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. melissa

    nobody should hit no one not even wanting to hit our persident our persident of the united states of america is a good man and he tells the truth and answers all the quitions and knows the answer to them all. Your rock persident obama your doing a good job keep up the good work.

    October 23, 2012 11:52 pm at 11:52 pm |
  2. thugvon

    Well his father is a liar.....after all, didn't Mitty tell his son about Joe Smith finding magic golden plates in the woods with ancient texts on them, an angel helped him translate them into a English, called the Book of Mormon? Not to mention holy underwear and Kolob.

    October 23, 2012 11:53 pm at 11:53 pm |
  3. A J

    If this is the standard, I'm betting there are at least 70 million people who owe President Obama an apology. I'm one, and I didn't even watch the debate.

    October 23, 2012 11:53 pm at 11:53 pm |
  4. ericgoestoholland

    That's okay, I would've had no hard feelings if he hadn't. Lots of us wanted to smack that you-know-what-eating smirk off of Mr. Romney's face as well.

    October 23, 2012 11:54 pm at 11:54 pm |
  5. InterPersonalTrainer.com

    Has the Secret Service asked whether Tagg Romney was working alone or with others?

    October 23, 2012 11:55 pm at 11:55 pm |
  6. sheila

    I listened to the radio interview and it was extremely lighthearted. His son was joking about being heroic and taking up for his dad. I thought is was endearing to hear a son talk about wanting to protect his dad. But please don't take my word on it, listen to it yourself. Radio show was Bill LuMay. Every time we check these things out for ourselves we become a little wiser.

    October 23, 2012 11:55 pm at 11:55 pm |
  7. David wake

    mr president obama is getting no respect he has done so much for our country even though it was a k o 4 term is not enough to we another 4 years with obama god continue to walk wit ur chosen man

    October 23, 2012 11:56 pm at 11:56 pm |
  8. itsOK

    Don't worry. Your dad has 100 million in his IRA account while the other 49% can only squirrel away legally 5K a year.
    What's 100 million divide by $5k a year? Its called FAIR SHARE.

    October 23, 2012 11:58 pm at 11:58 pm |
  9. Bob

    That comment implies some arrogance intent.

    October 23, 2012 11:58 pm at 11:58 pm |
  10. Anthony Ismael

    Not a big deal in my book.The president just needs to win.

    October 23, 2012 11:58 pm at 11:58 pm |
  11. The Daugherty family Kentucky

    We hope Obama wins again. Romney seems too complicated . Poor people need foodstamps to get by. He seems to like to think he is better and knows it all. He Doesnt.

    October 23, 2012 11:58 pm at 11:58 pm |
  12. Gloria

    I'm not impressed! Judging from his father– and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree– Tagg surely must have felt that it was "politically expedient" to apologize to President Obama. If not, he wouldn't have done so! I am still numb over all the flip flopping that occurred on Romney's part during last night's debate. On TV today, the fact checking was so telling! There are actual videos of Romney's flip-flopping and etch-a-sketching in regard to both foreign and domestic policies even within the past few weeks and months. Now all of a sudden he is a "dove". Yet so many people are taking him at face value. He promotes himself as an honorable man, yet he lies so much! THIS IS SCARY– moreso because so many voters obviously don't take the time to fact-check!

    October 23, 2012 11:58 pm at 11:58 pm |
  13. janerose

    Even I, as a Democrat understood "the heat of the moment". This was not a threat to Our President. Apology showed some class. Way to go Tagg! Thank you.

    October 23, 2012 11:59 pm at 11:59 pm |
  14. Romney & Ryan 2012

    It takes a big man to apologize. Good job Mr. Romney!

    October 24, 2012 12:00 am at 12:00 am |
  15. Yeahona

    Shows a lack of respect for the office of the President, plain and simple. If he was a regular person and made those threats, he would be in jail.

    October 24, 2012 12:00 am at 12:00 am |
  16. Stratty

    What a pathetic excuse for a son, Romeny should be embarrassed.

    October 24, 2012 12:00 am at 12:00 am |
  17. squoose

    So, his response to his lying father being called the liar that he is is violence. What a very Christian family the Rmoneys are. Maybe Tagg could better use some of that violence in joining the military and fighting in Afghanistan.. rather than "serving his country" by helping his dad's campaign and just counting the days until he and his brothers get to cash in on that 100 million dollar trust fund.

    October 24, 2012 12:01 am at 12:01 am |
  18. Kato599

    This is a RIDICULOUS story! This is a teenager making a joke. The media needs to cool down a bit. SHEESH!!!!

    October 24, 2012 12:01 am at 12:01 am |
  19. sonya

    Romney son is a spoiled man child who think he's better than the president of the United States, and he think everyone is beneath them and can say or do what they want.

    October 24, 2012 12:01 am at 12:01 am |
  20. just sayin'

    those Romney kids sure sound tough must have a lot of military experience,uurrggh scratch that I gues chickenhawk runs in their family. maybe they just think serving is for poor people

    October 24, 2012 12:01 am at 12:01 am |
  21. gdouglaso

    Seriously...leave this one alone. This must be absolute hell on families of all candidates who step up for office, regardless of party affiliation. It is a wonder than anyone really wants to do it at all.

    October 24, 2012 12:02 am at 12:02 am |
  22. BigMike

    Well hey all politics aside at least the guy was man enough to apologize in person.

    October 24, 2012 12:02 am at 12:02 am |
  23. Leroy johnson

    I hope Obama wins again because the economy is getting better he was dealt a bad hand now he's doing whatever to get the world back on track and i stay in one of the poorest cities in the US Baton Rouge

    October 24, 2012 12:02 am at 12:02 am |
  24. Anonymous

    Frankly, I am amazed as to the strength of the Romney family. They have bear personal attacks for months. Malicious personal lies.

    October 24, 2012 12:02 am at 12:02 am |
  25. LIP

    Somebody needs to take a look at the camera shots of Romney and Obama side by side. In a normal shot of the two of them, Romneys head is slightly larger, but during the debate and when they were framed side by side, Obama's head was about 25% larger. Was this preplanned so Obama's stare got more attention with his head so large. Take a close look and it is real obvious. Obama's head is very small and with no hair, even smaller, so someone fixed the shot so he looked larger than life...much larger than life.

    October 24, 2012 12:03 am at 12:03 am |
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