Sketchy Romney
Mitt Romney's campaign has entered a sketchy phase. Or, more precisely, an etchy-sketchy phase.
OK, enough with the cheap jokes, as there certainly is no shortage of poking fun at Romney today, so we'll just move right along. What happened, in case you haven't heard, was that a senior Romney campaign official was caught in a "Washington gaffe" (defined as: accidentally admitting the truth in a political setting). His full quote, after being asked about whether Romney was being pushed too far to the right by his primary campaign opponents to appeal to moderates in the general election:
Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and we start all over again.
This is conventional wisdom in American politics, in actual fact. All candidates (of both parties) tack to the fringes for the primary campaign, and then pivot and tack back to the center for the general election campaign. But it's one of those things you're not supposed to admit out loud, especially not while being interviewed on the air.
Before we get to the ramifications of this gaffe, though, we have to pause to make a grammatical point. Etch A Sketch is a toy. It is, properly, a brand name. As such, it should be capitalized (not "etch a sketch"). It should also not be hyphenated, unless used as a modifying phrase (not "Etch-A-Sketch" unless saying something like "Romney's Etch-A-Sketch problem") -- mostly because it is not hyphenated in the brand name itself. And every leading letter should be capitalized (not "Etch a Sketch"). This paragraph was necessary because I've seen so many otherwise-respectable editors get it so wrong over the past few days. All it takes is a quick web search for a photo of the bright red toy to see how to properly write the brand name, folks. Take the extra five seconds and check before editing!
Personal editorial bugaboos aside, though, Romney has been desperately trying to live this gaffe down ever since it happened. Romney has shown an odd talent in the nominating race so far for stepping in verbal mudpuddles, usually immediately after a big primary win -- but in this particular case, it wasn't even his fault. Which matters not a whit to his opponents and the jaded voices in the media who are desperately trying to keep the "Romney's not quite inevitable" storyline alive for another two months.
Romney's biggest problem is that the entire episode fits so neatly in with his biggest perceived weakness as a Republican candidate: he is seen as a man who will do and say anything in order to be elected -- whether he believes in what he's saying or not. Conservatives were already uncomfortable with the idea of Romney as their nominee even before the Etch A Sketch comment. The idea of pressing "reset" on Romney-the-candidate already worries conservatives, and to have a top aide come out and blatantly admit that this would be the plan for the fall is going to sour them even more. In one word, Romney has a "trustworthiness" problem with the Republican base, which has now grown even harder for him to overcome.
Some are saying this could be a "defining moment" for Romney, in the eyes of the public. I kind of doubt that, for two reasons. First, Romney didn't utter the line himself. Second, there have already been several "defining moments" for Romney, all of which will be competing for the public's attention (Romney as: the "dog on the car's roof" guy, the "doesn't care about the very poor" guy, the "let Detroit die" guy, the "self-deportation" guy, the "likes to fire people" guy, the "cheesy grits, y'all" guy, the "corporations are people too" guy, and several more I've probably forgotten). To pin him as "Mr. Etch A Sketch" might be fun for Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich for a few weeks, but eventually it may fade.
Then again, it may not. The Romney-versus-Obama race is shaping up to be chock full of charges of flip-flopping, from both candidates. Both the president and Romney are seen as weak on the issue, and in politics you usually attack the other candidate on your own weaknesses. Romney's campaign was supposed to be about the economy, but if the economy continues to improve all summer long it will reduce the effectiveness of his argument until he's the one who seems out of touch. Gas prices will also be coming down at the end of the summer, as they almost always do, which will also serve to weaken Romney's main argument.
Romney will then attempt to make the case that Barack Obama hasn't kept his campaign promises, and therefore cannot be trusted by the voters. President Obama, if he's smart, will be making exactly the same case against Romney, pointing to his record in Massachusetts and his contradictory statements on the campaign trail.
