Out on a limb here but I think Mitt might be lying.

[FATNED]

About John Lauber he says, "I had no idea that this person might have been gay."

About the encounter he says, "I don't remember that incident...I don't remember them all" and offers his half-assed, fake apology "IF I did stupid things."

So he knows John Lauber and remembers him well enough to recall if he thought he was gay or not, yet he can't say for sure whether he did or did not tackle him, hold him down and chop his hair off while he wept and cried out for help.

Shorter Mitt: Did you know he was gay? "Nope. No Idea." Did you tackle and assault him while he cried? "I can't say for sure." Strange thing to be unsure of about a guy you knew well enough to form an opinion about his sexuality.

It's clear he remembers whether or not he did it (he almost certainly did) but is constitutionally incapable of telling the truth even when it might serve him well to do so. (I bet he'd be cut some slack for a horrible mistake he made 50+ years ago and truly regrets now).

If he did something so shitty, he should cop to it and apologize for youthful mistakes. If he didn't, he should strenuously insist he did not do it.

The odds he doesn't remember if he did or didn't: 17 quadrillion to 1.

[DearAbby]

1. It's all about character

If he cant stand responsible for his actions, how can we trust him to be responsible for us?

[Tennessee Gal]

2. I think you are correct.

If his lips are moving, he is lying. The truth is not in him.

[targetpractice]

13. He is a malignant narcissist...

I know them well (unfortunately)... They giggle when accused of hurting someone, they are cruel to people (and dogs), they lie constantly to avoid shame, they disparage people (and cookies), they have zero sense of humor, they always seem desperate because they will say anything to get approval in the moment, et cetera.

The planet will be in HUGE trouble if this narcissist is elected.

[Turbineguy]

3. I don't think you're out on a limb.

He's a lying sack of shit.

[Politicalboi]

4. He IS lying

How can he not remember what he did. If that were to believed, then maybe Rmoney has committed more bullying so it's all a blur. I wish the man were alive today. I remember my FIRST period at the age of 13 on March 15th 1974. LOL! How can he not remember this.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. If he isn't lying, he is a seriously twisted individual. nt

[soccer1]

6. Maybe Romney doesn't remember because..

his conscience is so underdeveloped the cruel incident is of little importance to him, then or now. Just another "prank".

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Actually I believe he does not remember

which also speaks at to his bully character.

Let me explain.

When growing up I was on the receiving end of quite a bit of bullying. So a year ago we went to Mexico City and at Temple I met one of my tormentors. Believe it or not, she either was a very good actress, or she honestly did not remember. And she was one of the ring leaders, just like Mitt.

This year was the school reunion. I got an invitation from the organizers. I told them to kindly put that email invitation where the sun don't shine. In fact, when they did not, I blocked them. No interest whatsoever in seeing any of them... nothing personal.

But yes, there is a real good possibility that in his reality, given this woman's reaction to my reality, this never happened according to Mitt Willard Romney. And to be truthful, bullies many a times do not remember.

[Politicalboi]

10. Rmoney was too involved

And I'm sure he keeps in contact with his old friends who remind him of that day, and I wouldn't doubt they still get a good laugh about it. It wasn't like it was Rmoney against the other guy. This was a posse. And those guys remember what happened, so it's harder to not remember when others are involved. I wouldn't be surprised if Rmoney told that story to many people who think just like him for laughs. I'm damn sure that story has been told in France too. Had cell phones been around, there would be pictures or video.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Oh so was she

Let me tell you one of the things she did. I was on crutches. She took them, and had her male friends put them in the boy's bathroom.

Another one... they put upside down thumbtacks on my chair. I did not notice. You know how much a thumbtack hurts when it goes into the knee? Let me tell you.

Oh and she used to call me all kinds of names as well. Did the school do anything? Yup. I was the one who could not play well with others.

So yes, I know. Why I happen to actually believe him. It is ... selective amnesia. Now those who were not the gang leaders, they remember. Hell, one apologized out of the blue three years ago. I met him at the mall, purely accidental.

[rurallib]

8. lying must be a sacrament in his church

else I would think an elder or two would be counseling him on his bad habit.

I know little of Mormons - is lying not some sort of sin in their church?

[kestrel91316]

19. I happen to be of the opinion that lying is strongly encouraged

by the Mormon church. Within the church, people need to lie to escape the endless hounding and judgementalism and public punishment the church metes out. It becomes SOP for basically everyone. They become utter pros at putting up a false front.

[MrModerate]

9. Romney lying? How could you tell? Were his lips moving? n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

11. He was the god-damned ringleader, the lying son of

a bitch.

[pa28]

12. It's the lying.

I've been around Republicans long enough to know they won't care if Romney bullied some kid over his sexuality in high school.

In fact it will help him. Remember the curb stomping incident at a Rand Paul campaign event? His poll numbers spiked in the aftermath.

Like anyone else Republicans hate being lied to and most Republicans out there are aware their candidate will lie easily and often if he finds it convenient.

Like firing people Romney almost seems to enjoy telling a nice whopper of a lie.

[TheKentuckian]

14. Might??? This is the lyingest motherfucker maybe ever we're talking here.

[Matariki]

15. There's something wrong with him. He really is sociopathic.

All these incidents - this, the dog, the clueless stuff he says - it all points to a person severely lacking in empathy. Not unlike the Replicants in Blade Runner.

[Politicalboi]

16. Maybe Rmoney isn't fessing up because

He's not given more credit for the hair cut.

[FATNED]

18. So it's clear...

My initial subject line was a joke. Mitt lies as easily as a 5-year old pees in a pool.

And look, even if I give him the benefit of the doubt and he DIDN'T do this, I still find it unlikely he would be unsure. It's a pretty stark and specific accusation. It's not "were you a dick to a kid in gym one day." It's did you and your closest friends tackle and restrain a kid you've been picking on for awhile and as he shrieked for help, cut his distinctive haircut from his head?" If someone here would like to accuse me of the same thing, I will give you a definite denial. I'm pretty sure my answer wouldn't be, "Gee, maybe I did, maybe I didn't." That's the lie that's galling to me.

[Solomon]

20. I know he's lying because he said that back then

they never talked about whether anyone was gay or not. That was a dead giveaway. I was around then, and it almost Always came up among a group of guys if a gay male was seen. The only way he can say his statement is true is that back then, gays were'nt called gay.