August 2, 2012

"I have a horse that is going to be fighting for gold in London and I am very excited about that. Wow!"

"It has been a dream of mine for a long, long time, ever since I was a little girl."

Spoiler:

Rafalca is in 6th place after round 1 of the individual Dressage Grand Prix event.

85 comments:

Andy said...

“I have to tell you, this is Ann’s sport. I am not even sure what day the sport goes on. She will get the chance to see it. I will not be watching the event. I hope her horse does well.”
-Mitt Romney

I'm not sure which is creepier, that he was telling the truth or that he was lying.

Dose of Sanity said...

Really, even though dressage is a strange sport, shouldn't we be cheering on our Olympians?

Leave the poor woman alone.

Rocketeer said...

I'm not sure which is creepier, that he was telling the truth or that he was lying.

I fail to understand why either is creepy.

In healthy relationships, each individual partner has space for their own interests, and no expectation that the other partner will share their passion for it. It's really quite liberating, and is a sign of mutual respect and trust.

If bike frame-building ever becomes an olympic sport and I qualify, I'd find it pretty odd if my wife suddenly exhibited an interest in it. She'd pull for me, from afar, but would have no interest in watching it. I would pretty much find that the opposite of creepy: normal.

wyo sis said...

Andy
It creepiest that you are here trying to make Mitt look like a creep.
I can hear thousands of spouses out in the real world saying something very similar about their spouses Olympic viewing. Romney is normal, and you find that creepy. Hmmmm.

Andy said...

It's been a lifelong dream of hers to have a horse compete in the Olympics. Mittens won't even bother to turn on the tv. To watch his wife achieve her Olympic dream.

It's great when spouses have different interests and hobbies. I don't think that extends to ignoring your wife when she achieves her dream of competing in the Olympics. I can't imagine any of you actually believe that either.

Gahrie said...

Andy R is just mad that he is only half a horse himself...the north end of a south bound horse to be precise.

Gahrie said...

It's great when spouses have different interests and hobbies. I don't think that extends to ignoring your wife when she achieves her dream of competing in the Olympics. I can't imagine any of you actually believe that either.

Yeah guys, it is not like Romney is doing anything important with his time right now....

test said...

Leftism took the sales approach ABC - Always Be Closing - and reinterpreted it ATD - Always Tear Down. It's a philosophy to life your life attacking each instant of every occasion for any reason. And we see AndyR has learned that lesson well.

What a pathetic waste of life.

lgv said...

I hope it doesn't conflict with the rhythmic dancing event or I won't know which to watch.

I don't recall my spouse ever watching a bowl game when my alma mater was playing.

Granted she did go to the local bowl game last year, which may be the last time I ever see Penn State in a bowl game again.

Ann Althouse said...

"Leave the poor woman alone."

But what about the rich woman? She deserves an ass-kicking. That's what I heard. From the MSM.

Rocketeer said...

I have to tell you, this is Ann’s sport. I am not even sure what day the sport goes on. She will get the chance to see it. I will not be watching the event. I hope her horse does well.

You're projecting, based on your distaste for the man. That you've inferred he is ignoring her as her Olympic dreams are fulfilled based on his lack of interest in the sport itself is not implied by his statement, which is pretty clearly an acknowledgement that he's busy.

tim in vermont said...

I don't know what is creepier, if Hatboy is a real person writing what he truly believes, or an Obama fifty-center, using one of many online identities and his crap is stuff that was come up with in meetings of the "leadership" and promulgated to their minions through blast emails.

Revenant said...

In healthy relationships, each individual partner has space for their own interests

What about Andy's personality suggests to you he's been in a healthy relationship? :)

Andy said...

Interesting, we now have multiple people claiming that Romney is too busy to turn on the tv once and watch his wife achieve her Olympic dreams.

Now Romney would be the first person to tell you how important family is, and that he wouldn't want to be President if it meant he had to ignore his wife and family for the next four years. And obviously he's not campaigning during every waking hour. Not taking any time off for leisure activities or to relax would actually be counterproductive. And this is his wife's lifelong dream.

