Did Romney jump the shark yet?

[andym]

Because with this latest reversal on the 47% after he doubled down on the comment just last week, and then with the torrent of lies in the debate, he appears that he is trying to prove that he believes that honesty is of no value in politics and that in the post-modern America he can get away with saying anything.

I mean Reagan, the man who he is trying to emulate (he was copying his intonations last night), misspoke frequently, but Reagan seemed to believe the nonsense he spouted, like trees were a major source of pollution etc. It's clear that Romney knows he is lying and fully expects to get away with it.

[babylonsister]

1. He MUST believe honesty is of no value; it's going to nail him in the end. And

Reagan thought trees were a major source of pollution? I never knew that.

[andym]

5. It was one of Reagan's famous lines

I think the line was: "Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do."

It was either based on misunderstanding the real fact that at night in the absence of photosynthesis plants can emit carbon dioxide by respiration. CO2 is a major greenhouse gas.

OR,
from
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Trees_cause_pollution

"Reagan was disingenuously referencing the photochemical reaction that causes ground level ozone pollution (GLOP), also known as photochemical smog. Smog is created when automobile and power plant emissions are broken down into ozone and other chemicals by strong sunlight. These reactions are amplified by the presence of various volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. During hot weather many tree species release volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere, notably terpenes and isoprenes (pine pitch is a terpene). Other VOCs that contribute to GLOP include gasoline, kerosene, paint, paint thinner and other industrial solvents.

Reagan's statement was disingenuous because volatile organic compounds produced by trees do not cause pollution any more than the sun causes pollution. Reagan might as well have said, "the sun causes more pollution than automobiles do". Photochemical ozone pollution is created when automobile and power plant pollution is broken down by strong sunlight in the presence of any number of volatile organic compounds."

[Lasher]

2. The biggest difference is, the press liked Reagan

"President Reagan doesn't always check the facts before he makes statements, and the press accepts this as kind of amusing." --former president Jimmy Carter, March 6, 1984

http://thereaganyears.tripod.com/reaganquotes.htm

They don't like Romney.

[JI7]

3. there is a chance that the Big Bird thing will turn into something more signifant

but it will only be a bit later where people will realize the effect.

[begin_within]

4. Romney is the shark.

[pinboy3niner]

6. Not yet. He's going to jump the shark retroactively.

[treestar]

7. Long ago

A major reason I really want him to lose is I would like to see this culture return to substance over form and start getting more honest and real and less showy. I have hope for that. Reagan started it.