Fourth Person Confirms On The Record That Romney Nixed Muslims In Cabinet
I have now spoken to a fourth person who has claimed on the record that Mitt Romney did in fact nix the idea of having Muslims in his cabinet, despite his claim that he never said this.
Jarret Keene, a freelance reporter for a libertarian mag called Liberty Watch Magazine, tells me that he was at a private fundraising luncheon three months ago where he heard Romney say this.
"He was asked if he would appoint a Muslim to his cabinet," Keene told me. "And he said, `Not likely.' He said flatly that it was highly unlikely that it was ever going to happen."
This runs directly contradictory to Romney's defense of himself on the issue.
A few days ago, Romney denied saying this when confronted with a report in Christian Science Monitor saying at a separate event that he'd nixed Muslims in his cabinet. Romney claimed that he'd never said that he opposed the idea of having any Muslim in his cabinet, and that he'd rather said that he didn't think he needed one to effectively combat terror.
There are two events at which Romney is now alleged to have nixed Muslims in his cabinet. There is the one that was written about by Ijaz in the Monitor. And as we reported recently, there was another, earlier event, three months ago, where he said the same thing, according to two Nevada Republicans, Irma Aguirre and George Harris, who publishes Liberty Watch.
Keene tells me he was at this earlier event. And he says that Aguirre and Harris' account is right. As for Romney's current description of what he said, Keene says that it's false.
"Romney did not nuance it as he is doing now," Keene says. "Romney didn't articulate the things that he is now articulating."
This brings the number of people to four who are claiming, on the record, that they heard Romney say no dice to Muslims in his cabinet at two separate events: Ijaz, Aguirre, Harris, and now, Keene.
Some might point to the fact that Harris publishes the mag Keene works for, and ask whether the possibility that he might be backing up his boss should diminish his credibility. But there's actually proof that Keene was saying months ago -- before this became controversial -- that this is how it happened.
Keene's description of what happened formed the reporting of a story that he didn't write that appeared in Liberty Watch back in September -- a story that described the event in precisely the same terms he's now using. So he told the story this way months ago, and continues to tell it this way today.
At this point, the evidence is really piling up to challenge Romney's description of what happened -- and to bolster the claim that he did, in fact, privately nix the idea of having Muslims in his cabinet.
Comments (16)
abiodun wrote on November 29, 2007 3:50 PM:The republican base will probably reward him for his hatred for the "jihadism" terrorists.
BS Detector wrote on November 29, 2007 3:57 PM:He already has a bunch of Xtian Jihadi's lined up!
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Does it count if you are only a 'rumored' Muslim? See WaPo front page for details.
goodgirlroxie wrote on November 29, 2007 4:21 PM:The more Romney has to respond to media inquiries into his attitudes toward immigration and this little trouble spot around muslim americans in his cabinet, the worse he looks. During the "debate," his first reference to persons not born on U.S. soil to U.S. parents was to people with a "funny accent." I have little doubt that immediately after saying that, he realized he shouldn't have, because his next reference was a little more pc. This happened when he was reacting emotionally to Giuliani and so had his guard down. This is who he really is, folks. He's a guy who flip-flops 180 degrees on basic, important issues, depending on who he's trying to impress at the moment, whose pack of young sons are choosing to NOT serve in the military at all, despite their father's professed support for our being in Iraq as well as his public statement that he places our "right to be kept alive" above our civil rights, and who is prejudiced against many demographic groups despite his roots as a member of a persecuted religious group. What a ridiculous phony!
Michael wrote on November 29, 2007 4:26 PM:Like abiodon said, this may seal the deal for him in the republican primary. Now in the general, that's another story.
mo2 wrote on November 29, 2007 4:34 PM:Romney isn't courting votes from people who would be offended by his saying that. Anyone who would be offended wasn't going to vote for him anyway.
sfalex wrote on November 29, 2007 4:34 PM:there's a bit of dissonance going on about all this. all this (appropriate) outrage from R's about Romney nixing Muslims for a Cabinet post while a big old hullabaloo about the blatantly false accusation that Obama is a closet Muslim. makes my head hurt
JTL wrote on November 29, 2007 4:49 PM:I'm no Romney supporter, but isn't there a subtle difference between "nixing" muslim participation in your cabinet and saying that such participation is "highly unlikely"?
