George Stephanopoulos Wonders Just How 'Damaging' Romney's 'Bad Bet' Is
All three morning shows on Monday hyped Mitt Romney's $10,000 wager from Saturday's Republican debate. "Good Morning America's" George Stephanopoulos wondered just how "damaging" Romney's "bad bet" would be.
Stephanopoulos, who previously gloated over whether his interview would "spell the end" of Herman Cain, offered a similar take, Monday. He teased, "How damaging was Mitt Romney's $10,000 bet at our ABC News debate. He's shrugging off all the critics calling him out of touch. But, will this memorable moment shake up the race one more time?"
Reporter Jake Tapper used the incident to offer a shot at Rick Perry, joking, "And 12 hours after the wager, Rick Perry finally thought of a comeback" to Romney.
The attempted bet was over the ex-Massachusetts governor's book and Perry's mangled characterization of a passage. Tapper explained that Twitter "exploded with snark" as a result.
He added, "After all, $10,000 is more than two months income for the average Iowa family."
On Sunday's GMA, John Berman asserted, "But that $10,000 bet from a multimillionaire? Twitter nearly exploded. Thousands of tweets. It's three months' pay for the average American."
On Monday's "Today," Matt Lauer dubbed Romney "the gambler" and wondered, "Does it show he's out of touch with the average American?"
The NBC anchor piled on, "His detractors say it proves the millionaire businessman can't relate to average Americans."
CBS's "Early Show" provided some balance. Co-host Erica Hill did exclaim that the bet was "really backfiring big-time" and correspondent Jan Crawford also insisted, it was "the biggest faux pas of the debate."
However, she then put it in perspective: "I don't think it's going to make much difference at all. I mean, they know Romney is a rich guy. They know he made a lot of money before he went into public service. This is going to come as no surprise to him."
A transcript of the December 12 GMA segment, which aired at 7:05am EST, follows:
7am tease
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: This morning, bad bet.
MITT ROMNEY: Ten thousand bucks?
STEPHANOPOULOS: How damaging was Mitt Romney's $10,000 bet at our ABC News debate? He's shrugging off all the critics calling him out of touch. But, will this memorable moment shake up the race one more time?
7:05
STEPHANOPOULOS: We're going to turn now to politics. Your voice, your vote. Coming out of our ABC debate in Iowa a new poll shows that Newt Gingrich has built up big leads, not only in Iowa, but also the key early states of Florida and South Carolina and the front-runner is the only candidate not talking about what could be the most memorable moment of the debate, Mitt Romney's $10,000 bet. ABC's Jake Tapper is in Des Moines with more on the fallout for Romney. Good morning, Jake.
JAKE TAPPER: Good morning, George. Well, Democrats, Republicans and even some Romney supporters say that that joking $10,000 bet was a roll of the dice that came up snake eyes.
ROMNEY: 10,000 bucks? $10,000 bet?
TAPPER: The notion that his attempt to wager $10,000 with Rick Perry was not the best idea he ever had was first shared with Mitt Romney by his wife.
ROMNEY: Actually, after the debate was over, Ann came up and gave me a kiss and said I was great, and she said, a lot of things you do well, betting isn't one of them.
TAPPER: And 12 hours after the wager, Rick Perry finally thought of a comeback.
RICK PERRY: I'm pretty sure I didn't drive by a house that anyone in Iowa would even think about [sic] that a $10,000 bet was possible. So a little out of touch with the normal iowa citizen.
TAPPER: The wager heard round the world began with Perry misquoting Romney on health care.
PERRY: But, I read your first book and it said in there that your mandate in Massachusetts, which should be the model for the country.
ROMNEY: You know what? You've raised that before, Rick, and you're still wrong. I'll tell you what, 10,000 bucks? $10,000 bet?
TAPPER: Twitter exploded with snark. "Only thing worse for Romney there would have been if he pulled a $10,000 bill from his pocket," read one tweet. After all, $10,000 is more than two months income for the average Iowa family.
WOMAN: It just rubbed me the wrong way. Was a little bit out of touch.
TAPPER: Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich is all in. Doubling down on his comments calling the Palestinians an invented people.
NEWT GINGRICH: It's fundamentally time for somebody to have the guts to stand up and say, enough lying about the Middle East.
