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Did Willard break the rules? Did Willard cheat? The candidates are not supposed to bring notes of any kind to the podiums, but if you watch this youtube video, he clearly, and surreptitiously, slides a folded piece of paper from his pocket and puts it on the podium. And, he looks right at the camera with a look like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
This is probably more of a comment than a diary, but I didn’t want to muck up any of the other fine articles at the Lake, so I thought I’d share it here and people can comment if they like.
126 Comments
I’d like to see this youtube go viral. Show the world.
Wow.
I hope the world does see this, Demi. Thanks for posting.
Rec’d
demi–
I’ve heard a number of folks on XM radio (his supporters) upset that President Obama “looked down” so much, as he took notes.
I imagine that is “note paper,” which is legal. You might want to check out that angle. (BTW, I “listened” to the debate on the radio, and did not see it. So, I don’t claim to be an authority, on it.)
Blue
At the end of the debate (the only part I watched) when the candidates and families gathered on the stage you can see the Mittster pick up said piece of paper from his podium and try, unsuccessfully, to put it in his breast pocket. He then handed it to one of his droid mitt 2.0s standing behind him.
If you can find that video, it will close the loop; Mitt taking out said paper and Mitt picking up said paper. I even have a vague recollection of the TV commentators saying something about him gathering his notes, ‘don’t want to leave anything behind.’
Who cares? This is more sports-analogy debate analysis nonsense for people who view the D v R political system as a game and cheer on their respective teams. In particular, this is a baseball analogy–Look! The R Team cheated! Their player was stealing signs!
What’s wrong with a candidate having notes in the first place? Nothing, that’s what. And they won’t help him much if he’s a narrow-minded missionary, anyway. Which is what Romney is; a missionary for the worship of capital.
I don’t doubt it, though I can’t possibly imagine what notes either of them could have needed for such a vapid debate.
cheating is cheating
lol Tengrain
I am wondering why such an emaculant 5k suit has those square bulges right about the belt line
Romney’s notes: “Look at opponent condescendingly and SMILE like you just shipped 500 jobs overseas”
If this is true, then Lehrer did an even worse job of “moderating” than I had previously thought.
“10 things Fehrnstrom said I SHOULD NOT SAY during this debate”
If I recall correctly, George Bush got away with wearing a wire in one of his debates.
Not to mention stealing the next election.
It’s the Zing List!
Obama: “Hey, dude, show America your notes.”
Those were RMoney’s tax returns. He takes them everywhere so nobody can find them.
Phoenix Woman just revisited that
You beat me to it! Pix of W. As I recall if you brought that up at the time you were hooted down as a “conspiracy theorist.”
I don’t agree with your sports analogy. I have never been an Obama cheerleader. Ever.
And, I do care.
Disgusteddan–
I don’t have time to check this out, but here’s a hyperlink to the Commission on Presidential Debates. Some folks may want to read the debate transcripts to see if “notes” were addressed.
http://debates.org/
Blue
Thanks, Marion. We were just discussing those enhanced photos.
Of course he did. People from his background do not see anything wrong with cheating. The are raised to to use any method the get ahead. They are taught from the the get go that cheating is AOK.
Interesting catch, demi.
Here may be seen the “action” at the “end” of the most-watched “debate” in many moons …
http://whatreallyhappened.com/content/did-mitt-romney-bring-cheat-notes-debate-cheater-and-liar
Recommended.
DW
Absolutely. And how you get it and how you keep it is unimportant.
Ah yes, cmaukonen, cheating is as accepted as apple pie …
Skating on thin ice?
http://www.npr.org/2012/10/05/162310493/u-s-speedskater-admits-to-sabotaging-rivals-skates?ft=1&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
DW
demi, you can take the question mark of the title to your post. It is abundantly clear he pulled something out of his pocket and it wasn’t a hanky, he started reading it immediately after putting it on the podium. Of course you cannot expect a douche bag that doesn’t understand why airplane windows don’t roll down to understand what a camera is. I wonder hoe much he shoplifts from convenience stores!
Does anyone know if that broke any laws?
Thanks, DW. I actually snatched it from a friend who posted it on Facebook, but I thought folks here would appreciate seeing it, and sharing it with their friends.
