There is so much wrong with Romney’s response that I hardly know where to start.

[Scuba]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/12/opinion/blow-mean-boys.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120512

Commentary by Charles M. Blow

But let’s start here: If the haircutting incident happened as described, it’s not a prank or hijinks or even simple bullying. It’s an assault. Second, honorable men don’t chuckle at cruelty.

Third, if it happened, Romney’s explanation that he doesn’t remember it doesn’t ring true. It is a searing account in the telling and would have been even more so in the doing. How could such a thing simply melt into the milieu of other misbehavior? How could the screams of his classmate not echo even now?

Fourth, “if someone was hurt or offended, I apologize” isn’t a real apology. Even if no one felt hurt or offended, if you feel that you have done something wrong, you can apologize on that basis alone. Remorse is a sufficient motivator. Absolution is a sufficient objective. Whether the person who was wronged requests it is separate.

Lastly, this would have been an amazing teaching moment about the impact of bullying if Romney had seized it. That is what a real leader would have done. That is what we would expect any adult to do.

[liberal N proud]

1. My first thought was which response

Because there are so many wrong responses from Romney.

This bullying revelation is so much bigger than the media will ever let it be. The nation has spent so much time in the recent months/years discussing this and fighting bullying that to even consider electing a bully or former bully who shows no remorse is so wrong.

IMO, since he shows no remorse, the man is still a bully.

[Voice for Peace]

9. He functions as a bully towards the weak

but because bullies are essentially weak, they can be
bullied into doing the bidding of bigger bullies with even
more money and power. This is the real danger.

[pacalo]

2. "Americans want a president who doesn’t target the weak, but valiantly seeks to protect them."

I really like Charles Blow. I've seen him on Lawrence O'Donnel's show a few times.

He speaks for me.

[rocktivity]

3. Speaking of remorse, here's Obama's reaction to being bullied (at the age of ten):

He bullied in return (by giving a girl a "slight shove&quot , and felt remorse for it.

"For the rest of the afternoon, I was haunted by the look on Coretta’s face just before she had started to run: her disappointment, and the accusation. I wanted to explain to her somehow that it had been nothing personal; I’d just never had a girlfriend before and saw no particular need to have one now. But I didn’t even know if that was true. Iknew only that it was too late for explanations, that somehow I’d been tested and found wanting; and whenever I snuck a glance at Coretta’s desk, I would see her with her head bent over her work, appearing as if nothing had happened, pulled into herself and asking no favors."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002676494


rocktivity

[Scuba]

4. Thank you for adding this!!!

[AnotherMother4Peace]

5. It's either an immature or unremorseful response - both are unacceptable for a strong leader. nt

[corkhead]

6. Not only wasn't it a "real" apology, it wasn't one at all, even though the MSM reported it as one.

his exact quote was

"if I hurt anyone by virtue of that, I would be very sorry for it and would apologize for it"

here's were ABC reported it as an apology and the words coming right out of the horse's mouth...

&feature=player_embedded

[FailureToCommunicate]

10. Yes, another lame moment from the 'lame stream media' That was NOT an apology!

Good catch.

[pasto76]

7. a genuine apology communicates that you feel disgusted with yourself

someone posted a rabbinical guideline to a genuine apology a few weeks ago. It had 5 parts and is spot on

[Viva_Daddy]

8. No reporter thought to ask Romney if, in the almost 40 years since "the incident" before Lauber died

Romney ever apologized to Lauber. I bet the answer is "no" or "I don't remember".

[Johnny2X2X]

11. More to it

In hindsight, I thought it funny how Mitt Romney had always talked about what a prankster he was, but now it's obvious to me that he knew stuff like this would come out and he was just trying to stay in front of it. This was not pranking this was bullying and unusually cruel and brutal bullying at that.

Is there anyone out there who doesn't think much more of this will come out? If this were an isolated incident he wouldn't have been prepping us for it with his hundreds of mentions of being a prankster in speeches the last year or so.

This "prank" was sick and disgusting, I wonder what other "pranks" will come out? It speaks directly to his character and there are some things you just can't change about a man. Once incident was bad enough, but his reaction to this tells me that it's one of many.

[Iggo]

12. "...honorable men don’t chuckle at cruelty."

Right there.

[grantcart]

13. Interestingly the Republicans don't know how to respond either.

[Bake]

14. It's simple ... Romney's not a leader, he's a bully.

I hope America takes notice.

Bake