Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
I never watch cable news, but so many people were talking about this interview of Mitt Romney by Fox News' Bret Baier, that I had to check it out. This is a very tough interview but also one that's very fair. Here's the full 15-minute interview:
If this is what Special Report with Bret Baier is like, I wouldn't mind watching it at all. The level of questions is high. Superbly high. Many people thought Romney performed poorly in this interview. I actually thought he did all right. He does need to watch his defensiveness when asked questions he doesn't like or when dealing with issues he'd rather not. But Bret Baier conducts a great interview. I'd love to see each of the candidates asked similar questions.
Romney's answers give us a lot to chew on, particularly with regard to Romneycare and immigration. What did you think of his answers? Did they assuage any concerns? What did you think of his style?
One of my favorite things about Romney is how he avoids traps. He knows when someone's trying to get him to speak ill of another candidate and he judiciously avoids it. He waits for the moment when he wants to disparage a candidate and he words his challenges carefully. I think this is an impressive skill.
And yes, I'm just continuing to practice saying "President Romney" until it sounds right.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
"I never watch cable news"
I do not believe you
Apr '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
So Mitt Romney's solution, at the moment (his position on Romneycare changes from time to time) is to claim that he likes the Romneycare model, he likes the individual mandate, etc. In other words, he's a socialist.
I don't think the founders intended to have state-by-state socialism in this country.
Feb '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
I don't have cable, so like Mollie I don't watch cable news regularly, but I frequently (not often) seek out clips I have seen linked to. Bret Baier never has disappointed me. I am sure if I watched him regularly he would occasionally do so (even I disappoint me) but he is a great television news journalist.
Edited on November 30, 2011 at 6:02amMar '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
I think that the less I see of Mitt over the next year, the easier it will be to vote for him, if I have to vote for him.
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
My quick read, fwiw:
Item: Bret Baier did a fine job--a very fine job. I'd have liked to see him quote Romney a few more times, making it impossible for Romney to claim that "your facts are wrong." But he asked the important questions with a kind of amiable fearlessness.
Item: One of couple of surprises: Romney proved testy. He seems to have convinced himself that his campaign book of a couple of years ago, in which he tidied up his record, should have closed the door on all his past stands and statements. Which is, of course, simply silly.
Item: The other surprise: Romney handled himself poorly on immigration, granting that he had attacked Gingrich on immigration policy--and then setting forth a policy virtually identical to that of the former Speaker. Eleven million illegals should register for entry into the United States "just like everybody else." Okay. But when Bret asked if they could do so from inside the United States, Romney seemed almost startled, as if realizing for the first time that his policy amounted to--that dread word--an amnesty.
Edited on November 30, 2011 at 6:09amNov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
I've watched Bret Baier on "SR" for all three years that he's hosted...His interview with President Obama is still cited as evidence of his willingness to tenaciously ask the tough question - with civility - until he gets an answer...I welcomed the length of the interview, more grist for decision-making. You'd enjoy the give-and-take of the panel segment, Ms. Hemingway, I think....
Nov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
I've watched Bret Baier on "SR" for all three years that he's hosted...His interview with President Obama is still cited as evidence of his willingness to tenaciously ask the tough question - with civility - until he gets an answer...I welcomed the length of the interview, more grist for decision-making. You'd enjoy the give-and-take of the panel segment, Ms. Hemingway, I think....
Nov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
Definitive, straightforward, and so very presidential. Swoon...
I was impressed with the easy way in which he handled himself at the Conchita warehouse and satisfied with the description of Romneycare as a plan "designed for Massachussetts, not the nation." Most importantly, he reiterated the points I have been making about him for months:
"I have spent my career in the private sector."
"You have to have the credibility of understanding how the economy works."
Baier gave and got a great interview!
Nov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
*mouse problems - apologies for the double post. Btw, Mollie (if I may) Special Report's page on the FNC site has posts of previous candidates' appearances as part of a feature called "Center Seat", fyi.
Aug '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney has been a national political figure since 1994 and he has yet to convince more than 25% of Republicans that he's anything more than a careerist phony.
Nov '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
So Gingrich and Romney are both essentially pro-amnesty. Perry: unknown but being Texan he's probably friendly toward illegals.
