Romney never saw father on King march

The Boston Globe ^ | December 21, 2007 | Michael Levenson

[Josh Painter]

Susan Englander, assistant editor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University, who is editing the King papers from that era, told the Globe yesterday: "I researched this question, and indeed it is untrue that George Romney marched with [Dr.] King."

She said that when he was governor of Michigan, George Romney issued a proclamation in June 1963 in support of King's march in Detroit, but declined to attend, saying he did not participate in political events on Sundays. A New York Times story from the time confirms Englander's account.

A few days after that march, George Romney joined a civil rights march through the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, but King did not attend, Englander said. A report in the New York Times confirms Englander's account of that second march...

Romney has repeated the story of his father marching with King in some of his most prominent presidential campaign appearances, including the "Tonight" show with Jay Leno in May, his address on faith and politics Dec. 6 in Texas, and on NBC's "Meet The Press" on Sunday, when he was questioned about the Mormon Church's ban on full participation by black members. He said that he had cried in his car in 1978 when he heard the ban had ended, and added, "My father marched with Martin Luther King."

Mitt Romney went a step further in a 1978 interview with the Boston Herald. Talking about the Mormon Church and racial discrimination, he said: "My father and I marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit."

Yesterday, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom acknowledged that was not true. "Mitt Romney did not march with Martin Luther King," he said in an e-mail statement to the Globe.

[ozaukeemom]

perfect!

[x]

I can see what he meant.

Here's a press release from his campaign, complete with a photo of Romney's mother and Martin Luther King, Jr.:

But unfortunately, this is the sort of thing that can really hurt a candidate.

[drjimmy]

Why, if he believed MLK was in the march?

And why would Mitt believe such a thing? MLK was kinda famous and everything he did was making headlines at that time, so unless Mitt is prone to fantasies, he would know whether he was in the same march as MLK or not. Actually, that just answered the question. Mitt is prone to fantasies.

[drjimmy]

Mitt never cliam to march with MLK and you drjimmy just took this out of context and but what’s new with those who try to distort!

I know it is hard to keep up, since new whoppers by Mitt seem to be discovered every day, but I assume by now you are aware that Mitt did, in fact, claim to have marched himself with MLK.

[restornu]

Mitt said he saw his father Geroge but Mitt never claim to be in the March!

[SpringheelJack]

Mitt said he saw his father Geroge but Mitt never claim to be in the March!

You're one of those FReepers who post without reading the article, apparently.

Well, if you'd read this very one, you'd across this statement from ol' Mitt in 1978: "My father and I marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit."

[pepperhead]

Mitt said he saw his father Geroge but Mitt never claim to be in the March!

Mitt Romney went a step further in a 1978 interview with the Boston Herald. Talking about the Mormon Church and racial discrimination, he said: "My father and I marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/21/romney_never_saw_father_on_king_march/

[restornu]

I got it an but it’s possible that Mitt was with his father on some of the CR Marches.

His Father was Govenor 1963-69 and Sec of Hud

To me in those days to me Civil Rights were synomous with MLK.

This does not mean I am dismissing your challenge on the word saw etc.

[restornu]

I’m no Romney fan, as you would know if you visited my site, but I think he’s probably accurate enough given the likely full history, if not precise. First, this MI historical magazine reference list has MLK in Grosse Pointe, obviously at a prior date. Maybe it’s the same appearance to which you refer, but maybe not. More importantly, and I think this might get Mitt off the hook, given that he would have been about 15 years old at the time, there WAS a big MLK March down Woodward Avenue on June 25, 1963, and I would not be at all surprised if his dad marched in that — Except that as gov, security may have been a problem. Recall that MLK was a Republican. Go to Page 28 at this link (search was on michigan romney martin luther king, I think): http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:iv0yV5sDPvwJ:www.hsmichigan.org/pdf/timelines/Historic_Dates_Calendar.pdf+grosse+Ile+michigan+romney+martin+luther+king&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us&client=safari Ah, but the plot thickens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Swainson George Romney’s PREDECESSOR as governor marched down Woodward Avenue. The Wiki entry for George Romney says he was strong on civil rights, but makes no mention of the march. It would be interesting to see if George as guv issued a proclamation of any kind or made a speech on the day of the 1963 march, if he didn’t himself march. Again giving Mitt the benefit of the doubt, it’s not unlikely, since he was 15 or so during the time period, that he would over the years have juxtaposed the events and even give his father a little more credit than he deserved. But there may be more to the story. That’s why, in this case, you’re the reporter and I’m the commenter. :—> Tom Blumer BizzyBlog.com Mason, OH

POSTED BY BizzyBlog AT 12/19/07 2:38 PM http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid53200.aspx

[newgeezer]

Having watched both instances where he said his father marched with MLK—Once? Mmm-kayyy... but, twice?!—there is NO DOUBT in my mind Romney fully intended to leave the audience with the impression that (1, in both clips) his father marched with MLK and (2, on C-SPAN) he saw his father do it. In fact, since the C-SPAN speech was the earlier of the two, I have to wonder if he decided saying he saw him march was going too far and/or too risky.

In my opinion, any who wish to believe otherwise—especially after they see the clips—are in deep, deep denial.

The man is either delusional or a deceiver. If necessary, I'll make that point at my precinct caucus on January 3.

[pepperhead]

Anything is possible if you use your imagination.

[pepperhead]

Again giving Mitt the benefit of the doubt, it’s not unlikely, since he was 15 or so during the time period, that he would over the years have juxtaposed the events and even give his father a little more credit than he deserved. But there may be more to the story. That’s why, in this case, you’re the reporter and I’m the commenter.

The problem is that Mitt wasn't 15 when he told the Boston Herald he marched with Martin Luther King Jr. through the streets of Detroit.

[pepperhead]

I almost forgot. In the future could you please use tiny url if you plan on pasting in a 196 letter long url link so it doesn’t mess up our layout when we click pings. Thanks.

[steve-b]

Romney said his father had told him he had marched with King and that he had been using the word "saw" in a "figurative sense."
"If you look at the literature, if you look at the dictionary, the term 'saw' includes being aware of in the sense I've described," Romney told reporters in Iowa.

Paging Bill Clinton....

[restornu]

I forgot I was trying to every which way to shrikng that post if was the URL causing it to expand.

I using FR to adjust and post it by accident

[pepperhead]

No problem, just pointing out something to be aware of when you post.

[muawiyah]

If this story is published in the Boston Globe Mitt must be telling the truth.

[drjimmy]

This should put to rest any lingering confusion whatsoever whether Mitt Romney ever marched with Martin Luther King, despite having claimed that he had done so:
"Yesterday, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom acknowledged that was not true. 'Mitt Romney did not march with Martin Luther King,' he said in an e-mail statement to the Globe." Unless, of course, you want to call the Romney spokesman a liar.

[Josh Painter]

CharlesWayneCT wrote: “And he never said the NRA endorsed him.”

Yes, he did:

“I just talked about, about guns. I told you what my position was, and what I, what I did as governor; the fact that I received the endorsement of the NRA.”

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/12/16/romney_claims_nra_endorsement.html?hpid=sec-politics

[restornu]

No there more to be posted on this topic either by me later or another Stay tune!