I mean, last month he went on "a weeklong vacation" to spend time with his wife and kids and grandkids.

We all know what is happening here. Romney is worried that being associated with a dancing horse will hurt him electorally. And he's probably right. So he decided to throw his wife and her horse under the bus.

There are thousands of Olympians every year. Have we ever seen a response remotely like Romney's from a spouse of any of those competitors? Of course not. This isn't a her weekend hobby where she is going to the local high school to show off her pet horse. It's the Olympics. We all know that.

Which bring us back to the original question. Do people think he's lying or telling the truth? Do you really think he's not going to turn on the tv to watch his wife achieve her lifelong dream? Your rabid desire to defend him actually ends up making him look worse.

ricpic said...

The sign of sane people, or normal people if you prefer, is that they are not monomaniacal. Ann Romney has interests, pleasures, enthusiasms outside the political. Does the other gal?

tim in vermont said...

Last time I was there, dressage was huge in Florida the swing state.

I am not worried you will listen to me hatboy, because all liberals, it seems, are deaf, so keep on keeping on with the dancing horses.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

He is running for President. Yes, that is more important than watching TV, even if it is his wife's horse.

People at that level have to sacrifice everything else to achieve their goals.

The President does nothing other than campaign now. Think he has time to watch TV?

Romney's being honest. If it's a gaffe, OK, but it's still true. These aren't normal people, much like Olympic athletes. They are bizarre, abnormal, outlying members of a very, very small club.

Sofa King said...

Andy, you are aware she is not actually competing, right? She is not going to be on TV. She will not win a medal. She is not an Olympian. Your analogies are rather specious in this regard.

wyo sis said...

Andy, your rabid desire to smear him speaks volumes about you and your lefty friends. You've looked worse, but never more petty.
If Romney looks worse because conservatives defend him, think how bad Obama looks because liberals defend him.

Joe said...

Andy, you have an interesting theory of marriage and family; where everyone knows the everything about spouses and siblings, down to the tiniest detail. That's not how the real world works.

Darrell said...

Anyone want to vote as to whether Andy R is now getting paid for his comments? He had been a single issue commenter, with few exceptions. He now comments on almost everything, using seminar tactics--a couple of brief comments followed by a longer pre-written "zinger." In his mind, of course.

Darrell said...

I bet Romney has a digital video recorder. A very good one.

dhagood said...

the only reason ann romney might be shown on tv while her horse is competing in the olympics is that her husband is trying to be elected president of the united states. does anybody think that the other members of the syndicate that owns the horse will intentionally be shown on tv?

i mean, ann romney is not competing in the olympics: it's the horse and the horse's rider.

Andy said...

I bet Romney has a digital video recorder.

"I will not be watching the event." -Mitt Romney

where everyone knows the everything about spouses and siblings, down to the tiniest detail.

You think this is a good way to summarize Mitt ignoring his wife as she achieves her lifelong dream?

People at that level have to sacrifice everything else to achieve their goals.

You should be sure to tell that to Romney, who just went on a weeklong vacation.

Again, it's funny seeing people flailing around trying to come up with some way to justify his callous statement.

Known Unknown said...

Andy's right. Mitt should ride the fucking horse.

Known Unknown said...

You should be sure to tell that to Romney, who just went on a weeklong vacation.

With his wife. And kids.

Ignoring, indeed.

Darrell said...

"I will not be watching the event." -Mitt Romney

"Watching" is short for watching it live--or when it is broadcast.
He have plenty of time after he wins and gets the transition team in place.

bgates said...

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man clear his schedule to watch his wife's horse on internet streaming video (because by the time it airs on tv he could just talk to his wife and find out how things went).

bgates said...

it's funny seeing people flailing around

It sure is, Andy. It sure is.

Darrell said...

Barack Obama has no idea what's on his wife's nightstand or what she is reading--according to his appearance on The View. Or so I saw in a BBC program on Fifty Shades Of Gray.

Curious George said...

