Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

This blog will pay for itself.

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Ah, the different things are different argument.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Consistently wrong since 2002

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Innocent people don’t delay justice.

You are here: Home / Shorter Romney to Campaign Aides: Cabs are for Closers

Shorter Romney to Campaign Aides: Cabs are for Closers

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Apparently, Mitt Romney cut the financial cord before some of his aides had even made it home after his concession speech, forcing them to pay for their own cabs:

BOSTON — From the moment Mitt Romney stepped off stage Tuesday night, having just delivered a brief concession speech he wrote only that evening, the massive infrastructure surrounding his campaign quickly began to disassemble itself.

Aides taking cabs home late that night got rude awakenings when they found the credit cards linked to the campaign no longer worked.

“Fiscally conservative,” sighed one aide the next day.

What a cheap bastard.

[read full post at ABLC]

Reader Interactions

122Comments

  2. 2.

    Violet

    What a dick. So glad he didn’t win. Just vanish into one of your countless homes, Romney clan, and stay there.

  8. 8.

    Ben Franklin

    Aides taking cabs home late that night got rude awakenings when they found the credit cards linked to the campaign no longer worked.

    Sheldon Adelson canceled the credit line. Woooo hoooo.

  9. 9.

    General Stuck

    After Romney and Rove burned through over a billion plus billionaire dollars for naught, they might want to split a cab fare to an undisclosed location in Paraguay.

  10. 10.

    Baud

    “Turns out that when we built that stage rode in that cab it was like building my own coffin riding in my own hearse, and it just made me sick.”

  12. 12.

    trollhattan

    (Repeating myself, but anyway) Remember, this is the Olympics Committee head that charged the other committee members a buck a slice for takeout pizza at working meetings.

    What’s that saying about knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing? Loser is a loser.

  13. 13.

    Schlemizel

    back in the day when he was the wealthiest man on Earth J. Paul Getty told an interviewer that he had pay phones in the guest rooms of his mansions.

    I do hope the paid staff kept a little of that bonus money they got after the convention cuz I bet their last paycheck bounces

  15. 15.

    LanceThruster

    The Obama campaign should graciously offer to pick up the tab from his OFA warchest as they were truly unsung heroes and instrumental in his ultimate crushing victory.

    He should open the email notification of same with, “Don’t worry. I got this.”

  19. 19.

    red dog

    Maybe Rove and Limbaugh should pay the tab. They made a nice profit. Taibbi is right about the GOP being like a 1950s marriage…his analogy is priceless.

  20. 20.

    dmsilev

    As I mentioned in the previous thread, someone really should make a parody Mastercard commercial of the Romney campaign:

    – Untruthful advertisements: $100 million
    – A sucky ground game: $10 million
    – Renting a convention center on Election Night: $500,000

    (shot of Obama taking the oath of office)
    – Watching your opponent win the Presidency: Priceless

  21. 21.

    PsiFighter37

    Can’t have The Help mooching off the teat once the game’s up, can we?

    That’s pretty dick. I bet there’s still a few nickels left at the bottom of the piggy bank to pay for one more night.

  24. 24.

    LanceThruster

    In fairness to Mitt, those lucky duckies will be able to write the cab fare off on their taxes.

  26. 26.

    red dog

    Read Taibbi’s Rollong Stone comment. He equates the Gopers campaign to a 1950s marriage…priceless

  27. 27.

    patrick II

    They are starting early. I was just at “Political Animal” and a picture of a smiling, waving Hillary popped up with a title “Hillary expects gun ban!”.

  32. 32.

    jeffreyw

    “Of all the indignities involved in losing a presidential race, none is more stark than the sudden emptiness of your entourage. The Secret Service detail guarding Governor Romney since Feb 1. stood down quickly. He had ridden in a 15-car motorcade to the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston for his concession speech. He rode in a single-car motorcade back across the Charles River to Belmont. His son, Tagg, did the driving.”

    via

  33. 33.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    @LanceThruster: I finally figured out why Mitt never released his tax returns. He didn’t want people to see that he tried to deduct the dog carrier as “overhead”.

  34. 34.

    jeffreyw

    “Of all the indignities involved in losing a presidential race, none is more stark than the sudden emptiness of your entourage. The Secret Service detail guarding Governor Romney since Feb 1. stood down quickly. He had ridden in a 15-car motorcade to the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston for his concession speech. He rode in a single-car motorcade back across the Charles River to Belmont. His son, Tagg, did the driving.”

    via

  35. 35.

