Gold Star Mother: Romney Skipped Funeral, Left "Bullying" Messages

[kpete]

Source: The Phoenix

Appearing on ABC’s The View this past Thursday, Ann Romney claimed that her husband, as governor of Massachusetts, “went to every funeral” of fallen soldiers from the Commonwealth. She spoke of the difficult role he had “to comfort those that have lost a loved one and have gone in harm’s way.”

But Mitt Romney did not attend every soldier’s funeral; there were at least two cases where he did not.

And in one of those cases, a Gold Star mother claims that, far from comforting, Romney left insensitive phone messages – messages that she calls “bullying” and her husband describes as “abusive.”

“I can’t believe you haven’t returned my call,” Romney said on one of the voice mail messages, according to Stephany Kern, speaking at her Westerly, Rhode Island home this past Saturday. “Here I am making a second call; I haven’t heard from you.”



Read more: http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/talkingpolitics/archive/2012/10/22/gold-star-mother-romney-skipped-funeral-left-quot-bullying-quot-messages.aspx

[2theleft]

1. He is Disgusting. No other words. eom

[savannah43]

2. Willard being an arrogant self-important ass? Again?

Now we know what he has in common with his wife.

[inamatteroftime]

3. His True Colors....

when the camera's not on.

[inamatteroftime]

5. K&R nt

[Voice for Peace]

4. yes, this speaks to character, as well as his poor mental health. nt

[MADem]

6. From the "Do you know who *******I******* am?" files, surely!!

Sounds just like the little weasel....

Forgive me, I didn't mean to insult weasels...

[whathehell]

53. Exactly.

It's like "Well, I know you're little "nobody" son DIED for our country,

but, I, Mitt Romney, am making TWO phone calls to your unworthy self"!

What an entitled, contemptible piece of shit he is....I hope her story goes viral.

[silvershadow]

56. Yep. n/t

[catbyte]

7. OMG. How despicable. What an arrogant ass.

This is low, even for him. What a POS.

[dchill]

18. Actually, I think that Mitt Romney makes arrogant...

Seem like too small a word.

[Kadie]

8. This has to be one of the most disgusting things I have ever read!

I want to say unbelievable, but after watching romney all these months, I can believe it.

Terrible. Just terrible.

[kpete]

12. More from article

The Phoenix could find no record of Romney’s whereabouts on the day of the funeral, which took place on the Saturday two days after Thanksgiving. Romney had been in Boston earlier in the week. The following Tuesday, Romney flew to California for the Republican Governors Association annual meeting. Kern says that in the third message he left, Romney mentioned being at the Governors meeting.
http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/talkingpolitics/archive/2012/10/22/gold-star-mother-romney-skipped-funeral-left-quot-bullying-quot-messages.aspx

[crazylikafox]

9. Wow. Too bad she didn't catch that on tape.

That sounds worse than the 47% remarks to me.

[Enrique]

16. the thought of such a tape makes me drool

maybe they can re-enact it.

[ClusterFreak]

27. Oh man...if she did....

...talk about Check and Mate.

[Smilo]

10. Don't you know it's all about "me"

And the attitude doesn't surprise me - how awful to use someone's sorrow for his "cause".

[Cha]

11. Thanks for this, kpete. I knew when Ann said that on The View..

that she was lying. What a fucking worst example for a potential first lady. She sickens.

Sorry, the Gold Star parents had to endure romney after their son was killed in Iraq.

Steve Kern, who has been married to Stephany Kern since prior to Schiavoni enlisting in 2002, says that he heard Romney’s second and third messages.

He recalls Romney saying in one: “I’m a busy man.” He describes Romney’s tone as “disrespectful,” “antagonistic,” and “absolutely inappropriate to use on a Gold Star mother.”

[DollarBillHines]

20. Every statement that woman "volunteers" is a lie.

Every single one.

They do it for the cult, but you already know that.

[Cha]

22. That's why I knew it was a LIE. LIE for the cult and LIE to get Elected

to bring it to our White House. MF.

