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It wasn't long ago that the contributors here at C&L were asked if anyone knew what Mitt Romney was actually saying in this footage of Mitt Romney speaking French in this training video recorded to encourage Salt Lake City Olympic volunteers to speak French. The input we received from our one team member who does speak French was that Romney obviously does not, or does not speak it very well for someone who lived over there for a while years ago. So needless to say this tickled me.
From TPM -- Democratic Super PAC Takes Romney's French WAY Out Of Context:
A newly incorporated Democratic Super PAC, American LP, is out with what may be the funniest ad of the primaries. The spot features Mitt Romney discussing the Olympics in French, but flashes a subtitled “translation” consisting of old Romney quotes from his days as a pro-choice, moderate Republican in Massachusetts. The effect is reminiscent of Woody Allen’s ‘What’s Up, Tiger Lily?’ Read on...
Here's more from the PAC's You Tube posting:
Produced by AmericanLP
Ad Concept: Louis Ferro
New French Speaking Mitt Romney Ad Launches in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina
December 12, 2011NEW YORK -- AmericanLP, a new Democratic Super PAC, announced today that it is launching a new advertising campaign designed to mock Mitt Romney and the current state of the Republican Party. AmericanLP has produced a new ad entitled "French Mitt Romney."
The ad consists entirely of footage of Mitt Romney speaking French with text transcripts scrolling below of actual quotes from Romney endorsing liberal positions on abortion rights, gay rights, global warming, gun control and state-run mandated healthcare. Citations and a full transcript can be found at http://americanlp.org/2011/12/08/mitt-romney-french-campaign-video/
AmericanLP founder TJ Walker explained the ad:
"The quotes running in the ad appear to be actual transcripts of Romney speaking in a current political TV ad, but they are actually out-of-context quotes from Romney collected over the years. But if it's one thing we know about Mitt Romney, he whole-heartedly approves of using out of context quotes in political advertising. In fact, belief in out-of-context advertising appears to be the only political principle Romney has NOT flip flopped on, so we're sure he will love this ad."
Walker continued, "This ad is payback for Republicans mocking John Kerry for his French-speaking abilities in ads like this one in 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDq8bEjhs7Q. Let's face it, since 2000, the Republican Party has become the "Stupid Party" and nothing says 'hoity-toity elitist intellectual' like the ability to speak French."
"So our goal here is to remind GOP primary and caucus voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina that Mitt Romney is a left wing radical who has, in all likelihood, hung out with socialistic, atheistic cheese-eaters like Jean Paul Sartre."
AmericanLP is making an initial ad purchase on national cable news and on political news blogs in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The ad will begin appearing on December 12, 2011.
Ad concept by Louis Ferro
