And Here. We. Go.

[Townhallsavoy]

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Mitt Romney returned from a three-week spring break in 1965 to resume his studies as a high school senior at the prestigious Cranbrook School. Back on the handsome campus, studded with Tudor brick buildings and manicured fields, he spotted something he thought did not belong at a school where the boys wore ties and carried briefcases. John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it.

“He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” an incensed Romney told Matthew Friedemann, his close friend in the Stevens Hall dorm, according to Friedemann’s recollection. Mitt, the teenaged son of Michigan Gov. George Romney, kept complaining about Lauber’s look, Friedemann recalled.

A few days later, Friedemann entered Stevens Hall off the school’s collegiate quad to find Romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school posse shouting about their plan to cut Lauber’s hair. Friedemann followed them to a nearby room where they came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors.

The incident was recalled similarly by five students, who gave their accounts independently of one another. Four of them — Friedemann, now a dentist; Phillip Maxwell, a lawyer; Thomas Buford, a retired prosecutor; and David Seed, a retired principal — spoke on the record. Another former student who witnessed the incident asked not to be named. The men have differing political affiliations, although they mostly lean Democratic. Buford volunteered for Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008. Seed, a registered independent, has served as a Republican county chairman in Michigan. All of them said that politics in no way colored their recollections.

“It happened very quickly, and to this day it troubles me,” said Buford, the school’s wrestling champion, who said he joined Romney in restraining Lauber. Buford subsequently apologized to Lauber, who was “terrified,” he said. “What a senseless, stupid, idiotic thing to do.”

“It was a hack job,” recalled Maxwell, a childhood friend of Romney who was in the dorm room when the incident occurred. “It was vicious.”

“He was just easy pickins,” said Friedemann, then the student prefect, or student authority leader of Stevens Hall, expressing remorse about his failure to stop it.

The incident transpired in a flash, and Friedemann said Romney then led his cheering schoolmates back to his bay-windowed room in Stevens Hall.

Friedemann, guilt ridden, made a point of not talking about it with his friend and waited to see what form of discipline would befall Romney at the famously strict institution. Nothing happened.

Romney is now the presumed Republican presidential nominee. His campaign spokeswoman said the former Massachusetts governor has no recollection of the incident.“Anyone who knows Mitt Romney knows that he doesn’t have a mean-spirited bone in his body,” Andrea Saul said in a statement. “The stories of fifty years ago seem exaggerated and off base and Governor Romney has no memory of participating in these incidents.”

Campaign officials denied a request for an interview with Romney. They also declined to comment further about his years at Cranbrook.

After the incident, Lauber seemed to disappear. He returned days later with his shortened hair back to its natural brown. He finished the year, but ultimately left the school before graduation — thrown out for smoking a cigarette.

Sometime in the mid-1990s, David Seed noticed a familiar face at the end of a bar at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

“Hey, you’re John Lauber,” Seed recalled saying at the start of a brief conversation. Seed, also among those who witnessed the Romney-led incident, had gone on to a career as a teacher and principal. Now he had something to get off his chest.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t do more to help in the situation,” he said.

Lauber paused, then responded, “It was horrible.” He went on to explain how frightened he was during the incident, and acknowledged to Seed, “It’s something I have thought about a lot since then.”

Lauber died in 2004, according to his three sisters.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_story_1.html

Story continues at the link. 

It has everything.  Romney's rich upbringing.  His conventional wealthy white culture.  The true bigotry of those that don't support gay marriage.  The vicious attack on a soft spoken, feeble homosexual.  The non-punishment of Romney yet the gay kid is kicked out for something insignificant.  Finally, the one person to corroborate the story?  The gay kid?  Died 8 years ago. 

[AUChizad]

To me, there's a big difference between doing this in 1965 and 2012.

Hell, even I wasn't too sure about gay tolerance in 2001.

Romney can stop this type of shit right now by saying that he too endorses equal right for gays.

[GH2001]

The article itself is a pure hack job.

If only these same people worried more about a candidate that hung out and was financed by domestic terrorists and was buddy buddy with a racist "preacher".

[GH2001]

To me, there's a big difference between doing this in 1965 and 2012.

Hell, even I wasn't too sure about gay tolerance in 2001.

Romney can stop this type of shit right now by saying that he too endorses equal right for gays.

It's not a block he is going to carry anyway. So I agree, he might as well stick to his guns and keep his base, maybe pick off the moderates with some good economic policy ideas. TO be honest, that is what most people are looking for right now anyway.

[Townhallsavoy]

To me, there's a big difference between doing this in 1965 and 2012.

Hell, even I wasn't too sure about gay tolerance in 2001.

Romney can stop this type of shit right now by saying that he too endorses equal right for gays.