[freshwest]

25. The View should put her on to rebut Queen Ann. But they won't. They did their snow job already.

Note the behavior of John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, as compared to Romney:

...She says that Senators Kennedy and Kerry called other family members to ask when it would be appropriate to contact her again. Both sent representatives to the funeral. Kennedy left a follow-up message to say that a mass would be sent for Shiavoni in Hyannisport, with Kennedy family members in attendance.

It was around the time of that Kennedy message, she says, when "I got the [second] phone call from Governor Romney, who could not believe -- could not believe -- that I hadn't returned his phone call. It was shocking to me.... And I think that just bypassed me until I got the third phone call. The third phone call was outrageous."

[Cha]

28. They Absolutely Should put the Gold Star Mother on if she would

want to even be there!

Senators Kennedy and Kerry have Class.

mitt is an arrogant Idiot.

[renate]

37. I would really like to see and hear her story on TV

As much as I loathe Mitt Romney, I find it hard to believe that even he would talk like that to a grieving mother.... I can imagine him saying it, but it's just so jawdroppingly horrible... if it's true, it's the kind of thing we have a right to know about. If he treats the parent of a soldier who gave his life for his country with such contempt, how would he treat the rest of us?

[freshwest]

38. The real story should be DU'ed or however it's done to The View.

At least they'll know not everyone is buying the con job by Mitt, Ann and Lyin' Ryan.

[Cha]

44. Tweeted to The View by DU Twitterbugs, yes! nm

[freshwest]

45. Cool! I don't tweet or facebook, DU is it for me. Thanks, Cha!

[truthisfreedom]

13. Tonight's debate is going to stretch his tolerance to the limit. This might be the one where we see

the real bully Mitt appear. He was getting close last time, with his gestures as well as words.

[Kadie]

15. We just may see smoke come out of his ears.

I have been expecting it, tonight just might do it.

[azurnoir]

14. what a disgusting self important creep

"we lowered ourselves to call you and you haven't called us back"

and this wants to POTUS?

can't let it happen

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. Yup, that's our boy Mitt.

No doubt about it.

[sulphurdunn]

19. Anthropology 101

Romney is a type of subhuman spawned from the ooze of obscene wealth, privilege and hubris. It's unlikely he will ever take responsibility for his own life or walk upright. We can be responsible enough to see he never knuckle walks into the Oval Office.

[Divine Discontent]

21. this is really bad. add this to his other insults and you get an ugly man!

his rude behavior with that mass. lady who was talking to him about LGBT rights, the 7-11 cookie insult he made to his supporters at their house, and other various Mittisms show this guy is an ass!



--> http://www.zazzle.com/mitt_is_sketchy_sticker-217016055167893543?rf=238107662556833486

[Solly Mack]

23. POS.

[NYC Liberal]

24. Remember Bush's "How do you know his life would have been good?"

Dolores reports exclusively for U.S. Tour of Duty that she waited alone in a small partitioned area, wondering if her request would be granted, before a Bush aide suddenly announced, "The president will now see you." As the commander in chief strode briskly toward her, it seemed to Dolores that he was trying to intimidate her. "He came marching in and got right in my face...eyeball to eyeball, and said, 'I'm George Bush, the president of the United States, and I understand you have something to say to me in private.'"

Dolores tried to give Bush a sense of what type of person Erik had been. She described her son as a "comedian" whose favorite saying was, "Life is good." The president replied, "How do you know his life would have been good?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x479658

[renate]

31. my jaw was already hanging open after reading the Romney parts of this thread

It couldn't go any further, but if it could've, it would've.

[freshwest]

43. Reminiscent of his visit to wounded soldiers, George Bush vs.Cedar Tree:

Lewis Black tells about George Bush visiting wounded vets and had the audacity to bring up a splinter he got from a cedar tree as he tries to "relate" to the wounds of these soldiers. Is there no end to Bush's insensitivity or his stupidity?

Romney, like Bush, is not aware of where he's at in the time-space continuum...

[SoapBox]

26. He's a bully...the Queen is a bully...and it appears that the sons are bullies too.

Not even surprised.

[Ilsa]

29. In one of Mitt's houses, is painting of Willard hidden away from view

of all decent people....

You can write the rest of the magical Dorian Gray reference.

