QUIZ: Hilary Rosen Kerfuffle Means: A) Nothing; B) Less Than Nothing; C) Doodlysquat To Election

Pictured: Ann Romney, who is mad at Hilary Rosen for the next 48 hours or so.

So let me catch you up on what's been happening over the past 12 hours in the life of our always hyper-cogent political discourse. Hilary Rosen, a "Democratic strategist" and one-time staff contributor to this website, was on one of those panels that CNN stages at all hours of the day in order to stave off brain death, and she said Mitt Romney's wife, Ann, "has actually never worked a day in her life ... she's never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing." That prompted Ann Romney to join Twitter or something and start warblogging, prompting a flurry of clarifications and counter-statements and whatnot, culminating in an appearance on Fox News this morning, when Ann Romney basically said that people should vote for her husband.

This would obviously be a real setback to Hilary Rosen's campaign, if she were in a campaign or affiliated with a campaign, which she's not. But that won't stop it from being some sort of "Election 2012" thing. Romney surrogates are already on conference calls with reporters, pretending that Rosen is an official administration spokeswoman. The Obama campaign has already had to go to the trouble of distancing themselves from the remarks of somebody from whom they were already at a great, yawning distance. (Maybe the Obama campaign will hire Rosen, just so they can fire her?) The DNC, which has arguably closer ties to Rosen, have disowned her as well.

Washington, D.C.-area commuters are advised that all buses have been rerouted today to drive over Hilary Rosen, by order of the Democratic National Committee, so expect service delays.

The question is, will this "impact" the election? Will it "move the needle"? Will it be a "game changer"? Well, let me check real quick -- ahh ... okay, here we go: it says here that the presidential election will be decided by whoever takes a majority of electoral votes. So, I'm guessing ... no?

But who wins and who loses? Well, today, every time Mitt Romney or someone affiliated with his campaign has to take a question on this, it will cost them an opportunity to talk about issues like the economy or unemployment. But this matter should burn itself off in the next 48 hours, so the total sum risk to anyone is maybe a portion of one news cycle.

Let's recall, as well, that after many days were spent dinging Romney on Eric Fehrnstrom's Etch A Sketch line, it turned out that whole meme went largely unnoticed by the general populace. If "Etch A Sketch" didn't matter, then Hilary Rosen will matter even less, and a week from now the only people who will even remember it will all reside inside the Beltway.

Hey, don't take my word for it, though. Here is Jonathan Bernstein, best known for writing "A Plain Blog About Politics," offering "a quick guide to what does and doesn't matter to the outcome of campaigns."

Political scientists have had a long argument about whether anything in campaigns matters to general election results. That argument has mostly been won by those who have demonstrated that campaigns can have some effect in November. But still: Whole campaigns, including everything from door-to-door electioneering to millions of dollars of TV ads to all those rallies with the bunting and the speeches and the music -- all of that probably moves the needle a few percentage points.

That's very important, no doubt, in a close race! But it also places everything in context. If debates rarely affect the results at all; if vice-presidents rarely affect the results beyond perhaps a small boost in their home state; if perceptions of the candidates' personality may not matter at all; then what are the chances that a silly flap about what some talking head said in April will have any effect whatsoever? The first rule: Basically ignore the back-and-forth.

Bernstein offers a lot more insight on the importance of campaign promises (they actually aren't empty gestures) and polls (they are starting to matter now) and external news events (if, say, the entire economy collapses in August, it may actually matter to the people) and what you should watch and what you shouldn't. Pointedly not included in his list? Things that people say while speaking extemporaneously on CNN panels.

Which makes sense. Why should some CNN pundit panel matter to an election? CNN's pundit panels aren't even capable of generating good ratings for CNN.

UPDATE: Greg Sargent has a statement from CNN:

Hilary Rosen, like all CNN contributors, is not a paid advisor to any political party or presidential campaign.

Just keep that in mind, because tying Rosen to Democrats is a matter that takes a lot of squinty effort and a willingness to indulge in some Kremlinological conspiracy theorizing: "But...but...but...Anita Dunn is a paid advisor to the White House, and she also works at SDK Knickerbocker...and that means something, right?" Sargent also talked to SDK Knickerbocker: "But SKD also confirms that Rosen is not an adviser to the DNC or the Obama campaign.:

Sargent goes on:

Now, presumably some on the right will argue that Rosen may be an unpaid adviser to Obama and/or Dems. But that doesn’t even appear to be the case, and at any rate, anyone being honest about this will tell you that in this town, the category of “unpaid adviser” is borderline meaningless.

Ha ha, yes. Everyone in this city believes themselves to be, at the very least, a temporarily unheeded unpaid adviser to somebody important. And it's within this exclusive cohort that this issue will have any salience after tomorrow.

