On CNN’s State of the Union today, Candy Crowley – who is moderating the upcoming Presidential debate – called out Mitt Romney’s ‘then and now’ positons on abortion. The Republican presidential candidate attempted to duck and dodge his way to the center in an interview this week with the Des Moines Register, quickly followed by another quiet clarification from the Romney campaign. Crowley got Romney adviser Ed Gillespie to admit that Romney is firmly anti-choice.
TRANSCRIPT
CROWLEY: Let me just play you something first, which is sort of a Romney then and now. One is from the primary and one is from this “Des Moines Register” and the subject is abortion.
ROMNEY: In my view if we had justices like Roberts, Alito, Thomas, and Scalia, and more justices like that, they might well decide to return this issue to states as opposed to saying it’s in the federal Constitution… Do I believe the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade? Yes, I do.
REGISTER: Do you intend to pursue any legislation specifically regarding abortion?
ROMNEY: I don’t, there’s no legislation regarding — with regards to abortion that I’m familiar with that would become part of my agenda.
CROWLEY: So is it or is it not a priority for Mitt Romney to pursue overturning Roe v. Wade?
GILLESPIE: Well, first of all, of course, that is, would be a decision by the Supreme Court.
CROWLEY: Well, congress could do something, and certainly the president could do something about it.
GILLESPIE: What the governor has consistently said is he thinks Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided, and that this is something that should be left to the elected representatives – the people through their elected representatives. That clip was cut a little bit short there because he went on to say that he would repeal and reverse President Obama’s Mexico City Policy, which compels American taxpayers to pay for abortion overseas.
CROWLEY: That’s something that switches with presidents. Like the Democrats tend to reinstitute it, and the Republicans tend to take it out.
GILLESPIE: It’s a very important issue in terms of taxpayer funding, abortion overseas, as well as taxpayer funding for abortion here, which is part of Obamacare and as president, Governor Romney would repeal Obamacare too. So, life is an important issue in this election, as is the economy and as is national security. All these issues always play an important role.
CROWLEY: But you don’t see a difference between him saying, yes, I want Roe v. Wade overturned – and you can do that legislatively if one wants, I’m adding that last part – and him saying, well I don’t actually see any legislation there that would part of my agenda. Those aren’t two different tones to you about an approach to abortion?
GILLESPIE: The fact is he is a pro-life candidate. He will be a pro-life president. And he doesn’t believe that we should federally fund abortion, and he believes that Roe was wrongly decided and that this is an issue that is best left to the American people and their elected representatives. Completely consistent throughout.
END TRANSCRIPT
Romney is trying to get away with having two different messages for two different audiences by saying that abortion is best left to elected representatives while also saying that he has no legislation planned to deal with the issue. It’s as if Romney is pretending that elected representatives don’t pass legislation in order to avoid being called out on his discrepancies. Candy Crowley was having none of that today.
Mitt Romney’s lies have become so obvious, especially in the aftermath of the first debate, that mainstream TV media is taking notice. Their sudden attention to Romney’s ever changing positions is also probably a result of Romney’s bump in the polls, which makes his positons more relevant than they were when it appeared a done deal for Obama.
Print journalists started taking Romney to task especially after his debate performance was roundly panned as being full of lies, and now TV pundits are taking a closer look.
This doesn’t bode well for Mitt Romney, but it is a great thing for democracy. In a perfect world, our media would do this to both candidates with the goal of informing the public.
Mitt Romney has been outed, again, as being firmly anti-choice. Now the media needs to delve into exactly what that means, as so far the probable ramifications of the Paul Ryan supported Personhood Amendment have been largely ignored. It’s not exactly mainstream to want to criminalize some forms of birth control, and let’s face it, this is an issue that impacts men as much as it does women.
I highly doubt men in this country want to have to choose between having sex and having a baby. In other words, when Republicans come after birth control, they’re risking a lot of people’s freedom, not just women’s.
Crowley is moderating the Tuesday townhall style debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney. It looks as if she might be taking cues from Martha Raddatz, who refused to allow the Right’s attempt to work the ref intimidate her from asking tough questions of both candidates in the Vice Presidential debate.
