Posted on 04/05/2007 5:34:12 AM PDT by areafiftyone
BOSTON Apr 5, 2007 (AP)— In boasting about his lifelong experience as a hunter, Mitt Romney may have shot himself in the foot.
The Republican presidential contender has told audiences on several occasions, most recently this week in gun-savvy and early voting New Hampshire, that he has been a longtime hunter. But it turns out he has been on only two hunting trips.
Critics said it was the latest example of a White House aspirant willing to say anything to reach the Oval Office.
"Whether he's pretending to be a hunter, misleading people about loaning his campaign millions of dollars or signing a no-new-tax pledge he once mocked to hide his tax-raising record, he'll say absolutely anything to distance himself from his real record," said Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.
The charge echoed with similarities to the criticism the Republican National Committee used to level against another Massachusetts politician running for president, Sen. John Kerry, who was his party's 2004 nominee.
In a question-and-answer session Tuesday in Keene, N.H., Romney spoke of his experience with hunting in a manner that suggested a close affiliation with the sport.
"I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I've been a hunter pretty much all my life," he told a man sporting a National Rifle Association cap.
Yet the former Massachusetts governor's hunting experience came during two trips at the bookends of his 60 years: as a 15-year-old, when he hunted rabbits with his cousins on a ranch in Idaho, and last year, when he shot quail on a fenced game preserve in Georgia.
The 2006 trip was an outing with major donors to the Republican Governors Association, which Romney headed at the time.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
As bad as I hate to admit it, this guy is our version of John Kerry.
I hunt nearly every day . . . for my wallet and car keys.
Why couldn’t he just be honest and say he only hunted twice and that he thinks it might be something he would enjoy which is why he joined the NRA! Why do they always have to prove something? Romney is a good guy he doesn’t need to pander to anyone. Pandering always gets you in hot water.
Mitt the Twit is just not authentic.....about anything. Although he spent decades in Massachusetts and served as its governor, he’s running his campaign as a Michigander.
What’s up with that?
Now this “I’m a lifelong hunter” crap. Pathetic.
Mitt’s a New England RINO pure and simple and all the good ole boy schticks can’t rub that fact off.
He’s a guy you might like to play a round of golf with....but a president, no way
Hey, every party has to have it’s token algore.
Every time a politician mentions hunting, I reach for my Second Amendment.
Hey, it’a long time since I’ve been hunting, too!
....so it is irrelevant. Kind of like Rudy saying he will protect the 2nd amendment rights of hunters and target shooters is also IRRELEVANT.
RUT ROH!
I would think more of a candidate if they just said "I have nothing against hunting but I choose not to hunt."
That's still 200% more times than ... ah ... what's his name .. oh yeah, Rudy.
(The 2nd Amendment is about hunting anyway)
I think he will be a good candidate - he just needs to stop trying so hard to be all that he can be. Just be himself! He’s a great guy - a religious guy and has done good things when he was governor. He doesn’t need to be the Great Hunter too!
Rudy Does not claim to hunt or own a gun. He’s not looking to get endorsed by the NRA. Rudy is honest about himself!
Sounds a bit Gore-ish, even Gephardt-ish for my blood.
Was this sarcasm or a display of ignorance?
All of these candidates think we have room temp.IQ’s.Most of them must hate pandering to the little people and wish they could just seize power and not have to demean themselves by having to speak to us.
Mitt is to hunting what Rudy is to conservatism. SEMI
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