Mitt's basic problem is that he's been campaigning for the past three or four years as a Republican "sheep in wolf's clothing." Knowing how weak his Massachusetts record is with the true conservatives, Mitt has been bending over backwards trying to spout right-wing fire and brimstone on the campaign trail in an effort to portray himself as much more conservative than he actually is. To a certain degree, this has paid off for him, but Republican voters still have a hefty amount of doubt on this score. The Obama campaign, meanwhile, has been stockpiling clips of all of Mitt's most extreme statements to use against him in the fall campaign (which is exactly what the interviewer was asking Mitt's aide about).
In 2004, Republicans at their national convention gleefully waved flip-flops every time John Kerry's name was mentioned. Perhaps this year, we'll see Democrats waving mini Etch A Sketches at their convention, to mock Mitt.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Chris- where's the musical references? After 10 seconds of thought, off the top of my head I came up with Romney="Nowhere Man". I think you could have fun with this...
Until Romney claims that there are 57 States in the United States or proffers a forged Selective Service card or makes the claim that a huge deficit is "unpatriotic" or some other such in-retrospect brain dead quote, it's much ado about nothing... :D
Michale.....
Kevin -
OK, name me a song with an Etch A Sketch in it. Or maybe "Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty)"?
Heh.
-CW
I was thinking of the lines, "doesn't have a point of view, knows not where he's going to"; if I cared enough to think more about it I'm sure I could come up with a more relevant song. But Romney is such an embarrassment to your country that I can't be bothered.
Chris, I was just teasing you about using a musical reference. I couldn't think of a song that remotely brought an Etch A Sketch to mind, but I DO like it when you manage to tie a tune in to your topic of the day :-)
But Romney is such an embarrassment to your country that I can't be bothered.
Oh yes.. And our current President has been such a Great Leader, eh? :^/
Michale.....
Yes, Michale, he has. You would just never admit it. So what's your point?
Yes, Michale, he has.
Not even by his own standards...
"The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion for the first 42 presidents — #43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome, so that we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back — $30,000 for every man, woman and child. That’s irresponsible. It’s unpatriotic.
-Senator Barack Obama, 2008
"If I can't turn this economy around in 3 years, I don't deserve a second term."
-President Barack Obama, Jan 2009
"Of course Americans were better off 4 years ago."
-President Barack Obama, 2011
These are those "facts" that everyone around here claims to love and adore...
Funny how the FACTS are not important when they are against a Democrat, eh?? :D
You would just never admit it.
I ALWAYS give props to the President when he does good. Albeit sometimes grudgingly, to be sure, but props nonetheless..
But it is undeniable that I have given credit to Obama a HELLUVA lot more than ya'all gave credit to Bush....
Dozens of times vs ........... None Zero Zilch Nada.... :D
Michale.....
Michale, you are SO boorishly predictable. My Romney comment was a throw away observation; what's even more scary is that he's considered the "SANE" Republican candidate.
After your years of banging the same dull drum in all your comments, isn't it revealing you've made NO CONVERTS to whatever point of view you espouse? Maybe you've at least noticed that Chris and everyone else here support sane and rational governance, which Obama/Biden have given you in spades? Seriously, you live in Florida with a disgracefully incompetent governor and gun laws which are rightfully national news...Wouldn't you do better trying to address the manure in your own backyard? Just wondering; your Don Quixote act would go down a lot better if you addressed serious problems rather than the tedious "what if Democrats did...B.S. They don't, didn't, and yes Bush was a national disaster that the rest of the world is still trying to recover from, not to mention your poor, long suffering country. Are you REALLY one of the 27% that has no shame or reason?
I'm honestly curious.
Maybe you've at least noticed that Chris and everyone else here support sane and rational governance, which Obama/Biden have given you in spades?
What exactly is "sane and rational" about running the economy into the ground, about exploding the debt/deficit more in 3 years than any other president COMBINED???
I am sincerely curious as to what criteria you used to determine that THAT is "sane and rational"...
Seriously, you live in Florida with a disgracefully incompetent governor and gun laws which are rightfully national news...
I assume you are talking about the Trayvon Martin shooting and the "Stand Your Ground" Law...