ROMNEY: We're going tell the truth, but we're not going to throw incendiary words into a place that is a boiling pot.
TAPPER: Gingrich's comments have now been condemned by an official from the Arab League and conservatives have called it needlessly provocative.
PAUL GIGOT: It was a needlessly provocative way to put it. He forgets that we're in a delicate diplomacy with the Israel [sic] and the Palestinians and this is a way to provoke them and suggest they have no right to any kind of state.
TAPPER: These debates have been very consequential for the race, George. And Saturday night's was the most watched of the campaign season. The next debate is today. Gingrich will debate Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire and then all the candidates will reunite once again Thursday night.
STEPHANOPOULOS: As I said in the intro, all the candidates except Newt Gingrich pounced on this bet yesterday. You get a sense that this is going to live on the trail today?
TAPPER: Well, it would be malpractice for Romney's opponents not to keep hammering on this. [Audio skip] -He doesn't understand the problems of average voters and that would be a big issue for Mitt Romney.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Meanwhile, we saw the Democrats putting out their first ad about Newt Gingrich and President Obama was asked last night on 60 Minutes what he thought about the rise of Gingrich. Let's take a look.
BARACK OBAMA: He is good on TV, is good in debates. And, you know- but, Mitt Romney has shown himself to be somebody two is good at politics as well. He's had a lot of practice at it. You know, I think they will be going at it for quite a while.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Jake, I was talking to Obama adviser David Axelrod. He thinks that that long fight will hurt Republicans.
TAPPER: It can go either way. It can make a candidate stronger. It can also bring out their vulnerabilities with Republicans attacking them. I think that's really a wash at this point. The bigger issue is Democrats still think Mitt Romney would be the stronger candidate against President Obama. Their first video after the debate, the Democrats, was attacking Newt Gingrich, but it was attacking him for being a strong conservative, helping him in the primaries, George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And painting him as extreme, in their view.
<<Like this post? Help us take on media bias by giving a year-end tax-deductible donation to NewsBusters (there's also a PayPal option on that page). For a gift of $35 or more, we'll send you two bumper stickers and buttons with our "Don't Believe the Liberal Media" message. For a gift of $100 or more, we'll send you a "Stomp out the Liberal Media" floor mat. They make great Christmas gifts!>>
- Scott Whitlock's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
"Only thing worse for Romney
Submitted by NC Cop on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 2:35pm.
"Only thing worse for Romney there would have been if he pulled a $10,000 bill from his pocket," read one tweet.
Maybe he could get one from out multi-millionare president? Amazing how they don't seem to mind how rich someone is when they have a (D) in front of their name.
Exactly!
Submitted by pockets64 on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 2:52pm.
Nothing more needs to be said. And now it's been said.
Georgie-boy
Submitted by Jersey Girl on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:14pm.
So, was it worse than your president insisting he did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky. Not one time, and now I have to go back to work for the American people.
Or how about, it all depends on the meaning of 'alone' or 'is'.
And Steph was on Clinton's
Submitted by celator on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 5:19pm.
And Steph was on Clinton's bimbo eruption team, conniving and trying his best to cover up his boss's many, many indiscretions. What a waste of airtime he is. A hypocrite of the highest magnitude.Perfect for ABC, of course.
Obama Was Not A Successful Man His Retirement $60,000
Submitted by Avitar on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 2:06am.
Reading Obama's finantial disclosure form was horrifying when he came into office. He had gone through over two million dollars income in the two years before he was elected but only had sixty thousand dollars left.
We have all met big time wheeler dealers who bet a thousand dollars a hole on their golf games. My father had a gentleman he did business with who made $2 million a year in the late sixties. His grandsons are a couple of the rich wheelers and dealers now doing business out of Geneva Switzerland. (They left after College twenty years ago during George H. W. Bush.) They are the kind of people we want to get back to the United States because they could build factories and create jobs by the thousands if they felt comfortable returning money to the United States.
They really think there's a story there?
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:10pm.
On Monday's "Today," Matt Lauer dubbed Romney "the gambler" and wondered, "Does it show he's out of touch with the average American?"
Why? He wasn't betting an average American. He was betting Gov. Perry.
If he bet a dinner, they'd be saying that he must not be too sure of his case or he'd be something substantial.
