“Black people. That’s what he thinks this was all about”: How Romney’s 2012 concession irked Obama

[DonViejo]

New David Axelrod book describes president's irritation at GOP rival's 2012 concession call

LUKE BRINKER

Delivering his victory speech following his re-election in 2012, President Obama adhered to standard practice by offering warm words for his vanquished opponent. “I just spoke with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign,” the president told supporters in Chicago. “We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.”

But just before he uttered those amiable remarks, an startled Obama expressed annoyance at what he viewed as Romney’s racially-tinged concession call, according to a new memoir by Obama strategist David Axelrod.

The president was “unsmiling during the call, and slightly irritated when it was over,” Axelrod writes in ”Believer: My 40 Years in Politics,” of which the New York Daily News obtained an advance copy.

“‘You really did a great job of getting the vote out in places like Cleveland and Milwaukee,’ in other words, black people,’” Obama said, paraphrasing Romney’s remarks in the call. “That’s what he thinks this was all about.”

more

http://www.salon.com/2015/02/04/black_people_thats_what_he_thinks_this_was_all_about_how_romneys_2012_concession_irked_obama/

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Comments below the article appearing in the New York Daily News are...hmmm...nightmarish?

[BeyondGeography]

1. And we're not supposed to say, "fuck," in this forum?

One person, one vote. This fuck's for you, Mitt.

[Scuba]

2. Rmoney's a racist, that's not news. The President's comments re: Rmoney were classier than deserved.

[merrily]

3. From his wiki, George Romney seems like he was a decent man, especially for a Republican. Mitt

must be from the shallow end of the gene pool--in more ways than one.

It's easier for Mitt to attribute his election difficulties to people being takers or Obama getting out the "urban" vote than to his own crap policies and extreme interpersonal awkwardness.

IOW, despite every possible advantage, you're simply a loser, Mitt. Own it. It sure owns you.

BTW, Obama also did a good job with the vote in Boston. You remember Boston, don't you, Governor?

[90-percent]

9. George

George was an honorable person. He visited Viet Nam in 1968 and then stated publicly he was against that war.

And he was running for the Republican Presidential Nomination at the time, and his stand took him completely out of the race.

Mitt, OTOH is a loathsome mean selfish hypocritical cruel psychopath.

I shudder to think of the 2012 outcome if that one bartender at that one country club didn't have the wits and courage and stealth to make that 47% tape!

-90% Jimmy

[merrily]

10. George also marched with MLK, Jr. Mitt did not, but claimed he did--until he got called out for

lying, whereupon he gave some gibberish excuse. And that, to me, is as good a summary of the differences between the two men as any.

[rurallib]

11. recalling from my youth, yes George Romney was a decent man

and his wife, Lenore I believe, was a very decent person.
They must have dropped their poor baby on his head a couple of times.
Or maybe they vaccinated him and his personality changed?

I live in white and old Iowa. I believe Obama won Iowa also.

[merrily]

13. In 2008, he even won freakin' Indiana and it was looking as though he might even win Alaska, until

McCain picked Palin.

[tridim]

4. So all his backtracking on his 47% comment before election day was complete bullshit.

No surprise there.

[tk2kewl]

5. and everyone knew that. among other things i think it was about people of color

because people of color recognized that Mitt was making it about that

[Skittles]

8. it wasn't just people of color who knew to whom he referred

[merrily]

12. He was also talking about everyone on any kind of program, from

veterans to recipients of OASDI to food stamps. Those are not all people of color.

Turns out, white people enjoy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and eating, too.

[Skittles]

15. you are correct

[tk2kewl]

14. nope. not at all.

if he wants to know why minorities voted in large numbers he should be looking in the mirror not at his oponent

[progressoid]

6. Should have been called his 'condescension' call.

[Half-Century Man]

7. I quite sincerely believe Rmoney is, in fact, that stupid.

He really expected every white person to vote for him or vote against the black guy. He actually believes he is charming, not that people tolerate him in the hope of him dropping some money.

If he really wants to change, I suggest he work with Jimmy Carter for the next few years, Chronic Republicanism can be cured through sweating for the sake of other people.

[vlyons]

16. He doesn't realize just how ingrained is his Racism.

I don't see Mitt has a hateful demon, that some DUers make him out to be. I just see him as really stupid and insensitive. His perceived elite entitlement prevents him from seeing other people's struggles. There's his set, the right deserving crowd, and then there's all us "takers." He's also an opportunist, who flip-flops positions for immediate convenience. Makes me wonder if he is a sociopath.

[snort]

17. Not a total nightmare:

<Pete H
Does it count as using the race card when it's really more of "If minority races are often found in one socioeconomic class that neither party cares about (the poor), but while both major parties truly advocate for making the poor's standard of living worse, one plans on making it exponentially worse while benefiting the rich exponentially in turn: whereas the democrats are just making it slightly worse to benefit the rich slightly."

I don't really see a majority of black voters voting for the self interests as racist. I do see a lot of poor white voters voting against their self interests as racist, though.>

[Mr.Bill]

18. I'm sure some people voted for Obama just because

he was black. Just like I am sure some people will vote for Hillary Clinton just because she is a woman, Some will vote for her opponent just because he is a man, some people voted for JFK just because he was Catholic, and for damn sure some voted for Romney just because he was Mormon.

How many presidents got the nomination because they were a white Christian male? It was pretty much a requirement for hundreds of years.

[kairos12]

19. Maybe Robme was monitoring another call waiting for Rove to deliver Ohio and

got distracted.