Was Mitt Romney hoping to be booed during NAACP speech?
Mitt Romney expected and, his critics say, even wanted to be booed at the NAACP convention, as a signal to voters that he's willing to face an audience not likely to agree with him 鈥� and not pander.
Mitt Romney expected and, his critics say, even wanted to be booed at the NAACP convention, as a signal to voters that he's willing to face an audience not likely to agree with him 鈥� and not pander.
Was Mitt Romney hoping to get booed when he spoke Wednesday at the NAACP鈥檚 annual convention in Houston?
That鈥檚 what some liberals are charging. They say that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee agreed to appear before an African-American audience precisely because he knew he鈥檇 get a negative reaction.
He鈥檚 not likely to receive many black votes in any case, and boos would allow him to look principled in the face of opposition and bolster his image with independents and conservatives. Or so the theory goes.
鈥淚 think it was a calculated move on his part,鈥� said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
Mr. Romney鈥檚 often been accused of flip-flopping on issues according to the political demands of the moment. By standing up to the NAACP, he might be able to soften this image and perhaps round out his character a bit, according to some Democrats.
鈥淚t seemed like Mitt Romney wanted to get booed at the NAACP this morning,鈥� said MSNBC talk show host Rachel Maddow on Wednesday. 鈥淗e wanted to wear that around his neck like a badge of courage.鈥�
Romney himself has added some fuel to this fire by saying he 鈥渆xpected鈥� the jeers, which occurred at a point in his speech when he promised to repeal Obamacare. At a fundraiser in Montana on Wednesday night, the former Massachusetts governor referred to the speech as evidence of his political consistency.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 give different speeches to difference audiences ... I want people to know what I stand for, and if I don鈥檛 stand for what they want, go vote for someone else, that鈥檚 just fine,鈥� said Romney, according to an account of the evening in Politico.
Conservatives, meanwhile, have roundly praised the speech and said that indeed it could bolster Romney among the GOP鈥檚 right wing and perhaps independent voters.
They lauded Romney for the very things which liberals derided: He didn鈥檛 tailor his words to the audience.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no question Mitt Romney is a brave guy for going to the NAACP convention,鈥� said Fox News talk show host Bill O鈥橰eilly. 鈥淗e knew he would not be received well there. But he also knows that if he wins the election he will be president to all Americans so his appearance is a positive in that regard.鈥�
Mr. O鈥橰eilly and others said that the appearance underscored Romney鈥檚 willingness to reach across the aisle 鈥� a nod to inclusiveness that could appeal to white independent voters, particularly women.
They noted that Romney also got some positive reaction from the crowd, particularly when he talked about his support for school choice initiatives and his opposition to gay marriage.
鈥淰ery calculated, very well played,鈥� concluded Jennifer Rubin on her conservative Right Turn Washington Post blog.