This is my first diary and it's about the Romney campaign's latest effort to make him likeable. In short, Ann Romney's recent miscarriage disclosure rubbed me the wrong way because it seemed tactical and calculated. Yeah, I know I sound cynical, but Willard and his wife bring that out of me.
As an aside, I'm an ex-Republican who's now an Independent Moderate. All this thanks to McCain/Palin.
But I digress.....
Like Ann Romney, I've suffered through 2 miscarriages, one of which threw me into a deep depression that took me nearly a year to overcome. So I know what it's like to go through that horror. Any woman who's been through it knows.
However, Ann's recent attempt to capture a human 'moment' just made the Romney campaign even more suspect because it reminded me of an episode of Scandal. This new TV show, starring Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn, premiered last year, was critically acclaimed, and renewed for a 2nd season (premiering 9/27/12).
Anyway, during a flashback episode which highlighted fictional GOP President Fitzgerald Grant's road to the White House, the fictional future first lady (played by actress Bellamy Young) told a moving story during one of the campaign stops that saved Grant's bid for the presidency. Seems the candidate's polling numbers were dismal because he "wasn't connecting" with the electorate. This was partly because Americans viewed the couple's marriage as loveless, cold and distant. Didn't help that Grant was/is in love with the show's main character--someone who isn't his wife. ;-)
To remedy the polling problem, Mrs. Grant decided to take matters into her own hands. In a spontaneous move during a campaign stop, she confessed to the press and onlookers that the reason people may have sensed some tension in their marriage was due to a recent miscarriage they'd suffered (cue the tears) and it had put a strain on their relationship and the campaign. BTW, Mrs. Grant was lying. She made the whole thing up to garner sympathy from voters.
Mind you, I'm not suggesting Ann is lying, nor am I making light of her miscarriage, because again, I've been there---twice. I would never make light of something so devastating.
However, I am boldly stating that this is a pathetic attempt to humanize her and her robotic husband. I wouldn't be surprised if the show inspired them. Nothing the Romney campaign does surprises me, but everything they do disgusts me.
Like President Grant's wife, the campaign is using Ann's "human tragedy" to humanize her robotic husband. It's like she's saying, yeah, we may not be able to relate to most of you economically, and yeah, Mitt does come off as a clueless d**k most of the time, and no, we're still not gonna show you our taxes, but we bleed just like you peasants do.
There's nothing like dragging a miscarriage into the mix to milk sympathy from the electorate. A TV show did it, so why not the Romney campaign? Only difference here is that Mrs. Grant's ploy worked. Mrs. Romney's won't. At least not in my eyes. To me, she's as unlikable as her soulless husband. I'm sorry if my words offend, but given all the lies and dog whistles Mitt has been tossing out lately, I've had it with the Romneys.
God help us if "these people" get into the White House.
OFF TOPIC: Sorry, I couldn't find the clip with the fictional first lady's 'performance,' but in case you're curious about the show, here's a clip that highlights one of Scandal's main plotlines.