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Andrew Carvin
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Pay attention women. The Republican party is pro-legitimate rape, and anti women’s rights.
VOTE DEMOCRAT
I made a video about why abortion should be easily available, and free for any woman that wants one. It’s at my YouTube channel Zarrakan, and here’s the name:
2011 11 29 ZOC Abortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khKD77k6pNE&list
Watch it, share it, and join the fight against the evil anti-abortionists.
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Anne
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
It’s about time the media started subjecting Willard to the intense scrutiny he deserves, and debunking every inconsistent, self-serving lies that falls from his lips when they’re moving. He’s obviously trying to have it both ways on this subject as well as with others, and this shape-shifting should be called exactly what it is. Aside from Willard’s propensity for lying, his disdain for non-wealthy Americans, and his being the non-thinking American’s candidate, he is a ruthless, ambitious man who will stop at practically nothing to win–whether in politics or in business. In other words, he’s a lying cutthroat.
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Sharon Kidwell
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Anne, you have no idea what you are talking about. Look at our economy and what is happening in the world. We just lost 4 innocent men who asked for additional security but were denied it. Then to top it off, the president and his administration refused for weeks to acknowledge that it was terrorist attack. Further, even though several people had testified, and these are people on Obama’s administration, sworn security was requested and denied Biden states during the debate that they did not ask for security. You need to open your eyes and see the rate our GPD is growing; the 27 million unemployed; the 47 million on food stamps; the threats to Israel; the increase in medical care; and the thousands of tax dollars already placed on the middle income. You have no idea what you are talking about! Obama is a complete idiot with no idea how to lead this country and the public is slowly but surely finding this out! And you are concerned with abortion? You should be concerned with how much money we owe the Chinese and plan to tutor them in this language if Obama is reelected. Do your research and find out the truth!
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Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
you can ask the GOP House why the house cut money for embassy security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-forget-about-big-bird/2012/10/09/5f9a411c-1258-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_story.html
BTW, were you concerned with what we owed China when Bush ran 2 wars on their dime? No you wernt
You can blame Obama all you want, but you have to give him a raise for being in charge of hiring for all jobs
I know you arnt sayiong Obama plans to tutor people in Chinese if he is elected. Thats some of the funniest stuff I have ever heard!
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Anne
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
It was Congressional members of your precious GOP who voted to cut funding for security for American embassies, so why don’t you ask them why they made that choice, and get back to me when you get a rational explanation? The GOP loves to blame this president for not cleaning up their mess fast enough although they are doing their level best to keep him from doing it at all so he can be a one-term president. As for abortions, which party has governors and Congressional members who are trying to introduce the Personhood Amendment which would confer citizenship on zygotes and outlaw most forms of birth control, along with plans to defund Planned Parenthood? None other than your precious GOP which LOVES big government when it suits THEIR purposes. As for your asinine comment that you don’t want your taxes to fund abortions, you would have a lot more to whine about if your tax money had to go toward funding the greater amount of welfare that would result from women being denied access to birth control. As for calling the president an “idiot,” I would say that anyone who wants to vote for a man who says we wouldn’t elect him if we knew what his plans were, it takes an IDIOT not to see this as a huge red flag. I know exactly what I and others are talking about, and both Weathervane Willard and Lyin’ Ryan give us all the ammunition we need.
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Vera
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Great response! Thank you, Anne. I am your biggest fan. I would love to follow you on Facebook.
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harris stein
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
I look at our economy and I see a republican congress that has obstructed President Obama at every turn as he has tried to pass legislation that would cut middle class taxes and close loopholes that ultra wealthy investors and corporate executives drive 18 wheelers through.
As far as Lybia goes, where have you been for the last 30 years or so. The marine guards are diplomatic trappings. Security at our embassies and consulates has been handled by private firms. It seems the Lybians told us they would handle security because they didn’t want private security firms.