    PsiFighter37

    @Jay in Oregon: The thing that is supremely idiotic about these right-wingers claiming to move elsewhere if they lose – they’re moving to places that are even more left than the U.S. It doesn’t get through their thick frakkin’ skulls that they’re already living in Wingnut Paradise(TM) when it comes to the industrialized/developed world.

    But what the hey, maybe it’d be good for them to move somewhere else, enjoy the sweet milk that flows from the socialist teats of other countries, and get hooked.

  36. 36.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Totes O/T, but here comes trouble:

    Iranian Fighter Jets Fire on US Predator Drone

    The Pentagon disclosed today that an unarmed U.S. military Predator surveillance drone was fired at by Iranian military jets last week in international airspace over the waters of the Persian Gulf.

    And by “trouble,” I mean the yips and yowls of righty protest that Team Obama suppressed this info specifically as to not hurt his chances on Tuesday. You may depend upon it. (Do I hear articles of impeachment being drawn up as I type this…?)

    Oy.

  37. 37.

    gf120581

    As Charles Pierce said, there are two kinds of people in the House of Romney; Romneys and the Help.

    And this is how they treat the Help, especially when things don’t go their way.

  38. 38.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I just love it. All those people who have been whining about Obama’s attacks on “this decent man”, worn-out exhausted and probably coming down from a week long rush of adrenaline and delusion, thinking they did their best for someone they respect, and all the sudden… “This card is invalid, I need $47.50”. and all those cabbies who probably got stiffed.

  41. 41.

    Fuck ALL the chickens! (né Studly Pantload, t.e.u.u.)

    @Anoniminous: I keep seeing people saying that here and there, but never with an attribution (e.g., AP call Florida for Obama). All I can find on Google News is that Team Romney is sorta throwin’ in the towel on that state, but of course, it’s not their call to make.

  46. 46.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    FYWP, I already told you once I’m dropping the chickens from my handle.

  47. 47.

    PsiFighter37

    @Anoniminous: The only thing relevant / mildly entertaining left in Florida is to see how white Allen West’s knuckles turn when he gets dragged – kicking, screaming, and ejecting bodily fluids all over the place – from his congressional office as he holds onto the door frame.

  48. 48.

    Jay in Oregon

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    My guess is, those cards would have been no good even if he had won.

    They were probably all canceled that day; the campaign was over, so it’s time to start cutting unnecessary expenditures.

  49. 49.

    jshooper

    Not surprised…I knew Mitt was a major asshole when I heard him during the secret recordings joking to his rich friends about how he didn’t want to leave any money to his “future” grand kids…He was actually bragging about it…How anyone could support this asshole is beyond me…His campaign staff gets what they deserve.

  51. 51.

    MaxxLange

    Aides to Romney said they were optimistic he would be receptive to a sincere offer from the president to work together

    LOL. Obama seems far too uppity to give co-President Romney a proper role in his administration. Same way he treated co-President McCain, after beating him.

  52. 52.

    Gex-mobile

    When you are all pushing to advance the FYIGM worldview, can you even be surprised when Mitt stiffs you? Why’d they even try using the cards?

  53. 53.

    burnspbesq

    @patrick II:

    That ad about telling your Senator to oppose the UN Handgun Treaty (whatever that is) has been popping up here for the last few days as well.

  55. 55.

    Davis X. Machina

    Just a taste of what we’ve been spared — ‘Running the country like a business’ — when the business is aluminum siding or payday loans.

  57. 57.

    Jay in Oregon

    @Gex-mobile:
    I’ve seen several people on Twitter suggest that one reason why support for Romney was so high was because everyone assumed he was lying to the other guys.

  61. 61.

    Jay in Oregon

    @Gex-mobile:
    I’ve seen several people on Twitter suggest that one reason why support for Romney was so high was because everyone assumed he was lying to the other guys.

  69. 69.

    Gex-mobile

    @Jay in Oregon: Typical conservative thinking. Reminds me of this: TeaTard changed her tune on Obamacare when all of a sudden it helped her. It’s a related psychological phenomenon.

    They are special, their not the ones being lied to.
    They are special, they don’t need health care assistance.

    People with no imagination, foresight, or empathy. They should be nowhere near the controls.

  70. 70.

    YoohooCthulhu

    This isn’t surprising. If you read any of the “personal Romney” pieces during the election–he’s famous for being cheap. But like most rich people, he’s cheap in ridiculous ways–pennywise and poundfoolish because he enjoys the image of being frugal. Scott talked about his dad opting for the “smallest, cheapest rooms in the hotel”, Craig talked about “If you needed some money you went to my mom, my dad was too cheap”, etc.

