Evan Vucci / AP
Mitt Romney speaking to the NAACP
EXCLUSIVE
The Romney campaign Wednesday night denied to Lean Forward that it brought in supporters to cheer during the candidate's speech to the NAACP, as several attendees have claimed. But one prominent black Republican told us she was invited to the event by the Romney campaign, and another African-American conservative said he was urged to go by people connected to the campaign.
"I was invited by Governor Romney," Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll of Florida, a Republican, told Lean Forward in a phone interview Thursday afternoon.
Asked who paid Carroll's way, her office referred Lean Forward to the Romney campaign's press office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
After the speech, Romney's campaign released a statement from Carroll asserting that "we can put a stop to [President Obama's] job-killing policies by electing Mitt Romney."
Niger Innis, a conservative activist, told Lean Forward Thursday that he was encouraged to attend the Houston speech by friends in the NAACP, as well as "some folks that were aligned with the Romney campaign," declining to elaborate. Innis said he paid his own way.
Innis added that he wasn't surprised that Team Romney wanted some friendly faces in the crowd.
"Any political campaign," Innis said, "be it Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or the Green Party, if they're coming to an event, and it's an event that has challenges, they're going to want to surround themselves with allies. It's a no-brainer."
Romney was heartily booed during the speech for saying he'd repeal the Affordable Care Act, but also received cheers at times.
The TV host Roland Martin, Hilary Shelton of the NAACP, and the radio host Mark Thompson all have claimed that the Romney campaign brought in supporters to the speech. Shelton said on MSNBC Wednesday that the goal was "to provide the cheering for [Romney]." Thompson said the supporters served as "applauders for his applause lines."
Andrea Saul, a Romney campaign spokeswoman, told Lean Forward Wednesday night that Shelton's claims were "not true." Asked Thursday about Carroll's statement that she attended the speech as a guest of the Romney campaign, and Innis's that he was urged to go by people connected to the campaign, Saul did not immediately respond.
Carroll argued to Lean Forward that Romney received a warm reception from rank-and-file NAACP members. At one point, she noted, he was applauded by half the audience. "He didn't bring half of the audience," she said.
Both Carroll and Innis also said they were among a group of black conservative leaders who met with Romney after the speech. Romney said on Fox News Wednesday that these leaders told him:"A lot of folks do not want to say they will not vote for President Obama but they are disappointed in his lack of policies to improve the schools.”
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How else was MUTT going to get applause.
robUs --- What a KIKE !!!!! Such a Loser - He Knows He Cant Win Without Being a Thief in One Way Or Another ---- What a GOMER he IS !!!!
I Mean seriously -- robMe has to Pay people to Cheer For Him = AGAIN -- I Guess He Just Cannot Figure Out - WHY = DUH !!!!!!! When a Gomer is a Gomer - a Gomer Is A GOMER - hey !!!
ok put down the cool aid.......
VOTE NO Obama 2012!!!!!
Obama/Biden 2012 --- OH YEAH !!!!!!
MD/MI, Do you know how to put up a link that shows Joe Biden's speech today at the NAACP?
India-just go to youtube, it's all over the place, and post a link to the page the video is on.
Mitt Romney is in sane and he is doing any and everything he can do to get support and attention. A politician that have to do that is not worth being in office. Mitt Romney is a liar point blank. And to come to a major African American event and pull a stunt like that is a disgrace. And he say if you want someone to help the African American families and community, that you are looking at him. Mitt Romney needs to look in the mirror and look at his self.
Obama is in sane and he is doing any and everything he can do to get support and attention. A politician that have to do that is not worth being in office. Obama is a liar point blank.
VOTE NO Obama 2012!!!!!
lol....you're pathetic man. and what is robme doing? the work of god? damn you ppl are dumb
I don't see a problem with Romney taking some friends (or at least some folks who are sympathetic with his views) with him to what I'm sure he thought would be a hostile environment.
What bothers me is that he has ignored African-Americans and their issues in the past and, now that his speech to the NAACP is over, I fully expect him to resume ignoring them.
That speech wasn't to the NAACP. It was to his conservative base.
@RealChris, You have hit it spot ON! He cares NOT what black people think of him, for they are not the ones with the billions.
Neither do they have a blind hatred of our President's brown skin, which--at this point--is the only reason anyone will be voting for Romney.
Romney is attempting to once again lie to and "game" his radical right-wing base, now that he has a video bite to play for them, that, interestingly enough, actually makes him 'look' as though he put all those "African Americans" at the NAACP "in their place".
The NAACP took Romney at face value and what they got in return was a phony rigged up 'incident' on video tape, that is being used as a right wing 'talking point' to his radical Republican base.
Lies and hiring a "paid" phony entourage IS NOT the kind of behavior that a self-proclaimed "man of faith" should be perpetrating.
