If it’s a day ending in “y,” it’s guaranteed that media lapdogs are champing at the bit to expose Mitt Romney as a nefarious, more clean-cut Snidely Whiplash. Lee Fang, shameless lapdog at The Nation, ran across an alleged undercover video of Romney giddily praising a “sweatshop” in China. Fang got so excited, he nearly piddled on his rug!
https://twitter.com/lhfang/status/239139191622074368
Uh, did Fang watch the same video we just did? Because to us, it sounded like Romney (if the voice in the video is in fact his) was merely telling a story about a trip to a Chinese factory. He made no indication of condoning the factory conditions or of being satisfied with the factory official’s story. In fact, while he’s telling the story, he still sounds disturbed about the workers’ conditions and low pay.
Not sure why that hidden-camera Romney video is that damning. He was describing labor conditions BEFORE Bain bought the factory.
— delrayser (@delrayser) August 24, 2012
It can’t be as simple as that. Not to the Left, anyway. Mitt Romney just has to be an evil capitalist slavedriver, right? Right???
https://twitter.com/kombiz/status/239139398690672640
Must see: RT @lhfang This video, uploaded an hour ago, of Romney bragging about his sweatshop in China, is pretty nuts http://t.co/nSJoGYWJ
— Shayne (@Zoocritter) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/kombiz/status/239139630107209728
Slave labor in factory Bain was buying in China – Mitt Romney's response? Shoulda been born American. #Sick. http://t.co/JsudY5Sf
— Cathy Sherwin (@cathysherwin) August 24, 2012
Wow. RT @lhfang: This video, uploaded an hour ago, of Romney bragging about his sweatshop in China, is pretty nuts http://t.co/31fV9sfh
— Ryan Burns (@RyanBurnsy) August 24, 2012
Astonishing @lhfang: This video, uploaded an hour ago, of Romney bragging about his sweatshop in China, is pretty nuts http://t.co/XMKcRVxK
— Ida Canard (@IdaCanard) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/skybarn/status/239148277390524416
.@utaustinliberal @Maddow Video shows Romney and Bain's willingness to use exploited Chinese labor and to use off-shore workers over US.
— Bill Wong (@ten24get) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/LiberalGoddess_/status/239150057851600896
Mitt just deaf to all irony. RT @lhfang: This video of Romney bragging about his sweatshop in China, is pretty nuts http://t.co/16ZQ0VHZ
— patty in san diego (@alipattt) August 25, 2012
At least a few Twitterers suspect that the video is of dubious origin:
I think the romney china video is fake. It was uploaded several months ago with weird effects: http://t.co/wvMMOsGa
— Brett Banditelli ?✂️ (@banditelli) August 24, 2012
I don't have time to dig on the china Romney vid.Just for those establishing source it's from before may 31st. http://t.co/wvMMOsGa (1st ul)
— Brett Banditelli ?✂️ (@banditelli) August 24, 2012
Can anyone do video analysis of this hidden camera video of Mitt Romney talking about Chinese factory he owned http://t.co/OWbCcyfL
— Mike Elk (@MikeElk) August 24, 2012
https://twitter.com/joshua_eaton/status/239148095299006464
The video itself may or may not be authentic. But something definitely seems fishy. The video Fang linked to is currently the only video on the Rachel Maddow YouTube channel, and according to YouTube, the channel page was only created today. Even Fang can’t help but puzzle a bit over the way the video was released:
https://twitter.com/lhfang/status/239141253076365312
https://twitter.com/lhfang/status/239141665393213440
https://twitter.com/lhfang/status/239146487009910784
Fang isn’t alone. Media Matters’ Simon Malloy doesn’t think things quite add up, either:
To be clear I have no idea if that video is authentic.
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) August 24, 2012
RT @nycsouthpaw: I don't think Romney's remarks are nearly as explosive as Maddow's headline on that video, though.
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) August 24, 2012
Much about that video is strange.
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) August 24, 2012
Right now, though, the strange circumstances surrounding the video aren’t the most disturbing aspect of all this; they’re just the latest symptom of a serious disease. The Left is constantly searching for ways to nail Mitt Romney’s character — and the characters of other conservatives. While Fang may now be second-guessing his initial zealotry, the media are still guilty of propagating sensationalism without regard for all the facts. That’s not only lazy, it’s dangerous.
***
Rachel Maddow has confirmed that she did not post the video:
YouTube account has nothing to do with me, the show, or MSNBC: http://t.co/jzetrVN1 Working with YouTube on getting it taken down.
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) August 25, 2012
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