READ THE WHOLE THING:
Ignore Hilary Rosen flap and focus on what really matters [Jonathan Bernstein @ The Plum Line]

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Comments

[Sandy Wright Riccardi]

05:47 PM on 05/21/2012

A funny song about how out of touch Ann and Mitt really are.
http://youtu.be/OskZ2OLKkHE

[TopMan]

06:18 PM on 04/16/2012

So now that the Princess Ann Romney's sons are grown men....what is her excuse for not working outside the home? The answer: No excuse cause she is just a hypocritical lazy rich woman.

[CaptRuby]

07:42 PM on 04/15/2012

Job killing machine of Bain capital the closed scores of US businesses and offshore the jobs overseas is now dreaming to become president of US, telling 8% unemployed of this ation how he can help them find a job... LOL!

[CaptRuby]

07:35 PM on 04/15/2012

Mrs. Romney was drives 2 Cadillacs, living in million dollar homes with car elevators, with servants standing straight to carry out orders, ...LOL!!!

AND now she is pretending to like working 99% moms of this nation, just hilarious!!!

[media sux]

02:39 PM on 04/15/2012

You conveniently forgot D- None of the above

Nice try Obama Spin Laden! Your weapons of mass deception are worthless

[righteousindignation]

03:38 PM on 04/15/2012

Cheers, "media sux"!!!!

[media sux]

04:14 PM on 04/15/2012

and to you as well.

[RepublicanDepression]

09:54 PM on 04/15/2012

LOL!

Obama eliminated bin Laden. When your Bush FAILED.

So your comparison FAILS!

LOL! another 'mediasux" FAIL!

[media sux]

10:00 PM on 04/15/2012

the only thing failing is your comprehension...read it slowly and you'll learn what a PLAY ON WORDS is! Its not a comparison doofus!

and the worrd is failure not FAIL. gawd you guttersnipes are ridiculous!

[media sux]

10:02 PM on 04/15/2012

oh but I like your ID if Republicans make you depressed, that makes me happy! LMAO...at you!

[healthy chocolate]

01:20 PM on 04/15/2012

Interesting how Faux spent more time covering this kerfuffle than they did the coverage of an unarmed teenager wearing a hoodie who was murdered.

Just an observation...

[righteousindignation]

03:57 PM on 04/15/2012

You must have been watching MSNBC and NBC coverage of the Trayvon Martin incident.
FOX reported on it extensively - and still is -
especially now that Eric Holder as US AG has been ignoring The New Black Panther Party's public HIT on Zimmerman - offering a REWARD -

and NBC getting caught editing the 911 call to give a racial slant to it - intending to incite a RACE WAR - when Zimmerman was suspected by the liberal media of being "white" -
and the fact that it was being used as a re-election strategy by Obama - in his continuation of dividing the country upon racial lines -
after the White House was already exposed for conspiring with David Brock of Media Matters to write headlines for NBC and MSNBC.
FOX has been covering ALL of it - relating to the Trayvon Martin incident - and then some especially when the liberal media concealed that George Zimmerman DID have lacerations on his head and a concussion from being attacked by Trayvon Martin jumping him and bashing his head into the sidewalk.

[winniecm]

06:38 PM on 04/15/2012

You need to work for FOX. You are perfect. The day that FOX would say they got anything wrong or fired anyone for the most egregious behavior and lies would be the day hell freezes over. NBC apologized and fired the guy. I saw how they covered the case - Hannity involving himself with Zimmerman! That should say it all.

[righteousindignation]

01:04 PM on 04/15/2012

Hey - no matter WHAT - Michelle Obama is a poor excuse for a First Lady - as a Vacation Junkie.

[winniecm]

06:40 PM on 04/15/2012

Michelle has more charm and grace and intelligence in her little finger than you have in your entire empty head. And it's disrespectful to say that about our first lady. But you obviously don't know anything about respect, even for yourself.

[lovely09]

01:03 PM on 04/15/2012

My assumption again is that Rosen meant that Ann has no idea about economic struggle as pertaining to the care of children. One of my grandmothers was a stay at home mom and a proud Democrat so all homemakers are NOT Cons obviously.

Agreed that this won't decide the election in Mittens favor. Far from it.

It comes down to the electoral college and Willard is way far behind President Obama in that regard.

[Taliese]

12:52 PM on 04/15/2012

No, she hasn't worked a day in her life. Neither has her plastic husband! There I said it.

Since we're going the Rube Goldberg route on the blame game, we can blame the Republicans for my "unfortunate" remarks. LOL Though I'm Independent now, I'm an ex-republican (SINCE 2008) so everything I say is KENDOLL-Wi||ard's fault.

