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. Steve Strange

    "You know they're going to try to do anything they can do to make my dad into something he's not."

    Romney is doing a pretty good job of that by himself!

    October 24, 2012 12:28 am at 12:28 am |
  2. Cesar

    If running for president is frustrating and makes this idiot want to take a swing at the president, imagine what he will want to do if his idiot dad is elected. Is he going to go around the world wanting to take swings at everybody that dosent agry with his arrogant, lying dad?

    October 24, 2012 12:29 am at 12:29 am |
  3. UrAverageJoe

    Funny how he gets upset when Obama calls his dad a liar, but his dad said in the first debate that he had 5 sons and was used to being lied to . . .

    October 24, 2012 12:29 am at 12:29 am |
  4. Name g. nagbe

    Well, a lot of republican who hate this president to death, will realized he's a good hearted man that love all.how much more down to earth could a leader be to his people.

    October 24, 2012 12:29 am at 12:29 am |
  5. Joey White

    It's almost as good as the Jerry Springer show....

    October 24, 2012 12:31 am at 12:31 am |
  6. Now?

    Now that Tagg has apologized (which was the right thing to do), should Obama apologize for all the lies he has said about Romney?

    October 24, 2012 12:32 am at 12:32 am |
  7. James

    President Obama is actually whispering – "damn i got some mud-but tonight. dont EVER ask for crazy-crust."

    October 24, 2012 12:32 am at 12:32 am |
  8. MashaSobaka

    Will the Republicans now slam him for being weak and spineless and going on "apology tours" to coddle the enemy?

    October 24, 2012 12:33 am at 12:33 am |
  9. john dawson

    Apologize? Mitt Romney should be suspending his campaign over this. This is a disgrace to the american public, and the political process. Can you imagine what his Dad would be like dealing with foreign heads of state? Perhaps he'd just take a swing at them.

    October 24, 2012 12:34 am at 12:34 am |
  10. Woman in New York

    Typical of a Romeny......just apology and its all gone,. One of the apologies tour...go way Tag and take your father with you.

    October 24, 2012 12:36 am at 12:36 am |
  11. Eddie

    This is your front page news after all that's going on in this country and the world? You are kidding me

    October 24, 2012 12:37 am at 12:37 am |
  12. Georgie

    Thank God Tagg is smarter than his Dad!, ...Smiles!

    October 24, 2012 12:37 am at 12:37 am |
  13. Quentin Eichenauer

    Like father, like son. Just a bully.

    October 24, 2012 12:40 am at 12:40 am |
  14. birdgirl249

    Well, he's either a liar, or someone who genuinely changes his mind at an astonishing rate. Either way, he isn't fit to be president.

    October 24, 2012 12:41 am at 12:41 am |
  15. Darryl Simmons

    OK here goes, I must say that as someone who supports a second term for President Obama that I was proud of Tagg and The Romney's for manning up. As an expat living in Vancouver B.C., I greatly miss and admire the U.S.election process. I'm not bothered at all by either side tactics in challenging for the the worlds top job. I want to see the President sweat,to feel the heat of battle. No matter who wins. And to see the Families smiling and being cordial after the last debate made me proud to be an American. Yeah we have our political differences, but we are still family. Good Luck to both sides and may God continue to bless the United States of America!!!!!!!!!!!!

    October 24, 2012 12:43 am at 12:43 am |
  16. /sigh

    The fact that he thought of violence as a response over a debate shows you the type of person romney raises.

    October 24, 2012 12:44 am at 12:44 am |
  17. Leslie Ann Warren

    Obama/Biden 2012 Blessings In Jesus Name!!

    October 24, 2012 12:46 am at 12:46 am |
  18. Ms Edyeluv

    Wow! "No Apologies" – Author (Mitt Robmey). Tagg, your it. And by the way, Obama seems to be telling Tagg. Take your best shot.

    October 24, 2012 12:51 am at 12:51 am |
  19. jb1963

    All retrads from the right just wished Obama would just haul off and beat the crap out of tagg. But o no he said "it's OK my lost friend . Now go off and be GAY

    October 24, 2012 12:51 am at 12:51 am |
  20. Name Ken Seon

    It must also be very frustrating to the Obama camp to hear a man who described himself as a'severe conservative' during the Republican primaries to buy votes from the Republican base now try to masquerade as a moderate liberal to buy votes from independents.Is the American public so gullible to be fooled by this Romney charade?

    October 24, 2012 12:54 am at 12:54 am |
  21. Rahnee

    I am sure Tagg Romney meant what he said. You and your family knew the cosequences when your dad ran for President. If you can't control your emotions better than that,it makes me wonder what would happen if your dad wins.

    October 24, 2012 12:55 am at 12:55 am |
  22. JT

    This is so stupid CNN. The country has major problems, and you keep shielding Obama.

    October 24, 2012 12:57 am at 12:57 am |
  23. lamorris heard

    he need to go to jail

    October 24, 2012 01:05 am at 1:05 am |
  24. Rasputin

    I'm an Obama voter, of the choice between two politicians. However, this is quite endearing. For me, the outcome of a politician's kids say a lot more about them and their character than anything else. Raising a kid and how they turn out is a long term investment that describes a lot about a person's abilities (stable home? Good decisions? Supportive of appropriate human needs? etc)

    October 24, 2012 01:07 am at 1:07 am |
  25. yeah

    Sounds like the Tour of Apologies is hitting a new campsite.

    October 24, 2012 01:14 am at 1:14 am |
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