It may interest you to know that the Martin shooting has absolutely NOTHING to do with SYG Law... Actually, it probably wouldn't interest you because these "facts" would totally negate the anti-RightWing hysteria you are attempting to foment..
Just as you really don't want to hear that Zimmerman (the shooter) is not WHITE, as the Left Wing MSM has reported, but is Hispanic...
Of course the MSM couldn't report THAT fact because then it would open up a whole can o' worms..
Sometimes the FACTS don't have a Left Wing bent, eh??
So, what does the Left do???
Ignore the facts....
They don't, didn't, and yes Bush was a national disaster that the rest of the world is still trying to recover from, not to mention your poor, long suffering country.
Still can't get rid of the Bush chip on ya'alls shoulder, eh??? :D Even when the FACTS are evidence that every Bush CT policy that was ever enacted was continued AND expanded by Obama, you STILL can't give credit where credit is due...
So who is REALLY the "rabid partisan" here and who isn't?? :D
The difference between me and almost everyone here is I am NOT nor have I ever been, ashamed of my country...
I have ALWAYS been proud of my country.. And I was that way BEFORE we nominated a black person as president..
:D
Michale.....
Are you REALLY one of the 27% that has no shame or reason?
Do you want to REALLY talk about shame??
How about ALL Democrats who opposed Bush's anti-terror policies, SOLELY FOR PARTISAN GAIN!!??
When it's a Democrat in the White House, all Democrats are fine and happy to go along with the CT policies...
But when it's a Republican in the White House?? Those policies are all wrong..
So, what can a rational and sane person think??
That Democrats opposed Bush's CT policies strictly for partisan gain..
So, you tell me... Who should REALLY be ashamed here???
Michale.....
It may interest you to know that the Martin shooting has absolutely NOTHING to do with SYG Law... Actually, it probably wouldn't interest you because these "facts" would totally negate the anti-RightWing hysteria you are attempting to foment..
Just as you really don't want to hear that Zimmerman (the shooter) is not WHITE, as the Left Wing MSM has reported, but is Hispanic...
Of course the MSM couldn't report THAT fact because then it would open up a whole can o' worms..
Actually, most of the articles I have read and news bits on TV I have seen have mentioned that Zimmerman is Hispanic. Also, the reason cited for not arresting Zimmerman are the requirement of SYG.
Might check your "facts"...
Blah Blah Blah...Sigh. Sorry I can't be as patriotic as you, but I AM Canadian...Zimmerman being Hispanic has NOTHING to do with that stupid law. Democrats criticizing the Republicans is justified because the current Republican "leaders" are flat out nuts, or the most shameless batch of lying, cynical weasels outside of a Disney movie (and not nearly as likeable). You REALLY need a new shtick. And are you with Republican's treating women like beings out of the Handmaid's Tale? You can be funny, but I'm getting worried you're as nutty as the folks you "defend".
Zimmerman being Hispanic has NOTHING to do with that stupid law.
No, but it has EVERYTHING to do with Left Wing control of the MSM...
Democrats criticizing the Republicans is justified because the current Republican "leaders" are flat out nuts, or the most shameless batch of lying, cynical weasels outside of a Disney movie (and not nearly as likeable).
No, it's not "justified" because Democrats are as bad, if not WORSE than Republicans.
That's the point that seems to escape you...
And are you with Republican's treating women like beings out of the Handmaid's Tale?
If you are with Democrats treating women like cunts and twats...
You can be funny, but I'm getting worried you're as nutty as the folks you "defend".
Funny.. I was just going to say the same thing about you.. :D
Michale.....
Actually, most of the articles I have read and news bits on TV I have seen have mentioned that Zimmerman is Hispanic.
For example???? I am sure there are MANY MSM outlets that are going back and re-writing recent history.. :D
Just like many MSM outlets (all LEFT WING controlled) had egg on their face when they tried to tie Loughren to Palin and Limbaugh after he shot Giffords, when it turned out that he was a "Left Wing Pothead"...
Credit where credit is due. CW.COM is about the ONLY place that didn't jump on the Loughren = Palin/Limbaugh bandwagon...