What’s a GPD? If you mean gross domestic product (GDP) then I would hope it’s growing at a high rate. As for the national debt growing you have your hero George Bush to blame for that by putting 2 tax cuts on the credit card that did nothing for the economy, the war of convenience in Iraq on the credit card. The war in Afghanistan on the credit card after his original foray tossed out al Queda but then they didn’t pursue the Taliban. Now we are paying for that. What about his medicare giveaway to drug corporations that he put on the credit card?
As far as China goes, you have corporate raiders like Romney to blame for that. They lobbied for years to gives breaks to corporations that outsourced. Then the corporate raiders invested in the same corporations that were outsourcing. Talk about a conflict of interest.
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TNbluedot
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Sharon dear, you need to watch a little less Fox Propaganda Network and actually do some fact checking. There’s so much wrong in your statement… as in everything you said!
We don’t have all the facts on the Benghazi tragedy, but we do know increased security was requested for Tripoli – 400 miles from Benghazi. Wouldn’t have helped this situation. I stand with the Ambassador’s father – stop politicizing it and wait for the results of the investigation.
Regarding Willard and China, he’s still making money hand over fist from Bain/China deals. Check out the Sensata story. It’s ugly and it’s typical Romney/Bain business-as-usual.
I am anti-abortion, but pro-choice. They are not opposites, regardless of what the right wing wants the less-informed to believe. It shouldn’t be on the government’s agenda EVER. Abortion needs to be between a woman and her doctor – period!
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Debi Feistkorn
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 1:41 am
It’s always ignorant people like you who go around telling everyone else they don’t know what they’re talking about.
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Vera
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Dear Anne, I love your posts. I would like to quote you from time to time. I share your opinion but I cannot express it as clearly and beautifully as you can.
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Anne
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation.
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Anne
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
I don’t mind if you do.
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Daniel Pineda
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Ummmm Hyde Amendment, anyone? Abortion isn’t part of Obamacare the way Gillespe and Paul Ryan have been spinning it
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LOrion
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
REALLY? Did she ask him about the one he PAID FOR? His grandchilds?
He paid for Tagg’s wife to have IVF which requires approval for abortion if there are ‘probelms’ with the fetus. By paying and Tagg signing he consented the the ABORTION OF HIS GRANDCHILD!
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Sharon Kidwell
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
And just how do you know these things LOrion? You don’t know what you are talking about. It’s about time the press is going public with the Obama policies and his lies that have left 4 innocent people dead!
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Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Obama’s policys left the 4 people dead? Thats funny, the House cut the fuinds for embassy security. You know, the GOP
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ibwilliamsi
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Sharon, you’re doing an excellent job of showing everyone that you are very poorly informed. The surrogacy contract was filed in with the courts. Legal and binding, Tagg had an abortion clause in it. Tagg’s rep even commented on it being “boilerplate” legal language, because those Romney’s cut and paste all of their legal documents from the internet dontcha know.
http://www.tmz.com/2012/09/20/mitt-romney-son-tagg-abortion-clause-surrogate-birth-agreement-contract-bill-handel/
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Reynardine
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
It wasn’t just IVF; it was surrogacy, which would have required the gestational mother to abort, if the baby wasn’t good enough, and since all prior surrogacies and all but one prior natural gestation produced boys, “defective” could have included being a girl.
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Andrew Rei
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Mittens employed a “Gish Gallop” in the first debate and Freddie Munster tried a pared-down version of it on Thursday night…a “Gish Gallop” is a debate strategy where one debater puts so many half-truths, distortions, deflections and outright lies out there that his/her opponents have no possibility of refuting all of them, if any. That’s why, in debate competitions, Gish Gallops are either outlawed or a debater who uses the tactic gets graded down significantly when the debate is scored.
What Crowley got Gillespie to do is confirm what we knew already: that, after kowtowing to the extremist elements of the GOP (Conservatives and Tea Party) for months, Mittens is trying to get back to the middle with moderate philosophies.
The problem with doing that is that Mittens’ campaign waited way too long to go back towards the middle. They’ve already lost millions of GOP moderates. Enough people are too smart to fall for such BS.
In addition, Rachel Maddow has spent a fair amount of time on her MSNBC show chronicling the flip-flops of Mittens’ campaign….Mittens will say something moderate and his campaign will follow up and say, “he didn’t mean that; he believes opposite of what he said” (paraphrasing).