I'm a mom like AnnMoney but I didn't have billions to spend on nannies, and maids and private schools and tutors. I did it the old fashioned way. I cleaned my own house. Cooked my own meals. Washed my own car. Raised my own children. All this I did with the help of my DH who HAS actually worked with me in the real world. That's the world where money doesn't grow on trees in the Caymen Islands or in Swiss bank accounts!

Go ride one of your plastic husband's thoroughbreds AnnMoney!

[righteousindignation]

01:16 PM on 04/15/2012

and the obama have never had a job that was not financed by US taxpayers.

[Taliese]

01:27 PM on 04/15/2012

So have a lot of people, dude. Congressmen. Senators. Politicians period. LOL Military people. Government workers. Hell, my aunt has worked for the IRS all her life. My best friend works at the DOJ. I have friends and family in the Navy, Army and Air Force. The key here is that they ACTUALLY WORK! Can't say the same for AnnM0ney or her Plastic Husband.

[Taliese]

01:34 PM on 04/15/2012

Oh, and please come back at me with how much BO hasn't actually earned his government pay because he's got nothing to show for it, or how he's a socialistcommiesecretmuslim or that he didn't deserve to go to Harvard, or that community organizers are lazy so and so's ... blah, blah, blah. LOL

[righteousindignation]

12:50 PM on 04/15/2012

That prompted Ann Romney to join Twitter or something and start warblogging, prompting a flurry of clarifications and counter-statements and whatnot, culminating in an appearance on Fox News this morning, when Ann Romney basically said that people should vote for her husband.
****
So what? Michelle Obama was pitching Obama's (RADICAL) agenda for America and politicking INSIDE the election polls during the 2010 midterm elections.

[winniecm]

06:42 PM on 04/15/2012

Were you there? Or did your tea leaves tell you that.It's ridiculous.

[Conservative PitBull]

12:23 PM on 04/15/2012

Ann will be a great first lady. Lots of children here will get some needed attention.

[winniecm]

06:44 PM on 04/15/2012

Here where? Romney wants to cut education, family planning, healthcare for women and the EPA - so welcome back lead paint chips and hope your kids don't get a hold of any.

[dogs4pete]

02:25 AM on 04/15/2012

Of course this won't decide any election but it does indicate that this whole foolishness started by the left with the contraception statements that caught GOP candidates off guard in the January debates was a stink bomb prank to rally Zombie-Feminists. It got some temporary air when Rush got testy but now.....

It is comical to see Hill Rosen forget to throw the cherry bomb prior to it's explosion. I think the pollsters are sanitizing numbers to make Emperor O closer than it really is, and the left keeps up these attacks and this latest one boomeranged and it is funny.

but don't forget to....

END OCCUPY WHITE HOUSE THIS NOVEMBER 2012.

[icwhite02]

04:42 AM on 04/15/2012

What I don't understand is when Republicans under Newt "The Scrooge" Gingrich as Speaker of the House stated during his Welfare Reform rants that raising ones own children was not to be considered a JOB because their were no wages being collected & therefore the title of HOMEMAKER was NOT A TRUE VOCATION, it was applauded. But when some pundit too young to remember those facts says that Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life, she gets run over by the Repugnant/teabagger Machine! Well, by the Republican's own standards of the past, the statement was true! And IS TRUE! Just because Ann Romney made an economically wise choice to "spread 'em" for a guy born with a silver spoon in his mouth, doesn't MEAN that what she does can be called WORK! She's had NANNIES & A CLEANING STAFF her whole married life! She has NO IDEA what it's like to have to choose between buying shoes for her growing kids or paying her car insurance so she can LEGALLY DRIVE THEM TO SCHOOL! As far as I'm concerned she's just another "MARIE ANNTOINETTE!" How about "ROMNEY ANN-TOINETTE!" Now that's catchy!

[Johnangry]

09:36 AM on 04/15/2012

Her name is Ann, that's true. So it would be "Marie Ann-toinette Romney"

[Johnangry]

09:38 AM on 04/15/2012

BTW, what flavor of cake do you suppose she serves? Oh, never mind, the Romney's are severely conservative these days, so food-stamps will be cut in true Marie Antoinette fashion.

[mommy dearest]

05:21 AM on 04/15/2012

I will agree with you on something "this won't decide any election" & it is foolishness. OBAMA 2012

[righteousindignation]

12:55 PM on 04/15/2012

what? False Narratives blowing up in yr faces?

We Will Never Forget!

