November 03, 2007
Gandy: Romney 'Internship' Ad, "A Desperate Shot" at HRC
When Mitt Romney told Fox News’s Sean Hannity last week that electing Hillary Clinton was akin to putting an “intern” in the White House it seemed, quite simply, that he might have carelessly chosen his words. But with the launch yesterday of his first television attack ad against HRC in New Hampshire, he squarely hit the same point – and again used loaded language:
“Hillary Clinton wants to run the largest enterprise in the world,” Romney says in the spot, titled ‘Experience Matters.’ “She hasn't run a corner store. She hasn't run a state. She hasn't run a city. She has never run anything. And the idea that she could learn to be president as an internship just doesn't make any sense.”
A key Clinton defender is crying foul.
Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, told On Call that the Romney ad is a “desperate shot” aimed at raising the issue of President Bill Clinton’s involvement with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
“No doubt they used the term internship for a dual purpose -- to make people think of Bill Clinton’s indiscretions, but they also managed to insult every woman who knows that Clinton was a very involved first lady who played a major role in the Clinton administration,” Gandy said. “To the extent that they seem to be trying to imply that she was somehow involved or to blame in her husband’s dalliance with an intern, I don’t think that sells.”
NOW’s political action committee has endorsed Hillary.
Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Romney’s campaign, told On Call this morning that the ad poses “a comparative argument about the levels of experience” offered by Romney and Clinton.
“The use of the word ‘internship’ is something commonly used when you talk about someone who is looking for on-the-job training versus someone who has had that experience,” Madden said. “… I understand that the Clinton people may be hyper-sensitive to use of that word and that’s their own right, but this is a reference to a comparative argument of experience, and it has nothing to do with the previous Clinton administration.”
The 'internship' quote used in the Romney ad is cut from statements he made during the Orlando debate sponsored by Fox News and the Florida GOP, Madden said.
Meanwhile, the word is so charged for HRC that Clinton’s campaign hasn’t directly addressed it in responding to Romney’s earlier comments on Fox.
"If Mitt Romney wants to engage in a campaign of insults, that's his choice," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said at the time.
A spokesman for HRC declined today to offer additional comment about the Romney ad or Gandy's remarks.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Posted at 12:04 PM
Comments
Oh please... shall we accuse anyone who says "September" to be invoking the memory of 9/11? What else do you call someone who's wanting "on-the-job" training instead of previously having experience??? Those people are called "interns" or the position is an "internship". What other word would you expect him to use???
Just because Bill Clinton had an affair with an intern doesn't mean we should have to cut out those words from our speech. It's almost to the point of being rediculous.
Go Romney!
Mark | 11.03.07 03:40 PM
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What a desperate sleazebag Romney has become. I don't even like Hillary all that much, but I hope this galvanizes every woman in America to support her. What a low-class choice of behavior on his part.
Wow. | 11.03.07 09:25 PM
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The Clinton campaign has addressed it....Do you really think the NOW President wasn't back channeled by HRC's campaign into releasing a statement. It completly dovetails with her previous comments of "Hey look at me ....I'm a girl and their beating me up" Women Unite! theme.
Who better to come on the scene and issue a statement than NOW.
Mark W. Johnson | 11.04.07 02:42 AM
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Mitt will treat Hillary with respect.Mitt is prolife,promarriage,profamily,proeconomy,and prostrength.There is no flop and no flip. Mitt is a mormon.He believes that Noah built a big boat.That Jesus died and rose from the dead .Ann Romney has five sons . She has MS and makes her own granola. Evangelicals for Mitt site will answer why Mitt has the support of the right wing base. I feel that Mitt is the best person and he will do the job .Uncaring liars and ignorant bigots will help to draw the line in the sand.Pick your side. Emotions are good if they are not destroyed by deceit.
Charles Foster | 11.04.07 03:39 PM
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Desperate? In what way? Need I remind you that this is NOT the general elections in which Romney is going up against Hillary - and Hillary is seen as being the clear winner? You use the word 'desperate' with Romney if it was Giulliani he’s attacking - see the point? Again, with regards to Hillary, there is no desperation on Romney’s part since they both have to contend with their respective parties before they can run against each other.
I hope you will not assume negligence for what malice and stupidity can explain.
dan | 11.05.07 10:41 AM
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Hillary has a history of dodging difficult questions by crying foul play. She did it in the most recent democratic debates when Obama and Edwards got tough on her for her flip flops on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, the war and her elusiveness in answering whether she would release her archived emails to George Bush. Instead of responding to Edwards and Obama, she pulled the gender card, claiming that they were picking on the only girl in the group. She still hasn't answered the question, and by invoking the gender card, she confirms they were correct in calling her out.
Likewise, Romney's ad poses a legitimate question as to whether she has the requisite experience to run the largest enterprise in the world. However, instead of answering the question with her qualifications, she cries foul play with regard to the intern reference. At some point, Clinton is going to have to answer the questions that her opponents present, or it will become apparent that she is simply afraid to do so because she has no answer.
mark | 11.05.07 09:47 PM
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