Tea Party Reluctantly Supports Romney, Protests Obama Fundraiser
by Christine Stuart | Aug 6, 2012 7:59pm
Google
(43) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Election 2012
Christine Stuart Photo
Woman eating a Chick-fil-A sandwich in support of the company which used its revenues to support groups against same-sex marriage. The 101 sandwiches came from a Chick-Fil-A in Paramus, New Jersey
STAMFORD — While none of the Tea Party Patriots protesting President Barack Obama’s visit to the state Monday were happy that Mitt Romney is the presumed Republican presidential nominee, “anything is better than Obama,“ was a common refrain.
Carol Cheslock of Bethel said she would have preferred Michelle Bachman and an earlier primary. But knowing it was unlikely that Connecticut will be able to move up its primary ahead of Iowa or New Hampshire, she refocused on the reason she was outside the Stamford Marriott: “We need to make Obama go away,” she said.
“I don’t think he’s a very good man, and he’s definitely not a good president,” she said. “Where did our morals go? They’ve been stupided down.”
A gentleman standing next to Cheslock added, “you can’t fix stupid.”
Ron Wilcox, a state coordinator for the Tea Party, agreed that Connecticut is generally perceived as a liberal state, but he thinks many support conservative values regardless of their party affiliation.
“A lot of Democrats are disenchanted with the direction our state has gone,” Wilcox said. “I think the state is shifting away from the center and toward the right.”
There are still more unaffiliated voters than Democrats or Republicans, and the numbers of unaffiliated are growing at a quicker pace than either party.
Christine Stuart photo
Tea Party protesters
“Regardless of the party you belong to, gas prices have gone up, medical insurance has gone up, unemployment has gone up. There’s nothing really positive our current administration can say about their efforts and what is happening in this state,” Wilcox said.
He said there’s a surge of support for the presumed Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, that the mainstream media hasn’t picked up on yet, but it is beginning to show up in polls. He said the Quinnipiac University poll only has Romney down by 6 points in the swing states of Florida and Ohio and 11 points in Pennsylvania.
Two years ago, the Tea Party stood in the same location on Tresser Boulevard, across from the Stamford Marriott, and expressed their views on the new health care bill, Richard Blumenthal, and the economy.
The event they were protesting that day was a fundraiser for Blumenthal’s U.S. Senate campaign. Monday’s event was a fundraiser for Obama’s re-election campaign. The $500-per-person reception was expected to draw about 500 Democrats.
“We have a number of people who are here for the first time and they’re thrilled,” Nancy DiNardo, chairwoman of the Connecticut Democratic Party, said before heading in to the fundraiser.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who was also in attendance, said he was more excited to see Obama than he was to meet Anne Hathaway, an actress on the guest list for the fundraiser at movie producer Harvey Weinstein’s manse.
Malloy joked that the president will get to experience rush hour on Interstate 95 and he plans to hit him up for some money to solve the gridlock.
But it was probably Connecticut residents who experienced the gridlock and not Obama who landed at John F. Kennedy in New York and was transported by Marine One to Westport, then by car to the hotel in Stamford.
Republicans across the state expressed their displeasure with the state’s decision to close Sherwood Isle State Park in Westport so that Obama’s helicopter could land there to attend the fundraisers.
The event at Weinstein’s beach house will cost $35,800 per person and 50 guests are expected to attend, including Hathaway, Aaron Sorkin, and Joanne Woodward. The money will go to the Obama Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee.
Obama is trying to close the funding gap between his campaign and Romney’s.
It’s the third straight month that Obama has trailed Romney in fundraising.
Romney’s campaign reported raking in more than $101 million with the Republican National Committee, compared to the $75 million that Obama’s campaign said it had brought in with the Democratic National Committee.
It’s unclear yet whether Obama’s message to some of Hollywood’s elites at Weinstein’s beach house will be the same as it was for nearly 500 Democrats at the cocktail reception in Stamford.
In Stamford, the crowd quieted down when Obama started talking about the American dream.
“If you work hard, you can get ahead,“ the president said. “The same promise our parents and our grandparents passed down to us . . . and now it’s our responsibility to make sure that our children and grandchildren can enjoy that great privilege.”
Tags: President Obama, stamford, fundraising, tea party, dh
(43) Comments
posted by: Lawrence | August 6, 2012 8:18pm
Of course they’re homophobes, too. Cause dey ignant’ like that.
posted by: Lawrence | August 6, 2012 9:14pm
Now enjoy some real old-fashioned-y Tea Party humor at its worstest/finest.
posted by: gutbomb86 | August 6, 2012 9:29pm
Wow. I would not be caught dead standing with a “tea party patriot.” The word “patriot” doesn’t really fit, unfortunately. “Bigot” fits better in this case. Defense of Chik Fil A is nothing more than defense of homophobia and the right to be hateful toward LGBT people. It’s not a defense of “traditional marriage” at all - and that is the cowardly talking point that we’re seeing spouted from these folks now. Newsflash: If you support “traditional marriage” at the expense of the opportunity to marry for LGBT, then you’re being discriminatory. That’s it.
