Whoopi Goldberg Attempts A "Gotcha" On Ann Romney About Mormons And Military Service. Ann Saves Her Bacon Anyway.

[BCSpace]

Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of "The View on ABC, failed at an attempt to get Ann Romney with a "gotcha" question on Mormonism and military service. Romney, who appeared as a guest on the mid-day talk show, had to correct Goldberg on her faith's view on military service. Goldberg wrongly said that service in the armed forces was forbidden by the religion and was promptly corrected by Mrs. Romney. Transcript below.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: As first lady, if you get the job, it’s going to entail a lot of things, and one of those things is going to be talking to the mothers whose children are coming home in bags, you know, from wars. Now, I know -- I believe that your religion doesn’t allow you to go fight.

ANN ROMNEY: No, that's not correct. We have many, many members of our faith that are serving in armed services.

GOLDBERG: Okay, um, I say that because when I read about your husband, what I had read, and maybe you can correct this is that the reason that he didn’t serve in Vietnam was because it was against the religion. That’s what I read.

ROMNEY: No, that's not correct. He was serving his mission and you know my five sons have also served missions. None served in the military.

http://www.realclear...ry_service.html

Watch the video. I think Ann knows what Whoopi attempted to do, realized Whoopi had botched it, and saved her from continuing embarrassment by taking over the issue. Much more of her response on the video than the transcript above. It's a really great response.

[Nathair/|\]

I'm not a big fan of her husband's politics, but I think Sister Romney is wonderful.

[volgadon]

I'm not a big fan of her husband's politics, but I think Sister Romney is wonderful.

I wholeheartedly agree on both points.

[Nathair/|\]

I wholeheartedly agree on both points.

Probably for opposite reasons on the first one.

[BCSpace]

Her answer was very classy and she took advantage of the teaching moment.

[volgadon]

Probably for opposite reasons on the first one.

Probably.

[Stargazer]

Well, as much as I disagree with Whoopi Goldberg on her politics, it at least showed some courage to attempt the blackguarding while in a position to be contradicted, rather than doing it when she had no fear of being contradicted. Like when amongst cronies, which seems to be the usual venue for crap like this.

[Tacenda]

Watch the video. I think Ann knows what Whoopi attempted to do, realized Whoopi had botched it, and saved her from continuing embarrassment by taking over the issue. Much more of her response on the video than the transcript above. It's a really great response.

There's quite a strong showing of military coming out of Utah and I'm pretty sure alot are LDS. I believe LDS are some of the most patriotic people I know.

[TAO]

There's quite a strong showing of military coming out of Utah and I'm pretty sure alot are LDS. I believe LDS are some of the most patriotic people I know.

Yeah, I've noticed this too. And it isn't just Utah Mormons... Mormons in general seem to be very, very patriotic. Dunno if it's just the culture or something.

[rpn]

Whoopi has said bad things about Mormons before, but this statement strongly suggests she is confusing them with another faith that is conscientious objectors.

[thesometimesaint]

To quote Sesame Street "One of these things is not like the other".

I don't believe that Mitt was getting shot at in Paris while on his Mission for the Church. Whereas people who were serving Missions for their country were getting shot at and killed, and many did not volunteer.

[TAO]

To quote Sesame Street "One of these things is not like the other".

I don't believe that Mitt was getting shot at in Paris while on his Mission for the Church. Whereas people who were serving Missions for their country were getting shot at and killed, and many did not volunteer.

Of course they are different.

But that doesn't mean one is worse than the other =p.

[thesometimesaint]

TAO:

Never said they were. My son served his Mission for the US Military in a war zone. Then after his Discharge serviced his Mission for the Church in Zimbabwe.

One of those things is still not like the other.

[Robert F. Smith]

To quote Sesame Street "One of these things is not like the other".

I don't believe that Mitt was getting shot at in Paris while on his Mission for the Church. Whereas people who were serving Missions for their country were getting shot at and killed, and many did not volunteer.

You really have it in for Romney, don't you!? Those who are more even-handed realize that not everybody needs to go to hot war, and most members of the military never see combat. Most Americans have never seen combat. Does that make them unpatriotic? So Bush and Romney didn't go to war. So what? Just because I don't agree with their politics doesn't mean that I seek to fault them for failure to serve in Viet Nam.

Many LDS General Authorities have served in the military, and a number of them have been in combat. Since I was a U.S. Marine, I particularly enjoyed the stories about their service in the USMC that Elders Perry and Echohawk told during October Conference.

[thesometimesaint]

You really have it in for Romney, don't you!? Those who are more even-handed realize that not everybody needs to go to hot war, and most members of the military never see combat. Most Americans have never seen combat. Does that make them unpatriotic? So Bush and Romney didn't go to war. So what? Just because I don't agree with their politics doesn't mean that I seek to fault them for failure to serve in Viet Nam.

Many LDS General Authorities have served in the military, and a number of them have been in combat. Since I was a U.S. Marine, I particularly enjoyed the stories about their service in the USMC that Elders Perry and Echohawk told during October Conference.

Quite the contrary. I agree with Romney's on many points. They seem, I've never met them personally, to have a wonderful family, and a strong abiding faith.

I would hope that no one ever had to go to war ever again, and I long for the days of renewal at the return of the King. I never saw combat while in the Military. I was a Personnel Sgt in the USAF while stationed in California. I volunteered for Vietnam, but by the time I was to be sent President Nixon stopped sending new troops there. However I did lose two good friends whom did serve in combat in Vietnam.