You know what I find creepy? Barack Obama professing to be a huge White Sox fan...to the point of wearing a Sox cap even when doing things not associated with the Sox, like throwing out the first pitch at a Nats game or at the All-Star game.

Why is this creepy? Because he claims to be a "South Side Kid"...he moved to Chicago in his mid-20's. When pressed he couldn't name a fucking single White Sox player from any year past or present. Hell, I'm not a White Sox fan but I could name plenty. He also called Comiskey Park, where the Sox play, Cominskey Field. What's clear is this asshole just made this all up. It's aslo clear that he is so used to lying and not being challenged that he didn't even feel the need to back up the lie.

So Hatboy Romney is downplaying Ann's horse...maybe because he doesn't want to seem the rich snob, maybe because he simply doesn't want to take the focus off her and her dream. But what he didn't do is make up some false persona.

Rocketeer said...

it's funny seeing people flailing around

Irony, irony, everywhere, but not a drop on Andy!

Hagar said...

I think George Patton was on an Olympic some sort of dressgae team back in the day.

Hagar said...

dressage

traditionalguy said...

That horse had better win, or Romney will outsource his hide after he brings it home on the roof of his private jet.

Chip Ahoy said...

Every day Andy R comes in here, takes down his pants and bends over, and demands that someone fuck him, and hard, and what do you do? You step right up and unzip yourself and oblige. every. single time. Could he be more plain? Why do you oblige this? Since you must, use a rubber *tosses a condom* and clean up the place.

CWJ said...

@curious George,

Sorry CG, but cominsky is the correct pronunciation among Chicagoans in general and Sox fans in particular. It would mark him as a transplant even more had he pronounced it "correctly."

chickelit said...

@Chip: Andy R isn't into that stuff--he's more into threadjacking--he's got his chocolate Tenga all frothy.

edutcher said...

Good for her. That mount is her partner and she is rooting for it.

Kind of like the old horse cavalrymen.

Andy R. said...

I'm not sure which is creepier, that he was telling the truth or that he was lying

Hatman is easily creeped out. His mirror has my sympathies.

Interesting, we now have multiple people claiming that Romney is too busy to turn on the tv once and watch his wife achieve her Olympic dreams.

Now Romney would be the first person to tell you how important family is, and that he wouldn't want to be President if it meant he had to ignore his wife and family for the next four years. And obviously he's not campaigning during every waking hour. Not taking any time off for leisure activities or to relax would actually be counterproductive. And this is his wife's lifelong dream.


Hatman's only contribution is some weak, proto-chickenhawk gruel?

Go back to standing in front of Chick-Fil-A with your little rainbow flag.

PS Running a campaign is a 24/7 job, unless you're Choomie and all you do is read off TOTUS and try to remember how many states there are. And the Romster realizes how much time away from his family being POTUS will mean, but he's going to do it because he wants a better life for them than the one Choom and Hatman want for the country.

Andy said...

What sort of excuses have people come up with so far?

There were some claims that Romney doesn't have ten minutes of free time to watch a little horse dancing because he's so incredibly busy. This is, obviously, silly. Especially because Romney just went on a week long vacation. But even Romney isn't as much of a robot to wake up, spend 16 hours campaigning for President, and then go to sleep from now until November.

Others said that the Olympics are no big deal and the healthy thing for him to do is to ignore it when his spouse achieves her lifelong dream.

Someone else said that, of course he's going to watch it, and when he said he wasn't going to watch it, he just meant he wouldn't be watching it live. Which is exactly not what he said. Also, it kind of undercuts all the other people who were trying to justify his original callous comment.

Finally, a rare moment of honest, "Romney is downplaying Ann's horse...maybe because he doesn't want to seem the rich snob, maybe because he simply doesn't want to take the focus off her and her dream."

Romney didn't want to seem like a rich snob so he feels he has to say he is going to ignore his wife achieving her lifelong dream. Seems like presidential material to me.

Gahrie said...

Andy's right. Mitt should ride the fucking horse.

Hell, they should just eat the horse....