Regardless, I am sure the Left Wing MSM has corrected their earlier reports that listed Zimmerman as "white"...
Also, the reason cited for not arresting Zimmerman are the requirement of SYG.
Which is why the Police Chief of Sandford has temporarly stepped down..
He screwed up. The SYG law doesn't apply if you take steps to advance on the subject..
Zimmerman clearly did so, disobeying local dispatchers in the process.
Which isn't to say he is guilty in this. The juvenile was trespassing on private property.
Whether or not Zimmerman is arrested or exonerated, it's clear that SYG was not nor will be an issue...
As much as the Left Wing and it's MSM attack dogs would like it to be...
Ya'alls pound of flesh will have to come from elsewhere...
Michale.....
That Democrats opposed Bush's CT policies strictly for partisan gain..
Is it safe to assume that you do not dispute this claim??? :D
Or that you simply can't find any logical evidence or facts to dispute it?? :D
Michale.....
For example???? I am sure there are MANY MSM outlets that are going back and re-writing recent history.. :D
About 4 or 5 links off google news the day after it happened and various news show I flipped to that night while surfing.
Because Zimmerman is a neighborhood watch member, they had to make sure how and if SYG protections were/should be in play. If it turns out they were not, it still required them to consider it in the first place which puts SYG a bit more in the picture than "absolutely NOTHING"...
About 4 or 5 links off google news the day after it happened and various news show I flipped to that night while surfing.
Again.... FOR EXAMPLE....?????
The only ones that I saw that had it right were FNC. Amazing, eh??? :D
If it turns out they were not, it still required them to consider it in the first place which puts SYG a bit more in the picture than "absolutely NOTHING"...
Your source for this????
Or are you simply assuming?
To date, the ONLY people who have been mentioning the SYG law was the Police Chief (who has admitted he screwed up) and the Hysterical Left Wing MSM....
I can refer you to the OpEd from the guy who actually WROTE the law, but I realize how facts matter so little when the hysterical Left gets a raging woody.... :D
Michale.....
Just in case you need clarification, the "Stand Your Ground" law is just what it says..
Prior to it's enactment, Floridians had a duty and responsibility to attempt to evade an attacker. If no escape was possible, only then could a Floridian employ deadly force..
The Stand Your Ground law was enacted in 2005 and allowed Floridians to stand their ground and employ deadly force if they felt their life or lives of others was in danger of death or severe bodily harm. The impetus for this law was the devastation caused by the calamitous Hurricane Season of 2005.. (As an aside, I guess that means we can blame Human Caused Global Warming (Yet The Planet Is Cooling) for the STAND YOUR GROUND law.. :D But I digest)...
The law was brought about when a homeowner had moved an RV onto his property to live in after his home was destroyed.. Someone broke into the RV and the owner used Deadly Force and was charged with (I believe) manslaughter...
The SYG law came into being because Floridians felt that they shouldn't have to leave their possessions to the mercy of scumbags who are too lazy to earn their own...
As you can see, absolutely NONE of this would have ANY bearing on the Zimmerman/Martin shooting...
Again, these are those "facts" that ya'all claim to worship, yet the Hysterical Left just doesn't want to hear....
Class dismissed......
Michale.....
Again.... FOR EXAMPLE....?????
Not searching my history, sorry. Random sampling of MSM on the day the story broke told me he was Hispanic.
SYG is mentioned in a lot of articles. SYG may very well not be applicable (as many "left" MSM media sites have written) but at this point it looks like there is a good chance Zimmerman will use it in his defense if he is arrested therefore it is in play in this case which makes it more than "absolutely NOTHING to do with SYG Law".
Because Zimmerman is a neighborhood watch member...
He is? What I heard was unclear about it.
Sounds like he wasn't but was a member of the gated communities security team.
Michale, I'll try to keep this simple...Zimmerman being Hispanic is irrelevant. He could be ANYTHING, but the law as it stands is a license to kill. Since you have James Bond fantasies, I know it must be hard for you to criticize it. He stalked and shot an innocent teenager-that's ALL THAT MATTERS!!! None of your blustering changes that simple fact.
