Anna Marie Cox: “Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Barlart are McCain supporters and deny that they’ve ever advised Romney”

November 29, 2007 in 2008, analysis, campaign communications, campaign communiques, campaign literature, election 2008, GOP, incompetence, mitt romney, polls, republicans, rhetoric, romney, strategy, stupidity, the dark soul of Mitt Romney, triumph of unreason
Tags: , cuba, cubans, embarrassed romney advisers, Florida, gaffs, immigration, lies, Rep. Diaz-Barlart, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen

“Romney continues to make the weirdest gaffes,” writes Anna Marie Cox for the Time-blog Swampland in a post titled Romney’s Imaginary Advisers

Yesterday, he told the Tampa Tribune that he was of the “the more, the merrier” mind when it comes to Cuban immigration,* at least, and then went further:

Romney said on matters dealing with Cuba, he depends on advice from prominent members of Florida’s Cuban American community, such as U.S. Reps. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, and Al Cardenas, a former state Republican chairman and one of Romney’s leading Hispanic supporters.

“At this stage none of them have suggested that we abandon that policy and develop a new one,” Romney said … etc.

Question: Is this a “weird gaff” or is this a simple lie? When does a lie become a gaff? Nota: Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Barlart deny that they ever advised Romney.

OTOH, it is probable that Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Barlart did advise Romney and that the two are too embarrassed to admit it. The ignominy of advising a figure like Romney can be too much for more delicate souls. Take for instance this hapless Harvard professor:

Romney advisor Mankiw attempts to distance himself from Romney—argues that advisors are responsible only for their advice

yours &c.
dr. g.d.

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