Darrell said...

Sorry CG, but cominsky is the correct pronunciation among Chicagoans in general and Sox fans in particular.

Bullshit. I still live on the South Side of Chicago, and I have never heard anyone who lives in Chicago say "Cominskey Field" . Assholes from NY say shit like that when they create skits at Second City.

Gahrie said...

Obama didn't want to seem like a hateful unamerican racist so he feels he has to say he ignored his minister's sermon every Sunday. (even though he was evidently inspired enough to name on of the books written for him after one of the sermons) Seems like presidential material to me.

Darrell said...

Andy owes a lot to Ann Althouse--assuming he is using a real picture of himself for his avatar. Now he doesn't have to be waked on his belly in assless chaps with the bottom of his coffin open.

That must be a load off.

Quaestor said...

DoS wrote:
Really, even though dressage is a strange sport, shouldn't we be cheering on our Olympians?

What's so strange about dressage? Equestrianism of some form was a feature of the ancient Olympic games, and was done in honor of Poseidon, the inventor of the horse. Is it stranger than weightlifting or synchronized diving? How about velodrome cycling?

edutcher said...

Andy R. said...

Romney didn't want to seem like a rich snob so he feels he has to say he is going to ignore his wife achieving her lifelong dream. Seems like presidential material to me.

Me, too. More than Mr 100 Rounds of Golf, but I was too busy to track the bin Laden hit until Panetta had me dragged of the golf course.

I see Hatman's getting his talking points fed to him now. Getting his ass kicked trying to outsmart everybody here certainly wasn't working.

Quaestor said...

wyo sis wrote:
Romney is normal, and you find that creepy. Hmmmm

And this is from the decidedly ab-normal askewhatguy. After he expounds n the dynamics of real marriage, he can explain why he deems another man's rectum to be erotic.

Darrell said...

Some Cubs fan might say "Cominskey Field," but that's only to convey that he thinks there is only one team worth considering or to make fun of South Siders in general.

CWJ said...

@Darrell,

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Either times have changed (haven't lived there for quite some time), or you must run with a more "sophisticated" crowd than I did.

As for skit created nonsense perhaps we might agree on "Da Bears."

Quaestor said...

And BTW, dressage is not "horse dancing" you ignorant little degenerate.

Darrell said...

...perhaps we might agree on "Da Bears.

Sorry--not in the moronic way George Wendt does it. It's da Bears like it's da time and it's da place---just the way I pronounce it when I don't try and correct myself.

Been a South Sider since 1954 and I'll stand by my statement. Even the South Side Irish get it right.

Andy said...

Now he doesn't have to be waked on his belly in assless chaps with the bottom of his coffin open.

Every day Andy R comes in here, takes down his pants and bends over, and demands that someone fuck him, and hard, and what do you do?

he's got his chocolate Tenga all frothy.

he can explain why he deems another man's rectum to be erotic.


You people are weird.

Mary Beth said...

Maybe being president was his childhood dream. Ann's participation in campaigning would have more influence on the outcome of that than his watching a (delayed) broadcast of the horse's event.

If the problem you see is that one spouse isn't valuing the other spouse's childhood dream, why aren't you complaining about this?

Hagar said...

George Patton was on the U.S. pentathlon team in the 1912 Olympics and also rode the steeplechase. No dressage.

bgates said...

What sort of excuses have people come up with so far?

- "that" in "you didn't build that" doesn't refer to the singular noun in the previous clause, it refers to the plural nouns from a couple of sentences ago

- "our plan" that "worked" refers to the low deficits, reformed welfare, and free trade policies that the Republican Congress forced on the Democratic White House during the 90s, not anything that's happened this century

- describing Joe Biden as a "foreign policy guru" was grading on a curve compared to Harry Reid, John Kerry, etc

CWJ said...

OK, Darrell,

I've got to find some common ground here. Can we at least agree that the Sox play in a "...park" while that other team is the one that plays in a "...field."

No no I do agree with the general replacement of the with DA, but as you point out it is the moronic conjunction with Bears that doesn't ring true.

