Your morning jolt: James Earl Carter IV and the ‘poetic justice’ behind the Romney video
Updated at 5:30 p.m. with link to WABE (90.1FM) interview:
One of the most ironic notes of the 2012 presidential campaign was sounded last night when a video surfaced — courtesy of liberal magazine Mother Jones – in which Republican nominee Mitt Romney told a group of California fundraisers that he considered nearly half of all Americans to be unreachable moochers who can’t be weaned away from President Barack Obama.
The fellow who dug that video up was James Earl Carter IV of Dunwoody, 35-year-old son of Chip and grandson of the former president. “There are some people on Twitter and other places who are saying it was poetic justice that it was a Carter that found this, because of the way the Romney campaign has treated my grandfather,” Carter IV said. “I completely agree with that sentiment.”
Carter IV, who is currently unemployed and trying to break into the political research business, said he conducts daily searches on YouTube and other sites, looking for ground-breaking video. “At the end of August, I came across a video of Romney at a fund-raising event, talking about a factory he visited in China,” he said. Much of it had been blurred out, but it looked promising.
The video was posted – falsely – under the name of Rachel Maddow, the MSNBC host, but then disappeared after Maddow’s people filed an objection with YouTube. Shortly afterwards, the video popped up again – this time under the name of Anne Onymous.
Carter IV sent messages to the originator of the video through YouTube, then Tumblr. He soon had a new Tumblr follower named Anne Onymous. Direct contact quickly followed.
The video that had been posted so far had not included the portion in which Romney declared:
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it.”
Carter IV didn’t know where or when the recording was made. “The first thing I asked was can you tell me where this was filmed,” Carter said. “They wouldn’t tell me this, but they did respond to me.” (The video was made May 17 at the Boca Raton, Fla., home of financier Marc Leder, as part of a $50,000-a-person fund-raiser.)
As it turned out, the shooter of the video was associated with Global-Tech, a Hong Kong-based firm that a Bain Capital affiliate had acquired. Several weeks earlier, Carter IV had worked with Mother Jones writer David Corn on an article on the acquisition. Thus Carter IV was able to establish his bone fides with the source.
“They wanted to get the story out and they wanted to assure their jobs,” Carter said. And they wanted to make sure they weren’t running afoul of any privacy laws. So on Aug. 30, the last day of the Republican National Convention, Carter IV handed off the video contact to Corn of Mother Jones, who eventually obtained the whole of the video.
“Once I realized there was a lot more involved in this than I could personally deal with, my goal became to get the story out,” said Carter IV, who met Corn for the first time at the Democratic National Convention this month.
“I thought it would be a little bit of a story, but it has gotten a lot bigger than I would have ever thought,” said Carter IV, who picked up 1,500 Twitter followers overnight. He’s still looking for work, but things are looking up. “I’ve had some offers now. I haven’t accepted any of them yet, but that’s not a concern anymore, I guess,” he said.
Catch the Associated Press follow-up on the story here.
Denis O’Hayer of WABE (90.1FM) has posted a 14-minute interview with James Carter here. It’s worth checking out. O’Hayer asked him if revenge was a factor in his research. Said the president’s grandson:
“It wasn’t a part of the motivation, but it was definitely a part of the satisfaction.”
***
Walter Jones of Morris News Service says Republican Lee Anderson of Grovetown has declined yet another opportunity to debate U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Augusta:
A spokesman for Republican challenger Lee Anderson told the nation’s second-largest press club that he is declining an invitation to debate the man he wants to unseat, Democratic Congressman John Barrow.
The Atlanta Press Club’s Oct. 21 debate would be televised throughout the whole district on Georgia Public Broadcasting, unlike local media outlets that only reach voters in various parts of the 12th District. Anderson participated in the club’s debate during the primary.
***
Meanwhile, the AJC’s Politifact Georgia today takes a look at Republican charges that U.S. Rep. John Barrow, D-Augusta, “left taxpayers on the hook for $950k study on genetic makeup of ants.”