Everyone that got my signature for our 6th grade yearbook received this:

"Yo!  I hate the gays!  Have a good summer!" 

I'll never be president. 

[Tarheel]

I can say one thing for certain about the issue of gay marriage; it certainly removes the 'flip-flopper' ad hominem from the political table for The Pharaoh to use against Romney because The ONE was for it, then he was against it, then he wasn't sure, now he's for it again.

And I agree with GH, this article is a pure, political hack job; I'd expect nothing less from the sycophantic press especially the Washington Post.

And this issue is, quite frankly, the most idiotic and puerile waste of time in this political campaign with all of the other truly serious issues that need to be addressed.

[GH2001]

And this issue is, quite frankly, the most idiotic and puerile waste of time in this political campaign with all of the other truly serious issues that need to be addressed.

THIS part ^^^ All of it.

And I am starting to think it is by design after the "birth control" experiment they tried with Fluke.

[Townhallsavoy]

The older sister of Mitt Romney’s former high school classmate said she has no knowledge of any bullying incident involving her brother and the GOP presidential candidate.

Christine Lauber of South Bend, Ind., had not seen the Washington Post’s story that described an incident when Mitt Romney bullied her brother, but said she was aware of the story. The incident centered around Romney allegedly holding the scissors to help cut the hair of John Lauber, who was presumed to be gay and who had long hair.

Romney’s former classmate, Phillip Maxwell, now a lawyer, described witnessing the incident and said he considered the “prank” the two pulled at Michigan’s Cranbrook School to be “assault and battery.”

Maxwell said he held the boy’s arm and leg, describing himself and his friends as a “pack of dogs.”


Christine Lauber, who is a few years older than John Lauber, was at college when the alleged incident happened, and said the brother and sister were “doing our own thing” at the time.

When ABC News showed her the story, Christine Lauber’s eyes welled up with tears and she became agitated.

She also corrected the story, saying her brother was a boarder, not a day student.

She described her brother as a “very unusual person.”

“He didn’t care about running with the peer group,” Christine Lauber said. “What’s wrong with that?”

Betsy Lauber, one of John Lauber’s three sisters, spoke with ABC News Tuesday night regarding the accuracy of the story.

“The family of John Lauber is releasing a statement saying the portrayal of John is factually incorrect and we are aggrieved that he would be used to further a political agenda. There will be no more comments from the family,” she said.

Romney has since apologized for what he said were “pranks” in high school but has said he doesn’t remember the specific event.

Romney said “homosexuality was the furthest thing from his mind” when it came to the jokes he played on classmates.

“Even if it did happen, John probably wouldn’t have said anything,” Christine Lauber said.

She added she and her sisters will likely put out a statement later via a family attorney.

“If he were still alive today, he would be furious [about the story],” she said with tears in her eyes.

The Washington Post contacted and quoted both Christine and Betsy Lauber in their original story.

John Lauber died of liver cancer in 2004, according to the Washington Post.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/sister-of-alleged-romney-target-has-no-knowledge-of-any-bullying-incident/

[GH2001]

THS - do you notice what they are really trying to do here especially with the timing of the article?

Romney helps cut long hair of kid who he thinks looks like a hippie. The guy giving the story wasn't even there but nonetheless, he SAW the kid crying with tears in his eyes. The "bullied" kid turns out to be gay. Therefore....

Romney Bullied and Scalped Gay Student in Disturbing Incident.   (never mind Romney had no idea the kid was gay)

On the day after the outrage over the NC gay marriage vote. Coincidence? Right when the gay issue is fresh on everyone's minds? Hardly. This is calculated and meant to draw huge inferences.

[Townhallsavoy]

Oh absolutely. 

I don't think people will ever wake up to it though.  As evidenced by this:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/romneys-former-classmate-you-have-to-take-it-into-account/?hpt=hp_t2

It would have been really easy for a news company as rich and powerful as CNN to determine if the original story was true or not.  Instead, they're running with more bullshit against Romney. 

[GH2001]

Oh absolutely. 

I don't think people will ever wake up to it though.  As evidenced by this:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/11/romneys-former-classmate-you-have-to-take-it-into-account/?hpt=hp_t2

It would have been really easy for a news company as rich and powerful as CNN to determine if the original story was true or not.  Instead, they're running with more bullshit against Romney.

Might not agree with you on everything, but I will give you your due for critical thinking. It is lacking in today's world. People take everything for granted and at face value. And the people pulling the strings know this. I'm glad people see what the Post has done here. They used to be such a good paper, but have now went the way of the gutter like the NY Times.

[AUChizad]

Might not agree with you on everything, but I will give you your due for critical thinking. It is lacking in today's world. People take everything for granted and at face value. And the people pulling the strings know this. I'm glad people see what the Post has done here. They used to be such a good paper, but have now went the way of the gutter like the NY Times.