I don't agree with their politics either. However as I'm voting to determine whom is to be my political leaders. Their actions in support of or opposition to my ideas are central to that vote.

True, but irrelevant. No it doesn't make them unpatriotic. What I find hypocritical is to claim he personally "longed to be in combat", and then took every opportunity to avoid even being in the military.

I enjoy those stories too, and not just because I was in the Military also.

PS; Here is the actual interview:

During an interview on ABC's The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked Ann Romney how she would explain to the families of fallen soldiers why her husband and sons had not served their country.

"When I read about your husband, what I had read -- and maybe you can correct this -- is that the reason he didn't serve in Vietnam was because it was against the religion," Goldberg said.

"That's not correct," Ann Romney insisted. "He was serving his mission, and my five sons have also served missions. None served in the military, but I do have one son that feels that he's giving back to his country in a significant way where he is now a doctor and he is taking care of veterans."

"So, you know, we find different ways of serving," she added. "And my husband and my five boys did serve missions, did not serve in the military."

The candidate's wife explained that Mormon missions were like military service in that "you're going outside of yourself, you're working and you're helping others. And it changes you. And are we so grateful in this country for those people -- men and women -- that are volunteering, they're sacrificing their life for us, and we cannot forget that or we have to acknowledge that always."

"So, when you're facing these mothers whose children have not come back, how will you explain to them that your sons haven't gone?" Goldberg pressed. "Will you talk about the missions they've gone on?"

"I would say it's probably the hardest thing that a president and a first lady probably do is to comfort those that have lost a love one and have gone in harm's way," Ann Romney replied, not directly answering the question. "It is an amazing country, we have the most extraordinary fighting men and women, and we have to be so grateful for them. Of course, it's hard, and I don't think that any of us can understand the sacrifice that are being made by families."

[Kenngo1969]

To quote Sesame Street "One of these things is not like the other".

I don't believe that Mitt was getting shot at in Paris while on his Mission for the Church. Whereas people who were serving Missions for their country were getting shot at and killed, and many did not volunteer.

I served a mission and did not serve in the military. Guilty as charged. And your point is ... ?

[thesometimesaint]

Did you long to be in combat?

[USU78]

I did. I was handed a 1-H card at my SS induction meeting. I went to sign up for ROTC when I returned from my mission, and was told there were no slots.

I had # 17 on my draft lottery in 1972.

Wanted to serve. In '75, when I returned from my mission, nobody wanted me.

Tried to serve in the guard after law school . . . they didn't want me at age 30.

Very strange things happen.

Not everyone is the same.

Not everyone's circumstances are the same.

Refighting the [demonstrably false] allegations of the Vietnam draft being a racist phenomenon is useful in 2012 . . . exactly how?

[Garden Girl]

I notice that Whoopi didn't ask Obama... when he was on the program recently... about why he didn't serve in the military... and how he would explain that to the mothers whose sons came home in bags... what was he doing during that time? But Whoopi asked Ann about Mitt and what she would say to mothers about him not serving.

And I believe I heard someone say that Biden did not serve in the military... yet no one mentions that.

But they lay into Ann Romney with questions they did not and would not ask the Obama's when they were on... in fact Barbara Walters at the beginning of the interview as the Obama's sat down made some comment that they would "go easy" on them.... and they did.

Not so with Ann Romney... no, Barbara didn't "go easy" on Ann but went right to the abortion questions. Again and again, Ann showed her composure, and her patience with the ill-informed like Whoopi and the attempted "gotcha" types of questions put to her vs those asked of the Obamas.

GG

[Tacenda]

Skip Romney & Obama I vote Ann! She was able to withstand some catty behavoir and could probably stand on her own against some rotten world leaders too!

[thesometimesaint]

GG:

Obama was 10 years old when the US involvement in the Vietnam War ended.

[thesometimesaint]

Tacenda:

I'm going with the Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

[thesometimesaint]

I did. I was handed a 1-H card at my SS induction meeting. I went to sign up for ROTC when I returned from my mission, and was told there were no slots.

I had # 17 on my draft lottery in 1972.

Wanted to serve. In '75, when I returned from my mission, nobody wanted me.

Tried to serve in the guard after law school . . . they didn't want me at age 30.

Very strange things happen.

Not everyone is the same.

Not everyone's circumstances are the same.

Refighting the [demonstrably false] allegations of the Vietnam draft being a racist phenomenon is useful in 2012 . . . exactly how?

Started out with 11S. Draft number was 122. I enlisted in 1971.

It's really pretty easy to me.

I don't have a problem if you opposed the war, and didn't serve.

I don't have a problem if you opposed the war, were Drafted, and served anyway. In whatever capacity met the needs of the Service.

I don't have a problem if you supported the war and served in whatever capacity met the needs of the Service.

I do have a problem if you supported the war, and still did in all your power not to serve.

[Nathair/|\]

Tacenda:

I'm going with the Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Good for you. I pretty much only vote for third party candidates any more.

[Tacenda]

Good for you. I pretty much only vote for third party candidates any more.

To both you & tss, do you believe that since you vote third party you're still doing your patriotic duty? I've felt strongly to not vote for either candidate in the past but felt I had to choose between the two because voting for the third option wasn't going to do squat with our current voting system. It's good to know there are these options and it's okay.