WV: arkdwi. And hear I thought Noah got drunk after driving the ark rather than during.

CWJ said...

Of course, he did sail it onto a mountain. So maybe the cop had a fair case.

Darrell said...

Can we at least agree that the Sox play in a "...park" while that other team is the one that plays in a "...field.

Sure. That's why everyone on the South Side says "Comiskey Park."
Note what Barack Obama said.

Quaestor said...

And hear I thought Noah got drunk after driving the ark rather than during.

Some poor sod in Alaska was arrested for floating on a raft while being drunk.

Darrell said...

And don't tell me it's "U.S. Cellular Field" or some such. Sears Tower will never be "Willis Tower" either.

Quaestor said...

Alaskan DWI law equates driving a motor vehicle with "navigating" a waterborne vessel. I think the rafting drunk has an excellent case against the charge. Drunk or sober floating with the current is in no sense "navigating".

wv: Biognin 15, the secret ingredient in askewhatguy's hair gel

CWJ said...

Oh yeah!

US Cellular Field or whatever was a nonstarter from the get go.

BTW, do you know the story behind the renaming of (always will be) Sears Tower?

edutcher said...

One other thing,

Hatman seems incapable of understanding that the way husbands and father show love for their families is by working hard to provide them with a good life.

Sometimes this means working late hours, night, weekends, or holidays. They do it because it will mean better things for them.

Hatman doesn't see this. Must have been raised in a government facility.

Lebensborn, my guess.

Curious George said...

"Darrell said...
Sorry CG, but cominsky is the correct pronunciation among Chicagoans in general and Sox fans in particular.

Bullshit. I still live on the South Side of Chicago, and I have never heard anyone who lives in Chicago say "Cominskey Field" . Assholes from NY say shit like that when they create skits at Second City."

This.

ed said...

@ Quaestor

"What's so strange about dressage? Equestrianism of some form was a feature of the ancient Olympic games, and was done in honor of Poseidon, the inventor of the horse."

The original Olympics were also before the introduction of stirrups. So having the proper skills was very necessary for cavalry and nobles.

ed said...

Hahaha!

Th Cominskey Field thing always gets me. But the truly funny ones were when Kerry was running for President.

Football Fans for Truth

"Lambert Field". Oh my.

"John Kerry also praised the Ohio State Buckeyes football team--during a visit to Michigan."

ZOMG! I don't think anybody could beat that.

ed said...

@ Darrell

As I have used the term "assless chaps" in the past it has been pointed out to me that all chaps are technically "assless". Otherwise they would be trousers.

fyi.

Amartel said...

If Michelle Obama owned a horse and rode it for therapeutic purposes we would not be having this discussion. Instead, we would be treated to TV and news media "Think Pieces" about therapy horses and deluged with video of adorable deprived children riding horses. There would be no discussion of the cost. Celebrities who own/ride would get in on the act. Also, there would be a government program to provide free dressage horses to poor people (so maybe it's best after all that it's a Romney horse). Also, if the hypothetical Obama horse was in the Olympics, dressage would be on in prime time.

When Ann Romney first started riding she could barely move her right side. Her trainer has said the first lesson was 45 minutes of talking and about 1 minute of actual riding because that was all she could handle so this was very effective therapy for her. Also, a strong woman does not need her husband cheering her on (much less her horse) every step of the way. Romney's statement that he wouldn't be watching the event makes me like them as a couple.

test said...

ed said...
Hahaha!

Th Cominskey Field thing always gets me. But the truly funny ones were when Kerry was running for President.

Football Fans for Truth

"Lambert Field". Oh my.

"John Kerry also praised the Ohio State Buckeyes football team--during a visit to Michigan."


Don't forget Obama referring to the Nittaly Lions.

X said...

Barack Obama is a card carrying cominskey.

coketown said...

I'm not sure which is creepier: Andy R's bizarre obsession with Ann Romney or Andy R's absurd obsession with Exodus International. Maybe there's reparative therapy to cure him of his unnatural sexual inclinations--by which I mean his infatuation with Ann Romney. She's taken, Andy. Sorry. Move on.