In fact no one with any kind of upright moral character would participate in, much less operate this kind of setup.
Romney with his fraudulent choreography in this so-called "campaign" with all its money, lies, and propaganda looks more like a "godfather" (pun intended) in organized crime attempting the take-over a legitimate company, than a candidate running for President of the United States.
Further, this is the kind of "stuff" that the public is very interested in, especially in regard to Bain Capitol and how it runs its business.
"Marvelous Mitt" not only reveals how the Republican Party "operates" but also how Bain Capitol does, and that IS NOT GOOD for either organization.
Another thing I find curious....Willard is running for POTUS, and using his NICKNAME!
kinda says it all...
OMG!!!!! so some Black's like whats Romey had to say NOW they must be plants because any real black person wouldn't agree with any thing Romney says. Don't they know a black person can think for them self's,,,,,, again OMG!!!!!!!!!
VOTE NObama 2012!!!!!!!
No there plants because we know he took them along with him to the event and these are black republicans who would otherwise not attend an NAACP convention. Romney brought along some friends, plain and simple.
Funny how you guys say now that blacks and others can think for themselves yet if they support obama they are brainwashed, lazy living on the government plantation.
Yeah blacks can think for themselves...but only if they support republicans right GOP?
No Tin Man two timing Mitt Roulette Romney in the white house. No cowards for president.
It's BECAUSE black people can think for themselves, that they aren't inclined to vote in large (in any?) numbers for someone who believes only in AUSTERITY for all but the very wealthiest of americans, and who would commence to slashing on day one! One of those DUH moments, huh b113?
Romney is a true plutocrat. just like the caesars and aristocrats of Rome. except thier chearleaders threw rose peddles and danced in front of them as they entered.
Nixon was close with the red carpet and band treatment.....oh my ribs....GOP clowns...what rock do they crawl from?
Lol I know, right?
Obama loads the audience very time he is on TV with people behind him.
All politicians do it.
glad your comming to your senses. noticed that you said the people are behind Obama.....holy cow batman.........
Except Romney wasn't on tv talking
Afro Americans have and hopefully will always vote their interest. The very small percent of blacks, who are Republicans they have never engaged the Afro American community. In fact like Herman Cain, this small group of black republicans care more about their own self interest than they do about equality in this country. If lynching Afro Americans was still the practice, those black Republicans would be right their with hounds, the mob and they would gladly supply the rope. It take courage to stand up to injustice and neither Romney nor the small group of black Republicans have that in them.
Unenlightened self-interest is a requirement for being a Republican.
Excellent take.
I believe that Romney will do anything, say anything, contort himself in any fashion to become POTUS, Romney is a fake.
I don't believe Romney brought in anybody to fake cheers for him. I do believe that at times he said things that people agreed with. People may not agree on everything, but on some things, we all agree. And he deserves credit for coming to the NAACP and "Keeping It Real".
Black Republican Romney Supporter Refuses To Attend NAACP Speech: Opposes Actions Of NAACP
http://www.ktrh.com/pages/michaelberry.html?article=10255697#.T_uM0sPTpSg.mailto
Joshua. This Texas State Senator's response to an invite he received on behalf of MASSACHUSETTS Govenor Mitt Romney appearing (NAACP) is thought-provoking. You decide. (See link above.)
According to Romney nothing is free except for a tax free life. Well, he received the freedom to attend Harvard to become a tycoon instead of serving America in Vietnam. Then during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was personally inconvienced to pay taxes so he sent his fortune overseas.
Can Americans trust free traitors like Mitt the snit? Why did he believe Chairman Mao's claim that China is a workers' paradise. God, is it scary to know Harvard Business School taught this business nonsense back in the Hippie Days which does shed a little light on the history of supply side economics and unregulated banking systems.
The Obama campaign is lying!!!!!!!
VOTE NO Obama 2012!!!!!!
I notice, when reading comments from GOP/TP types there are often very few facts, almost ZERO citations of fact, and nothing much of substance uttered at all. Instead it's a Limpo or Blecch or InsHannity bit of vomit, swallowed and regurgitated back.. ... Gross!
Think for yourself and vote for your self-interests, instead of your fears. It feels good to do something positive for the world.
I notice, when reading comments from GOP/TP types there are often very few facts, almost ZERO citations of fact, and nothing much of substance uttered at all. Instead it's a Limpo or Blecch or InsHannity bit of vomit, swallowed and regurgitated back.. ... Gross!
Think for yourself and vote for your self-interests, instead of your fears. It feels good to do something positive for the world.
Sorry for the duplicate post.
Get ready for another attempt to steal an election like Bush over Gore, repubs will probably bring zombies and androids in to vote, print their drivers license the day before election and slip in new edited attendance sign in books with their names added.
Well they've got a robot for a nominee so I wouldn't be surprised.......