Profiles in courage -- or lack thereof (Romney's comment on Limbaugh)

[ProSense]

Profiles in courage -- or lack thereof

By Steve Benen

Before Rush Limbaugh apologized for his attacks on Sandra Fluke, Mitt Romney was asked on Friday for his perspective on the controversy. It didn't go well.

Mitt Romney steered clear of the Rush Limbaugh controversy until Friday evening, even avoiding a CNN reporter earlier in the day, when he addressed the issue after an event in Cleveland.

"I'll just say this which is it's not the language I would have used," Romney said.

That's not much of an answer. Romney and his campaign team had days to come up with a compelling response, and could have even used this as a "Sister Souljah" opportunity, distancing the former governor from the extremist wing of his party, but the best he could come up with is "it's not the language I would have used."

The most glaring problem with this is substantive -- Romney was comfortable with the attack on an innocent college student, but not the word choice? It suggests the Republican presidential candidate was comfortable with the sentiment, but not the specific language. Indeed, the follow-up question for Romney should be, "OK, what language would you have used when attacking Sandra Fluke"?

But there's a larger context to this that's worth keeping in mind: Mitt Romney appears to have a courage problem. When George Will criticized the candidate for lacking "the courage of his absence of convictions," it was an entirely fair point.

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/05/10582385-profiles-in-courage-or-lack-thereof

Rush's 52 Smears Against Sandra Fluke
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002382940

[MarianJack]

1. I've used this response several times because it's true.

Q. Where does bain romney stand on the great and important issues of our time?

A. Aside!

He's like poppy bush. He only wants to be president for the title.

PEACE!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. yo willard, what word would you prefer?

Whore? Hooker, C***?

[ibegurpard]

3. a contemptible slime

who laughingly protested IN FAVOR of the Vietnam War while he was at Stanford. This when he enjoyed an exception to serve a Mormon mission.