Romney's son apologizes to Obama for 'swing' remark
October 23rd, 2012
08:34 PM ET
10 years ago

Romney's son apologizes to Obama for 'swing' remark

(CNN) – Tagg Romney, Mitt Romney's oldest son, apologized to President Barack Obama Monday for saying he wanted to "take a swing" at him during contentious presidential debates.

Obama and Tagg Romney were seen speaking on the stage after Monday's final presidential debate, held at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Two Obama aides said the conversation included an apology for the remark, made last week during a radio interview.

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Asked in that interview what it's like "to hear the President of the United States call your dad a liar," Tagg Romney joked about his fantasy response.

"Jump out of your seat and you want to rush down to the debate stage and take a swing at him," he said. "But you know you can't do that because, well, first because there's a lot of Secret Service between you and him, but also because that's the nature of the process. You know they're going to try to do anything they can do to make my dad into something he's not."

"We signed up for it, we've got to kind of sit there and take our punches, and send them the other way," he continued.

One of Tagg Romney's brothers, Josh, downplayed the comments in an interview on ABC's "The View."

"That brother has slugged me a couple of times," Josh Romney said. "I'm sure President Obama has nothing to worry about."

Asked about the original comments on Thursday, Romney campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said Tagg Romney was "joking about how frustrating this process can be for family."

CNN's Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.


Filed under: 2012 • Mitt Romney • President Obama • Presidential Debate
soundoff (1,021 Responses)
  1. dachozen1

    Look at the pic, our First Lady is beautiful! I think apologizing to the POTUS was the classy thing to do. Good for him.

    October 23, 2012 08:45 pm at 8:45 pm |
  2. Name

    I can't tell you how much the media has done to harm the process of electing our next Pres. Reporting news is one thing. Influencing news is WRONG. Everyone of you have undermined our Freedom TO CHOOSE.

    October 23, 2012 08:52 pm at 8:52 pm |
  3. MP in VA

    Issue over.

    October 23, 2012 08:57 pm at 8:57 pm |
  4. Erik

    Shouldn't have to say this, but kudos to this guy for showing civility and setting things right.

    October 23, 2012 08:57 pm at 8:57 pm |
  5. incredulous

    Why is it that the Romney family sense of humor always seems to involve physical assault?

    October 23, 2012 08:57 pm at 8:57 pm |
  6. Ron

    Romney is simply untrustworthy.

    October 23, 2012 08:58 pm at 8:58 pm |
  7. J R Brown

    Obama deserves no apology...he owes us all an apology.

    October 23, 2012 08:58 pm at 8:58 pm |
  8. Woman In California

    The whole apology was STAGED for the camera to see. The Romney's really think the American people are stupid don't they? The entire family just happened to be RIGHT THERE smiling and looking directly at Tagg. IF Tagg were ANY kind of a man at all (and we all know he isn't), he wouldn't have said it in the first place and if he had, he wouldn't need his entire family to help him DO THE RIGHT THING. Willard figured out – that statement cost him some votes and he made sure with a national audience Tagg appeared remorseful. I'm not buying it and neither should you. Ann was laughing and smiling so much at the camera, and at Michelle Obama (something she has NEVER done), it was disgusting. Thank God the Obama's are in the White House representing us and not the Romney's.

    Nothing is too low for a Romney.

    Obama/Biden 2012

    October 23, 2012 08:59 pm at 8:59 pm |
  9. Disgusted

    You lose all credibility when your parents call you Tagg!

    October 23, 2012 08:59 pm at 8:59 pm |
  10. Hokkun Aagorhosa

    Tagg the moron now understands that President Obama was right when he said that Mitt is a flip-flopper (kinda liar). Tagg started understanding, from yesterday's debate, that Obama is a really gentle and kind person as opposed to his dad – the arrogant so-called human.

    I hope Tagg's apology comes with a vote for Obama. Or else this apology is still not in his heart.

    October 23, 2012 09:03 pm at 9:03 pm |
  11. Longisland

    Of course, the process is harder for the Romneys because Mitt has NEVER said anythng nasty and untrue about any of his opponents, right????

    October 23, 2012 09:05 pm at 9:05 pm |
  12. bengalskuta82

    Not a big deal at all..He was joking..

    October 23, 2012 09:05 pm at 9:05 pm |
  13. FruitTree

    Well, how immature? Tagg wasn't properly prepped for the interviews. First, you cannot say everything that comes to mind. Second, you will go to jail for threatening the POTUS. Third, the truth will set you free.

    October 23, 2012 09:06 pm at 9:06 pm |
  14. SR

    But then Tag realized "Oh yea..my dad IS a liar" and all was good.

    October 23, 2012 09:07 pm at 9:07 pm |
  15. nj

    Really? Isn't this the son who has purchased the voting machines that are going to be used in the swing states?

    October 23, 2012 09:08 pm at 9:08 pm |
  16. Ming

    I'mma' need a public apology.

    October 23, 2012 09:12 pm at 9:12 pm |
  17. gt

    .make something out of nothing.....weak....

    October 23, 2012 09:13 pm at 9:13 pm |
  18. sayer

    The twerp should have been arrested days ago.

    October 23, 2012 09:15 pm at 9:15 pm |
  19. Keep This In Mind

    Why is this newsworthy? It isn't.

    October 23, 2012 09:19 pm at 9:19 pm |
  20. Kerry

    Has to be embarrassing. Although, SNL incorporated it into one of their skits. If nothing else, the candidates are good for a laugh.

    October 23, 2012 09:20 pm at 9:20 pm |
  21. Ty

    He should have been banned from the debate and had a visit from the Secret Service to ferret out his intentions. Of course, we are in opposite world, so his comments were immediately described by MMedia as a joke.

    When Obama leaves office (hopefully in 2016), the door to disrespect can not be shut just because others want it to.

    October 23, 2012 09:21 pm at 9:21 pm |
  22. d

    What a bunch of babies.

    October 23, 2012 09:22 pm at 9:22 pm |
  23. DENNA

    Now that is class. Even Romney isn't so thick that he knows the president, whoever it is, deserves respect.

    October 23, 2012 09:22 pm at 9:22 pm |
  24. Mary Milan

    Every family has a "special" child. In Mitt's family, Tagg is it.

    October 23, 2012 09:22 pm at 9:22 pm |
  25. Mike

    Is this what the Mormon church and his Bishop father condone? In some countries you would either be sent to prison for many years or shot. Romney, leave your adult kids at home if you can't control their hate.

    October 23, 2012 09:23 pm at 9:23 pm |
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