Salamandyr said...

Hagar,

Patton was a fencer. He may have done dressage too, but he was there to fence.

He even designed the US military saber.

Darrell said...

all chaps are technically "assless". Otherwise they would be trousers.

I could have just said "chaps." But then I wouldn't get to use the word "assless." Setting the stage is not just for the theater, is it?

With his Althouse fame, now Andy R will be recognized by his "buddys."
As long as he leaves instructions to be waked in his hat. And for that hat to be left askew.

chickelit said...

Patton was a fencer. He may have done dressage too, but he was there to fence.

Dressage for men used to be completely in the closet. J. Edgar Hoover was reputed to be an enthusiast but he denied it of course.

Unknown said...

It doesn't matter what Mitt Romney says or doesn't say, as Andy R will find it all creepy regardless. Andy seems to see Romney as a sort of evil demon, probably because it's the only way he can maintain his heightened level of hatred for the man he's never met.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Patton was a pentathlete; dressage was one of the five events.

Titus said...

I swear I heard that horse fart in that video.

That is a fucking gay sport.

I guarantee you there are some queens riding those horses.

What if it came out that the rider of Romney's horse was a fag? Would that be good or bad?

tits.

Fen said...

Anyone want to vote as to whether Andy R is now getting paid for his comments? He had been a single issue commenter, with few exceptions. He now comments on almost everything, using seminar tactics--a couple of brief comments followed by a longer pre-written "zinger." In his mind, of course.

He's prob just an unpaid intern working at some Soros front. His tell is when he changes syntax, like a high school sophmore plagiarizing his betters.

Watch for it: not his words, someone else's talking points.

shiloh said...

:::zzzz:::

Quaestor said...

Titus wrote:
What if it came out that the rider of Romney's horse was a fag? Would that be good or bad?

Bad for you because he ain't. Article about Jan Ebeling. He's an immigrant from Germany, the legal kind -- you know, the kind that asks permission first -- and lives in California with his wife Amy Ebeling and their 12yo son.

Long ago I came to the conclusion that 90% of openly gays were boring -- cookie-cutter opinions, cookie-cutter manners, cookie-cutter tastes -- I mean god-awful boring, the kind of soul crushing ennui that makes me start searching for the exits. Titus, you should change your handle to Tedious because at least it fits. And get a new act, will ya? The dog is mangy and the pony's arthritic.

Fen said...

Shiloh: zzzzzz

Oh lookie, Shiloh cares so little about this thread that he felt it was vital to let us know how little he cared...

...instead of, ya know, just ignoring it.

William said...

MSNBC (who else) broadcast the event this morning. I happened to catch it. It's kind of impressive to watch. A horse is a big animal but it appears delicate and dainty while making its moves. The rider seems totally melded to the beast....It's one of those sports like synchronized diving where you marvel at the artistry while at the same time wondering why anyone would devote their lives to such a pursuit.....I'm sure MSNBC will cover Ms. Romnney's mare extesively. Perhaps they'll cut away from the competition to show starving children in Sudan and comment on how much better Mrs. Romney's horse eats than those poor children.

Rusty said...

Chip Ahoy said...
Every day Andy R comes in here, takes down his pants and bends over, and demands that someone fuck him, and hard, and what do you do? You step right up and unzip yourself and oblige. every. single time. Could he be more plain? Why do you oblige this? Since you must, use a rubber *tosses a condom* and clean up the place.


You're right. No more messin' with the slow kid.

Anonymous said...

But what about the rich woman? She deserves an ass-kicking. That's what I heard. From the MSM.

What MSM outlet did you hear that Ann Romney, or any other rich woman, deserves an ass-kicking. (And no, just because you heard Rush or Steve Doocie say that the MSM is saying that, doesn't make it true).

mdbernie said...

Even Krauthammer admitted that dressage is almost more elitist than windsurfing. So true, so true.