It seems life as missionary in France wasn’t as rough on Romney as he’s suggested. From The Telegraph:
US election 2012: Mitt Romney’s life as a poor Mormon missionary in France questioned
Much of Mitt Romney’s life as a Mormon missionary in France was not as poor or arduous as he has claimed, say those who knew him at the time.
It was a rare reflection by Mitt Romney on his life as a young Mormon, offered as proof to struggling Americans that despite being born into privilege and amassing a $250 million fortune, he too had known hard times.
A day after being labelled “out of touch” for casually offering a $10,000 bet to a rival candidate, Mr Romney told supporters he had experienced austerity as a missionary in France, using a bucket for a lavatory and a hose for a shower. “You’re not living high on the hog at that kind of level,” he said.
But the Republican presidential hopeful spent a significant portion of his 30-month mission in a Paris mansion described by fellow American missionaries to The Daily Telegraph as “palace”. It featured stained glass windows, chandeliers, and an extensive art collection. It was staffed by two servants – a Spanish chef and a houseboy.
Although he spent time in other French cities, for most of 1968, Mr Romney lived in the Mission Home, a 19th century neoclassical building in the French capital’s chic 16th arrondissement. “It was a house built by and for rich people,” said Richard Anderson, the son of the mission president at the time of Mr Romney’s stay. “I would describe it as a palace”.
Tearful as he described the house, Mr Anderson, 70, of Kaysville, Utah, said Romney aides had asked him not to speak publicly about their time together there.
The rest here.
Really shoddy journalism. Missionaries who serve in leadership positions spend only a portion of their missionary service in such a capacity. Descriptions of the mission home that he stayed at can be accurate (that it was luxurious) and still miss that Mitt Romney could have very well stayed at many other subpar living arrangements during the rest of his mission. Such housing conditions are credible (I served a foreign mission myself - Sao Paulo, Brazil) and likely to have occured. So much for a gotcha-type article! I myself stayed in some interesting apartments during my time in Brazil. They were humbling at times and taught me to appreciate what I had back in the United States. I'm not surprised that Mitt referenced his mission to illustrate that despite his upbringing he could relate to the underpriviledged.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo in other words, what Romney said was true. However, a clever reporter has managed to prove that what Romney didn't say, didn't happen. And through clever presentation of the facts, he tries to make Romney look like a liar.
If somebody interviewed me (I can't imagine why anyone would) I might tell them that I had been single for much of my adult life. The Telegraph could then interview my wife and run with a lede: "Although Fins has made claims to a long unmarried period, The Telegraph's interview with his spouse reveals that he has in fact been married for over eight years." They could feature wedding pictures in the sidebar, and carefully create the impression that what I had said wasn't true.
If you intend to deceive, and you succeed, you're a liar. Even if every statement you make while deceiving is true. The Telegraph reporters are liars, although I'm sure they would swear up and down that they weren't trying to mislead anyone.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am surprised that you guys perpetuated this story... seems very ill informed and miss leading. Even minimal research into LDS mission culture would have taught you that missionaries rarely stay in one place for more then a couple of months.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCome on NRO. Why republish this nonsense. This doesn't contradict what Mitt said at all.
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