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Emmanuel Dunand / AFP - Getty Images
Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney talks to supporters calling for donations during a storm relief campaign event to help people who suffered from hurricane Sandy, in Kettering, Ohio, on Oct. 30, 2012.
KETTERING, OH — Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney collected donated supplies for hurricane victims on the East Coast on Tuesday, while urging supporters to give money to the Red Cross at a hastily arranged "relief event" in Ohio.
"Thank you for your help and your generosity," Romney told supporters, as he stood on a table surrounded by donated goods, at the location of a planned campaign rally this morning. "If you have a little extra, if you have more canned goods, bring them along to our victory centers that are open. But also if you can write a check to American Red Cross that's welcome as well. We're looking for all the help we can get for all the families in need."
Romney had been scheduled to hold a full-fledged campaign rally in this same building until late yesterday, when the campaign said it was scrapping Romney's political calendar as Hurricane Sandy approached the East Coast. Monday night, the campaign announced this morning's event was back on, but the focus would be storm relief — with Romney making no formal remarks, and no political agenda attached.
Attendees were asked by the campaign to bring donations of non-perishable goods, which are to be trucked to a Red Cross office in Sewell, NJ — or to give to the red cross directly.
Gov. Mitt Romney attended a storm relief event in Ohio, urging supporters to "make the difference in the life of one or two people" by donating goods to benefit the victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Romney's remarks were indeed without a political focus, with no direct mention of the election now just one week away, or of President Barack Obama or any specific campaign issue. After speaking and packing boxes, Romney and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman helped load the donated supplies into a truck for shipment, ignoring questions about whether he planned to tour storm damaged areas, and on his views of the future of FEMA.
Despite effort to the contrary, no political event can be entirely apolitical in late October of an election year, and some trappings of a rally remained here. Romney's long biographical video played once, well before Romney arrived at the venue, and outside the arena vendors sold buttons and hats to attendees as they left.
Mandy Hess, an administrative assistant at a medical office in Kettering who attended the event with her teenage son, said she wasn't bothered by the hint of politics mixed in with the relief effort.
"It's letting you know who he is as a person and what his roots are, and that people and family are what's important to him so I think that ties into the relief effort," Hess said.
The GOP nominee himself kept his focus on the storm victims, and tried to strike an uplifting tone, telling supporters that their effort, however small in the grand scheme of things, would matter.
"I know that one of the things I've learned in life is you make the difference you can," Romney said. "And you can't always solve all the problems yourself, but you can make the difference in the life of one or two people as a result of one or two people making an effort."
The campaign resumes in full force Wednesday, with Romney planning three rallies in Florida, while his vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan hits the trail in Wisconsin.
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Romney is so friggin fake; he's acting like he is the president during this disaster. And to think he wants to do away with FEMA - wake up people, he just ain't presidential material.
FEMA is worthless and broke
So according MSNBC Romney cannot help the Red Cross by helping people to collect Food and Supplies and then giving it to the Red Cross. [Oh Really] So if you and I were to help collect food and supplies to give to the Red Cross we would be Ridiculed of for trying to help......MSNBC is despicable. People are hurting and because Romney is running for President he is not allowed to help? [WRONG] That is what a President should do......So I give President Obama credit for do his job. [Maybe for the first time] So because Romney has not been Elected President [YET] that will change on November 6, 2012. He cannot help......WRONG! Anyone who watches MSNBC and believes their CRAP and votes for Obama is part of the Problem NOT the Solution.
Lying about Jeep being moved to China is not something the want-to-be President should do! What ever else he does in his life does not make up for his lies or the fact he ran off to France during the Vietnam War either. He will never be my President and now days it's possible to Email him and tell him every day, I hope I'm not the only one.
Confussed, get off the nam kick, clinton did the same damn thing. What brach did you serve in?
There are 170+ people in Wisconsin that are losing their jobs also. You know them as the people Bain Capital put out of works or their subsidiary. Does Romney feel they need any help or does he think they should go to China to work where Bain/Romney has sent their jobs?
You're a moron. Stupid shixs like you make America's decision easy on nov. 6, 2012
It's Romney/Ryan all the way.
People only think about companies that were closed down, you can not save a company that is failing, if these companies could have been saved they would have saved them.
Way to go Ohio;
Romney pulls ahead in Ohio
America you've heard it all before....
Don't miss this...amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZgQhnNRSuw�=
ccm
Mitt "THE LIER" Romney had anouther non campaign activity today collecting can food in Ohio for hurricane victims in New Jersey he plans on distributeing them in New Jersey on Wensday!!! This noncampaign collecting wasn't a campaign just like John McCain wasn't doing more campaigning on the campaign trail today for Romney today!!! Also I'm getting sick and tired of Romney calling Massachuettes his state!!! Romney you weren't born there it's not your state!!!!!
Yes because people without power or habitable homes LOVE recieving canned goods. Way to go Mitt, we really aren't fooled by your photo op. By the way Mitt....how do you really feel about FEMA? Why have you been avoiding that question? Having been through several hurricane disasters I can assure you that the general public needs FEMA and it needs to be left in the hands of the federal government.