What an embarrassment to all of us that people feel the need to rationalize and stand up in favor of bigotry in the name of partisan politics. Someday these folks are either going to die hateful or they’re going to experience personal growth followed by a painful epiphany along the lines of, “Geez I treated those people like they were second class citizens…” and then they’ll blame their own cr*ppy parents for it.
Shut up. Grow up. Get over it.
Otherwise, yeah, it certainly is your right to have an opinion and it certainly is your right to be a hateful bigot. But expect to be labeled as such. And by the way, the Internet means “forever.”
posted by: Bob Ross | August 6, 2012 9:38pm
Having seen the tea party gatherings in 2010 and 2012 in Stamford when the President visited I still cannot find a rhyme or reason behind them. The signs are the best part as they are all over the map on what they actually stand for. It was surreal hearing them chant “chick-fil-a”; I only wish there were a counter-protest in place that could answer back “diabetes”.
Some of the signs I saw were just as meaningless. One of them said “Obama is an enabler of terrorism”, while another hinted at Obama being a marxist or socialist. Another sign took the birther route and asked “Where were you on 8/4/61?”. I have to wonder if any of the people protesting understand how easily their strings are being pulled based on their fears and hatred.
posted by: Tessa Marquis | August 6, 2012 9:45pm
I agree with Ms. Cheslock. I can clearly see that Someone has certainly been “stupided down”.
posted by: Matt Zagaja | August 6, 2012 10:00pm
The problem is that the Republican making his claims is wrong. Is he aware that unemployment reached 9.8% and then went down to 8.3%? http://www.npr.org/2011/08/05/99136097/tracking-u-s-monthly-unemployment However it is also preposterous to suggest the President of the United States is responsible for the price of gas which is set by global supply and demand on the markets.
posted by: saramerica | August 7, 2012 6:57am
To admit you would still prefer Michele Bachmann for President after her outrageous accusations against Huma Abedin (hasn’t she been enough for one year without being accused of being some kind of Manchurian candidate for the Muslim Brotherhood by the Right’s wackiest whack job?) shows just how out of the mainstream some of these Tea Party “patriots” are.
posted by: ko4478 | August 7, 2012 7:04am
Never will you see a group of people so passionate about being ignorant than when a bunch of baggers get together.
I love when you see signs like “keep government away from my Medicare”.
The best is when reporters ask these people what they do for a living and a large percentage of them are collecting Social Security, Social Security Disability, or have some VA benefits. Then the reporter points out to these idiots that these are all government benefits and they look dumbfounded. Silly Baggers.
posted by: robn | August 7, 2012 8:15am
“...our morals ..They’ve been stupided down.”
I love it. The fun just keeps coming.
posted by: MGKW | August 7, 2012 8:32am
The more the Tea Party works against the more they are elected…they tried to dump Blumenthal he is a senator…they tried to dump Murphy he will be a senator….let him keep working hard the harder they work the more Dems get elected….
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | August 7, 2012 8:36am
Gay bashing and Christian bashing belong outside of the workplace. If that’s your home hobby—go to it. At home. Or vent on the internet. It;s good therapy 
The owner keeps his money in a seperate foundation and complies with the law in the workplace. As it should be.
I see this ending badly. When physical gay bashing starts again and the same moderates who would intervene 5 years ago look the other way. And some of them smile.
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | August 7, 2012 8:49am
And the Christian bashing and Christian baiting? Watch the new take on ‘Hate Crimes’ coming.
For some reason gay activists think the hate crime laws and anti-bullying laws made them immune rather than set them up for civil and criminal reprisal lawsuits.
This won’t end well.
posted by: CT Jim | August 7, 2012 9:17am
Question, when the woman in the picture comes down with type 2 diabetes and heart disease from eating nothing but Chick fil a and finds out she has no healthcare because she only works 28 hours a week at Walmart will she refuse health care under the Affordable Healthcare Act??? And if she doesn’t can we send the bill to the CEO of Chic fil a??
posted by: Palin Smith | August 7, 2012 11:03am
What is this hang-up with diabetes? The Chick-Fil-A sandwiches are composed of a sinple hamburger bun with a think chunk of lightly fried white meat. It’s healthy and delicious.
No fat and no grease. Support of the socialist agenda is the real killer.
posted by: joemanc | August 7, 2012 11:54am
“while another hinted at Obama being a marxist or socialist.” Hi Bob- I don’t know about you, but I don’t see 50% off my income when you include federal, state and local taxes, medicare, medicaid, fuel taxes, sales taxes, etc., etc. Europe is the home of socialism and high taxes. In your view, is a 50% tax rate not enough to qualify for socialism? Oh and by the way, how is Europe doing right now?
posted by: Bob Ross | August 7, 2012 12:25pm
Hey Joe how are you doing down there? Obviously you missed the point. Calling Obama a socialist or marxist is ridiculous and implies the person making the implication has no idea what socialism or marxism actually is. Joe your taxes are the lowest they’ve been in decades. Were you complaining about socialism when the tax rate was higher for most of Reagan’s presidency. As for Europe, Germany is doing well, switzerland, sweden to name a few. You do realize the banking scandals affected most of the world. Lower taxes wouldn’t have changed banks running away with our money.
posted by: Bob Ross | August 7, 2012 12:29pm
Joe just a simple question: What to you is the definition of socialism
posted by: CT Jim | August 7, 2012 12:58pm
@ Palin Smith,
The Chick Fil A Spicy Chicken Deluxe sandwhich has 570 Calories and 27 grams of fat add on a mayo packet and the total hits 660 Calories and 37 grams of fat!!!! Thats healthy???? No that fast food heart attack on a bun!!
@joemanc really love the socialist attack that i’m sure you picked up on listening to El Rushbo every day. As for the European theme isn’t Europe trying the lame austerity measures that the Tea Party wants to replicate in our State Local and National budgets??? Gee thats working well now aint it. The only thing that does work over there is their Healthcare plan. I’m sure theres not a ton af fatty Chick Fil A’s over there.
posted by: saramerica | August 7, 2012 1:35pm
“It’s healthy and delicious.
No fat and no grease. Support of the socialist agenda is the real killer.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, you do amuse me.
Here’s the facts about your “no fat, healthy and delicious sandwich, straight from the Chick Fil-A website: http://twitpic.com/agmpab
16 g Fat, 4 g saturated fat and a mere 1400 mg of sodium. Yeah, keep stuffing your face with those and Darwin’s Law will take care of the rest.
posted by: Gauthier | August 7, 2012 4:31pm
Neither a Repub or a Tea Party supporter but definitely anAnybody, but Obama” voter
He knocked Carter out of the “worst President in history"contest as I see it.
posted by: rankandfile | August 7, 2012 5:09pm
I thought the issue was free speech? Why do liberals always claim to support free speech, and yet they always seem to be the most intolerant of it? As for Marxism, to sum it up: “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”. Sounds like Obama to me.
posted by: Bob Ross | August 7, 2012 7:21pm
Rankandfile where are the rights to freedom of speech being infringed upon? As for your comment about Marxism and your vague generalization of it here is the actual quote you plucked that from: “In a higher phase of communist society, after the enslaving subordination of the individual to the division of labor, and therewith also the antithesis between mental and physical labor, has vanished; after labor has become not only a means of life but life’s prime want; after the productive forces have also increased with the all-around development of the individual, and all the springs of co-operative wealth flow more abundantly—only then can the narrow horizon of bourgeois right be crossed in its entirety and society inscribe on its banners: From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” Now how exactly can you claim that sounds like Obama?
posted by: Lawrence | August 7, 2012 7:39pm
Good one, Sara!
See, PalinSmith is using what is called “Republican truth,” which is what you and I and our parents and grandparents and most sane people call “bald-faced lies.”
The right-wing says stuff that is utterly false, miselading, out of context, etc., but they are betting on folks being too busy watching “Dancing With the Stars” or whatever to actually check out what they say.
And, when you do, it’s another steaming pile of GOP lies. It’s pretty simple.
No fat in that chicken sandwich, eh, PalinSmith??
Just keep your eye on that Mooslim Nobama??
Priceless!! Keep ‘em coming, I never get tired of crumpling up this GOP sh*t
posted by: Lawrence | August 7, 2012 8:48pm
Yo! Rankandfile!
Sounds like that other ‘radical’ tract to me—THE HOLY BIBLE!!
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.” (NRSV, Leviticus 19:9-10)
“And the crowds asked [John the Baptist], “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” (NRSV, Luke 3:10-11)
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (NAS, 1 John 3:17)
I know there are many modern, phony, hate-filled Christians (usually the right-wing GOPers who like to run their mouths the most) who like to use the Bible as some sort of cudgel to prove that the needy are unworthy of God’s grace becasue they are not financially succesful.
But, of course, that’s bs.
posted by: Bob Ross | August 8, 2012 8:10am
Gauthier… worst really? Have you studied history? How about James Buchanan who didn’t try to stop the civil war? Herbert Hoover, Zachary Taylor, Richard Nixon, John Tyler, Warren G Harding? Any of those could qualify amongst the worst
posted by: rankandfile | August 8, 2012 9:53am
Lawrence, I’m not a religious person, so maybe I have this wrong. The quote from the bible seems to say if you have 2 coats, you should give one to someone who doesn’t have one. I don’t see where it says the government should take one from you and give it to the person of their choosing. Did I miss something?
posted by: rankandfile | August 8, 2012 10:08am
Bob Ross, sorry, I got away from the main topic. The free speech issue I was refering to was the outcry against Chik Fil A, which really wasn’t the thrust of the article. As for socialism, I stand by my belief that Obama is a socialist. If it’s any consolation to you, I think Romney is almost as much of a socialist as Obama is.
posted by: MGKW | August 8, 2012 10:36am
Bush is the worst—-far and away….he made dumb and dumber fashionable…two wars, financial collapse, and just one of the worst 8 years we have seen..case closed.,
posted by: Todd Peterson | August 8, 2012 11:26am
Lots of rubbish here. Too much to haul at one time.
As to European austerity, it hasn’t been implemented fully yet. Greece has been more than reticent about tightening their belts in exchange for a bailout that may or may not work.
Actually Sweden has cut its tax rates significantly in recent years. It isn’t looking like Texas yet but the top rates there are much less confiscatory. Sweden is moving to the right while our President is doubling down on the left turns.
As to Sarah… I don’t read her columns anymore - haven’t for some time. It seems that she isn’t content to simply make her gratuitous swipes in her own columns. Let’s dumb down the comments section as well.
Sarah, you are beyond bitter. You need to get some help and I mean that. You gravitate to the lowest common denominator like a fly on excrement and put on your pretentious airs. It doesn’t matter to me that you have your advanced degree and your awards and all that fluff. Get some help; life is too short.
posted by: saramerica | August 8, 2012 2:06pm
I am a religious person and I’m sure the Bible doesn’t anything about taking your second coat and putting it in an offshore tax haven so you can avoid giving it to anyone at all.
posted by: joemanc | August 8, 2012 2:12pm
And don’t forget Woodrow Wilson, who started the Federal Income Tax and the Federal Reserve in 1913, which was created to protect the purchasing power of the dollar, and has since lost 94% of it’s value.
But back to Bush being the worst - give it time for Owebama. When BO was elected, he had overwheliming support from Democrats and Independents and even a fair amount of
Republican support. After 9/11, Bush was immensely popular, I think his approval ratings were in the 80%+ range. And then it cratered, and rightfully so. If you look at Owebama now, he’s completely lost Republican support and Independents are turning on him too, as well as some of the smarter Democrats. And from every financial blog I read(bloggers who also saw the 2008 recession coming), we’ve just entered in to another recession. Just assuming BO gets re-elected, in 4 years and with 2 recessions under his belt, and upwards of a $20 trillion national debt at that point, he will go down as one of the worst presidents ever.
posted by: rankandfile | August 8, 2012 2:55pm
saramerica, I don’t think it mentions tax havens at all, or green energy companies or $35,800 per person receptions (that would buy a lot of coats!).Wow, sometimes I think you liberals are even more touchy and politicized than the conservatives, I didn’t think that was possible.
posted by: Bob Ross | August 8, 2012 4:45pm
Gauthier if you truly believe that he’s worse than those I previously named then I’d say people should question your judgment. What exactly are you basing your conclusion on?
posted by: Bob Ross | August 9, 2012 9:25am
Rankandfile, How exactly was boycotting Chick-fil-a infringing about freedom of speech? It’s the 1st amendment that empowers both Dan Cathy to say what he wants while at the same time allowing protesters to take offense to it.
I’ll ask again how do you come to the conclusion that he’s a socialist or that Romney is?
posted by: Bob Ross | August 9, 2012 9:31am
Todd you’re right Europe could certainly implement a whole lot more cuts and crash their economies even more. Cuts during a recession actually hurt recovery. As for your claims about the President taking left turns I’m sure the liberals are hoping that he actually does because for the last few years he’s been governing as a timid centrist. I’m sure they’re waiting for him to be the liberal that the right wing constantly try to claim he is. Taxes in sweden are still pretty high and they’re doing fine
posted by: wmwallace | August 10, 2012 12:56am
So the tea party supports Chick fil a and to protest the president “under the first amendment right’s” and the tolerate one’s are calling names once again.
we as a country can’t continue down this destructive path that we are on and that is a big reason why people are protesting.