Romney Olympic horse could be political liability
Aug-05-2012

A horse is a horse, of course, of course. That is, of course, unless that dancing horse belongs to the famous Romney family.
Rafalca, the dressage horse co-owned by Ann Romney, the wife of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, competed Thursday and will continue competition on Friday at the London Olympics; the horse is in 13th place after Thursday's competition. Ann Romney began riding horses when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998 and has said the sport has helped lessen the symptoms of the inflammatory disease.
Still, the Romneys' participation in the pricey prancing pony sport is causing conservatives consternation and liberals laughing fits. Both say the fussy filly is yet more proof that Romney, whose net worth is nearly $250 million, is out of touch with average voters.
"It fits into the narrative the Democrats are trying to put forward that he is wealthy and out of touch with the typical America," said Donald Gross, a political science professor at the University of Kentucky.
The liberal group MoveOn.org pokes fun at the elegant equine in a 30-second television spot set to air in the battleground states of Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania and supported by a total ad buy of five figures.
The ad is told from the perspective of the horse.
"My name's Rafalca, the Romneys' dressage horse," the ad begins. MoveOn.org uses a poorly executed English accent as the voice of the Romneys' horse.
"You might have seen me execute 'leg yields' and 'flying changes,'" the ad continues, using terms from the sport of dressage. "How do I pull off such grace and athleticism while looking so good? Maybe it's because the Romneys spend $77,000 per year on my upkeep."
The ad comes to a grim conclusion, stating: "After Mitt Romney repeals health care and ships your jobs overseas, I daresay your life won't be nearly as pampered as mine. After all, you're not one of his horses."

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Posted by Ken at 4:50 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print