***
And Lori Geary of Channel 2 Action News looks at complaints that the preamble to the proposed charter school amendment on the November ballot has been tweaked to encourage approval:
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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291 comments Add your comment
Buckhead Boy
September 18th, 2012
11:20 am
I suppose that I rank among those who would never consider voting for Mr. Romney but, if there is anything that I may feel entitled, I guess that would be another invitation to an Obama Inauguration.
Sadly this fool is related to me
September 18th, 2012
11:23 am
Jimmy Carter’s Dad which is James Earl Carter Sr. is my great great great grandfather not that is any meaning being this far down because the Carter’s have greatly distanced themselves from most family members. I tried contacting them saying I would like to meet the former president because of his dad since it is my heritage and right to know who my great grandfathers were. Unfortunately all I got was a hang up. If this was Jason that discovered this I am not surprised. Jason is about Jason, and they are certainly tried and true blooded democrats. I am republican and do not like what the democratic party platform has become. Believe it or not James Earl Carter was on Succession Hill in Abbeville SC when SC succeded from the Union. That’s a little bit of a tidbit fact that the Democrats wont tell you.
www
September 18th, 2012
11:24 am
Your grandfather is and always has been a complete IDIOT!!!!!!!
Columbus
September 18th, 2012
11:27 am
A vote for Obama is a vote against America. Obama wants to make us like the rest of the world. They have done well the last few thousand years huh? We are what we are because we are different than the world and God was the CENTER. How DARE he be pushed out. Dems push Him out. Republicans fight for Him….thats the big picture. The foundation OF AMERICA…Dems are crumbling it, especially Liberal and Progressive Democrats….
WAKE UP AMERICANS AND GET BACK TO YOUR ROOTS THAT MADE US THE GREATEST NATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD AND IN RECORD TIME!
Im not worried about the vote in Nov because Georgia as a majority LOVES AND RESPECTS AND TRUSTS GOD AND NOT MAN. I am worried about the people in MY state that will teach their children incorrectly and so on and I am worried about the rest of the non God-fearing people in this nation….they are lost and most dont even know it becuase the Liberals and Progressives have been doing all they can to keep them from knowing it for 5 decades in public schools and state colleges! They ahve succeeded when we have a PRESIDENT WHO SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE IN AMERICA! WHO WONT STRONGLY SUPPORT ISRAEL! WHO WILL LET US FOLLOW THE WISHES OF RUSSIA AND CHINA INSTEAD OF THE REST OF THE WORLD AND AMERICANS! WHO MAKES DEALS WITH OUR ENEMIES, WHO APOLOGIZES TO POOR MUSLIMS FOR THEIR BROTHERS ACTIONS, WHO DIDNT GROW UP AN AMERICAN BUT A MUSLIN IN INDONESIA IN HIS FORMATIVE YEARS, WHO KEPT HIS MUSLIM NAME. WHOSE PASTOR IS AMERICA-HATIN JEREMIAH WRIGHT FOR 20 YEARS, WHO SPENDS DURING THE WORST RECESSION EVER MORE THAN ALL PRESIDENTS COMBINED ND GOT NO RESULTS FROM IT EXCEPT TO DOUBLE THE DEBT HE PROMISED TO CUT IN HALF!
dood here.
September 18th, 2012
11:27 am
nice spin, Jim. I watched the video and nowhere did I see or hear him say “unreachable moochers”- which I just copied directly from your news piece.
AJC= liberal rag of ill refute. Try being more middle of the road. Of course, I haven’t been to Fox news to see how they spin it either. Good luck America in getting any facts anywhere.
double
September 18th, 2012
11:28 am
CC,TD and many other AKA’s.When you apoligize for Moochele,then you could ask for an apology from others.After that apoligize to the President.
atlien052
September 18th, 2012
11:28 am
Candidates give their true opinion all the time at these type events. Does anyone remember then-candidate Obama saying to a group of high-dollar donors in San Francisco that he is not surprised that people in Pennsylvania and the Midwest “get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them” (April 2008). If I remember correctly, Obama was being secretly recorded too. These two stories are strikingly similar.
