Natural History

Posted in Absolute Piffle, Politics | 12 Comments

12 Responses

1. on January 12, 2012 at 10:41 am massugu

   That in itself would be enough to me off about somebody–not much empathy there.

   
   
2. on January 12, 2012 at 11:13 am M.R.S.

   Are you certain he didn’t say “airline kennel”? That’s a common term for the Vari-kennel crate used by airlines for shipping.

   Not that I approve in any way of tying a dog’s crate on top of a vehicle!!

   
   
   • on January 12, 2012 at 11:25 am retrieverman

     I think he meant airline, but he clearly says “airtight.”

     I don’t think this story is true– at all.

     I think he’s literally making it up.

     
     
   • on January 12, 2012 at 11:28 am retrieverman

     No. He says “completely airtight kennel.”

     
     
3. on January 12, 2012 at 11:48 am Peggy Richter

   Massachusetts is a bit inconsistent. While a crate on the top of a car is probably less secure (depends on how well you can secure it compared to putting it in a pickup), I really don’t see how it is worse than a dog in a crate in the back of an open pickup, or animals in a livestock trailer that has windows down. The articles at the time indicate Romney had even built a windshield for the crate so the dog wasn’t subjected to winds he couldn’t avoid. I’ve seen lots of folk transporting their dogs in open pickups using cross ties and no crate at all. I’d think Romney’s dog had it better than they. And clearly he meant something different than “no air gets in” with his airtight — he probably should have said secure and with a windshield to block the wind — which is what the articles about it at the time indicate were the facts.
   Seriously, I’d really like to know how a crate (adequately secured) on top of a vehicle is worse than the same crate in the back of an open pickup from the dog’s standpoint. Or again, how a horse (see lots sticking their heads out) in a stock trailer with the windows open is more humanely managed.
   Crates on top of cars are certainly unconventional. In some places they are illegal (probably more for the likelihood they will fall off the car because of being inadequately secured) — but seriously, how are they really worse than other locations that are legal? (dog trailers, livestock trailers, crate or cross tie in back of pickup)?

   
   
4. on January 12, 2012 at 4:54 pm Kate Williams

   He is without feeling; He utterly lacks spontaneity. He is probably a psychopath. At least he fits enough of the criteria in the current DSM to earn the dx. He is a robot, a zombie. He is more carefully groomed in his behaviors and responses, by far, than any actor, but he is a worse actor than any of the old Saturday afternoon fare on tv. He is utterly lacking in charisma. He is a vacuous-faced dullard. He is a puppet to his own grand plan.

   His ego is so massive, he thinks he can bring his style of corporate destruction to the white house. He wants to rule the free world and thinks he can do it. He thinks he deserves to be president. He is a piece of cardboard with a picture stamped on the front, who thinks he is a king.

   Barring a miracle, this is a dukakis kind of year for the republicans, but Mitt should be smacked down, He is such an utter black hole, empty void, huge suck on the universe, it will take crooked voting machines and stiff voter registration rules and overwhelming advertising to keep him from losing.

   
   
5. on January 14, 2012 at 8:41 am wolfdogged

   Romney took his family from Boston to Ontario, Canada, a 12 hour trip. He strapped the poor dog to the top of the car in a kennel for the entire time. And apparently did not walk the dog once. And when the dog suffered from diarrhea, Romney stopped off at a car wash and hosed the dog kennel and car off and went on his way. What kind of a dog owner would do this to a dog?

   “I think anyone who puts his dog in a cage on top of a car for a 12-hour drive and then deludes himself or tries to delude others that the dog really enjoyed it — to me, with all due respect, I feel such a man shouldn’t be president of the United States.” ~ Political writer Lanny Davis on The Hill
   http://www.dogsagainstromney.com/2012/01/political-writer-lanny-davis-romney.html#comment-form

   As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon, keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble. ”Dad!” he yelled. ”Gross!” A brown liquid was dripping down the back window, payback from an Irish setter who’d been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.

   As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway. It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.

   http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part4_main/?page=1

   
   
   • on January 14, 2012 at 10:12 am retrieverman

     Wouldn’t someone have caught him strapping a dog to the roof?

     Wouldn’t the Canadians have stopped him at the border?

     I just wonder if he thought that this was just a good story to tell, and he’s been caught up in it.

     He’s not known as the fountain of truth.

     
     
   • on January 14, 2012 at 10:15 am retrieverman

     The best thing about Seamus is he wound up living with Romney’s sister in California.

     
     
6. on January 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm massugu

   The more I hear about this episode the madder it makes me. If even half of it is accurate, I’d like to punch him in the snoot.

   I’m sick and tired of the lack of empathy among our nation’s leaders. We’re supposed to be an empathetic nation, where is this trait in our leadership? How can we expect someone like Romney or Cheney to understand where the people of another country are coming from, or how a GI or his/her survivors are feeling. I realize that folks w/ this kind of personality tend to rise to the top of their organizations (almost always by standing on the bodies of those they’ve messed over), but as the old adage goes: “Shit floats!” (End of flame, I promise.)

   
   
   • on January 14, 2012 at 1:00 pm Kate Williams

     That lack of empathy is his major personality trait. He is indifferent to the sufferings of others, man or beast.

     
     
7. on July 31, 2012 at 12:26 pm martin montgomery

   im from arkansas i am concerded a white male 47 yrs old i get so tired of hearing n this and that sorry n we have for potus…if for no other reason at all i will vote for the potus obama because i dont hate,and will make my vote just to cancel my neighbors vote…. you know the one with the rebel flag in there window.

   
   

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