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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



A different kind of flip flop

Posted: Friday, August 10, 2007 3:46 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Like the majority of the Republican candidates for president, Romney is spending the last day before the Ames straw poll at the Iowa State Fair. Wearing a personalized apron, saying "Mitt Romney: Not a Blah Cook," Mitt and his wife Ann took turns flipping pork chops at the Iowa Pork Producers tent. While flipping, he took the opportunity to reflect on the Ames poll.
 

"I'd like to do as well as I can do,” Romney said. “I think everybody wants to win. I want to win too. But a lot of folks are working hard, and we'll see who comes out. Of course this was an effort to get our friends and supporters out and hopefully they'll be watching TV tonight and remember that Ames is tomorrow and we'll get some folks there."
 
A reporter asked Romney if he thought it was smart to be flipping anything, in light of flip-flop accusations. "It's part of the process," Romney answered. "It's part of the fun, to be at the Iowa state fair and flipping pork chops."
 
Huckabee, who is also at the fair, told NBC reporters Romney may want to keep an eye on him, since he full confidence he will be one of the top finishers. "We're thinking about going to the finish line," he said. "If we're not first, we're going to be so close that there will be folks looking around their shoulder to see just how close we are on their heels."

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Comments

What a quick remark from the reporter about
flipping. I am interested b/c do not know
very much about this candidate.
Thanks for the info.
1st time voter in 2008.

Elizabeth G.
http://BookTestOnline.com
http://booktestonlinecom.blogspot.com

Mr Romney makes me laugh anytime I see him on TV. There is something about him that looks comical but I don't know what it is exactly.

He's worse than Kerry and Mrs Clinton put together in terms of flip flopping.

I wonder if Romney will cook and eat any of that squirrel he claims to have hunted.
This guy is as phoney as an Elivs impersonator. I hope the people in his own party see through him.
If the man was Religion-Sensitive, which I've heard he is, he might have chosen Pancakes instead of Pork.
Is Romney qualified to flip burgers at Wendy's, or would that put him in violation of the Peter principle? If so, does that call for jail time? Do we need another president who would serve America better flipping burgers at a state mental hospital? Those questions are mainly rhetorical, but for some reason, there is no such thing as a rhetorical question mark.
Friday is fish day if you are Catholic.
The pathetic comments that have been previously posted only give credence to the fact that Romney is a real threat.  Anyone who is at the top has to endure taunts and jabs from the bottom dwellers because they see the writing on the wall and can do nothing to stop it, so they revert back to grade school tactics and call him names because that is what happens with the uneducated.  
The issue of Mr. Romney's sons non-service in Iraq is serious. Not Because they chose not serve.Did Mitt Romney sit them down for this conversation?
"This country has been good to our family. It has afforded us many advantages and opportunities.I believe that we should give back.There is a war going on, I believe your country needs you. I believe you should consider joining the fight in Iraq that I believe is critically important that our nation wins"
Did Mr. Romney did not have such a conversation with his sons?If he did not......(You fill in the Blank).  
The Stepford Candidate.
j.merlestanley -- I wonder if Romney will cook and eat any of that squirrel --

I wonder if you'll ever develop any new material, or if you're stuck on the same line over and over again.  I mean, the first 100 times it's funny, but then it gets a little old.
I heard the New College Democrat Faith leader for the country speak the other day. She is also Mormon and she was speaking to other Mormons about Mitt Romney's flip flop views on social issues. What impressed me was how she was quoting Harry Ried's voting record on social issues, who is Mormon Democrat who votes pro life, I did not know that! Mitt may have his work cut out for him, if he can't even convince his fellow Mormons.

I recognize that mainstream media is as much about entertainment as information.  And I’m a big fan of MSNBC.  Nonetheless, in these trying times I don’t think it’s asking too much to demand a bit more substance in the political reporting on this blog.

I don’t really think “porkchop-gate” is going to decide this election.    How about giving us some real issues to argue about?
It was dog meat. His pooch didn't make it from the ride on the roof of the car.
Mitt Romney makes my skin crawl. He's Bush, regenerated.
Hello America ! Bush sucks big, big time and Gonzo-Gate will not fade away.And will someone tell this idiot President , that under the present Iraqi Priminister and Parlement [who are on vacation, in the middle of a war] there will never, ever be a political solution.Never..period !
FYI, A few of Mitt Romney’s varied positions on Middle east policy:

Mitt Romney on the justification for the Iraq war:

"If you're saying let's turn back the clock, and Saddam Hussein had opened up his country to IAEA inspectors, and they'd come in and they'd found that there were no weapons of mass destruction, had Saddam Hussein, therefore, not violated United Nations resolutions, we wouldn't be in the conflict we're in. But he didn't do those things, and we knew what we knew at the point we made the decision to get in."  (Republican candidates' debate on June 5)