Kevin,
He could be ANYTHING, but the law as it stands is a license to kill.
No, the law as it stands is a license to defend..
Period..
He stalked and shot an innocent teenager-that's ALL THAT MATTERS!!!
Were you there?
No you weren't...
First and foremost, the kid wasn't "innocent". He was trespassing. While that's not enough justification for killing him, let's dispense with the utter PR lie that the kid was "innocent"...
Secondly, there is NO EVIDENCE whatsoever to dispute Zimmerman's account of the incident. NONE whatsoever...
Sure, his parents say he was a "good kid". What do you expect??
Reminds me of another shooting where a 15 year old kid was shot. The kid was out after midnight and had been drinking. His parents said he was a "good kid" too...
There are only two facts of this care that are relevant..
ONE: The kid was trespassing.
TWO: There is no direct evidence to dispute Zimmerman's account of the innocent.
These are the ONLY relevant facts of the issue..
All the rest is nothing but racist garbage...
Michale.....
Speaking of racist garbage...
I see Jesse Jackson has tried to cash in on this tragedy for free publicity...
It's sadly pathetic to see these REAL racists try to cash in by making a tragic incident a tragic racist incident...
Kevin, THAT is why people around the world shake their heads at America... Because of our loonies and racist assholes that take every incident, every tragedy and try to interject race into it...
It seems that a black person, a hispanic person or ANY kind of person not white simply CANNOT be involved in ANY incident or issue where their race is not a factor...
I would have thought that electing a black president would put such claims to rest..
Apparently not...
Apparently the REAL racists MUST have their race card to play. And play... And play.... And play...
"Tis true, tis sad. Tis sad, tis true..."
Michale......
Kevin,
Several eyewitnesses report to police that they heard a scuffle, then a cry for help, and then a gunshot.
According to the Sanford police report, George Zimmerman, 28, a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain, is found armed with a handgun, standing over Martin. He has a bloody nose and a wound in the back of his head.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/trayvon-martin-case-timeline-of-events/
These facts would seem to corroborate Zimmerman's account that he was attacked by Martin.
Further, all reports of the shooting I have read says that Martin was shot in the chest. Hardly the evidence of a kid running away...
But I am interested about one point.
Why do you think it was a racial incident??
Because a black person was the victim???
Michale.....
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/middle-class-guy/2012/mar/18/trayvon-martin-latest-social-media-tragedy/
There ya go, Kevin....
Michale.....
Bashi,
SYG is mentioned in a lot of articles. SYG may very well not be applicable (as many "left" MSM media sites have written) but at this point it looks like there is a good chance Zimmerman will use it in his defense if he is arrested therefore it is in play in this case which makes it more than "absolutely NOTHING to do with SYG Law".
You're right. I did phrase that badly..
Yes, the MSM did mention the SYG law.
Yes, it's possible that, if Zimmerman is arrested, he may use the law as his defense. He might even be successful..
All I was saying was, speaking objectively regarding the known facts, the SYG law has nothing to do with this incident.
And the author of the SYG law agrees with that assessment...
That's all I meant to say. Apologies for saying it badly.
Michale.....
This also has the potential to be a BIG loser for Obama's re-election campaign.
If Obama is seen as persecuting a hispanic man in favor of a black person, hispanics will likely not take too kindly to that.
Obama has the black vote already sewn up...
It's the hispanic vote that is up in the air...
Obama is not doing himself any favors..
He should have just stayed out of it..
Michale.....
Michale -
Just curious... where did you get that "the kid was trespassing" thing? Haven't heard that, myself, but I admit I haven't been following it all that closely...
-CW
CW,
Martin was in a gated community that had experienced more than half a dozen burglaries in the last year...
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10791755-neighbor-comes-to-defense-of-trayvon-martins-shooter
According to the 911 call, Zimmerman observed Martin acting as if he was scoping out various houses..
Michale
One of the other reports I read (can't locate it specifically) stated that "the kids" always took a shortcut thru the gated community... I think it was a Martin parent or one of the other parents in the neighborhood..