Candidate Obama was pointing out to his supporters that he was likely not going to win those people over. Romney is doing the same thing here. He is being candid that he won’t likely win the vote of 47% of citizens because they don’t pay taxes and are on some form of government assistance.
Obama wasn’t being overly critical, just trying to explain why he was not going to win those votes. Romney is doing the same. The only difference is that the media will point out the fact that Romney says things like this but won’t call President Obama on the carpet for the same thing. This is much ado about nothing, but the media is trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
dood here.
September 18th, 2012
11:28 am
one more thing, Jim. You look like a creep with that comb-over. Just shave your empty head.
kabulate
September 18th, 2012
11:29 am
@MadMax: Actually what he said is that the half of the country that will not vote for him believe themselves to be “victims” and that his message doesn’t matter to them because “they pay no taxes.” To add insult to injury he goes on to say that he is not concerned about this half of America because there is nothing that he can say to them that will “make them take responsibility for themselves.” If you don’t think this guy is out of touch then you’re in a very small minority. Read David Brooks column today and you’ll get it straight from a Republican about how incredibly off-base and offensive those remarks are.
When will be show us his tax returns?
yuzeyurbrane
September 18th, 2012
11:30 am
The Carter aspect of the story is a minor ironic twist. Otherwise, the video really does speak for itself and reveals more about Romney than he has ever honestly revealed himself to the great unwashed middle class. The phrase out of touch does not even begin to convey how out of touch this guy is.
double
September 18th, 2012
11:33 am
I suppose Russia & China don’t make up much of the rest of the world.
Kevin
September 18th, 2012
11:33 am
The young Mr. Carter comes from a long line of delusional losers.
I can’t imagine that he’s unemployed. He seems like such an upstanding person.
Karma can be a real bitch, Mr. Carter.
Woman Voter
September 18th, 2012
11:35 am
Romney has not made Jimmy Carter look bad. Jimmy Carter did that all by himself. Obama is actually making Jimmy Carter look good in that he is exceeding all the bad policies and decisions that Jimmy Carter did. If Mr. Chipper would release the entire video it would show Romney speaking about the moochers in this country who are going to destroy it because those of us who do pay taxes are not going to be able to carry them forever. Poor Chipper.
DJ Sniper
September 18th, 2012
11:35 am
Way to recite those right wing talking points Columbus. Your TV must stay glued to Fox News.
double
September 18th, 2012
11:38 am
Last time Romney ran for President he come across as a much sharper,bright person.Now the way he talks,and flipflops,makes you wonder if he has some health issues.
buzzkill
September 18th, 2012
11:39 am
Gatiger:”As a Georgian, it pains me to admit Carter was the worst President in my lifetime, and an even worse former President.”
You’re not a Georgian, you’re a Hater.
Mark
September 18th, 2012
11:39 am
I used to babysit this little twirp – you’re not going to find a job son doing political research on the web and trying to find dirt on Republicans. Your grand daddy was good at that, but not a very good Pres – just like the current guy. The fact is, Obama got elected by folks that expected a free ride and their fear is the free ride will end with Romney – how sad.
Michael
September 18th, 2012
11:41 am
He said moocher. It’s right there, between the lines. Just ask Boortz.
Wallis the dog
September 18th, 2012
11:45 am
Galloway you old capon,
Both the Romney comments and Obama’s infamous “clinging to guns and religion” comment were, I recall, recorded at private events and later came to light on a broader scale. Both are candid comments that are in keeping with the point of view of each of these men. Your view as to which is the most accurate statement will drive your vote in November.