ABO 2012

[Jill Press]

02:07 AM on 04/15/2012

Ann Romney Speaks About Home Economics:

“Motherhood is such a demanding job, even a stay-at-home-mom like me couldn't do it without nannies. And let me tell you, it isn't easy finding help. Illegal aliens make the best servants, but after one of my hubby's political rivals told the media that we had some, we couldn't use them any more.

Americans workers are very spoiled. They want decent pay, days off, vacations, and some of them even want respect. I told Mitt, if he wins the election, he better not deport all those illegal immigrants because then there won't be enough nannies, housekeepers, and gardeners for our kids and their friends' kids, and our friends' kids."

[righteousindignation]

12:56 PM on 04/15/2012

illegal aliens as workers - vs illegal aliens as relatives in this country? My, my!

[righteousindignation]

01:13 PM on 04/15/2012

The Romneys had a contractor who hired illegal aliens. When it was brought to the contractor's attention - and he did nothing about it = both the contractor and the illegal aliens were FIRED as workers.

However, we have a President who has RELATIVES as Illegal Aliens - under a court-ordered deportation - refused to leave the USA - living on US Govt assistance - still able to acquire Govt assistance even with a court order for her deportation - when it becomes known to the Public - the president pulls strings - gets Auntie Zeutini a Free Pass and for her US Govt assistance to continue; Uncle Omar living in USA for over Twenty-five Years - court order for deportation - but when caught driving drunk, police chase ensues and hits a police car - Uncle Omar is arrested, not deported - and is allowed to KEEP his driver's license - when US citizens under these circumstances of DUI arrest would face jail time.
But yet the WH stated no special treatment would be given!

[Taliese]

12:59 PM on 04/15/2012

lol

[framefiller]

01:47 AM on 04/15/2012

Well, if back and forth in an election is largely meaningless in a Presidential election, why do people even bother with ads, television appearances, and every other type of media outlet? Election psychosis and paranoia of the unknown in the election process. If all the pundits are right, and baseline voter gut feelings about the two major candidates are correct, then why waste all the time and money on an election? Wouldn't it be easier to vote-by-mail after the major conventions, and end the charade? This would save us billions of dollars, and countless moments of frustrations listening to political commercials, going to candidate speeches, and looking at billboard pictures of some ugly guy, that is blown-up to a 50' x 100' size. The ancillary benefit would be that our children would have fewer nightmares? Maybe the degree of ugly is the eye of the beholder? All of the state, local, school district, water agency, planning development boards, Propositions, dog catcher. and ad nauseam, would still require votes. But only before a pre-determined date, and it could be done my mail. Before I get carried away with this line of thought, and my proclivity for mandating my thoughts, I decided to check with my oldest daughter who is a history teacher. Her comment was "get real dad," and with that pin prick the bubble exploded. Now, we are back to ground zero, and are elections meaningless? What is next? Hmm...

[tvdebbe3]

03:32 PM on 05/03/2012

Democracy is beautiful but sloppy. The challenge is determining what is truth vs. what is propaganda in an election. And it would seem the only power the American taxpayer has left is that one vote. That is why our candidates spend millions on advertising and why now more than ever, voters have to pay attention to what is going on.

[LFox6]

12:14 AM on 04/15/2012

Not to keep stirring the kerfluffle, but I found this piece by Hilary Rosen dated 9/08 on Sarah Palin. To her credit, she disavows the attacks on Palin as a mother running for office. Reading her words, a precursor to this 'kerfluffle', I will cut her some slack and say - let's just get back to the real issues...?

http://articles.cnn.com/2008-09-03/politics/rosen.palin_1_mccain-and-palin-affordable-health-care-energy-policy?_s=PM:POLITICS

[righteousindignation]

01:01 PM on 04/15/2012

but rosen decided to start up one of Obama's re-election strategies - by attacking Romney's wife.

Since Rosen chose to blow herself up - why should she be given any slack - now. Not even Obama has sympathy for his suicide-bomber. But boy would he have had something to say if Rosen's comments did not sink like a lead balloon. He would have jumped right in - but had to send in his campaign strategists and his wife - to do damage control - as if it did not come from him. Valerie Jarret blew it again as Chief Advisor along w Thirty-Five documented times that Democrat strategist Hillary Rosen has been at The White House.

*

but it is good to know that at one time her head was screwed on right.

[winniecm]

06:53 PM on 04/15/2012

She meant to say "not worked outside the home." She apologized. That's all it was. If you want to try her and hang her then go ahead and try. It's the only thing Romney can talk about because his policies on women suck and he has no plans for anything else to talk about. Here! Lower taxes - no taxes for the wealthy and out of no where millions of jobs will appear. Oh and cut out everything for the middle class so they have no money to buy anything. That should work well. Like it has the last 10 years.