    It would be in line for my expectations for him to pass out bus fare to the staffers and cancel their credit cards.

  72. 72.

    David Koch

    this is a guy with car elevators, whose wife wears $1,000 sweat shirts and he won’t pay the cab fair for employees who had just worked to three o’clock in the morning.

  74. 74.

    MikeJ

    @jeffreyw:

    He rode in a single-car motorcade back across the Charles River to Belmont.

    “Single-car motorcade?” Damn, I have one of those everyday!

  75. 75.

    joes527

    Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    Jennifer Rubin explains that the Republicans need a new broom to make a clean sweep.

    Forgets to mention that she is the old mop.

    I swear. Even if it wasn’t for the whole “save the nation from certain doom” thing, re-electing Obama has been worthwhile just for the comedy.

  78. 78.

    cckids

    @MaxxLange:

    LOL. Obama seems far too uppity to give co-President Romney a proper role in his administration. Same way he treated co-President McCain, after beating him.

    Toure, on MSNBC this afternoon, apparently seriously suggested that Obama appoint Romney to some Sec. of Business spot; that Romney was such a successful businessman & it would really show Pres. O’s “bipartisanship”. Jesus wept.

  80. 80.

    Tonal Crow

    Sorry son, yer gravy train just done got de-railed. What’d ya think, Mitt had a scintilla of compassion? Ha. Ha. Hahahahahahahahahaha stupid sheep.

  81. 81.

    Bokonon

    Suddenly, the Romney campaign’s own staffers are part of the 47 percent.

    Bunch of deadbeat, jobless, worthless parasites that are a drag on productive society. With an outsized feeling of entitlement. Sure, they were employed a moment ago in a great movement to restore America, but that was so five minutes ago.

    Get a job, you losers. Go read “Who Moved My Cheese”. Maximize your career opportunities. And don’t ask for cab fare on your way out.

  82. 82.

    Tonal Crow

    Sorry son, yer gravy train just done got de-railed. What’d ya think, Mitt had a scintilla of compassion? Ha. Ha. Hahahahahahahahahaha stupid sheep.

  84. 84.

    Roger Moore

    @cckids:

    Toure, on MSNBC this afternoon, apparently seriously suggested that Obama appoint Romney to some Sec. of Business spot; that Romney was such a successful businessman & it would really show Pres. O’s “bipartisanship”.

    Maybe we can make him Ambassador to the Cayman Islands. And Herman Cain can be Ambassador to Uzbekibekibekistan.

  86. 86.

    Lurking Canadian

    Seems to me those staffers are lucky they didn’t have to ride home on the roof of the campaign bus.

  87. 87.

    Tonal Crow

    @cckids:

    Toure, on MSNBC this afternoon, apparently seriously suggested that Obama appoint Romney to some Sec. of Business spot; that Romney was such a successful businessman & it would really show Pres. O’s “bipartisanship”. Jesus wept.

    I suggest that Obama appoint Romney as permanent ambassador to Camp X-Ray, all expenses paid, no travel necessary. He can then spend the rest of his days blowing kisses at his money just out of reach on the Cayman Islands.

  88. 88.

    Suffern ACE

    @David Koch: my guess is that when they ordered the cards they figure they should have an expiration date of November 5. If Romney had conceded at 11pm, they might have been able to go home and charge one more bag of chips at the 711.

  92. 92.

    PsiFighter37

    @Baud: That’s good stuff.

    I do wonder if Obama is going to stay active in politics at all after he’s done. I think it’d be great in some capacity, but I almost feel like he’s going to be spent and will take a lot of time off. He doesn’t love the game like Bill Clinton does.

  93. 93.

    Suffern ACE

    @cckids: Jeebys. Where do they get these dolts. Where? Maybe he could ask meatloaf to play at his inauguration? Maybe Ann Coulter will be his press secretary?

  96. 96.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @gogol’s wife:

    Me too, I cannot imagine how proud his Grandma was when she saw him nominated, it was one of the saddest things I have heard that she died before he was elected.

    This is what it is all about, Romney cancels his staff’s credit cards the minute he loses, Obama goes and thanks his staff and cries when he tells them how proud he is of them. Character matters. It has been shown in spades who has character here.

  98. 98.

    RSA

    Also from the article:

    Ann Romney’s remarks brought several staffers to tears as she told the assembled group that they would always be part of the fabric of the Romney family.

    Sure, they’re part of the family–the part that gets cut out as soon as they’re off the property.

