In Feb. 2009, back when most of the people who voted for Obama probably still believed in him and he hadn’t had a chance to screw anything up yet, this happened at a townhall meeting in Ft. Meyers, FL:
Somebody (a Republican) did end up giving Henrietta Hughes a place to live, but the most recent story I can find on her is from Apr. ’09, and she was still struggling and was in danger of losing that home. Not sure whatever happened to her. The point is that she asked Obama for help, and he made her one of his many, many promises. In the Era of Obama, his promises are considered accomplishments in and of themselves, so he was hailed for his compassion. It was a heartwarming story, we were told, and anybody who had anything critical to say about it was a horrible person and of course a racist.
Fast-forward almost three years. Fox News:
As a candidate who has raised tens of millions of dollars during his presidential campaign, Mitt Romney did something unusual Saturday while shaking hands after an event in Sumter, South Carolina. He opened his wallet and handed unemployed Ruth Williams some cash. Williams would not say how much money Romney gave her but campaign aides say it was between $50 – 60.
The fifty-five year old Columbia, S.C. resident has been unemployed since last October and says she saw Romney’s bus on I-26 January 11 and followed it to the airport because the “Lord told me to.”
It was at the rally that Williams says she met Governor Romney. “He was kind to me. He stopped doing everything,” Williams told reporters in Sumter.
So Romney didn’t just make this woman a promise. He gave her money right out of his own pocket. Whether or not you think it’s a good idea for politicians to go around the campaign trail handing out literal cash to people — whether you think it’s pandering, vote-buying, whatever — he was doing the same thing Obama did three years earlier. Hell, Romney set a better example, because he gave her his own money instead of promising her other people’s money.
And yet!
(Courtesy Real Clear Politics) So: Obama promises to help a poor black woman and he’s the best guy ever. Romney actually helps a poor black woman and he’s… well, you just heard what our moral, ethical, and intellectual betters are saying.
Weird. Wonder what the difference is between the two cases? Whatever could it be? Guess we’ll never know.
P.S. Their annoying blather about “reinforcing stereotypes” reminded me of this.
P.P.S. Obama Has Written Personal Checks To Struggling Americans. Why do I get the feeling the same people who are now slamming Romney had no problem with this?
P.P.P.S. Frank J. Fleming casts a cold eye on Romney’s experience in the evil, un-American private sector. While reading Fleming’s brutal takedown, it occurred to me that Romney should’ve given that $60 to the government to redistribute. Then they could take their cut and eventually Ruth Williams would get her 37 cents.