Mitt Romney Threatened On Plane: 'Violent Passenger' Confronts Former Presidential Candidate

An unrelated series of bizarre air travel incidents the past three days has been capped with a physical threat made by a "violent passenger" against former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Romey was departing Canada with his wife on Monday after attending the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. According to the Globe and Mail, the Republican politician was sitting in the economy section waiting for the plane to take off when the incident occurred:

The man sitting in front of Mr. Romney's wife dropped his seat back and when Mr. Romney asked him to move it upright for takeoff, the man became "physically violent." Another report said that the man tried to strike Mr. Romney.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told the Globe and Mail that the former Massachusetts. Governor "did not retaliate" and that the crew took care of the situation. The plane returned to the gate so that local authorities could detain the suspect.

On Saturday, director Kevin Smith was kicked off of a Southwest flight from Oakland to Burbank because he could not fit in his seat. Smith sent out a series of well-publicized Tweets, and the airline apologized.

On Sunday, a couple was kicked off a plane that had been stuck on the ground for two hours. Their offense? The husband repeatedly asked for a cup of water for his 7-month pregnant wife.

Comments

[onlychildsoul]

10:37 AM on 02/19/2010

Hey Romney, life is like a box of chocolates, it seems you opened the wrong box! Hey Mitt Romney do you like putting your hands on black men?

[MooseShady]

10:13 PM on 02/19/2010

Especially the man happens to be Berry Gordy's grandson.

[PerroInsano]

10:15 PM on 02/16/2010

"The Republican politician was sitting in the economy section." Really? Economy? Are things looking that bad for Mitt? Or is this supposed to make him look like more of a "regular guy"?

[DocSyracuse]

11:18 PM on 02/16/2010

Probably the latter; the guy is loaded.

Standard political move, though.

[realpolitik78]

11:36 PM on 02/16/2010

exactly, dont forget how John Kerry road a motorcycle and ordered a steak and cheese (with swiss lol) to appear to be a regular joe. this works both ways.

[c2morow]

06:55 PM on 02/16/2010

You are wrong: "When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. "

This is the same for a flag displayed on a uniform or other garment. It has to do with the observers perspective.

[blackstarpictures]

05:57 PM on 02/16/2010

Speed Trains. Start voting for them.

[Tommygun264]

05:56 PM on 02/16/2010

Why aren't the pubs and baggers screaming to high heaven over the fact that Mittens' jacket features a US flag in retreat? The stars ALWAYS lead, moving forward, when sewn onto a uniform or painted onto aircraft. Romney's patch is sewn moving in the other direction - in retreatWhy does Mitten's hate the USA?

[Stephanie71]

06:38 PM on 02/16/2010

I'm pretty sure that's the 2002 USA Salt Lake team jackets so apparently our entire contingent was retreating.

[nexxtep54]

07:47 PM on 02/16/2010

The USA is in retreat. Mitt knows that, why don't you ?

[blukazoo]

05:35 PM on 02/16/2010

Just one!? I would have guessed about 90% of the people that meet him want to take a whack at him--we could sell T-shirts.

[DocSyracuse]

11:19 PM on 02/16/2010

His approval ratings are just fine. I'd say folks that want to 'take a whack at him' are pretty few.

[Tulka2]

04:30 PM on 02/16/2010

Another misleading headline at Huff Post. I came to read this item because i was happily mislead into expecting to read about some good citizen who saw the former Governor and could not help but give Romney the dressing down he so richly deserves. Instead, there is no indication the "offender" had the slightest idea who Romney was. Come to think of it....? That's pretty rich all by itself, isn't it?

[Cookie100]

05:46 PM on 02/16/2010

yha'll but maybe the guys Canadian, and doesn't know Mr Clown Face.. I am surprised he's in coach though, he's worth a couple of hundred million, last count.
I'm old enough to remember JFK, the first and only Catholic prez, but does this guy really want to put the crazy stuff his faith believes in for all to see. It's wacky some of it. You can't swear but divorce is seems fine. I lived in Denver for 10 years, lots of recovering Mor mons there

[atcrossroads]

04:24 PM on 02/16/2010

Why do the airlines have to put the seats so close to each other that you can't recline without seriously inconveniencing the person behind you? What's the point of having a reclining chair? Will an extra 3 to 5 inches in legroom and breathing space really bankrupt the airlines?