If this is true, then it's clear that Martin was committing a crime at the time of his death.
He was missing 12 hours before his Dad called anyone. 12 hours
Was his dad's first call to the hospital to see if his son had been brought in???
No, it was to the cops to see if his son had been arrested....
Again, I am not saying he deserved to die because he was trespassing. I am not saying that he is Al Capone incarnate..
But let's not lose sight of the fact that this kid was hardly an innocent child.
Michale.....
Here's the best article on the story to date.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/16/2697604/trayvon-martins-parents-criss.html
Michale.....
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/witness-martin-attacked-zimmerman-03232012
Rushing to judgment....
ALWAYS a bad idea....
Michale.....
Michale, you're really outdoing yourself in your hysteria. Comment 26- why do you think this was a racial incident? There you go again, putting words in my mouth...Please point out my comment about it being racial...I NEVER SAID SUCH A THING!! In fact I said race wasn't relevant. And your glee about the kid doing the crime of trespassing; yep I can see Zimmerman using that in his mind to stalk Trayvon. And since according to you the left controls the media, why are you so quick to link to media stories when you think it backs your point of view? And finally, you are the only person on this site that is CONSISTENTLY hysterical in your arguments; and I'm sick and tired of your banal "hysterical left" routine. Sheesh. Try reading John Cole at Balloon Juice for a much better and succinct recap of what I've been trying to say. I'd provide a link, but they've redone their site and at the moment it won't let me.
I'm sick and tired of your [Michale's] banal "hysterical left" routine
Probably better just not to reply to him, in that case.
dsws- I know. I try to avoid these silly incidents but some times he's so over the top my good intentions go down the tube :D
Kevin,
In fact I said race wasn't relevant.
Fair enough..
I am glad we agree that race had nothing to do with this.
Could you please convince uber-racists Jackson and Sharpton to quit polluting our state with their clap-trap..
And your glee about the kid doing the crime of trespassing;
I'll repeat..
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/witness-martin-attacked-zimmerman-03232012
Rushing to judgment....
ALWAYS a bad idea....
You were wrong Kevin. Admit it graciously. I would, if the roles were reversed...
dsws- I know. I try to avoid these silly incidents but some times he's so over the top my good intentions go down the tube :D
Which "good intentions" were those??
Lynching an innocent man whose only crime was due diligence in protecting the property assigned to him??
dsws,
Probably better just not to reply to him, in that case.
So, you claim to be interested only in the facts..
Funny how, when the facts are always against you, you resort to cheap insults...
I wish it were more surprising...
Michale
1,000 quatloos says that, when Martin's autopsy report comes back, their will be traces of drugs/alcohol in his body...
Michale.....
Rushing to judgment....
ALWAYS a bad idea....
And yet you are doing exactly that.
What happened before this witness encountered this scene? Was Zimmerman wearing identification that he was a community watch guy? (Not sure what his official title would be). Did he announce that to Trayvon Martin or just follow him? Who initiated the conflict?
Way too many questions to make a real judgement. Unfortunately only two people seem to have all the answers and one of them is dead.
I'll wait for more info, personally.
And yet you are doing exactly that.
Not even..
I am commenting on the evidence and extrapolating it based on my experience as an LEO...
The new eyewitness evidence corroborates the direct physical evidence to a tee. Plus it also confirms Zimmerman's account of the shooting.
If it quacks like a duck...
Who initiated the conflict?
According to Zimmerman's statement that was corroborated by the eye witness, Martin attacked Zimmerman.
Way too many questions to make a real judgement.
Ain't it funny how that didn't stop ANYONE from making a judgement yesterday.
Now that a direct eyewitness steps forward and corroborates Zimmerman's account, NOW you don't want to make a "real judgement"... :D
People all over the country up to, AND INCLUDING, President Obama jumped the gun.. AGAIN...
I'll wait for more info, personally.
Of course you will...
NOW... :D
I see that you didn't speak up when Zimmerman was being virtually lynched around here..