...Here comes that sweet, sweet Hispanic vote.
Jan '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
What did I think of his answers? I wasn't impressed.
Romney always sounds to me like a salesman, who can offer the form of an answer without any substance.
Nov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
What is "phony" about a successful career?
Aug '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
ETD
What is "phony" about a successful career? · Nov 29 at 9:36pm
Which successful career? The one he built with his father's connections? Or his one miserable term as Governor?
He had a lot of unfinished business in Massachusetts, but rather than fight for re-election, he stepped down, calculating that a loss would put an end to his presidential ambitions.
Edited on November 30, 2011 at 6:41amJan '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
Peter Robinson:
Item: The other surprise: Romney handled himself poorly on immigration, granting that he had attacked Gingrich on immigration policy--and then setting forth a policy virtually identical to that of the former Speaker. Eleven million illegals should register for entry into the United States "just like everybody else." Okay. But when Bret asked if they could do so from inside the United States, Romney seemed almost startled, as if realizing for the first time that his policy amounted to--that dread word--an amnesty.
Yep! And someone within the party is just going to have to break the ice and say, "Yes, it's amnesty. And it's the only viable option unless you really want massive costs and complete round-ups which will be very ugly and set the party back 50 years. The support that I do have may even suffer for stating this but I'll debate it with anyone and at any time. And all you so-called Reaganites who want a damned wall and want to shun your foreign brothers ought to watch the conclusion of The Gipper's farewell address before going ape explicative on me."
Nov '11
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
Elena
ETD
What is "phony" about a successful career? · Nov 29 at 9:36pm
Which successful career? The one he built with his father's connections? Or his one miserable term as Governor?
George Romney was CEO of AMC and made a respectable upper middle class living, but Mitt's $250 million dollar net worth far eclipses that of his father's. That kind of serious money has to be earned and doesn't come easy in any day or age. I have great respect for Bain Capital.
Aug '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
ETD
Elena
ETD
What is "phony" about a successful career? · Nov 29 at 9:36pm
Which successful career? The one he built with his father's connections? Or his one miserable term as Governor?
George Romney was CEO of AMC and made a respectable upper middle class living, but Mitt's $250 million dollar net worth far eclipses that of his father's. That kind of serious money has to be earned and doesn't come easy in any day or age. I have great respect for Bain Capital. · Nov 29 at 9:55pm
A respectable upper-middle-class living? Oh, please.
And you left out the part about George Romney being Governor of Michigan, which certainly helped to open the door to Harvard Law and Harvard Business School - with all the white-shoe connections that entails.
Mitt Romney was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he thinks that entitles him to the office his father failed to achieve.
Nov '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
LowcountryJoe
Peter Robinson:
Item: The other surprise: Romney handled himself poorly on immigration, granting that he had attacked Gingrich on immigration policy--and then setting forth a policy virtually identical to that of the former Speaker. Eleven million illegals should register for entry into the United States "just like everybody else." Okay. But when Bret asked if they could do so from inside the United States, Romney seemed almost startled, as if realizing for the first time that his policy amounted to--that dread word--an amnesty.
Yep! And someone within the party is just going to have to break the ice and say, "Yes, it's amnesty. And it's the only viable option unless you really want massive costs and complete round-ups which will be very ugly and set the party back 50 years. The support that I do have may even suffer for stating this but I'll debate it with anyone and at any time. And all you so-called Reaganites who want a damned wall and want to shun your foreign brothers ought to watch the conclusion of The Gipper's farewell address before going ape explicative on me." ·
QFT
Aug '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
Not JMR
QFT · Nov 29 at 10:02pm
My "foreign brothers"?
Excuse me, but I came here legally. It took me ten years and many thousands of dollars and endless bureaucratic red tape to achieve citizenship, which I cherish.
Yeah, I'm happy to go ape.
Edited on November 30, 2011 at 7:09amMay '10
Re: Watch Bret Baier Grill Mitt Romney
How on earth did I watch that video and actually feel a more intense negative emotion than my prior simple "ew?" I get the sense Romney is trying to come off like Reagan but it's all emptiness and phony. Even the chuckles feel like he's covering something up. God help us.