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….and wins?
I’m not sure anyone won this argument but at least the reporter made his point.Pay special attention to the brow beating Romney’s campaign spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom gave AP reported Glen Johnson after Romney walks off. The way I see it, Johnson was pointing out an obviously flawed statement from Romney. Apparently, Romney’s campaign spokesperson found it to be “unprofessional” of the reporter to call him out on a (dare I say) lie.
Honestly, I thought it was the job of a professional journalist to point out such blatantly obvious falsehoods. Then again, we are talking about the American media here. They’re just as guilty of “business as usual”. Kudos to Johnson for speaking up.
A partial transcript follows:
An Associated Press reporter following Romney’s campaign challenged his claim.
“That’s not true governor,” said Glen Johnson, a reporter with the AP. “That is not true. Ron Kaufman’s a lobbyist. How can you say that you don’t have lobbyists?”
Johnson was referring to Kaufman, a senior advisor to Romney, who has traveled extensively on the campaign.
Then, a heated exchange ensued between Romney and the reporter:
Romney: “Did you hear what I said? Did you hear what I said Glen?”Johnson: “That you don’t have lobbyists running your campaign.”
Romney: “I said I don’t have lobbyists running my campaign and he’s not running my campaign.”
Johnson: “He’s one of your senior advisors.”
Romney began to argue that his campaign manager is Beth Myers, not Ron Kaufman.
Romney: “Beth Myers has been on the plane with me and Beth Myers is running my campaign.”
Johnson: “So Ron is just window dressing? He’s just a potted plant on your plane?”
Romney: “Ron is a wonderful friend. An advisor, he’s not paid as an advisor like many others. But I do not have lobbyists running my campaign. I appreciate that you think that’s funny but Ron Kaufman has not been any in on any of the senior strategy meetings of our campaign.”
Johnson pressed Romney about whether Kaufman had ever been in a debate strategy session.
Romney: “At any time, has he ever been in a debate session? Sure. Is that a senior strategy meeting?”
Romney suggested the reporter was out of line and the reporter suggested Romney wasn’t being truthful.
“Don’t be argumentative with the candidate,” Romney campaign spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom told the reporter.
Underlying the exchange is tension between Romney and some of the reporters covering his campaign, who have accused him of a “candor gap.”
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January 17th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
*giggle*…I love it when their faces get all red and flustered.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:31 am
I want to gift-wrap this reporter and send it to Dubya!