Mitt Romney on George Bush’s Iraq policy:

“I wouldn't presume to present a plan different from that of the President. But I believe he was right to take on the war on terror on an aggressive front rather than a defensive front. We toppled the government ... walking away would mean a humanitarian disaster. We're there and we have a responsibility to finish the job.” [O’Reilly Factor, FNC, 9/27/06]

Mitt Romney on Hezbollah:

”Did you notice in Lebanon, what Hezbollah did? Lebanon became a democracy some time ago and while their government was getting underway, Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there, and schools. And they built their support there by having done so. That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest towards modernity and goodness and freedom for all people in the world. And so, I want to see America carry out that kind of health diplomacy…” (CSPAN, August 2007)




Mitt Romney on his five sons lack of military service:

“My sons are all adults and they’ve made decisions about their careers, and they’ve chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard....One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I’d be a great president.” ”



Mitt Romney in response to Ron Paul saying there was never a good reason to go to war with Iraq in the first place:

“Has he forgotten about 9/11?” (August 5th Republican debate)
I think Mitt made a great decision going to Iowa to flip, and eat I hope, pork chops.  You won't find a better pork chop anywhere in the world.  I wonder where all the other Republican front runners are?
From Wisconsin and proud to be your neighbor.
Mitt Romney had the nerve to compare his sons serving
America to our troops fighting Bush's war in Iraq. He said them were serving their country by helping to get him elected President. That's discusting!!
Romney changed his position on abortion moving in the same direction  as the base of his party and he never flipped back. I am not sure what TheDonald is talking about, but Romney gets an unfair brunt of flip flop accusations considering it was one change -- and it was a converion and he hasn't recanted or gone backwards. Hillary  was for the war before she was against it. Hillary was against set timeframes for withdrawal and now wants to withdraw yesterday. Hillary chastizes Obama for taking nukes off of the table -- but she did the same thing back in April of 06. McCain was against the Bush tax cuts before he was for them. Rudy supported amnesty and partial birth abortion before he opposed it.   Fred Thompsons was pro-choice and then became pro-life, he also co-sponsored the campaign finance reform  bill and now says he opposes it -- and he  helped write it and got it passed! Oooops. It seems there are plenty of flip flops to go around and changing from pro-choice to pro-life is hardly something to be ashamed of. We embrace the converts, we don't mock them.
Mitt is the most personable, real candidate that I have ever met for any office.

He is not focus-group driven, it is refreshing to have someone who is so supportive of his family and to see that his family can work so well with him, he will be a shining example how hard work can work well!

I am glad that Mitt decided to run for President.

He is so positive and full of hope, it will be wonderful to have him leading our country!
There is something about spending $35 to cast your opinion or vote or whatever you cast in a straw poll that seems un-American.
I cannot stand Romney! He is the most arrogant jerk I've ever seen. He makes Bush likeable. I am from Massachusetts originally and have family in Massachusetts and follow politics there pretty closely. Romney spent more time running for president while he was Governor of Mass. then actually governing the state (it's actually a commonwealth). He's a flip-flopping hypocrite who doesn't like illegal aliens, yet hires them to mow his lawn. His stand on abortion was prochoice, now prolife because that's what his constituency wants to here. If you want an absentee president, vote for Romney, because he sure as hell was an absentee governor.
Mitt has been very clear about why he has changed his opinions, unlike Kerry AND mrs Clinton. I think it is very good that he leaves his own personal feelings about a situation out of it and wants the poeple to decide.
If anyone but Dennis Kucinich or Ron Paul gets elected, this country will be over. End of story. The rest of them, Dem or Rep, are nothing but snake oil salesmen who will change nothing for the betterment of the working stiffs in this country.

Watch this video with Edwards:

When asked by Barbara Walters on the night of September 11, 2001 if the 9/11
attacks were carried out by forces within the U.S., 2008 ... all » presidential
candidate and then senate intelligence committee member John Edwards becomes
evasive and refuses to answer the question, after having spoken to CIA director
George Tenet earlier that day.  «

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8866440606326 94627&q=edwards+9/11+wal
ters&total=23&start=0&num=10&so=0&type= search&plindex=0

Google videos: 9/11 Press for Truth, Loose Change 2nd Edition, America: Freedom to Fascism
It's fun to watch the sundry miscreants in America squirm when they see an honest, trustworthy, loyal, successful, family man do well in a poll. Hollywood has portrayed Romney's character-type as the ironic villain for so long that many people are convinced that he must be a fake and have some dark secret to hide. Perhaps the sun will shine again in the U.S.A. sending the dark ones scurrying back beneath their rocks for a few more years.
Mitt Romney acts like a President should, thinks like a President should and behaves like a President should.
So you leftists criticize Romney for "flipping pork chops."  What about your hero Slick Willy porking all kinds of flips?
Please be objective and include all the candidates and the results.
I'm surprised at the cynicism and the distrust people seem have the first time a good, wholesome, happy man shows up in the presidential race.  It's almost like they'd rather be governed by someone with a closet full of skeletons.  Maybe people just fully expect to throw all their pessimism and discontent at whomever they elect, so they need somebody they know will cause enough blameworthy scandals.

