B4 the Dark Knight Rises

On July 18, 2012 we heard that scalpers were selling Batman: The Dark Knight Rises tickets for $300. On this same date the View showed a clip of Rush Limbaugh saying the villain in the movie is named Bane – the venture capital firm Romney ran - around which there is this make believe controversy - was Bain. Limbaugh didn’t think the name of the villain was accidental – thus implying that the movie has a subtle message to ruin Romney. Whoopi pointed out that Bane was first introduced in a January 1993 Batman movie and the rough story outline for the new movie was completed in 2008. (This was before Romney became the Republican presidential candidate.) Elisabeth pointed out that others have made the same assumption that Limbaugh did and Joy said that Rush is starting to look like the Penguin and wants to distract the people from the fact that Romney will not release his tax returns. I agree with Whoopi who said the candidates need to stop using comic book characters, cartoons, and movies in their politics.

On July 19, a 24 year old man from San Diego, California (CA) who moved to Aurora, Colorado in April 2011 went to the midnight opening of the Batman movie. After being seated, he left the theater and came back in a ballistic helmet, gas mask, bulletproof vest, gear covering his throat and legs, and tactical gloves with several weapons, including an assault rifle, as well as biohazard material. This man under all the gear had his hair dyed red as Heath Ledger did when he played the Joker in the earlier movie, he took 100mg of Vicodin to remain calm as he kicked in the emergency doors, threw in a gas canister, yelled I am the Joker and immediately fired; he didn’t stop until his gun jammed - killing 12 and wounding 58; the massacre was just 13 miles from the Columbine High School shooting. This action was not intended to ruin Romney but cold, calculated murder. On July 20 the President instead of giving a political speech in Ft. Meyers, Florida talked to the group about this incident. He said he had spoken to the Aurora Mayor and Colorado Governor, offered condolences to the families of the dead and said this was a day for prayer and reflection – there would be other days for politics and the flag was flown at half mast. Romney followed his lead and took the weekend off from campaigning. The President on Sunday went to Colorado to see the survivors and the victim’s families. This is not the first time the President has taken time to reflect on a situation that was of importance for his fellow Americans. When the Navy seals, in a raid authorized January 23, recued the American and Danish aid workers held hostage in a Somalia compound for 3 months, the President called the American woman’s father right after he gave his State of the Union address on January 24. When he was on the View on May 15 Sherri brought up his singing and he said that his daughter Malia said he was just the right amount of embarrassing; he’s a basketball coach for Sasha’s team and it’s exciting to see them grow as a team – we’re celebrating 40 years of Title 9 (it’s a portion of the Education Amendments of June 23, 1972 - No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The Act, after many ups and downs went on to bring civil rights to women’s sports.) The President went on to say – we have everything here to be great but our politics breakdown and we become more obsessed with winning an election then setting things up for the next generation. Right after the program the President made it a priority to speak to a Gold Star woman with 4 children who lost her husband in the war. Obama shows that he cares and I don’t remember hearing such stories before.

On January 19 in a Good Morning America interview with Robin Roberts, Ann Romney said Mitt is a generous person – he gives 10% of their income to their church every year; he didn’t take a salary for the 4 years he was Massachusetts’s governor (neither did Arnold S. in CA and my October 10, 2011 - Helping Hands talks of ordinary Americans doing more). When Robin asked why not show that – Ann said it was because there are so many things that would again be open for attack – why give them more – we’re giving all the people need to know and understand about our financial situation and how we live our life - the election is not going to be decided on that; it’s about who’s going to turn our economy around and how are jobs going to come back to America (on this note I should vote for ABC as their made in America Campaign seems to have brought most jobs back). Robin showed a stupid new Obama ad of someone riding a horse with the words – Mitt dancing around the Issues – I agree with Ann – it’s laughable (Robin said that the Democratic National Committee said they’re pulling the ad). Ann went on to say that there’s so many people out of work right now – and all these attacks, they’re going to try everything; people have to ask themselves – are you better off now, do you think the future will be better on the path we’re on or do you think we need a change – she said at the end of the day they’re going to fire the Coach because things are not going well.

I agree that things aren’t going well but I’m not foolish enough to believe the American people would be better off with someone whose party overreacts with everything. I also have concerns over how transparent Romney would be as President as he won’t release more tax returns and he’s keeping his Vice Presidential considerations very secretive. Don’t forget that his own party said he was like an Etch-a-Sketch (constantly changing his position).