TAPPER: "Twitter exploded with snark. "Only thing worse for Romney there would have been if he pulled a $10,000 bill from his pocket," read one tweet. After all, 10,000 is more than two months income for the average Iowa family."
And the highest denomination of Federal Reserve Note is $100. Therefore, had he pulled out a $10,000 bill," he'd look like an counterfeiter and an idiot.
Andrew Breitbart posted a $100,000 reward for anyone who could produce a genuine recording of a voice utter the word "nigger" at the Capitol the day the health care bill was passed. I don't recall anyone declaring the he was out of touch with average Americans. I also don't recall anyone claiming the reward.
No, no story.
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:28pm.
"Wondering if..." is the the new "Some say....."
Wow. Romney's rich?
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:25pm.
Who knew???
Maybe to compensate, he should send his wife out shopping at Target, then alert the press.
Like the White House did when . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:33pm.
. . . the First Lady went to Target.
This is a story to the media who$$s only.
Submitted by Tomorama on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:47pm.
That was just a coincidence according to these same jowhorenalists who think this is a story.
Maybe report on the GREAT REPUBLICAN idea of the pipeline bill being added to the payroll tax bill?
Nah, they were too busy burying the pipeline plan in the first place.
STUDIED for 3 years already, agreement to switch the path, jobs being added and energy independence all in ONE.
Nah, let's report on the Cain women instead, WHAT happened to them by the way?
The idiot Republicans agreed to too many debates just like we all said.
Romney's $10,000
Submitted by paulejb on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:27pm.
Romney's a piker. The most he can come up with is 10 large for a bet? You would need at least another $28,500 to get into an Obama dinner/fundraiser.
Ding ding ding!! We have a winner!!
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:32pm.
Well said, paul....well said!!
Paul Is Right But Perry is a Government Employee
Submitted by Avitar on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 2:21am.
Even if he is a Governor for the last ten years of America's most successful state he came to that job from the Lt. Governor's post. It isn't like he was in the NBA or a baseball player. Romney betting $10,000 was too much for a friendly bet. For most Government employees $100 would be a good limit. For the Governor of Texas maybe $500 would be acceptable but betting $10,000 would only be friendly with George Stephanopoulos or Governor Huntsman. Nobody else was a MULTImillionare,
Perry Has Already Been A Millionaire
Submitted by stratman on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 10:24am.
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-rick-perry-became-a-millionaire-2011-8 You posted about this before.
You may not have read my reply to you in the previous thread so see the above link that explains Perry has enough money to cover the bet - and then some. So did others on the stage besides Gilligan Stephanopulous, Diane 'Lovey' Sawyer, and Thurston Howell-Huntsman, III.
Nice one
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:35pm.
ROMNEY: "I'll bet you a dinner with the President."
Heads I win and tails you lose...
Submitted by iamsaved on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:39pm.
Wouldn't that be a suckers bet?
STEPHANOPOULOS - A Legend In His Own Mind!
Submitted by iamsaved on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:38pm.
As the old adage says, I'd like to buy Stephanopoulos for what he's worth and sell him for what he thinks he worth.
I see way too many
Submitted by Liberallies on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:46pm.
I see way too many Conservatives saying, "Well since Democrats are filthy rich and the media does not go after them, it is not bad what Romney did"
wrong.
Who cares whether the media is consistant or not. The fact is that Romney screwed up last night and very big.
Just like Obama, Edward, Kennedy, Clinton, Pelosi, Reid etc it shows how out of touch politicians like Romney and the aformention are when it comes to the average American.
Additionally, Romney threw out that huge bet to silence his opponent because Perry was hitting on the truth about Romney and health care. Romney changed words from the hard copy to the soft copy of his book. Furthermore, if we elect Romney as our candidate, we will regret it. Obamacare will be completely out of the table. The second Romney goes after Obamacare all Obama team has to do is point to what he did in Mass. and add that Romney sent his aides to help Obama draw up the Obamacare law.
This is just proof of how the DNC and the RNC establishment politicians are so out of touch.
Let's not excuse our candidates merely because the media is full of radical Left wing hypocrites.
Another opinion
Submitted by Tomorama on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 3:50pm.
Sorry, this IS a who gives a sh** non-story.
