Willard ‘Mittens’ Romney’s $10,000 sucker bet

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

While suffering through watching the "Survivor – GOP Presidential Primary" debate on Saturday night, I knew at the moment Willard "Mittens" Romney made his $10,000 sucker bet with Governor Goodhair Rick Perry that he had made a stupid mistake. I imagined his campaign staff watching the debate in a media room all shouting at the television screen in Hollywood slow-motion style, "Noooo!"

If Governor Goodhair were a smart man and quick on his feet he would have responded to Mittens' challenge with "show me the money — do you have it on you?" This would have put Mittens on the spot to flash a roll of $10,000 pocket change, or, if he said he didn't have it on him, Perry could have told him "never bet a man with money you don't have" to make Mittens look bad rather than appear intimidated by Richie Rich and cower with "I'm not in the betting business." Weak.

Nevertheless, the media have fixated on Mitten's unforced error in judgment, and his GOP opponents are out with ads on Monday mocking this "out-of-touch with regular folks" vulture capitalist for his sucker bet. Bipartisanship: Republicans Rivals Attack Mitt Romney’s $10K Bet:

Rick Perry’s campaign went up last night with a web video highlighting the moment titled “The Truth Cannot Be Bought.” And Perry’s gone after Romney himself, joking to reporters that $10,000 is “pocket change” to Romney. [A day late and a dollar short, so to speak, but better late than never.]

Jon Huntsman’s aides quickly snapped up 10kbet.com, which they used to ding Romney over the debate. The site and its introductory video make prominent use of an old, much-circulated picture of Romney and his Bain Capital colleagues posing with a pile of cash.

Newt Gingrich got into the act on Monday, too, ripping Romney’s bet as well as his investment career:

“I would just say that if Gov. Romney would like to give back all of the money he’s earned from bankrupting companies and laying off employees over his years at Bain, that I would be glad to listen to him,” Gingrich told reporters in New Hampshire. “I’ll bet you $10, not $10,000, that he won’t take the offer.”

The DNC provided the talking points to media about what $10,000 means to average Iowans after the debate. On Monday, the DNC is planning on distributing this photoshopped $10,000 “Romney Reserve Note” to state parties and other allies around the country.

UPDATE: The DNC is up with a new ad as well: