So, this is how they’re going to deal with it:
“The dog loved it,” Ann Romney said. “He would see that crate and, you know, he would, like, go crazy because he was going with us on vacation. It was to me a kinder thing to bring him along than to leave him in the kennel for two weeks.”
Not bad. No one will believe it, but it will put the issue largely to bed.
Kinder? It would have been kinder to leave the dog at a kennel where he would be cared for than to strap him on top of the car in a crate, where terrified at the speed and wind, he had diarrhea, was later hosed off, and set back up there. THe luggage was comfortably inside the car. These people are crazy.
Cecilia, I would rate that 16 if I could.
I agree. Letting him ride in the car would’ve been the “kinder” thing to do.
That’s the solution Romney came up with for that particular problem?
I think the story is that they are having to address this at all. 🙂 Disagree about putting the issue to bed, it’s just too emblematic.
There are estimated to be over 78 million dogs and 86 million cats in the U.S. We spend over $45 billion dollars per year on our pets. It is probably safe to assume that the vast majority of those people love their pets like a family member. How many of those people would ever consider strapping a crate containing their beloved pet onto the top of their car and driving across the country, stopping once in a while to hose the shit and piss off their pet, and continuing merrily on their way? It is also probably safe to assume that these people instinctively recoil in horror any time that visualization is thrown up in their face.
Put the issue to bed???? I doubt it. All people need to do is look at their pet and try to envision doing this same thing to it. Too many people find this whole idea absolutely repulsive for it be so easily filed away with Ann Romney’s comment.
I’m with BooMan on this one. The statements of mothers – unless they’re Bad Mothers – about their own domestic situations are inherently credible.
I don’t think the “never worked a day in her life” non-scandal is actually doing anything to disrupt the War on Women narrative, but it has served to burnish Ann Romney’s credentials as a Good Mom.
If this is what they manage to wring out of that gambit, then Well Played.
You don’t have a dog, do you Booman? Animal cruelty isn’t excused by aloof and dismissive comments. Ms. Romney’s comments just reinforce her elitist above-it-allness.
Booman is right and wrong.
I doubt that anyone will change their vote because of Seamus. It is quite possible, however, the Seamus will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for some people who would never vote for Obama, but now won’t vote for Romney as well.
In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if a small portion of the Romney’s Republican opposition consisted of people disgusted the his actions on Seamus.
I have two dogs. Used to be three. I don’t convey them on top of my car.
.
Who Is The Booman.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Funny. Ann Romney presumes to know the minds of working mothers and of dogs, too. She’s quite the psychic.
Seriously. I’m surprised Ann didn’t say the dog thought riding atop the car was “an early birthday present.”
Wow. A two-week vacation!
We’re not anywhere near as wealthy as the Romneys, yet we’ve never left our dogs in a kennel–on or off the roof–when we’ve gone on vacation. We have a couple of dogsitters we pay to stay at our house. I’m sure the Romneys have enough household help that they could easily have arranged something similar. So no, this doesn’t do it for those of us who care about the welfare of dogs.
What else is Ann supposed to say? Thing is, she’s just making things worse.
There is No. Way. In. Hell. this goes away. It’s like the Etch-a-Sketch – it reinforces a narrative, in this case that the insanely wealthy Mitt Romney – and, now, Ann, too – are oblivious to suffering, even of their own dog. Insisting that Seamus loved his ride (shitting in terror notwithstanding) doesn’t negate that narrative – it reinforces it.
Nobody will refuse to vote for Romney specifically because of this story, but they will refuse to vote for him because of that narrative.
And as other commenters have suggested, this nation is chock-full of dog owners who are horrified by the image, no matter what the protestations of its former owners.
Compassionate Conservatism personified.
I can only hope they don’t have a dog now, and will forever avoid getting one.
I’ll ask again…
WHERE THE FUCK IS PETA?
if Bo had a bad haircut, they’d be out protesting in front of the WH.
but, they haven’t said shyt