As for me, I hope we have a Republican administration and get the economy going so that Carter kid can find a job and get off the public dole.
buzzkill
September 18th, 2012
11:48 am
Columbus: Haha, you made me laugh. I taught teenagers like you. It’s the same unhinged tantrums seen in two year olds, but without the verbal ability to express it.
Don't Tread
September 18th, 2012
11:48 am
I’m sure the 0bama team will be hiring Carter soon.
Carol
September 18th, 2012
11:48 am
It always amazes me that people don’t consider deep tax cuts to corporations as “welfare”. or even another phrase, redistribution of wealth. Yet just a couple of days ago we saw the report where companies right here in GA are sitting on billions of dollars in profits. An economist was told that the corporations are sitting on their money waiting until after the elections.
So while we the people continue to subsidize corporations and call it a good thing, the Repubs want to castigate the citzenry who are on public assistance. Many of them current because of the break we’re giving to corporations who won’t hire anyone. I’ll never forget the hours of debate in our Georgia legislation just last year about giving Delta another $20 billion tax break. You would have thought they supplied Georgians with the air we breath.
A dad
September 18th, 2012
11:48 am
og @ 10:40. You know absolutely nothing about my situation, my family, etc., but you automatically blithe on with the same old tired talking points. Just to educate you a bit (a frivolous effort cause you’re mind is set, but nonetheless), I served my country honorably for well over a decade. When I got out, couldn’t find a job, no “experience”, no college degree. So, worked full time, went back to school full time (simultaneously), got the degree, found a better job, then went back to school to get a professional degree while still working full time AND beginning to raise a family. So if I want to give my kids a suv and a trust fun, I sure as he!! have EARNED that right! But, based on how I was raised (hard work, sacrifice, dedication to family, you know, those tired old American values a lot of liberals sneer at these days), my oldest’s first car will be my current one, which has almost 250,000 miles on it. Yeah, she wants the snazzy one, but I want her to know how to start at the bottom and work her way up from there. That way, she’s knows the satisfaction of working to get ahead. In fact, she’s already setting things up to work her way through college and I know if she does her best, she will make it in this world.
Now, go ahead and compare that to the institutionalized generational entitlement recipient (and no, I’m not talking about the disabled, the elderly who don’t have investment income, etc. Just those who grew up on the gov’t dole and refuse to try and leave it). Can’t wait for your most stimulating analysis. I’ll check back in a few. I shiver with anticipation…..
Michael
September 18th, 2012
11:50 am
@ A dad: Remember that you could be having a conversation with a 14 year old.
Rhett Butler
September 18th, 2012
11:53 am
Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
DJ Sniper
September 18th, 2012
11:54 am
I see we have the same usual suspects here with the “Obama is the worst president ever” comments. I guess ya’ll just forgot about the fact that the Repubs have done everything in their power to obstruct anything positive Obama has tried to do. Their priority is not to help this country. All they want to make Obama a 1 term president, and they are willing to take the country down to do it.
A dad
September 18th, 2012
11:55 am
Also, after seeing Bill Clinton’s commercial imploring us to let Obama “stick to his plan” about job growth, I usually consider myself at least somewhat discerning, but other than borrow money out the wazoo from China and give it to those businesses OBH deems worthy enough (yeah yeah, the auto industry bailout. Hmmm,autoworkers. Union ain’t they?), just exactly what is his plan (and please, no standard talking points. Surely someone who supports the POTUS can provide a detail such as cutting taxes in domestic investments, decreasing regulations on mom and pop small businesses so as to free up money for them to invest, expand, etc.) You know, real details. I’ll be waiting.
A dad
September 18th, 2012
11:57 am
Michael – nah. I think a 14-year old would be rational….
Carol
September 18th, 2012
11:58 am
DJ Sniper
The sad part is that you have people who are on government assistance who will still vote for this clown.
+++++++
The sad part is you obviously think like the candidate, which is why this is such a huge issue.