The only issue I would have is he should have said $10,000 to the wounded warriors foundation.
This is the chance to go after Romney as they have NO dirt on him and you are just playing into their hands as well.
Tomorama, Not playing into
Submitted by Liberallies on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 4:22pm.
Tomorama,
Not playing into any one hands.
I just do not get it. We Conservatives were very upset and are still very upset that the media did not vet Barack Hussein Obama. That they gave us fluff pieces of this radical Marxist. We are still waiting for the media to go after Obama still not releasing his undergraduate and graduate records. I live in Chicago, all I read in the news about Obama is how great he was, how awesome he was. When he went to Africa to visit his real grandmother, the Chicago media had a collective orgasm. I am tired of the media not vetting candidates that they adore and worship.
that being said, I see nothing wrong with this story. I have always said that Clinton, Pelosi, Reid, Kennedys, Obama, Bush, Ron Paul, Romney, etc, etc, etc that these multi-millionares are completely out of touch with the average American. Romney just proved it last night. Yes, if the media was fair, they would also talk about how it takes $30,000 to get into a dinner for Obama. They would talk about Kennedy family making millions out of their small oil company. They would also talk about Reid and Pelosi, John Edward's etc millions upon millions and how out of touch they are. The media hypocrisy is pathetic, but it does not take away from the fact that Romney screwed up last night.
I did not need the media to tell me how out of touch Romney is. The second I heard him throw that wager out, my mouth dropped and I told my wife, "my goodness, these politicians are truly out of touch with the average American". Not to mention, that Romney (this is the most important part of it all) is lying about his actions on health care. If he can't be honest now, why would he be honest when he is my President. I am tired of politicians who will do and say anything to get elected. Romney is a flip-flopper who goes where ever the wind blows, much like Clinton and John Kerry. I am not a fan of the latter, neither am I a fan of the former. The media didn't tell me this.
Yes, I wish and would hope that the media would vet Democratic candidates as hard as they vet Republican candidates, but vetting candidates and going after them is a good thing. Now let's just make them go after the Democrats as hard as they go against Republicans.
Romney did not "screw up". You "screwed up" by...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 3:47am.
agreeing with the Liberal media's slant on this.
No one thought anything about it until the Libs at the end of the debate jumped on it like the jackels they are.
If you are a Conservative, it is always a good policy to believe the opposite of what the Liberal media has to say about anything.
If you are a liberal, as indicated by what you call yourself, you'll swallow what they say like a seal being thrown a fish at the zoo.
Jim Webster, I am a Liberal?
Submitted by Liberallies on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 11:57am.
Jim Webster,
I am a Liberal? LOL give me a break!!! I can be accused of many things, but I am neither a Liberal nor a Democrat.
I do not swallow anything from Liberals nor Conservatives nor Libetarians. Socialist and Communists are wackos.
Romney screwed up big time, but since the media said so, way too many Conservatives are not willing to admit it.
Read all of my comments, I am as Conservative as they come, this does not blind me to the fact that Romney, a self-admitted progressive, screwed up big time!
Anyone who supports Romney is either for the Republican establishment, which is full of RINOs or someone who is clueless to Romney's very Liberal streaks!
Upon closer inspection, I see you are Liberal lies...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 1:29pm.
and not Liber allies. My apologies. I still disagree with you about Romney. According to fact check, Romney was right and Perry was wrong.
As I have said before, if Cain had offered $10,000 to those women who kept popping up, to offer proof of their claims, he'd still be in the race. (Or exposed as a philanderer and out of the race as he is now.)
Newt is the "progressive" you are rightly against, not Romney. Romney's core is Mormonism and Mormons are not "progressives".
Romney can beat Obama. Newt can not and his nomination may even drive Ron Paul (or somebody else) to run as a third party candidate, thereby insuring Obama's re-election.
Santorum and Bachmann, my favorites, may be able to beat Obama, or they may not. I can't take the chance and neither can America.
Jim Webster, Yes, thanks. I
Submitted by Liberallies on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 4:26pm.
Jim Webster,
Yes, thanks. I am FAR from a Liberal.
Romney's record as Mass. governor speaks for itself, it was a progressive agenda, a Liberal agenda. a pro-gay, pro-abortion, pro-government control healthcare agenda. The man is a Liberal. I know we'll disagree, but I think facts are facts. We can't deny his record as governor of Mass.
