Thursday, March 8, 2012

Does Romney Know Where His Parents Are Buried?

We can't let the Michigan Presidential Primary fade from memory without one more example of Mitt Romney's inability to connect with the people of the state where he was born.

A writer to the Livingston Press and Argus says in a letter published Monday (March 5, 2012) that in a telephone "town hall" right before the primary, Mitt appeared not to know much about Brighton.

According to the letter writer, "Romney only said that he had been through Brighton before, and knew where it was."

Now, there are lots of towns in Michigan and no presidential candidate can be expected to be familiar with all of them. But when you claim to be from the state and to believe that its trees are the "right height," you've set the bar a little higher for yourself.

Add to that the fact that both your parents -- George and Lenore Romney -- are buried in Brighton, and it would seem that maybe you might have a pretty vivid recollection of the place.

As the letter-writer put it, "I find it hard to believe that Romney didn't recognize the city that his parents are buried in."

I didn't hear the call, and the newspaper did not refer to any obvious attempts to independently verify the incident, but the exchange certainly fits the picture that Mitt Romney has been constructing of himself over this Republican presidential nominating process. When it comes to making a human connection, Romney falls far short, and that will hurt him against President Obama come November.

For Romney's reference, his parents are buried in Brighton's Fairview Cemetery, on the crest of a hill, overlooking Interstate 96, accoring to the website findagrave.

1 comment:

Communications guru said...

I noticed that, too; especially when the former chair of the Livingston County Republican Party was making excuses for none of the GOP candidates making a stop in the county before the Michigan taxpayer support GOP Presidential Primary. The fact that Romney’s parents are buried here gives him more ties to Michigan than the height of the trees.