[blukazoo]

05:37 PM on 02/16/2010

One less row of seats, 6 lost tickets per flight, hundreds of flights per plane per year.

Still, do we have to be treated like veal when we fly?

[Tulka2]

05:56 PM on 02/16/2010

(Crack of the whip) Move you cattle, move! No, no, no, it will not bankrupt the airlines. Worse! It will cut into profits.

[DocSyracuse]

11:19 PM on 02/16/2010

Moooooooo!

[CheechandBruno]

01:38 PM on 02/16/2010

That's insane, people get too into things on these flights, stallign the whole flight..sheesh, I'd be pissed

[smchp]

01:29 PM on 02/16/2010

I find it hard to believe......that he was sitting in Economy. Unless his private jet broke down and first class was full.

[Kalikynos]

02:33 PM on 02/16/2010

The report is erroneous. There's no "economy section" on that aircraft. It carries only 100 passengers, configured in twenty-five rows, "two-two" (two seats on each side of the aisle.)

[garystartswithg]

03:35 PM on 02/16/2010

just for verification some airlines try to make a 1st class by anointing the first 3 rows 1st class.

[artwohl]

03:57 PM on 02/16/2010

According to Seat Guru there is an executive class with wider seats:

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Air_Canada/Air_Canada_Embraer_190.php

[EricProgDem]

01:15 PM on 02/16/2010

Why is this extremely rich guy flying coach and yet impersonating a flight attendant? "Please return your seat to the upright position," indeed.

[Lakeview Greg]

01:14 PM on 02/16/2010

Fly the not so friendly skies.
Considering all the money a plane ticket costs, people would be just a tad more respectful towards their fellow travelers.

[ejhickey]

02:59 PM on 02/16/2010

well said

[Darsan54]

01:07 PM on 02/16/2010

Mitt Romney, not one of my favorite politicians, but nobody deserves that treatment.

Reminds me of a story where a disgruntled voter got up in (now) Mayor Daly's face while he was shopping with his son. Needless to say, you don't threaten a sitting prosecutor. The police took a really dim view of the voter's viewpoint.

Politicians of every stripe deserve a little space and politeness when they aren't in the "public" sphere (you know, out shopping, having dinner with the wife/husband, with the kids, etc.). A little politeness please.

[2008FedUP]

01:43 PM on 02/16/2010

He planned it for the press attention to the "Economy"class. lol

[keepemhonest]

02:16 PM on 02/16/2010

What treatment? You don't know anything about what happened - all anyone knows is the one-sided story by Romney ... no name of the alleged fiend ... nothing ... mere allegations.

And .. .why did Romney take it upon himself to do the job the Steward is paid to do. It is NOT the passenger's job to tell people the correct position at take off.

[referee]

01:03 PM on 02/16/2010

Has the photograph been reversed? The right sleeve on his jacket (as shown) has the American flag witht he field (stars) towards the rear, not towards the front as required.

[MIvoter1231]

01:20 PM on 02/16/2010

I have often seen the flag sewn on apparel incorrectly. I agree it is incorrect, but I would venture a bet that it's just done wrong by someone who doesn't understand the proper way to do it. But there is really no way to know.

[2008FedUP]

01:45 PM on 02/16/2010

Personally he should have noticed it since he wants to be the President.

[artwohl]

02:36 PM on 02/16/2010

It doesn't matter if the pic is reversed. The flag would still be pointing backward.

Not sure if the US Flag Code is specific on that, but Army regulations require the use of the "reverse flag" on the right sleeve, so that the flag is seen as "advancing" when the soldier moves forward. The way Romney's jacket has it applied the flag will be moving "in retreat" when he walks forward.

Here is President George W Bush desecrating the flag on two occasions:

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html

[hereticalamerican]

02:54 PM on 02/16/2010

Thank you Art, for saving me the dig-upon the reg. Same regs in the USN. MANY a' flight suit has the reversed....I think it's coolest in the OD and black scheme.

[kirtlandpat]

01:00 PM on 02/16/2010

Republican response:

Since this happened in Canada we should bomb Greenland.

[Fretchen]

01:58 PM on 02/16/2010

You need to take off your blue-tinted glasses, go outside, and breathe deeply. Not everything in the world is political in nature.

[hearmeloudandclear]

02:33 PM on 02/16/2010

....or try to filibuster - obstruct -"just say NO" etc etc etc lol ! I loved your comment (kirtlandpat)