When you listen to a GOP politician speak, remember this: the politicians don’t run the GOP, the fascist corporate plutarchs (Norquist, Rove, Koch Bros., Adelson, Friees, Luntz, etc.) do that. The FCP are Conservatives, therefore, the GOP’s policies are rooted in Conservatism. The Conservatives are hoping we’re stupid enough to vote for the GOP. I, being a Progressive Non-Affiliated voter, will not fall for such BS. I’m voting Democrat this year because I want to preserve our democracy. And, if you want to preserve our democracy, you’ll vote Democrat, too.
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Sharon Kidwell
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
I don’t feel my tax dollars should be used to fund abortion. If states want to include abortion in their budget then so be it, but federally funded abortions should not be a burden of the taxpayers. Further, I used to be for abortion but am prolife now. It amazes me how people can be so judgmental about other who change their minds about issues.
It is not my responsibilty or the responsibility of the taxpapers’ to fund abortion!
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Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Its been against the law for tax dollars to fund abortion for years. Stop beleiving the ridiculous tripe Romney and others put out
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ibwilliamsi
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Seriously. Read. The world is out there waiting for you. Your tax dollars are not spent on abortions. It’s called “The Hyde Amendment”, and has been in effect since 1976. President Obama renewed it by Executive Order.
http://www.factcheck.org/2010/04/the-abortion-issue/
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Paws
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Sharon,
Your taxes aren’t used for abortion services – there’s a little thing called the Hyde Amendment. In addition, no one is FOR abortion. What those of us who consider ourselves pro-choice are for is just that – THE CHOICE. It is not for you or anyone else to take that choice away from me or anyone else. No one is messing with your right to choose not to have an abortion so stop messing with the right of other women to make a different choice. That is what being pro-choice is about.
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Lori
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 7:00 pm
So, you think people are being judgmental about others changing their minds and that’s a problem? But it is perfectly OK (& therefore, not judgmental in your opinion) for lawmakers to make decisions about what individual women can or cannot do with their bodies & lives? Really?
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Reynardine
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Let us stop calling those people “conservatives”. Conservatism is supposed to mean caution; conservatism is supposed to mean keeping things that more or less work. These are readtionaries, counter-revolutionaries, Friedmanists, Randians. The secular wing consists of extreme authoritarians; the Dominionist wing, of totalitarians.
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Sandra
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Right Wing nuts would be an apt moniker for these current Republican crop. They don’t even know the definition of conversativism.
VP Joe Biden summed up the abortion/birth control issue quite reasonably imo. No politician have the right to impose their religious beliefs on others, they are representing the entire country, not just their district once they hit the big league ie Washington. Extremism should not be part of the dialogue, this a private matter between a woman, her significant other, her Doctor and her beliefs.
I’m hoping Candy Crawley will be neutral, I read once she’s a Republican so keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully she’ll do a better job than David Gregory in MA.
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SinghX
Oct. 16th, 2012 at 7:47 am
What?!! This comment is “flaming”? Wow…strong words for Reyn’s writing a reality-check! It’s a “flame” to go digging under the sugar-coating of what’s been actually going on in terms of those who’ve been hijacking the word “conservationism” from responsible people, naming it, defining it?
The “No abortion for you!” crowd ARE defiantly, and, openly against any and all secular laws that allow women to have choices over their own bodies…to include the vaginal probe (ewww…)
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harris stein
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
It is the job of the mainstream media when it comes to politics to preserve the, “We The People” in our system. It appears as if they have finally stepped up to the plate.
The mainstream media must realize that it is also their job to have people think hard when they go into the voting booth so that “buyer’s remorse” is not an issue after the election. The candidates should be scrutinized with a microscope which didn’t happen in 2000 or 2004 with George Bush. He got a huge pass from the mainstream media in 2004 as a wartime president.
As for this election, Romney now is being scrutinized with an electron microscope since President Obama has been scrutinized for the past 4 years with a microscope. It is President Obama’s job in the 2 remaining debates to continue this microscopic scrutinization and tell prospective non party and independent voters that a vote for Romney will bring about a heavy dose of “buyer’s remorse.”