There are people who still have their homes and may run out of food. I know if that was me I would be happy to get food since all the stores around are either damaged or going to be out of food in a day or so. P.S FEMA is worthless
Short sited much? Ron Indiana
In Ohio, Romney was collecting donations to send too, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New york Delaware,ect,ect .... .....
As soon as Mitt Romney is President-elect his focus will be on setting in motion a path of prosperity for all American's.
Returning the United states to the fiscally sound & reliable economic superpower it should be.... .....
Those of you that "need help" will get it. those that need a hand up will be helped up. those who want a hand out will get it temporarily, but will be expected to step up or else no more party favs.
If you just can't live with a people who require that hard work and personal responsibility is important then you are free to pursue a different path, possibly France or Greece or Spain will have you?
European socialism will not work in this hemisphere, No, No majority of Americans want that type of life or gov't. Our founding Document's are Safeguards against that, thankfully.... .....
So good riddance to bad rubbish! Good bye, Presidebt Obama !!!! !!!!!
Nov. 6th 2012
VOTE ROMNEY & RYAN
VOTE ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
Liberal, Hallucination Parade of Fools
Poor, Poor, barry,
Surly he can find a way to blame all this Benghazi mess "he has created" on George W. Bush. lol !!!!!!!!!!
This so called,"Leader" Presidebt Barack Hussein Obama, WILL be seen in History books as a Corrupt Liar, and the, Biggest politically elected mistake America has ever made.
I've never seen a man less presidential than potus 44 in modern history. ie. rolling stone interview "bullsh1ter" remark going on the record like that is a sure fire sign of a power mongers desperation.
The blame & shame Campaign of BHO is nearly at an end "thank goodness" Now, hopefully he won't completely destroy The USA during his lame duck Months out of spite for being fired.
I'm on record for saying "I told you so" long before this, as a matter of fact on August. 20th 2008 I said he would destroy free market capitalism if given the chance.
I'm so glad this nightmare is nearly awakened from. Now for the heavy lifting of putting this country back in order every one must pull together to save the "Shining city on the hill"
All credible help will be Needed & rewarded.... .....
Thank you, in advance for your support !!!
VOTE Romney & Ryan
Is Romney donating some of his millions for the cause? Or does he just want to ask others for money.
Hey caggie, you might want to ask the same question to Barack and Michelle Obama, The Clintons, John Kerry (married to the Heinz fortune), The Kennedy's, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid. Should I go on? I don't see any of them out there collecting anything for the people who have been affected by hurricane Sandy. By the way, hurricane Sandy is definitely a democrat. She swoops in like the vulture she is, redistributes everything in her path, then expects the taxpayers to foot the bill for her folly, which I might add will increase their taxes, then when she's done in one area she sets her sights on the next because she's never satisfied. Yep. Hurricane Sandy is definitely a Democrat!
I have come to the conclusion Hurricane Sandy is a Democrat. She swooped in like the vulture she is, redistributed everything she could get her greedy little hands on, leaving the taxpayers to foot another bill, which will raise taxes for her folly, then when she's done in one area, she sets her socialist sights on the next. Yep. Hurricane Sandy is definitely a Democrat!
Of course it wasn't political; that's why there was no press coverage of the event. lol.
So, how much of his own money is he donating for relief help?
Romney is an uncaring scum bag and did this for purely political reasons and here is your proof:As governor he let two cities in Massachusetts dangle in the wind.In 2005 Greenfield was completely flooded and he could not be found for three days,they had a state of emergency declared without him being there at all.In 2004 & 2006 Peabody was flooded.In 2004 he rejected $5.7 million in relief because in his words,the rationale was not strong enough,even though the town gave him plenty of reasons.In 2006 Peabody flooded again,and Romney came in for a photo op and then left !!! There are at least five websites that have this info,all you have to do is look.Like I said,pure scum bag !!!
...and the President keeps on working through this crisis, and Wrongme goes back to trying to score more cheap political points.
This is a micro encapsulation of the campaign. Obama, working to get people back to work. Wrongme, sailing around, getting in the way, all the while proudly bragging that he could have done better.
Maybe if he could have outsourced Sandy to China....
Go to post #184 and you will find out what the REAL Mitt has done.
Maria, please go back and look at all of your post and see how many likes you have on your comments, can you take a hint?
typos oops I wanted to add that the red cross can use all the money they can recieve. Romney and super rich should reach out to those in need but they never seem to do that
All I want to know is how much money did Romney andThe red cross all his super rich friends give to help these millions of people.
Governor Romney's and President Obama's dealings with regard to the devastation that has hurt so many because of Hurricane Sandy should not be a time for hurtful, political commentary.
Plant: Guess Repubs don't want to believe that Mitt is a scum bag and the TRUTH hurts.
Wow,Romney just came out with a statement saying disaster relief should fall back to the states,not FEMA.Kinda like he did in Massachusetts,when two cities needed him and he let them down ??? Greenfield in 2005,and Peabody in 2004 & 2006.
Heartwarming to see Mittens helping out those "who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it," if only long enough for a photo op.