Clean-livin' Mitt Attacks Clinton's Family Life

ABC: Political Punch ^ | October 26, 2007 | Jake Tapper

[Reaganesque]

GOP presidential candidate and former Governor Mitt Romney once told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that "I'm not going to suggest that people's marital lives should be part of a campaign." But for at least the third time in the last two months, he has impugned the marriage of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and the tom-catting of her husband Bill.

As reported by ABC News' Matt Stuart earlier today (LINK), responding to a Halloween invitation from an Iowan in West Des Moines, Friday, Romney joked about "Hillary's House of Horrors" which he said would consist of "the 'raise your tax' room. We'd have the 'weaker military' room. We'd have the 'family values in shambles' room."

The "family values in shambles" room?

Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson responded, "Hillary Clinton needs no lessons on character from a man who switches his positions on a daily basis."

Just yesterday in New Hampshire (LINK), Romney -- asked to comment about a controversial program to distribute birth control to middle school students in Maine -- said that "one of the ways you instill family values is by having the White House be a place that demonstrates family values... I think during the last Clinton presidency the White House did not demonstrate that in a way that was helpful to our nation's culture."

Romney added "you're gonna be under a microscope and at least during the time you're in the White House you ought to live by a high standard, because the world is looking at you, you're representing not only yourself but your country. And the kids of America are looking at you."

(Wolfson yesterday used the same line as a retort. "Hillary Clinton needs no lessons on character from a man who switches his positions on a daily basis.")

Lest we forget, two months ago, when Romney threw former endorser Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, under the bus (LINK), he told CNBC that the Craig scandal "reminds us of Mark Foley and Bill Clinton. I think it reminds us of the fact that people who are elected to public office continue to disappoint, and they somehow think that if they vote the right way on issues of significance or they can speak a good game, that we'll just forgive and forget...we've seen disappointment in the White House, we've seen it in the Senate, we've seen it in Congress. And frankly, it's disgusting."

This can clearly be seen as a way of not only reminding people that Romney is still married to his first wife and has on its face a picture-perfect family life, but also that his chief rival for the GOP presidential nomination, the thrice-married former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, does not.

Romney lays this on quite thick. "I came in with my sweetheart, who's here in the front row, I think, somewhere," he said at the CPAC conference. "Ann, would you come on up and just say hi? Here comes my sweetheart, Ann Romney."

Romney isn't the only one throwing stones -- in Missouri his wife, Ann, joked, "The biggest difference between Mitt Romney and the other candidates," is that the Mormon has "only had one wife."

Romney's attacks on Clinton's marriage also stand in contrast to those of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who in July (LINK) told NPR, "this will really rankle some of my Republican colleagues: Bill Clinton and Hillary went through some horrible experiences in their marriage because of some of the reckless behavior that he has admitted he had. I am not defending him on that, it's indefensible. But they kept their marriage together. And a lot of the Republicans who have condemned them and talk about their platform of family values, interestingly, didn't keep their own families together."

Huckabee, craftily, who is also still on his first wife, praised Clinton for sticking with Bill, drawing attention to the divorces of Giuliani, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others.

Romney criticizes her, doing so.

Either way, it's a lot of talk about personal stuff. What do you think?

[AppyPappy]

“Hillary Clinton needs no lessons on character from a man who switches his positions on a daily basis.”

Do they mean Bill who switched positions in the same bathroom visit?

[TheLion]

Bttt!

[TAdams8591]

"Romney isn't the only one throwing stones -- in Missouri his wife, Ann, joked, "The biggest difference between Mitt Romney and the other candidates," is that the Mormon has "only had one wife."

Mrs. Romney stole my line. : )

[TAdams8591]

"Romney added "you're gonna be under a microscope and at least during the time you're in the White House you ought to live by a high standard, because the world is looking at you, you're representing not only yourself but your country. And the kids of America are looking at you."

Exactly. People in high places must show good example!

[Reaganesque]

I saw Ann say that in a forum that was on C-Span. Maria Shriver hosted the event. Ann really came across as a highly intelligent, compassionate and witty person. It was good to see. Interestingly, I thought she and Michelle Obama hit it off personally with Mrs. Obama nodding in agreement with much of what Ann had to say. The two spoke with each other frequently during the forum (they were sitting next to each other) and they smiled and laughed together many times. Mrs. Obama too came across as highly intelligent and friendly. I couldn't vote for her husband but, she seems to be the type of person you'd want to get to know. It was interesting to watch.

Of the other women, Jeri Thompson, Elizabeth Edwards and Cindy McCain were interesting as well. Jeri Thompson and Cindy McCain were much quieter than the rest but came off well and Elizabeth Edwards made her presence known despite the Romney/Obama show. Jeri seemed a little ill at ease on stage with the rest of them and said so but, this is the first time for her on the public stage so, that's entirely understandable. I was surprised at how much I liked Elizabeth Edwards. She too seems to be intelligent and witty and someone I could get along with (so long as the topic of politics doesn't come up). Too bad she isn't the candidate instead of her husband.

Maria Shriver made an interesting point that I had to agree with; all of these women are quite good looking. All have beauty and brains. That was nice to see.