  100. 100.

    bjacques

    Well, they weren’t escorted off the premises by security guards. Romney shows his human side at last.

  103. 103.

    Roger Moore

    @bjacques:

    Well, they weren’t escorted off the premises by security guards.

    Only because those ungrateful wretches took back Mitt’s Secret Service detail as soon as he had lost the election, so he didn’t have enough security guards to throw them out.

  106. 106.

    Warren Terra

    @RSA:
    I remember his grandmother’s death. I learned of it while pounding the pavement in New Hampshire, up for the day from Boston. I was already emotional, and found up crying about his grandmother’s death in the parlor of a very nice Obama voter.

    @cckids:

    @MaxxLange:
    LOL. Obama seems far too uppity to give co-President Romney a proper role in his administration. Same way he treated co-President McCain, after beating him.

    Toure, on MSNBC this afternoon, apparently seriously suggested that Obama appoint Romney to some Sec. of Business spot; that Romney was such a successful businessman & it would really show Pres. O’s “bipartisanship”. Jesus wept.

    This suggestion would be silly, but it’s worth remembering that in 2008 Obama did try to reach out to McCain, perhaps expecting McCain would try to recapture some centrist credibility for his legacy, as he had before 2000 – and McCain effectively told him to go fnck himself.

    I don’t really see what possible use Romney could be to the administration. Maybe ambassador to France; he’d be harmless, and he speaks the language and already has practice living in a palace in Paris. Would be a headache for the Secretary Of State, though, as they’d have to work around him (to the extent we have contentious issues RE France), and would screw some actual Obama supporter or some civil servant out of a job.

  107. 107.

    cckids

    @Roger Moore: I do not begin to understand Democrats advocating for this shit. I believe in true compromise & working together, but WT everloving F?? Was there even ONE Repub anywhere who thought that Bush should make some gesture towards Gore (or Kerry) because half or more of the electorate voted for him?

    Of course not. And truly, why should they? I know Lincoln did it, but most of his team of rivals actually gave a shit about the country. Can’t say that about most of the ravening WOLVERINES!! on the other side today.

  108. 108.

    j

    @joes527: How did this idjit get a column at the WaPo?

    She spells like a teabagger:

    … liberal media figures drop scraps into the pool and insight bloodletting…

    And she has a real problem with the use of adjectives and adverbs.

    She has the grammar expertise of a 7th grader.

  109. 109.

    j

    @joes527: How did this idjit get a column at the WaPo?

    She spells like a teabagger:

    … liberal media figures drop scraps into the pool and insight bloodletting…

    And she has a real problem with the use of adjectives and adverbs.

    She has the grammar expertise of a 7th grader.

  110. 110.

    Ruckus

    Why on this green earth would The President even offer zomney a job?
    Could you trust him? I didn’t and don’t trust him in the least. I want him as far away from power as possible, although if I wasn’t pretty sure he’d fuck it up I might offer to send him to Mars. He could take the whole family and they could all ride inside, that’s how nice I am.

  114. 114.

    Barry

    @Schlemizel: “I do hope the paid staff kept a little of that bonus money they got after the convention cuz I bet their last paycheck bounces”

    I hope that the paid staff made sure to help themselves to whatever they wanted, including data and files.

  116. 116.

    Barry

    @PsiFighter37: “That’s pretty dick. I bet there’s still a few nickels left at the bottom of the piggy bank to pay for one more night.”

    Good question – on the one hand, I’d think that there are tens of millions left (to be moved into Romney hands); on the other I’d bet that Romney looted the place weeks ago, and left worthless IOU’s from shell corporations set up for just that.

  118. 118.

    Lavocat

    The perfect rimshot to a perfectly douchey campaign.

    C’mon now! Tell me you didn’t see this shit coming miles away.

    The cheapest bastards in the world are those with the most money. Which actually makes sense when you really think about it.

  119. 119.

    Applejinx

    I know in New Hampshire the Republicans didn’t pick up their lawn signs. They may still be out there unless the Dems went and cleaned up that mess too. All the dem signs disappeared as if by magic, the Republican signs still litter the roadways.

    I wanted to get spray paint and paint smiley faces on them. If they’re still there next week, maybe I even will.

  120. 120.

    John Weiss

    I think that ‘cheap bastard’ is an understatement. I think that ‘sociopathic bastard’ is apt. I hope to never see his face with that snide smile again.

  121. 121.

    John Weiss

    I think that ‘cheap bastard’ is an understatement. I think that ‘sociopathic bastard’ is apt. I hope to never see his face with that snide smile again.

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