Government assistance comes in MANY forms and for many reasons. I realize that generally speaking Repubs think anyone who received assistance for their daily NEEDS is a slacker. But anyone who continues to thrive in business due to the continuation of their no-bid government contracts are just smart business people. Repubs don’t like business until it gives them something.
Carol
September 18th, 2012
12:00 pm
Mary Elizabeth
Heaven help this nation – and this globe – if this man becomes President of the United States. What is sad is that Gov. Romney divides people into categories, instead of seeing the humanity – within all people – that connects all people
++++++++
Very well stated post.
Obama is Winning
September 18th, 2012
12:05 pm
[...] is shaking up his campaign to try and stop it. Romney continues to make mistakes. The latest is a video in which the wealthy and entitled Romney says that the 47 percent of those who plan to vote for Obama don’t pay income taxes and think they deserve a handout. [...]
old man
September 18th, 2012
12:06 pm
Romney’s donors (and Bain Capital) make a living firing people, laying off people, opposing collective bargaining, opposing any increase in minimum wage (even though it is the lowest ever as a percent median/average income), all so big business and the wealthy can have more money to stash in the Caymans and Zurich.
And then they point fingers at the same people because they don’t make enough to pay income tax, and call them moochers and cheats because they are making less money and paying less (or no) income tax.
Just because you are a fat cat donor does not make all of your nonsense true. Or any of it, for that matter.
Romney is imploding, just like McCain.
A dad
September 18th, 2012
12:09 pm
Carol – BOTH sides divide us, or have you forgotten all that “evil rich,” “evil 1%”, or people making more than 250k a year need to pay more. It’s what I see as pandering to the respective “bases” of each political party. As for me, I think what will be best for this country is for everyone who really wants a job, who wants to open a small business (intelligently and is prepared to do so), etc., has the opportunity to do so, and nothing I see from the Obama administration appears to be geared towards that goal. Obama is a classic Keynesian economist, and at no point in history has an economy based on Keynes’ ever succeeded. Will agree 100% this is perhaps the most pivotal election of our time, and our children’s future will be largely shaped by who gets voted in come November.
cc
September 18th, 2012
12:09 pm
Sadly this fool is related to me@11:23 am:
Always remember: you can pick your friends but you have NO choice about your family! I believe you will do just fine in your life’s journey . . .
Wilbur
September 18th, 2012
12:10 pm
Class warfare at its finest.
gsueagle
September 18th, 2012
12:11 pm
everybody knows that people who are living off the taxpayers are not going to support someone who might cut their check. sad when people think the government owes them a living.
Weetamoe
September 18th, 2012
12:12 pm
I’m sure Jimmy is proud of his 35 year old unemployed grandson trying to sell gossip for a living.
double
September 18th, 2012
12:13 pm
Cutting taxes,fighting wars,supplementing drug plans cost.All on credit.A responsibility for the debt forced upon the citizen taxpayer,and the next gov.administration.Then you say Jimmy Carter worst former President.
old man
September 18th, 2012
12:13 pm
Romney promises “fast job growth” if he’s president. Unfortunately, most of it will be in “fast food,” and other similar employment. Then he will tell you what a bum you are for not making enough to pay income tax.
Listen to the video–he does not merely say 47% don’t pay one particular kind of tax (income tax), which is true–he goes on to say, with obvious enthusiasm, that they are also bums.
Real jobs, with real income, for people who want to support a family and pay income tax, will take a little longer. The damage from the Bush era was deep, severe, and structural. Romney wants to rip off the bandage, and cut open the healing wound with a butter knife. So his fat cats can continue to extract their pound of flesh from all of the “victims” with entitlement mentality.
honested
September 18th, 2012
12:15 pm
Was this really a $50k a plate fundraiser or an initial shareholders meeting for robme’s new
Bain oriented company ‘Soylent Green’.
cc
September 18th, 2012
12:16 pm
double@11:28 am:
“CC,TD and many other AKA’s”
I will no longer respond to posts addressed as the above. I am not td, nor do I post under any other name than cc. I’m fairly sure that td is tired of this, too. If you cannot compare the writing styles and see the difference, you truly are a simpleton unworthy of any response.