What's your opinion on the death threats against the Sanford Police Chief or the bounty that the New Black Panthers has placed on Zimmerman's head, "Dead or Alive"...
I suppose you want to wait to make a "real judgement" on that too, eh? :D
Michale.....
It's also looking like I may have been wrong regarding the applicability of the Florida SYG Law..
Near as I can piece things together, here is the sequence of events.
I can't find an official transcript of the 9/11 calls, so I am just going by what I have read, pulling snippets from all over to construct the timeline..
Initially, Zimmerman calls 9/11 to report a suspicious person. He describes the actions of this person (LIA Martin) as appearing to scope out or "case" several homes. The 9/11 operator asks Zimmerman if he is following the person. Zimmerman replies "Yes". 9/11 operator follows that up with her "We don't need you to do that." statement that's been widely reported..
Some back and forth ensue between the operator and Zimmerman.
Then Zimmerman states that he lost Martin. He made a comment along the lines of "those assholes seem to always get away". Some people have reported that the words "fucking coon" is a statement made by Zimmerman, but I can't find any official report of this. Likely people are trying to make a racial issue where none exists..
Anyways, at this point, we have Martin out in the wild (so to speak), no eyes on him. Zimmerman starts to move towards his car.
At this point, Zimmerman is jumped by Martin.. Zimmerman is forced to the ground by Martin and Martin starts to pummel Zimmerman in the fact.
Both Zimmerman's statement and the statement of the eyewitness agree on this point. This account is further backed up by the physical condition of Zimmerman when LEOs arrive. Bloody nose, cut to the back of the head and Zimmerman's clothes grassy and wet on the backside..
All evidence points to Zimmerman being attacked and forced to the ground.
At this point, according to Zimmerman and the eyewitness, Zimmerman began calling for help. The eyewitness claims he yelled for Martin to stop the attack that he (the witness) was calling 9/11.
After the witness made contact with 9/11, Zimmerman pulled his weapon and shot Martin once in the chest.
Some witnesses reported two shots fired, but according to forensic evidence, only one round was fired. It's likely that the second "shot" was merely an echo of the first shot.
According to the police report, Martin was DOA at the scene, face down with his hands to his chest. This is entirely consistent with Zimmerman's and the eyewitnesses' account of Martin straddling Zimmerman and being shot in the chest. GSR traces show that the gun was fired less than a foot from Martin's chest.
At first I was thinking that SYG was applicable here. But reading over my own timeline it's clear that Zimmerman had no OPPORTUNITY to escape the attack..
Assuming my timeline is accurate (and again it may not be, I readily admit)..... But if it IS accurate then this is a clear-cut case of Self Defense.
No SYG law needed..
In the parlance of the LEO community, the label of a "good shoot" by the Sanford PD is entirely accurate and consistent with the law and the facts...
Michale.....
Near as I can piece things together, here is the sequence of events.
"Mr Gambini.... That is a lucid, professional and well thought out objection...... OVERRULED"
-Judge Chamberlin Haller, MY COUSIN VINNY
:D
Michale......
The problem is, at least according to the link you posted, this "John" witness starts his story with him seeing Trayvon Martin on top of Zimmerman fighting. In other words he came in at the middle of the altercation. We are missing how the fight started.
It very well might be exactly as Zimmerman states, or he could be covering his ass...
The problem is, at least according to the link you posted, this "John" witness starts his story with him seeing Trayvon Martin on top of Zimmerman fighting. In other words he came in at the middle of the altercation. We are missing how the fight started.
It very well might be exactly as Zimmerman states, or he could be covering his ass...
Agreed.. That IS a discrepancy in my timeline.. I thought the witness had viewed things earlier.
Thanx for the correction..
Barring any evidence that disputes Zimmerman's claim (another witness??) I believe two factors support the claim.
1. Everything else to date that Zimmerman has said has been corroborated. With the exception of a couple understandable and minor discrepancies, everything Zimmerman has said has been A>supported by other evidence and B>has been consistent..