I thought we had another Sarah Palin……thanks for the video. Yes, it needs to go viral!
He doesn’t shoplift from convenience stores. He steels the whole damn store and then sells it on Ebay.
disgusteddan @ 5:
Let’s hope that video of him picking up said paper surfaces!
Meanwhile I put this on Facebook.
It should go viral.
By the way, paper is already there if they want to MAKE notes. No need to bring paper.
which is why I am pointing out that romney has squareish bulges right about his belt line, I would like to see pics of his back from somewhere else to see if these bulges are consistant or unusual
Snot rags are allowed.
If I saw a bulge at his belt line, I would have assumed it was his money belt.
Romney goes by the Pirates Code…there more like guidelines.
Demi, Good stuff, thank you.
Snow White, Superman and Pinocchio are walking along.
They see a sign: “Contest for World’s Most Beautiful Woman.” Snow White goes in, later comes out smiling, wearing a crown.
They walk along and see another sign: “Contest for World’s Strongest Man.” Superman goes in, later comes out smiling, wearing the belt.
They walk along and see a sign: “Contest for World’s Greatest Liar.” Pinocchio goes in, later comes out with his head down crying.
“Who the hell is Mitt Romney?” Pinocchio sobs.
That’s a good one!
Like this?
My wife told me that one last night. Cracked me up!
Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it?
Johnny Hooker: He cheats.
It was Obama’s drone hit-list, funerals, rescue parties, and all. Romney lifted it from Obama’s pocket when they shook hands.
Or maybe Blue Onyx or Econobuzz is right.
Then again, the debates are nothing more than a crooked game, rigged in favor of the Uniparty, with third parties shut out and softball questions galore so what’s a little cheating among the cheaters?
Where can one find ‘the rules’ of the debate…?
I suspect Mitt was cheating yes and this news will make it harder for him to cheat next time. Fear of being caught will distract him and that could give Obama an opening but first Obama has to study for the debates more. This won’t win the next debate for Obama by itself.
Political Wire is now reporting this, so this story has legs.
They pretty much both stuck to one plan:
1. deny your position as stated by the other guy
2. lie about your position
3. state derogatory things about the other guy’s position
This happened over and over. To implement this, either one of them just needed a set of notes containing lists of items for number two and number three. No actual discussion was allowed. No new information arose. No spontaneity required.
Notes, yeah.
I’ve been trying to find something. Blue Onx @21 has a link.
If this story is getting legs, I’m sure we’ll see the rules spelled out.
look at his back as he turns it toward the camera, this is not a natural waste line
Too many county fairs? I don’t know Perris.
The issue here is that all we have is a piece of paper. If I were on the campaign I would simply say it was a “love” note from Ann. Mitt I love you. Do well!
If people arent tuned it about him lying the entire time, then some rules breach wont make much of a difference. It adds to the meme about his character but I would rather see more energy put into exposing his lies
Everyone remembers Bush with the box on his back and the ear piece. Right?
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tangled_web/2004/10/the_box_on_bushs_back.html
http://humpbackbush.ytmnd.com/
I eagerly await your diary, revisionist. :)
Bush was too incompetent to read his cheat sheet.
They had to shout it into his thick head.
I remember seeing videos at the time. Seems they are scrubbed from the internet.
If it’s clearly against the rules of the debate, it’s wrong. I would like to see more information about what the rules were before getting excited, but it would make sense that if they are not allowed to bring notes, that the paper they are allowed to take notes ON would be already supplied on the lectern, and they can’t bring it in in their pockets.
Okay, according to US News, it was a handkerchief. Romney wipes his face with it later in the debates.
US News also has a link to the 2004 contract of rules governing debates (linked in the article). The 2008 contract and 2012 contract have not been released to the public. The 2004 contract does expressly prohibit notes.
I think I remember seeing that. Doesn’t mean it didn’t have lie, lie lie written on it.
And the winnah is econobuzz @ 33!
The Onion explained the “debate” like this.
Willard has been running for how long to be prez?
Willard will do anything: lie, cheat, steal to reach his “goal” do not expect anything less.
The vidoe clearly shows Willard pulling notes from his left pocket and slipping it on top of the supplied note paper already on the lectern.