Carol
September 18th, 2012
12:17 pm
Ben
Oh, saw a good point. Is this like when Obama bashed people clinging to their guns and religion? When Obama disses half the country, it’s cheered, when Romney says the simple truth, that 47% pay no income tax, he gets bashed.
+++++++
So glad you brought this up. Have to sales of guns NOT gone through the roof since the President took office. Hmmm. he must have been right. Is the whole women’s reproductive issue not Biblically based? Right again Mr. President.
Mr. Romney and most Repubs make statements about those receiving government assistance without supporting documentation, unless one of the questions asked on the application is what is your political affiliation. Oh, and more whites are on welfare than blacks. So he’s really saying that more whites will vote for the President and he has to ignore attempting to get their vote. I love it.
A dad
September 18th, 2012
12:17 pm
old man – your posts reveal you are making statements based only upon what you’ve read in the media. Yeah, I’m certain all Bain did was lay people off and ship jobs overseas. Guess you missed the part about being involved with companies such as Staples. At least Romeny actually HAS business experience. Obama? Hmmm, Harvard law to community organizer to 1st-term senator to president. Oh yeah, he’s really wise in economics. And so representative of the average Joe too!
old man
September 18th, 2012
12:18 pm
How does not owing income tax mean that these people think the government owes them food and housing. They are paying for their food and they are paying their rent. And their state tax, and Medicare tax, and Social Security tax, and property tax, etc., etc.
If you are poor, you don’t pay income tax. And, it’s a sad commentary that 47% of Americans are probably poor, regardless of what the poverty level is. And don’t blame Obama for that. The impoverishment of the middle class has been going on for decades. Obama is trying to slow it down. Romney wants to accelerate it.
Fan
September 18th, 2012
12:19 pm
It’s in the Carter Family’s best interest. If Obama stays in office, he will become the worst president this nation has ever had replacing Carter at the bottom.
fed up
September 18th, 2012
12:19 pm
It is still the truth and your grandfather along with this moron in the white house are still terrible presidents
honested
September 18th, 2012
12:19 pm
Now can we have some video of robme pandering to the MIC shareholders?
honested
September 18th, 2012
12:23 pm
Poor Governor robme.
Blaming the system and at the same time blaming those who are loyal to the system.
What a shame that those who pay taxes BASED ON THEIR INCOME don’t go to the trouble to set up exotic vehicles to avoid paying those taxes BASED ON THEIR INCOME.
Only in wrong wing America has a reasonable INCOME become a reason to hide!
Virginia
September 18th, 2012
12:24 pm
Way to stir the pot, cc.!! Jim doesn’t owe an apology for anything, so whine, whine away! And take your alter ego, Columbus TYPES-IN-ALL-CAPS with you! Congrats, Romney, another day not talking about the economy. Love it!!!
A dad
September 18th, 2012
12:28 pm
Old man – yawn! Sorry you can’t see the conflict in your last post. If people aren’t working, what do you think they are relying upon to buy food (food stamps), pay the rent (Section 8), and so on. Believe it or not, we conservatives aren’t against everyone who gets gov’t entitlements, doesn’t pay taxes because they don’t earn enough, and so on. But there is a sizable segment of the population that is on the gov’t dole, is capable of working, but relying on the gov’t to give them everything is their way of life, and has been for generations. Kind of reminds me about Romney’s safety net comment back during the nominations. While he didn’t say it clearly, he meant those people who were receiving certain entitlements were not his main concern because they were provided for. But I will take a wild stab and guess you rely mainly on entitlements, or are you buying the lie Romeny want’s to gut social security/Medicare?