasizing the mortgage taken out just screams “tone deaf.” After what happened to the housing market in 2008, trying to get people to like him by bragging that he forced someone else to take out a mortgage on their house is Romney is a major unforced error on his part that adds to the image of him as Monopoly Man caricature.

The segment via NBC below:

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  • Gloves Llarry Donahue

    Then Ted was underwater on his house.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TWK2YYJTTIDLZIVV7NKZM23Z6Q Tyler

    Using Ted Kennedy as a wedge issue will work in the short run, but if he plays it too much it will only hurt him in the long run.  

  • Anonymous

    What a bizarre accomplishment to take pride in.

    The more we learn about these guys, the more unlikeable they become.

  • http://gregingleright.weebly.com/ Greg

    He’s used that line before. Both lazy and unimaginative.

  • http://gregingleright.weebly.com/ Greg

    How odd that causing another man fiancial problems becomes evidence to support his conservative credentials.

  • Anonymous

    Forget about who the person was. It is a comment that can only be said by a dick. He can frame the same statement in a different way. I hope the Romney people are taking notes. Don’t use that line again. It makes your candidate look like a pompous ass. No different from the $10,000 bet he tried with RP.

  • Anonymous

    Does Romney really want Republican primary voters to do some research and dig up those old debates of him vs. Ted where he’s trying to out-liberal the Liberal Lion of the Senate?

    Oh crap, what was I thinking. The closest to research Republicans do is to look at the schedule for Faux News.

  • Anonymous

    Because he was talking about a Democrat, a liberal, and a Kennedy.  Partisan posturing to the base.

  • Anonymous

    Romney has really shown himself to be an awful debater now that he has to actually engage, rather than just sit back and watch as everyone self destructs around him.  

    I’m beginning to think that Newt Gingrich might actually be the guy that Obama should fear most.

  • val smith

    Yeah and you complain about the coarsening of political conversation. Please don’t again.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    Thankfully, that’s over. My scorecard:

    Newton Leroy: B-

    Rather lackluster, but Willard gave you what I think may be the best he’s got. You bobbled, weaved and ducked and never took a hit.

    Paul: C

    But, who really cares anymore?

    Sanitarium: C

    But, who really cares anymore?

    Willard: D+
    You showed up on time. You made some effort at energy and substantive. You failed at both, but you tried for a change.

    Brian Williams: D+
    How about a follow-up question, now and then, like: “What is self-deportation?”

  • Anonymous

    It’s like saying: Sure I lost, but I did get to piss in his cereal.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    When I was growing up, my sisters, younger than I, had “Chatty Cathy” dolls. Chatty Cathy had a string with an eye on the end coming out at roughly the same place a stoma appliance would. When you pulled the string, Chatty Cathy would say one (1) of eight (8) scripted sentences in rotation. I find virtually no difference between listening to Chatty Cathy and listening to Willard.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    People of class stop smearing the deceased. Willard and “others” have no class.

  • val smith

    You got that right! LOL

  • Anonymous

    When Romney says something like this, so rude about someone that has passed away, it reminds me why many people think he is Eddie Haskell, and will never be President….He has said this before, doesn’t his handlers realize how course this sounds? 

  • Hout Bosques

    Fear? Really? You figure a guy who ran for president knowing in advance every redneck yahoo white supremicist bigot with a gun would automatically mark him for the death card is going to FEAR one of THESE clowns?

  • Hout Bosques

    Pretty unfair – Cathy was at least likeable.

  • Anonymous

    Hahahahaha I made Ted Kennedy take out a 2nd mortgage.  Just like how countless loan sharks duped countless homeowners into doing.  Ouch, I don’t think that line works so well anymore.

  • Anonymous

    It’s really the only thing I could brag about in that election.

  • Anonymous

    ‘I’m so super rich that I made a rich member of the Kennedy clan have to take out a Mortgage to compete with me.’ The only way he could make himself seem more elitist and out of touch would be if he had followed that with a Ted DiBiase laugh while waving a wad of cash.

    Seriously in times like these, forcing someone into financial difficulties is not something you should be proud of to the point where you feel you can try to use to win votes.

  • Gloves Dash Donahue

    By 1968, there were no good Kennedys left.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    In fairness, Willard, Senator Kennedy likely had a far higher tax rate than you do and couldn’t squirrel money away in the Caymans, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Goodness, my maid, the venerable Connie Montemayor and my cat FD Rooselvelt have a higher tax rate than you.

  • Gloves Dash Donahue

    My butler, Jameson, receives a salary and pays the income tax on his wages just like Warren Buffett’s secretary, who has to listen to Warren play his ukulele all day.

    My cook, Cook, has investments and pays the same rate as Mitt Romney on her capital gains.

    My upstairs maid, Fifi, works on tips and does quit well.

    My toast chef, Manuel, the gardeners and the staffs at all the properties keep their tax returns to themselves, as we all should.

  • Anonymous

    Thinking Kennedy has the final revenge when those old ads he ran come back to haunt Rombot in the general. POS Newt is not going to get the nod. It will be fun while it lasts.

  • Anonymous

    I can relate.  I made Blake Lively take out a restraining order to get rid of me.

    What?

  • Anonymous

    TRRE – you are such a simple clown. Are you going to tell me that anybody who has “smear”ed Reagan or Nixon  since their death was classless? Do you read your own comments?

    Also, you simply aren’t being honest with yourself if you believe the fact that Kennedy had to mortgage his home to win isn’t worthy of consideration. It speaks to the ignorance of Kennedy more than anything. Mortgage your home for a job that pays less than any job he would take outside of office?? He simply confirms how valuable these jobs are to both parties career politicians. It speaks to both Romney and Kennedy in the same disgusting light.

    You still make it fun to hunt you down out here – what a simple mind.

  • Anonymous

    Irrelevent that Ted Kennedy may have taken out a mortgage to beat Romney.  Kennedy’s goal was to have enough cash to buy what he needed to open up a can of whoop-arse on Mitt; it worked….Kennedy won.

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