2. The fact that Martin was on top of Zimmerman indicates that Martin surprised Zimmerman and not the other way around. This is supported by the fact that, while Martin was taller, Zimmerman had the definite weight advantage. I honestly can't see how Martin would have gained the advantage so quickly, if Zimmerman had been the aggressor. It would appear that Martin surprised Zimmerman and that would indicate that Martin was the aggressor..
Granted it's not proof positive, but it does support Zimmerman's account of the incident..
Michale
Oh, now isn't THIS just classy....
http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/release/sites/default/files/assets/zimmermanshirt.jpg
:^/
Michale.....
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=16252
Wonder if President Obama is going to comment on this??
I doubt it. The victim doesn't look like Obama...
Michale.....
Looks like Martin suspension was for drugs... So much for the claim that Trayvon was a "good kid"...
Wish I could say I was surprised....
It's likely the autopsy will show he had drugs in his system when he was shot... Which would explain why Martin could take down a man who had 100 lbs on him..
Michale....
WOW......
The buzzards are really circling around the carcass of Trayvon Martin...
Mother Seeks Trayvon Martin Trademarks
Records: Late teenager's kin filed pair of applications last week
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/trayvon-martin-trademarks-769123
Where's the Left outrage at THIS!!!?????
{{chiiirrrrrpppppp}} {{{chiiiiiirrrrrrrppppppppp}}}
Michale.....
Former NAACP leader C.L. Bryant also criticized President Obama for his “nebulous statement” responding to Martin’s death that “if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”
“What does that mean?” Bryant asked. “What was the purpose in that?”
http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/26/former-naacp-leader-accuses-sharpton-and-jackson-of-exploiting-trayvon-martin/#ixzz1qFhzpLak
I know I keep harping on this..
But it's rare that I am THIS dead on ballz right about a Right v Left situation...
Michale....
Ya know, it's actually ironic..
If Florida had OPEN CARRY laws like AZ, then it's likely that Martin would be alive today and Zimmerman would have simply asked Martin what he was doing in the area, Martin would have answered and all would have been good..
Michale.....
More details about Trayvon Martin.
He had been suspended several times for drugs and possession of burglary tools. His bag was searched at one time and he had possession of dozes of pieces of women's jewelry including silver wedding bands..
So, Zimmerman's report that Martin was acting suspicious and appeared to be "casing" some homes gains a LOT more validity...
In short (too late! :D) it's becoming clearer that Martin was NOT the victim in this case. He was the perpetrator..
The only outstanding issue would be the autopsy report and I am more convinced than ever that it will show he had drugs in his system. Possibly meth or PCP..
Nothing else explains why he would attack a man that out-weighed him by a hundred pounds and would actually be able to drop the guy and assault him as bad as he did...
Michale.....
Police: Trayvon protesters ransack store
http://www.local10.com/news/Police-Trayvon-protesters-ransack-store/-/1717324/9719674/-/xctonpz/-/index.html
This is how Trayvon is commemorated...
The silence from the Left is deafening...
Michale.....
If any drug turned a scrawny little kid into a super-deadly fighting machine, the world's militaries would have been all over it, no matter the consequences for the user. They aren't, ergo it doesn't.
If any drug turned a scrawny little kid into a super-deadly fighting machine, the world's militaries would have been all over it, no matter the consequences for the user. They aren't, ergo it doesn't.
I could name three that, in fact, do just what you describe...
Regardless of that, I never claimed that Martin was a "super deadly fighting machine". He landed a sucker punch and then took the guy down and repeatedly bashed his head against the sidewalk..
Martin thought he was so "gansta" and he died for it...
Michale.....
Martin thought he was so "gansta" and he died for it...
I am also constrained to point out again that, if FL was an Open Carry state, Martin would likely still be alive right now..
Although, it's possible that he was so tripped out on drugs, it might not have mattered...
Michale.....
http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/26/the-daily-caller-obtains-trayvon-martins-tweets/#ixzz1qGztV3LT
This is what Democrats are jumping into bed with..
A guy that calls himself "No Limit Nigga"...
"Oh Johnny, did you back the wrong horse."
-Dr Peter Venkman, GHOSTBUSTERS II
Michale.....