Obama Campaign, Romney Kin Take Opposite Stances On 'Mad Men' Jab
by Sean Comer
A "Mad Men" jab at a presidential hopeful's kin passed over the heads of neither the "left" nor the "right."
Leading Republican candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's son Tagg reacted with mild incredulity that Matthew Weiner's Emmy-honored AMC drama would dare swipe at his grandfather, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, MLive reported Wednesday. Betty Draper's husband Henry Francis, in the employ of New York's mayor, at one point said during a phone conversation on this past Sunday's episode, "Well, tell Jim his honor's not going to Michigan. Because Romney's a clown and I don't want him standing next to him."
George Romney was indeed Michigan's Governor in 1966, when this season takes place.
As far as Tagg and his Twitter were concerned, that aggression would not stand.
Seriously, lib media mocking my dead grandpa? @aburnspolitico: “Well, tell [him] not going to Michigan. Because Romney’s a clown”
— Tagg Romney (@tromney) April 2, 2012
George Romney was as good a man I've ever known. Inspirational leader, worked for civil rights, promoted freedom. We need more like him
— Tagg Romney (@tromney) April 2, 2012
dad is fair game. grandpa isnt “@aburnspolitico: @Drudge_Report Tagg Romney hits Mad Men for mocking grandfather... drudge.tw/HFe1cE
— Tagg Romney (@tromney) April 2, 2012
Maybe Tagg took umbrage. President Obama's own re-election campaign saw something else entirely: opportunity.
During a Monday "CBS This Morning" appearance, Obama campaign advisor David Axelrod took Tagg's outrage and leveraged it into a zinger tying Romney's ideals with the drama's distinctly aged time, place and perspective.
"I think [Mitt] watched 'Mad Men' instead of the evening news. He's in a time warp," Axelrod said.
Ba-zing.