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honeybabe
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
president obama is thinking of helping all u.s. citizens. romney thinks only of the rich.
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terry
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Mitt Romney has been outed, again, as being firmly multi-choice. TK
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Brena
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Sharon Kidwell is obviously delusional in believing that crap she posted. GOP in the House – Paul Ryan admitted to cutting the funding. Pull your head out, Sharon.
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Reynardine
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
She’s not delusional. She’s a mean-minded little liar who does not want any other woman to be happier, luckier, or freer than she has been. I mean, assuming she’s a “she” and not some guy from The Peterhead wearing a dress.
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Carolyn Sue Holloway
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
This has been one of the most informative debates/comments,I have had an opportunity to read yet.
1. Roe v.Wade (1973) Legalized abortions
2. Hyde Amendment No Federal funding of abortions- No Exceptions (1976)
3. Federal funds for Abortion in case of rape,incest or threat to the life of pregnant woman (1977.
4. President Obama signed Executive Order affirming that the Hyde Amendment would extend to the Affordable HealthCare for America Act on March 24, 2010
5. Tagg Romney signed a surrogacy contract which was filed with the courts. Legal and binding, Tagg had an abortion clause in it.
6. Romney has flip-flopped on his position regarding abortion (some on the same day) that it will give you whiplash trying to keep up. Please feel free to check out this story re his abortion flip-flops: http://tinyurl.com/98hgshv8
7. Gish Galloping: a scurrilous debate technique that uses an so many lies, half-truths and distortions that the opponent cannot possibly refute them all.
8. Responsibility of media to report facts-not opinions, distortions or half-truths.
9. It was the GOP House of Representatives who voted to cut funding for embassy security.
Thanks for the info guys!
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nancy
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
Sharon, you can google the news story about Romney paying for his son’s wife to have in-vitro fertilization and yes, the contract said that if there were problems the surrogate or Mitt’s son and daughter in law could request abortion. I saw it in the news.
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Royella Jaynes
Oct. 14th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
and, how many of the IVF fetuses were discarded as not acceptable to Tag and his wife, and what’s the status of those fertilized babies? I guess if you have enough money, selecting your fetus is ok, and disposing of the others is just good selection??? What the hell? You know, maybe if men were responsible in the first place, we wouldn’t need abortions, or birth control, or be discussing what women had to do to protect themselves… Let’s go to the source….
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j
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 6:24 am
Didn’t Romney have an aborted fetus disposal service?
Anything for money!
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Karl Peterson
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Amazing! another liberally biased website…. where did my post disapear to?LOL
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Karl Peterson
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 11:04 am
http://youtu.be/UW5xVxSQ5v0 the planned parenthood employee was fired….how convienient……LOL
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Karl Peterson
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 11:09 am
have your fun My posts keep disapearing so I can tell you all aren’t interested in an Opposing point of view…..you can have this sorry excuse for a comments section…..LMAO!
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Lisa
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 11:49 am
Dear Karl,
This is a LIBERAL political site. No, we are not interested in your drivel or your “Opposing Point of View.” Go troll somewhere else.
Thank you.
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Gary Vaughn
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Sharon, did you know that the Tripoli embassy was fully staffed with marines? Did you know Benghazi was a CIA Black site? Would you ask why Chris went there knowing full well that he couldn’t have the marines there? And on the anniversary of 9/11 at that.And does your small mind accept the fact that he was never RAPED or SHOT, he died of smoke inhalation because he locked himself in a SAFE room?
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roy dennis
Oct. 15th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
candy im a fan of yours and a dem. and i say on the debate drill down. on both partys be yourself you rep: the woman and will do a great job
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SinghX
Oct. 16th, 2012 at 7:55 am
I am not a fan of Candy Crowly–I actually turn her off as I can’t stand to listen to her over-inflated ego.
She started leaning right during the Bush years and hasn’t really shown any interest, UNTIL THIS DEBATE to call out a Republican. She’s got a “get” and she’s going to be smug, pretentious and, allow Romney passes all over the place.
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