I do realize that that this isn't the nuance Mitt is claiming but it does mean that your headline isn't strictly accurate.
greg wrote on November 29, 2007 7:30 PM:This seems a bit of a phony issue to me, other than as further confirmation that he'll say anything to please whoever he's talking to at the time, which everybody already knows. That's how you make a gazillion dollars.
But in the first place, there are no Muslim-Americans in any position to be considered for a cabinet post, other than perhaps Keith Ellison, who Romney sure as hell ain't gonna pick. And second, ruling out Muslims for the cabinet is not going to hurt him in the GOP primaries and probably not even in the general. It helps him.
RobbyLove wrote on November 29, 2007 9:21 PM:I'm pretty sure that Josh keeps pushing this story because he's been calling Romney a phoney from the beginning. Josh really doesn't like Romney and his crusade on this issue showcases that pretty well. Others in the blog community aren't quite so taken with Romney's blithering explanations. Based on the headlines he's posted, Josh seems to think it's the next US Attorney scandal.
Genghis wrote on November 29, 2007 10:06 PM:RobbyLove, I agree that Josh seriously dislikes Romney, but I don't think that's the primary motivation for the headlines. TPM pushes stories most aggressively when they're not being picked up by the mainstream press. I think that the intention is to get these stories noticed, which is laudable. That was the case, in the early days, with the US attorney scandal. Sometimes it flies, sometimes it doesn't.
votenic wrote on November 29, 2007 11:42 PM:2008 Presidential Candidate Weekly Poll
The Only Poll That Matters.
Results Posted Weekly Tuesday Night at Midnight.
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I bet a lot more than four people have watched "Casablanca" and still believe that Bogart said, "Play it again, Sam." Hearsay is hearsay -- proof is proof.
goodgirlroxie wrote: "During the debate*, his [Romney's] first reference to persons not born on U.S. soil to U.S. parents was to people with a "funny accent."
-- Could you possibly have taken that MORE out of context? Mitt was responding to Giuliani's accusation that Mitt had hired illegals to do landscape work. Mitt's point was that he hired the company, not the individuals, and that he should NOT be expected to engage in racial profiling of the individual workers.
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* = quotation marks removed since this was one of the few moments when two candidates (ugly as it may have been) actually debated each other.
I fear for America when we have so many clueless citizens.
During the debate I heard Romney say the following, here’s the EXACT dialogue from the debate.
Romney, McCain Spar on Waterboarding and Torture at GOP Debate
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/11/29/romney_mccain_spar_on_waterboarding_and
McCain did not listen to what Romney had to say and chose to spin. I agree with Romney, as do many others.
We are at war … we have enemies … following me? … and we, unfortunately and currently, live in a “politically correct” world, the two do not mix. Thank God! for those Americans who helped win WWII and the common sense, patriotism, and absence of political correctness they had.
Are these the unfortunate after effects of his POW experience, that he is ready to combat without even listening?
Either it’s McCain’s age and need for hearing aids, or he is choosing to mislead the public
Common sense dictates that you do NOT tell the enemy your game plan, just as you do not divulge secret governmental information to the press, get caught in the minutia of pandering, etc. Romney told McCain (twice) that he would seek input and wisdom regarding this area, from varied and APPROPRIATE sources, INCLUDING McCain. Romney’s main concept of this subject was founded upon advice given by our own CIA and others trained in this field. Ummmm — that sounds like a good and reasonable process.
That is a sound leader who does not work in a vacuum, and is not dictated by stupidity.
I am a “Mormon” (a member of The Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and I believe in Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. Yet, there are people who say that because I do not believe as their demonination believes, hence – so many religions, so many denominations, than I cannot be a Christian, that I belong to a cult. Do you know how rude, arrogant and offensive this is?
Who decides if I am a Christian or not?
Do you decide if I am a Christian? Is that your role?
What is a Christian?
I have read and heard so many lies about my church that it is appauling that these people can say they follow the Savior.
The Savior I know encourages unity.
Jesus prayed, as quoted in John 17:
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Mormons=Christians?
"The Book of Mormon," Alma 34:
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
• • •
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ,;
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
"The Book of Mormon," Ether 12:
41 And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.
IT IS FAR BETTER TO FIND REASONS TO UNITE, RATHER THAN TO FIND REASONS TO DIVIDE