If bringing notes is against the rules of the debate. Then Willard’s actions are clearly against the rules. Willard has been caught cheating.
Most importantly, demonstates Willard’s lack of CHARACTER.
cheat sheet or handkerchief? – why not both?
What can I say. Oh wait I know. You are a cheating lying mother fucker mittens.
Yup. At 1:26:35 he uses his snot rag.
Stiff ones too?
CNN article (my bold, my !!!)
Here are highlights of some of the rules laid out in the 32-page [!!!] agreement on the three presidential debates ahead of the November election.No television camera shots from behind the candidates and no cutaway shots of candidates who are not answering questions.Other than a handshake at the start of the debates, the candidates are not to approach each other.No props, notes, charts, diagrams or other writings can be used by the candidates; however, they can take notes on the type of paper of their choosing….
Guessing that the paper of their choosing means what’s already at the lectern?
I certainly wouldn’t put it past the guy to have a couple of index cards stuffed in a snot rag. Also in the video at the top of this post, the supposed snot rag does appear to hit the podium and shift oddly when RMoney releases it. Not like a snot rag, but like an object with some rigidity. Like folded papers.
I dunno.
Whether he cheated in the debates or not, he’s fucking scum. But so is the other guy.
If Obama had been better prepared for the debate, he could have destroyed Romney just by calling out his many lies. The problem, it seems to me, is that Obama really likes Republicans and so he doesn’t think in those terms.
Oops, sorry, that was from 2004.
Forgot to add:
Also demonstates Willard is SCUM.
Well, would he hand off his handkerchief to his son? Could a handkerchief been on top of index cards? I don’t know if he cheated or not, but I do know that he lied and Obama was weak.
What was it, 37 lies in 48 minutes? Anyone remember that song, something about X number of women from X number of states? Someone ought to be a parody video or something.
Wait. It was X number of lines lines about X number of women… What was that song?
Thank you, Kris.
Yes, even pups here noted that.
I did, Elliot noted that Phoenix Woman was on it, Perris brought it up as well, and MarionInSavannah was kind enough to share a link to the photos.
You’re not alone, Ready.
That is an excellent point.
Look, there’s a critical thinker here!
Yeah, well, there’s scum and then there’s scum.
Maybe this is a good time to remind us of one of the things that Greg Palast shared with us on the Book Salon from a couple weeks ago:
Yes, except in the context of the Presidential World Series of Debates, that is a sports analogy. And it’s foolish to apply sports analogies to politics, unless you’re a member of the ruling classes. Here’s why:
http://my.firedoglake.com/ohiogringo/2012/10/05/willard-v-barack-game-1-analyses-excellent-kabuki-network-profits-and-the-truthmostly/
Even if it was a snot rag it could have stuff written on it.
Could have been his overseas account numbers so he had “inspiration”.
Next two debates let’s demand the debate provide Kleenex.
You’re reading it that way. It wasn’t intended that way.
We don’t all have your eyes, I’m sure you realize.
That’s a little out of date. Obama has lost Wall Street after bailing them out with trillions of our taxpayer dollars.
Lete me quote that sage philosopher late of the Baltimore Orioles, the esteemed Mr. Earl Weaver, manager:
“If you ain’t cheatin’ you ain’t tryin’.”
This is better than the little known story of Jimmy Carter’s personal notebook for self-drilling in preparation of debate with Ronald Reagan. That notebook was stolen, he knew not by whom, but ended up in George Will’s hands, who subsequently slipped it into Ronald Reagan’s hands.
I caught a late night interview with Carter years ago that evolved into some personal questions about his Christian principles, one of which was “forgiveness”. He was asked if there were ever an incident in which he had difficulty forgiving deliberate harm to him. He began with, “Well, I had trouble one time regarding George Will…”
I’m quoting Greg Palast from a few weeks ago. Facts, baby, facts. Gotta link? And, have you dedicated your life to finding out what the skinny is, like Greg has?
He stole the prior election.
In any case, Phoenix Woman posted on Bulge-gate yesterday and provided this excellent link to an article by F.A.I.R. on that matter.
Gee, George Will was scum way back then.
If Obama had done that, it would have been all over the news and headlined in all major newspapers.
Yes, thank you, I know. I missed typing The Next Election.
You’re good, you.
Heh! Glad to see someone else sees the obvious.
Obama had his clock cleaned. Even his teleprompters would not have helped. But the main point is that all Obama’s got is lies and you can’t get away w/ them if your opponent can instantly respond. Obama should’ve declined to run. Sen. Mark Warner(D Va) should’ve been the nominee. Don’t support candidates that just tell you what you want to hear. We need the TRUTH.
I didn’t understand that quote. Why would a candidate backed by banks be better or worse than one backed by hedge fund managers? or big oil, or drug companies, or military contractors? Whatever we may think of the individual candidates, seems to be the same problem, no matter which part of the establishment backs which candidates.
Sports analogies about politics are not intended? Like “The Race for the White House” isn’t a sports analogy? How can you not see that?
Is cheating the American way now?
So I guess like Willard, Earl Weaver suffered from a lack of character also.
Good one. Obama was suffering from TelePrompter withdrawal, and Romney merely pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocket, laid it on the lectern, and used it later to wipe his face while he was verbally wiping out Señor Hopenchange.
It was a piece of paper. Against the rules. Says alot about Willard’s lack of character.
Also his whole family’s character. And since Willard is so tied to the LDS church, says alot about Mormon character or lack thereof.
Wouldn’t it be exceedingly easy to leave pens, pencils and blank paper for notetaking at the podiums so that the candidates would have no legitimate reason to reach into their pockets for anything?
I confess a total lack of patience for leaving the barn door wide open and then insinuating later that a horse might just possibly have walked out of the barn. Maybe. Can’t tell for certain. Sure looked like it, though.
Isn’t it?
I think so too.
Anheuser-Busch is a sponsor of the debates and throws their own corporate eagle up there behind our presidential candidates.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-debate-ann-romney-michelle-obama-20121002,0,2867435.story
http://www.anheuser-busch.com/index.php/our-company/sharing-our-story-enewsletters/
http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=national-debate-sponsors
This isn’t a contest, Ohio Barbarian.
But, if any comments here make you feel better, I’m happy.
Anheuser-Busch is a foreign owned company.
Oh, sorry. I was speaking to My intentions.
I must have misunderstood your comment.
Mary, Greg did a lot of research on the people who financially support Romney.
If he say’s there’s a difference, I choose to believe him because he is a man of integrity.
If this is something you choose to research or know more about, you can actually download part of his book from his website.
Heavens to Betsy (to coin a phrase from another era), Exposethefraud–
Are you aware that Warner is leading the charge to “austerity” by spearheading the “Gang of Eight?”
He’s a key player in trying to enact the Bowles-Simpson proposal to slash the social safety net, and lower tax rates on the wealthy and corporations, while taking away mostly lower- and middle-class tax expenditures, or exemptions (or loopholes, if one is being derisive), in order to “broaden the base” of taxable income, which will fall primarily on lower- and middle-class Americans.
Don’t take my word for it–here’s the hyperlink to the Politico article entitled: “Gang of 8 Plots Secret Retreat.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/81940.html
Blue
Concerned about the handkerchief angle I watched the original tape. Romney slips a white rectangle, which might have been a hankie, from his PANTS pocket onto the podium.
During the debate he uses a hankie to wipe his nose.
After the debate he returns to his podium, folds paper, and tries to put it in his inside JACKET pocket, first one side, then the other, then hands it off to (presumably) his son.
To me that is not normal hankie business because 1. Hankies usually go in the pocket near the lapel, 2. It is unusual to lay a hankie on the podium, even if he has the sniffles, and 3. When he folded the paper it seemed he was folding it around something else. His hankie? If his hankie, why hide it? It was something he wanted concealed.
Therefore I think it was hankie-pankie, e.g. he was cheating.
One more thing: Anheuser-Busch is foreign owned. As is Coors.
rules are for the little people
His book seems to be about election fraud. I don’t think I’ll take the time to dig through it to find out whether he thinks a candidate backed by banks is better or worse than one backed by hedge fund managers. I try to keep an open mind to understand people’s reasons for their voting choices, but this one seems like a curious distinction to make.
