'YOU'VE BEEN ASKED 14 TIMES, WHY ARE YOU REFUSING TO ANSWER?'
Mitt Romney Refuses To Talk About FEMA After Hurricane Sandy Event
Mitt Romney refused to answer reporters' questions about how he would handle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), after a Tuesday "storm relief" event in Ohio for Hurricane Sandy.
From the Romney pool report:
TV pool asked Romney at least five times whether he would eliminate FEMA as president/what he would do with FEMA. He ignored the qs but they are audible on cam. The music stopped at points and the qs would have been audible to him.
A follow-up report noted the specific questions Romney ignored, as he was collecting hurricane supplies following his event:
"Gov are you going to eliminate FEMA?" a print pooler shouted, receiving no response.
Wires reporters asked more questions about FEMA that were ignored.
Romney kept coming over near pool to pick up more water. He ignored these questions:
"Gov are you going to see some storm damage?"
"Gov has [New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie invited you to come survey storm damage?"
"Gov you've been asked 14 times, why are you refusing to answer the question?"
During a GOP primary debate last year, Romney had said he supported the idea of states and private sector groups taking over responsibility for disaster relief.
"Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction," he said. "And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that's even better. Instead of thinking, 'In the federal budget, what we should cut?' we should ask the opposite question: 'What should we keep?'"
"We cannot -- we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids," Romney continued, when asked specifically about disaster relief. "It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we'll all be dead and gone before it's paid off. It makes no sense at all."
Mitt Romney's Argument For Shutting Down FEMA Ripped In New York Times Editorial
A New York Times editorial published online on Monday night ripped the argument Mitt Romney made for shutting down the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last year at a debate during the GOP presidential primary season.
The NYT editorial board said of Romney's remarks:
Mr. Romney not only believes that states acting independently can handle the response to a vast East Coast storm better than Washington, but that profit-making companies can do an even better job. He said it was “immoral” for the federal government to do all these things if it means increasing the debt.
The NYT editorial board criticized the case made by the Republican presidential contender in no uncertain terms:
It’s an absurd notion, but it’s fully in line with decades of Republican resistance to federal emergency planning. FEMA, created by President Jimmy Carter, was elevated to cabinet rank in the Bill Clinton administration, but was then demoted by President George W. Bush, who neglected it, subsumed it into the Department of Homeland Security, and placed it in the control of political hacks. The disaster of Hurricane Katrina was just waiting to happen.
The Romney campaign sought to do damage control after the presidential candidate's remarks on FEMA resurfaced on Sunday night. An official said, "Gov. Romney wants to ensure states, who are the first responders and are in the best position to aid impacted individuals and communities, have the resources and assistance they need to cope with natural disasters."
You bet your sweet a** they "sought to do damage control"... Every time Gov NumbNuts opens his mouth, SOMEBODY has to "do damage control." Congratulations, Doofus... If you hadn't already lost the voters in the states hit by the superstorm before, don't think this won't come into play.
Did he answer any questions? Just because someone shouts out something to a candidate, is he required to answer even if it's not the scheduled time for question and answer with the press?
If I shout out something at Obama as he walks by is he required to stop and answer me?
"Whatever you are, be a good one." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Obama is a 1%'r. Actually now he is a 1%'r of a 1%'r.
Mitt refusing to field questions? Must have learned that from Barack, who refuses to host press conferences, instead going on talk shows with sympathetic hosts.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
No, what you had is some number of reporters doing their job. And RMoney running from everything he says...since none of it matters anyway, and he has no friggin' clue where he stands on ANYTHING...other than hiding as much of his money as he can.
Obama is a 1%'r. Actually now he is a 1%'r of a 1%'r.