I like how he said, "It's part of the process."  Yes, changing one's policies when they're democratically unsupportable IS part of the process of governing, and of democracy itself.  We don't want a king -- the people will govern.  And Romney's platforms for Massachusetts governer and American president differ in the same way that the voices of that state and the voices of this country differ.
Romney is as natural and real as you can get. If you accuse Him of flip flopping please name one more than the one about abortion. Recall how Reagan and Bush 41 also changed their positions.
As far as handling pork, name a mainline protestant cult who detest the unclean nature of the animal.
Many have never hunted but consider themselves in their camp.
Yes i am leaning toward Romney, but you have to be fair and balanced instead of parroting others half truths.
Yeah the guy has a track record of fixing systems that are messed up... From corporate America to the Olympics to Mass... This man is a perfect role model for young and old. He is the only candidate who has a stable solid family after 38 years. He cut the most government jobs in any state... He also vetoed thousands of bills of waste... The man does what he says he will do... Something that is different then most politicians.
The problem with presidential elections is that it's based on us, the people, deciding who is best.  Romney may feel he has to make himself out to be the every man, and it gets him in trouble, but he still is a brilliant business man and an excellent leader.  For a republican to run democratic Massachusettes and have essentially no criticism on his record is astonishing.  He is, bar none, the best, most qualified choice to run this country.
Let's hope the Republicans are dumb enough to nominate this guy. Not that it will make a difference but it surely will make it easier for whomever the Democrats nominate. His stands on pro choice-pro life alone should sink him like a rock.
When you speak of flip-flopping,is this the abortion talk.Perhaps if we knew more about his belief. "Mormons"(Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints ,Is the name of Church, Mormons is nickname put on them over 125 years)They  believe the 13 Articles of Faith,one states to UPHOLD the laws of the land. Does'nt mean you have to AGREE with it,You must UPHOLD it.He as a person has never felt it being right to murder little children.But he does UPHOLD the Law.  He will not bring his church,nor any other member into this race. Its a race to be President of USA , Just as Kennedy,being the first Catholic.He was a good President to me,We still have Kennedy's in the Goverment. The church teaches all life is the same to God, to murder a child is deep sadness.        Why is it any different to him ,than to any of us to eat pork? Its alright to disagree or even dislike, Why do we always have to hurt each other.   All churches should work TOGATHER for the good of our country. If WE All don't stand togather we will fall.If your upset more about  his faith,than the works hes done,study about what he believes You may like him some. If you read this ,please remember we all have the same right to speak what we feel, We live in a great Country. God Bless Our Love Ones in the sevice.
Kerry is the founder of flip flop, but at least he was sincere and he serve his time in the army.  Much more respect to that than others
The only candidate that's not a puppet is Ron Paul. He is the only honest man that practices what he preaches. The only thing he will flip is the on switch to our Constitution.
Romney's a Mormon, if he says he's hunted squirrel, he has and he ate it to. They don't waste food.
As far as pancakes, there's nothing ant-religon about eating meat. Mormons eat even better than Methodists and Baptists put together and they can everything they grow. They're like Amish who accepted electricity and modernazation.
I read this morning that this cocky (expletive deleted by author) ... that he won because the "no shows (Giuliani / McCain) knew they wouldn't win.  I know the Iowa Straw Poll didn't mean much (I also heard that not many voted); that said, I hope the Dems get it together sooner than not.
Whoops...posted earlier on Romney's win...not noticing the date on this article / thread.  Moderator, please move my comment if you write something up regarding Mr. Romney's "win" in the Iowa Straw Poll (forgive me it's early lol).
Dear Mr.Stanley, I seem to Belive that politicians should improve our education in public schools you being the prime example of how our country needs more outside the box thinking . P.s. Buy a new joke book, printed post 1960.
Mr. John Doe to you - Dear Mr.Stanley,

The "J" stands for Judy.

Dear Alice Moody, keep reading up on the Mormons dear and you'll come to realize they are not "Christians" at all!!
What a quick remark from the reporter about
flipping. I am interested b/c do not know
very much about this candidate.
Thanks for the info.

www.storageprestige.com.hk
www.hkyanda.com
Alice Moody, keep reading up on the Mormons dear and you'll come to realize they are not "Christians" at all!!


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