Sadly, I think you're right. To anyone with any critical thinking ability whatsoever, that article first and foremost, was obviously a hit piece, pure and simple. The political purpose of it, obvious and transparent. Now that it turns out to be completely fan fiction? Sad, indeed.

[GH2001]

Sadly, I think you're right. To anyone with any critical thinking ability whatsoever, that article first and foremost, was obviously a hit piece, pure and simple. The political purpose of it, obvious and transparent. Now that it turns out to be completely fan fiction? Sad, indeed.

Even if people don't agree, do it on an intelligent level. At least with critical thinking and dissecting every angle, you get to the bottom of something - the truth. Even if you are wrong, at least you know what is right and isn't that what we should all want? I know we're all guilty of thinking with empathy sometimes (Liberals do this moreso than Conservatives) because we're human and have emotion, but there comes a time when we need to turn the heart off and turn the brain on, and use logic.

[Vandy Vol]

Even if people don't agree, do it on an intelligent level. At least with critical thinking and dissecting every angle, you get to the bottom of something - the truth. Even if you are wrong, at least you know what is right and isn't that what we should all want? I know we're all guilty of thinking with empathy sometimes (Liberals do this moreso than Conservatives) because we're human and have emotion, but there comes a time when we need to turn the heart off and turn the brain on, and use logic.

The main problem that I have is that many people have a preconceived notion that they will just not let go.  Whether the existence of that notion be due to their upbringing or due to a lack of knowledge and refusal to learn, many people will be adamantly opposed to X person or decisively opinionated on Y topic even though they know nothing about it.

When a story like this comes along, such people automatically take it as truth because they hate Romney/Republicans/conservatives.  And it doesn't take an empathetic liberal to staunchly defend an inane preconceived notion; both sides are equally deplorable when they act in that manner, and both sides do act in that manner.

[GH2001]

The main problem that I have is that many people have a preconceived notion that they will just not let go.  Whether the existence of that notion be due to their upbringing or due to a lack of knowledge and refusal to learn, many people will be adamantly opposed to X person or decisively opinionated on Y topic even though they know nothing about it.

When a story like this comes along, such people automatically take it as truth because they hate Romney/Republicans/conservatives.  And it doesn't take an empathetic liberal to staunchly defend an inane preconceived notion; both sides are equally deplorable when they act in that manner, and both sides do act in that manner.

Agree. They basically want to hear info that supports their already preconceived notions.

I can find you an article that says too much water is bad for you. And find 10 more that say it's good for you. Depending on which one of those you already believe may dictate which one you will try to go find. Same thing here.

[bird35]

Sounds to me like Mitt led his first group of men into battle and came out the victor.   Next he will "shave" the National Debt

[Snaggletiger]

Sounds to me like Mitt led his first group of men into battle and came out the victor.   Next he will "shave" the National Debt

   Thanks, I'll be here all week.

[dallaswareagle]

I can say one thing for certain about the issue of gay marriage; it certainly removes the 'flip-flopper' ad hominem from the political table for The Pharaoh to use against Romney because The ONE was for it, then he was against it, then he wasn't sure, now he's for it again.

And I agree with GH, this article is a pure, political hack job; I'd expect nothing less from the sycophantic press especially the Washington Post.

And this issue is, quite frankly, the most idiotic and puerile waste of time in this political campaign with all of the other truly serious issues that need to be addressed.

I think Romney could have made a lot of hay had he come out and said “look this shit may haven taken place almost 45 years ago what do you want me to do”) Instead he apologizes for shit that never happened. Fucking Pussy.

[Tarheel]

I think Romney could have made a lot of hay had he come out and said “look this shit may haven taken place almost 45 years ago what do you want me to do”) Instead he apologizes for shit that never happened. Fucking Pussy.

Romney should have turned it around on the MSM and asked, rhetorically obviously, where was this kind of vetting for The Pharaoh?  What do we know about his High School years or his college years?  I'd ask how many people actually read his book then quote directly from it where he admits to bullying a young woman, smoking pot, and using heroin (or was it cocaine?).  How many of the MSM have actually read The ONE's book?  Anyway, Romney could have handled this accusation much better.

[Tarheel]

Even if people don't agree, do it on an intelligent level. At least with critical thinking and dissecting every angle, you get to the bottom of something - the truth. Even if you are wrong, at least you know what is right and isn't that what we should all want? I know we're all guilty of thinking with empathy sometimes (Liberals do this moreso than Conservatives) because we're human and have emotion, but there comes a time when we need to turn the heart off and turn the brain on, and use logic.

This is the core of exactly what I mean in saying 'clarity over agreement'.  'Critical thinking', a liberal art that is sadly forgotten today in favor of raw emotionalism.