[mountain grammy]

30. so many little mittens' stories together give this one a ring of truth

even though many stories are largely unsubstantiated. If he walks like a bully, talks like a bully, and acts like a bully, he probably is a bully..

[Berlum]

32. Willard = Republican 1% Chickenhawk a-hole dissing our sons and daughters in uniform

America has already had enough of that to last a millennium.

We don't need no more.

[Maineman]

33. He is a Mormon male. The Mormon version of life after death ...

is that if he has been good, he can expect to be the higher power, the god, of his very own planet somewhere out there in the cosmos. Many Mormon males, in anticipation of that status, take on arrogant, self-important, power wielding personalities. Romney is a great example.

[TxVietVet]

39. Amen.

Rmoney will get his own planet in the celestial kingdom. So, since he's almost a god, then he needs to start practicing for his role. The guy is a stupid conservanazi .

[progressivebydesign]

34. Despicable, but typical of Romney. Read the comments.. Romney was vacationing with HIS family..

in Florida, that weekend. Couldn't be bothered to stay in town for the funeral. Then called to harass her for not calling him back. What a jackass. SO narcissistic. He's taking that mormon god thing too far.. thinks he's already a god.

[Why Syzygy]

48. Bishop $omney

is for real a god. His will shall not be challenged! His temple members did not disobey him.

[femrap]

35. WOW

Sociopathic narcissist or Narcissistic Sociopath?

He truly has mental/emotional problems.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

36. Geez Mitt

Clueless is thy name.

[secondvariety]

40. What a charmer.

Where's that sarcasm thingy?

[condoleeza]

41. Well, his time is important between therapy sessions he obviously needs, kpete. n/t

[Tigress DEM]

42. OMG - It's all about Mitt.

Never mind the soldier who died or his grief stricken Mother!!

[HoosierRadical]

46. I'm shocked that someone would be that self-centered...

In the third message, the jerk chastised the mother saying he is a very busy man...incredible...what a complete a-hole.

[Why Syzygy]

47. He's a bully ..

he can't even do a decent pretend that he is anything other than a pompous, lying, bully.

[tavalon]

49. At least we are all getting an education about sociopaths

It's actually important for each of us to recognize them so that we can keep them from damaging us personally and as a species. Sociopaths are not only highly destructive, they often float to the top, as with Mittster.

[liberal N proud]

50. Heartless!

[Swede Atlanta]

51. I hope people pay attention to these stories....

The story about Seamus on the roof, the story about the anti-gay bashing, the cruel prank on his teacher, his impersonating a law enforcement officer, his hiding in France during the Vietnam War, etc. Time and again we see that Robme is a privileged, conceited, self-serving, soulless individual. His wealth and privilege have opened all the doors in his life and he hopes his rich buddies in the 1% can buy him the White House. He has no interest in public service. His only interest is serving himself.

[MuhkRahker]

52. Asshole.

Romney is an opportunist asshole.

[CoffeeCat]

54. I will forever mourn for this tape

It's too bad that she didn't keep the messages.

If she still has the same answering machine, I would consider taking it to someone who could maybe figure out something. I'm sure it's doubtful, but those messages could lose the Presidency for him. He's all ready on his way to losing it, but it would be nice to see a blowout.

[oppressedproletarian]

55. I saw Ann on the View

She was asked how she would handle going to military funerals while having 5 sons who did not serve in military---how would she explain that to grieving families? She vomited out a string of meaningless platitudes but weaseled out of any direct reply to the question----and the View did not press her further. Pissed me off.

To such as the Romneys, the masses are nothing but cannon fodder to be exploited.

[merrily]

57. I've never seen an expression on Mitt's face that did not look as though a bad actor was

trying to convey a certain emotion, including the loving look he gives anyone speaking well of him in his presence. George H.W. Bush giving him a tepid endorsement gets the same pseudo warm look as Ryan or Ann.

If a camera were around, he'd probably give Rafalca the same adoring look.

[oppressedproletarian]

59. Yes i despise

that "!oving" look which R has down to an art.

Welcome merrily!

[kenfrequed]

58. Is it too much to hope that she saved the voice messages?

Really, this would just be one more lie that he told to try to get into office.