Where was the Empathy?

[Avalux]

In the lead up to Wednesday's debate, all we heard from the GOP was that Romney would present himself as empathetic, that he would finally be able to show the American people that he really does care about them.

The problem is, there isn't a shred of empathy in Romney, and despite continued attempts to be likeable, he always manages to show his true, mean colors, as evidenced by his PBS/Big Bird comment. You can't fake empathy.

That 'zinger' is yet another example of Romney's "I don't give fuck about you people" attitude. It was an anti-zinger. It was offensive, and I believe has really struck a chord with people that is going to stick.

[cilla4progress]

1. Oh you didn't hear his canned debate anecdotes

about the woman he met in Ohio coming up and asking him for help, etc.? It's being ballyhooed this week as him finally getting personal, showing his softer side.

You suppose if we went looking we could actually find these people, or are they, too, fictions?

[Avalux]

3. Sure I heard them, but he didn't sound sincere.

What did sound sincere was his Big Bird comment, and that's what people will remember.

[cilla4progress]

12. Oops ... I forgot

this

[patrice]

2. Nailed it! Rongny is about .25" deep in all human traits. He is a hollow man.

He's so shallow he doesn't know how shallow he is; probably hasn't had anything like a substantial emotion for strangers most of his life.

The guy IS dangerous.

[Bucky]

5. I like the spelling: is that pronounced "Mitt Wrong-Guy"?

[patrice]

10. Hey! I like that one too! But I picked up Wrong -ny (nee) from an anecdote posted

here several days ago about Cuban immigrants receiving Romney phone calls from some people with very stilted English pronunciation skills, so the caller was seeking support for Mr. Rongny.

But I like "Mitt Wrong-Guy" too. That'd be good on Twitter!

[gulliver]

4. It was the teary eyes, the "you have me so wrong" smile...

Romney really did put on an emotional display. If you have seen Romney in every previous debate, you would have a hard time finding anything so touching. That is why Obama needs to put a lot more pressure on Romney. Obama needs to get Romney to climb onto his high horse. There were flashes of that in the debate. Debate two should be a good one.

[Avalux]

7. Haha!

He TRIED to put on an emotional display; looked to me as if he was in pain, constipated or something. So fake.

And I agree, debate two will be a different ball game.

[yardwork]

6. Romney has empathy for the 1% and he'll sacrifice Big Bird so that they get a tax break.

Didn't you see all that empathy for the wealthy on display?

[Autumn]

8. I heard he told some one he loved them. They died.

Makes me glad he hates me.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. The empathy was in Romney's phoney look

that mixture of pain and pleasantness, like a mortician trying to close a sale on an embalming.

[patrice]

13. Yep! - practiced pain and pleasant white-noise. nt

[hobbit709]

11. Unlike his tan, they forgot to spray it on before he came on the stage.

[lunatica]

14. Didn't you hear is 'heartfelt' claim that he's for 100% of the people?

He went on FOX to claim what he said about the 47% was 'just wrong'.

He's being coached on the words, but no one can soften his heart. No one.

[tarheelsunc]

15. "I love Big Bird": See, I AM like all of you!

[Donkees]

16. He wore his Costco shirt