The man is your typical, run of the mill, sleeked hair, establishment politician. No convictions, not core beliefs. His beliefs depend what poltical office he is running for.
Here is a nice pro-abortion quote from this supposed Mormon, You can't argue with his own words!
In March 2002 during his run for governor, Romney told the Lowell Sun that, "On a personal basis, I don't favor abortion. However, as governor of the commonwealth, I will protect a woman's right to choose under the laws of the country and the commonwealth. That's the same position I've had for many years."[102] Also, during the 2002 governor's race, Romney's platform stated, "As Governor, Mitt Romney would protect the current pro-choice status quo in Massachusetts. No law would change. The choice to have an abortion is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not the government's."[103] Romney promised to "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose" and declared "I will not change any provisions in Massachusetts' pro-choice laws".[104]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorship_of_Mitt_Romney
Romney, like most snake oil salesmen, like Obama, like Clinton, is a career politician. he will do and say whatever it takes to get elected.
People need to wake up, Romney is Republican establishment politician who needs to be defeated as bad as Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMcjJEXt9To&feature=player_embedded
And here is Mitt Romney admitting in 2002 Mass. election day that he is a progressive!
Again, Mitt's words do him in as a Liberal, as a progressive!
Mitt is bad news.
I wouldn't care if Obysmal said it
Submitted by Tomorama on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 5:17pm.
The point you are obviously missing DUE TO YOU SIMPLY being anti-Romney is "IS THIS A STORY" or is it the usual made up bullshit by the media to hammer a Republican.
I BELIEVE it is absolute BS and you take it as a chance to hammer Romney, just LIKE THEM.
I wouldn't care if Obysmal said it, Newtie or Teddy or anyone, it is a non-starter to me.
They HAVE NO REAL DIRT on Romney so play this in and endless loop, rinse, lather repeat.
The whole episode
Submitted by celator on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 5:27pm.
The whole episode demonstrates what everyone has figured out about these "debates". The only purpose the MSM has them is to develop a series of gotcha questions and answers to make each and every R look like a idiot. Meanwhile, Obama continues floundering like a smelly fish in a sewage tank.
Tomorama, Well, great that
Submitted by Liberallies on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 12:01pm.
Tomorama,
Well, great that it is a none starter for you. However, we are two different human beings, and it is a starter for me.
Romney represents inside the beltway, out of touch with reality Republicans. And his statement proved as much.
I don't take it as a chance for anything, this mut erely confirms what I have always believed about Romney, an inside the beltway, out of touch with the average American politician no different than Obama, Kennedy, Pelosi, Reid, etc, etc, etc.
They ignored
Submitted by grammajane on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 7:16pm.
the fact, IT WAS A JOKE!!Don't these arrogant highly educated elites know when a joke is told. Realizing their Messiah has got zero to run on they just have to cry and whine each time a Conservative says a word. That was the most rehearsed "debate" in history. Georgie and sawyer just squirmed in their chairs to throw out the infidelity question. In fact, it was the only purpose of the so-called debate.They claimed they had thousands of Yahoo requests and the marriage question was the only one that got any attention. Wonder who got paid to email that in???
What is more important?
Submitted by AceKool on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 8:11pm.
It's his money. He can spend it any way he chooses. If it was a joke, it was a joke. When will people get upset over the amount of cash the government spends and wastes?
Yep, they have begged for a chance
Submitted by Tomorama on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 8:55pm.
The folks above me - ALL SPOT ON.
Tell the LSM wh***s that there will be no more debates.
Then go on their networks and tell the truth about Obysmal and also trash the media.
That would be festivus for the rest of us......
Be careful what you wish for...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 2:28am.
While you may not like the questions, these multiple debates provide the Republicans a forum for copious amounts of Obama-bashing. They are like anti-administration infomercials, except they're free.
Jer
Everybody said Romney was too perfect. Now that he...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 3:39am.
did a very human thing in confronting Rick Perry's lie with a bet, he is supposed to be hurt because he is not perfect?
Which is it ABC?
Had Herman Cain offered the women who accused him of wrongdoing $10,000 for proof, my guess is he'd still be in the race today.