Mitt Romney Lies About Vietnam

"I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there and in some ways it was frustrating not to feel like I was there as part of the troops that were fighting in Vietnam."

- Mitt Romney, Boston Globe, 6/24/07

"I was not planning on signing up for the military. It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam."

- Mitt Romney, Boston Herald, 5/2/94

Okay, when I saw these two quotes, on Townhall.com this morning, I thought: This looks kind of bad. John McCain has a pretty clear record on Vietnam -- he bombed it -- whereas Mitt Romney spent the turbulent '60s proselytizing to the French. Now we find out that Mitt Romney both passionately wanted to serve his country under arms and had no interest in doing anything of the sort. At the very least, it doesn't seem terribly consistent. To a biased reader, it might even seem like he's full of shit.

But I knew that couldn't be right. So I read it again.

Here's where I'd gotten confused. Mitt Romney "longed" to be in Vietnam, but his "desire" was to be not in Vietnam.

Is this really a contradiction? Only if you don't appreciate that longing and desire are two totally different things.

Socrates knew they were as different as different could be. That's why he called one thumos and the other epithumetikon, the dark and light horses that pull the chariot of the lover's soul.

Mitt Romney famously snapped at Mike Huckabee: "Governor, don't try to characterize my position." (You might as well try to calculate Pi, Gomer.) In this case, though, to understand what Mitt Romney is getting at, you just have to go back and reread Pheadrus.

"Now, when the charioteer (Mitt Romney) beholds the vision of love (Vietnam), and has his whole soul warmed through sense, and is full of the prickings and ticklings of desire, the obedient steed (thumos, the desire to go somewhere other than Vietnam) then as always under the government of shame, refrains from leaping on the beloved; but the other (epithumetikon, the longing to be "in the shit"), heedless of the pricks and of the blows of the whip, plunges and runs away, giving all manner of trouble to his companion and the charioteer, whom he forces to approach the beloved and remember the joys of love."

(Only by taming both horses, by synthesizing longing and desire, can the soul of the lover follow the beloved in modesty and fear. Not unlike how Tony Blair used to look at George Bush.)

So you see? It all makes perfect sense, when you understand that Mitt Romney was talking about two entirely different parts of his soul.

Like the half that doesn't hunt, and the half that hunts.

It's all about the id and the superego. Of course Mitt wanted to get shot down over Hanoi and locked in a box for five years -- who wouldn't? -- but his better angels told him to go to Cannes and spread the Word of the Lord, except to black people.

--

The Fighting Romneys Extra

It's been six months since Mitt Romney was asked why none of his sons were in Iraq, and answered:

"One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."

And he's still a candidate for the nomination. (Okay, barely.) Let's pretend a Democratic politician had said the same thing. How long would it have been -- in hours -- before he was forced out of public life forever?

Comments

[Heaventreeofstars]

Good job by BeamMeUpScotty. Even though basically everybody has pointed out the 100% phony character of Willard Romney, I've been waiting somebody to call BS on the "a successful businessman" meme. Romney got involved with a lot of companies while he ran Bain. Some of the companies did better (Staples) and some did a whole lot worse (American Pad and Paper). But whether they did better or worse, two things were bound to happen: a bunch of people got fired, and Mitt Romney paid himself a boatload of money.

[pitman]

Well, as a 2 tour Vietnam vet there's no doubt Romney's a big pooty tang. However, I don't think that he boasted of urinating and defecating in his pants for an entire week before reporting for his draft board physical to avoid serving during Vietnam. Yup, just ask ole' suck ass guitarist and yellow-bellied coward Teddy Butt Nugget who admitted this courageous deed in an interview with the Detroit Free Press (July 15, 1990). They're both right wingers it's just that Ted Nugent undoubtedly has a dresser drawer that contains more jockeys at the ready in case his country were to call once again.

[Aquarius]

He's known as Myth Romney in Massachusetts. When we see him campaigning for himself and speaking to the American people we know where he belongs.......on a gameshow or as a guest on Hollywood Squares. He's an imposter for sure. He has flip flopped on major issues and his reasoning is proposterous. Candidates may change over the years and modify their views somewhat but he's done it in a short time period and it's a complete turnaround. Anyone who truly believes he would be a good president should give me a call. I have a bridge I'm selling at a really good price.

[gettysburg]

I suppose in 15 years we'll read a quote where Mitt says he wished his sons had served in Iraq. Was that a cheap shot on my part? Well, too damn bad.

[rahgolf]

Mitt signed up for the Marines and did some time with Sgt Stryker on IWO, fought thru the Chosin and back, knew McCain in Nam and kicked the shit out of Hussein, both times.

Then the film broke!