This is NO hanky! Look at the video (YouTube) at 14 seconds. – Stop it!
If I had a hanky that big, I would need to wipe my ass!
And why go back to the podium to pick it up and have problems putting it back in your jacket? Look at its size! You have to hand it to your son????
There was a movie made where some really successful guy goes back to college reunion where he was a debating champ of some sort.
In the movie, at the reunion a debate is held to relive old times. During couse of the reunion debate turns out the former debate champ is wearing a wire and was a cheater all along.
Can’t remember name of movie. Let’s ask Willard, sure he knows.
Where’s the video of him handing it to his son.
Thanks
Here is a good cartoon. on the debate
I guess rich people use a lot of starch on their hankies to keep ‘em nice n’ rigid. Check out second 14 on the video above. It looks way too stiff to be a normal hankie.
Someone should do a cartoon of students taking a test with good old Willard cribbing nearby.
Thank you.
Okay, my bad. I wasn’t thinking straight.
The book he wrote about the men he says are backing Romney is Vulture’s Picnic.
That was his previous book, based on a lot of undercover work.
I’m so sorry, marym in IL, I led you astray.
I know we’re all short on minutes in our lives, so I apologize for the misdirection.
Thanks. I’ll take a look. I don’t want to derail this thread which is about the debate. It’s just unusual, even among his supporters, to see being backed by Goldman Sachs as a reason to vote for Obama.
Dont you know
Republicans don’t cheat, they can only be cheated.
Conservatism can’t fail it can only be failed………
what we have here is a bunch of CORPORATE COMMUNISTS. they cant prove that reganomics worked for the bottom 85% but still yell and scream they are right like a bunch of extreme relegious nuts. this is enabled by a conservative, corporate media
Another tough call, I know.
There’s so much stuff to look at, and sometimes it’s difficult to determine which information to make important.
It’s a judgement call for each of us.
And, I understand that there are a lot of folks looking for a strong moral compass (leader) these days.
At about one hour 32 minutes and 40 seconds in the CSPAN debate recording. He takes some papers off the podium, folds them in half, tries to put them in his own pockets, then hands them to his son.
Oh, you’re fine.
At this point in the thread, have at it. :)
tweeted and recommended with thanks demi. congrats on making the fdl front page!
Debate? What debate? I wouldn’t give a flying f**k if Romney read from the Book of Mormon and Obama read from PNAC’s Statement of Principles. It’s like when Bush had that hidden microphone: knowing whether he did or didn’t would have really made a difference, wouldn’t it?
Who cares if one of the two degenerates “cheated” during the “debate?” What difference does it make? Like maybe if Romney was unscripted, Obama would have won? Oh, someone please hold my head so I won’t knock myself out as I bang my head on my desk….
Vote third party or don’t vote at all.
Suz!
Knock away, babe.
But, please don’t hurt yourself.
I just watched again and again and that IS a folded piece of Paper hitting the Lectern… Cloth doesn’t act that stiff when tossed that way… Watch full screen and you can clearly see it is paper and part of it stick up just like a folded piece of paper….
I have my doubts about this. It seems easy enough for Romney to memorize a set of notes. Why risk getting caught cheating? The risk/reward ratio doesn’t make sense.
However, Obama’s Labor Department cooking unemployment numbers? That story has legs! (Just kidding.)
I saw him take out the notes before the debate, and I saw him give the notes to his son.
Romney is a cheat.
I didn’t watch the debate. Any footage of Rmoney actually taking some notes during the debate could explain his picking them up afterwards, and could explain the paper hand-off to his son at the end. That folded in half, lengthwise, sheave of paper at the end was not what he pulled from his pocket at the beginning.
Second possibility is that it actually was the handkerchief used during the debate and wrapping it in the provided note paper, Mitt was bringing it home to prevent anyone from swabbing the item for his DNA sample or for traces of performance enhancing drugs.
Or he could have been speaking into a concealed microphone stitched into the handkerchief and was hiding the movement of his lips and muffling his whispers…not too hard to disguise an earpiece with today’s technology.
Or, the debate winning crib notes will be auctioned off on ebay after the election, or…
Any unusual clothing bulges can likely be attributed to the magic underwear.
Thanks for the diary, demi, you rock.