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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBuzzfeed: Romney campaign spent $5000 at Walmart to stage their charity event
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/the-making-of-romneys-storm-relief-eventThe Making Of Romney's Storm Relief Event
A scramble to depoliticize a political campaign, and $5,000 in supplies from Wal-Mart. Just grab something.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Dayton, aides were working feverishly to de-politicize the planned event. Campaign signs were removed from the premises, long rows of folding tables were set up, and logistics were painstakingly arranged to accomodate physical donations.
"It took the production company and event staff on site some time to ensure that it was converted into a space which was suitable for the needs of a relief effort," said one staffer who was there.
The plan was for supporters to bring hurricane relief supplies to the event, and then deliver the bags of canned goods, packages of diapers, and cases of water bottles to the candidate, who would be perched behind a table along with a slew of volunteers and his Ohio right-hand man, Senator Rob Portman. To complete the project and photo-op, Romney would lead his crew in carrying the goods out of the gymnasium and into the Penske rental truck parked outside.
But the last-minute nature of the call for donations left some in the campaign concerned that they would end up with an empty truck. So the night before the event, campaign aides went to a local Wal Mart and spent $5,000 on granola bars, canned food, and diapers to put on display while they waited for donations to come in, according to one staffer. (The campaign confirmed that it "did donate supplies to the relief effort," but would not specify how much it spent.)
more at link
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)powergirl
(2,393 posts)Fake charities, fake donations, fake tans . . .
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)skeewee08
(1,983 posts)Enrique
(27,461 posts)Mitt is doomed next Tuesday.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)he was winning Ohio
liberal N proud
(60,347 posts)They are terrible at faking compassion.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)no position to stand on. Even if he had a campaign event -- it's not like he can announce some new program to help disaster relief when you:
1. Don't believe in climate change science
2. You want to get rid of national control of response (which would eliminate response coordination in the event of a bio-terrorism or nuclear event, which no is mentioning)
3. You don't care about the poor among those who are suffering in this disaster. Tell them to get a better job and hire a contractor.
mucifer
(23,576 posts)sandyshoes17
(657 posts)All my right wing relatives missed it. I do wish I could see PBO with Christie though.
livetohike
(22,165 posts)you have made to the Red Cross over the years. My bet is on ZERO.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)what you are doing is political suicide in the Buckeye State us You People don't take kindly to assholes staging a Photo Op for political gain I would love it if Ted Strickland decided to challenge you for your seat He would beat you by a landslide
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Laurian
(2,593 posts)the objective was political, not humanitarian.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)proper recommended path....BUT something like this needs to evolve organically. Him loading a truck, seriously?
Those reporters being there and asking questions was perfect.
dragonlady
(3,577 posts)The stuff could be bought with campaign money (donations) but I doubt the campaign could have justified a cash contribution to charity. Mitt would have had to write a check from his own funds.
Laurian
(2,593 posts)any attention to recent disasters would know that cash, not goods are needed. These folks do not have a clue about how to handle a disaster of this kind. If they disband FEMA, we will be at the mercy of these out of touch goofs.
MrYikes
(720 posts)onethatcares
(16,192 posts)they think that working for him will prevent them from having to shop there.
fuggin idjits.
Indpndnt
(2,391 posts)spanone
(135,898 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,654 posts)They need to leave it there and truck it to a homeless shelter.
My BIL is from Dayton (and his mother, sister, and a brother still live there). Rethug economic policies have devastated the area and Obama's auto bailout is bringing it back. Rmoney needs to pack up his shitty faux operation and get the hell out of the state.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)reformist2
(9,841 posts)onethatcares
(16,192 posts)it would be the first thing I thought about waking up on a shelter cot.