His military service starts out, "Once upon a time - - - - -

[doodlefarbe]

HAH! Never forget that an anagram for "Mitt Romney" is "Memory Tint".


Yeah.

[Herrington]

To me Romney is the most comical of candidates. Yes there are the flip flops, the Mitticisms, but what is really comical is that anyone who was an investment banking takeover artist could think this country would appreciate his "business" skills.

The LBO and mergers are the easiest and dumbest of all business undertakings. Any idiot can slash jobs and claim the cost savings as profitability growth. And make no mistake, that is all, the sum total, of what takeovers are about. Problem is you do it once, the company is ruined, and then you have to go find another. He is a vulture, a scavenger, and his “business” model is rape.

So, should we get behind Mitt while he merges us into 25% unemployment? Oh hell yeah!

[richw23]

Thanks, I missed that. Unbelievable he would make that statement in the first place. Does he not know the meaning of "self-serving". It just goes along with everything about him. I think there used to be an expression that someone was a "stick" which fits him perfectly. Or there's the yiddish phrase that translates to "meat with eyes". I don't think Romney is stupid, I just think he overrates his own intelligence and underrates everyone else's so they can't see through his bullshit. He can't even believe it when they do.

I agree about any Democrat being disgraced - but when a Secretary of Defense can bullshit our troops to their faces with "you go to war with the army you have" - really - when it's a war of aggression that you started and you're the biggest superpower of the planet and you're the guy in charge of all of it and you can't plan ahead so the vehicles have adequate armor. I would have fired him on the spot and tried to have him executed for treason - ok, well maybe not the last one, but I could wish.

[wotcanisay]

Typical Massachusetts blabbering!

[Bob Egan]

This on is my favorite!

Majority Whip Tom Delay - avoided the draft, did not serve. "So many minority youths had volunteered ... that there was literally no room for patriotic folks” like himself. Do you smell something?

[Cybesq]

Socrates??? I think Mitten's outlook is better related to the Teletubby, Noo Noo, the one who doesn't actually say anything.

Here is the Wikipedia entry: "He does not speak like the other characters, instead communicating through a series of slurping and sucking noises. At times, Noo-Noo gets annoyed with the Teletubbies antics and can vacuum their food or toys. This usually prompts the Teletubbies (think Hannity) to scold Noo-Noo through a cry of "Naughty Noo-Noo!". Usually after this, Noo-Noo flees and the Teletubbies pursue him comically around the house until they grow tired, are distracted by something (think Hillary, bathroom stalls, or reality), or forgive Noo-Noo. This sequence ends with them hugging him, or with him shooting out their absorbed objects (think talking points).

[Chauncey1186]

Uhmmm...no, sorry - he's still full of shit.

[GnitenGoodLk]

The National Mall, our historic gathering place for millions of Americans who otherwise would remain unseen by the world and by Washington, is under fire. They want it redone so gathering there will result in obstruction & dispersement. Our candidates have dodged a crucial question, "will there be a draft?" As stretched as our military is and Bush's recent cutting funds for programs for our vulnerable population yet boosting the war-chest, loss of jobs, $ value drops, all signs point to draft folks. That would surely awaken many to protest, by then the Mall will not be available.

You can read about it here:
http://www.cindyforcongress.org/article.php?list=type&type=14

VIETNAM AGAIN. Already we are seeing soldiers redeployed to Iraq fleeing/ fighting deportation back to the US from Canada:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/01/25/6611/

This is what Bushwhacked said in 2004:
"I want every American to understand that, as long as I am President, there will be no draft."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/10/20041005-6.html

This is where our Admin is at right now;

Rangel tried passing the draft in 2003, 2005, 2006 & 2007,
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-393
Still siting at the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

..but look what DID PASS here,:
12/11/07 H.R. 4108
"To amend section 3328 of title 5, United States Code, relating to Selective Service registration"
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4108

The amendment?
"deliberate failure to register with the selective service to provide exceptions for: (1) the appointment of an individual who was discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions; and (2) the appointment or continued employment of an individual who has reached 31 years of age."

Last Action: Passed House Dec 11, 2007 2:35 PM
*****[Last Updated: Jan 27, 2008]*****

Revisit the Warner Act:
http://www.sott.net/signs/editorials/signs20061027_BushMovesTowardMartialLaw.php

Make noise,this war must end, after the elections will be too late.

[magen]

Bumper sticker-

MITT IS FULL OF __________.

Copyright, Magen 2008

[gopindrag]

MITT RHYMES

thugwit
twobit
batshit
unlit
halfwit
it, not it
dit dah dit
hissyfit
diapershit
fairyfit
doubledipshit
quit
mitt
quit