By NBC's Peter Alexander and Ronnie Polidoro
Rock Center
The Romney brothers could soon become America’s first sons. Ranging in age from 31 to 42, their names are Craig, Ben, Josh, Matt, and Tagg – but you may have seen them spoofed on Saturday Night Live as Taggart, Tanner, Tigit, Targalac, and Tic-Tac. Which one of them is the biggest mama’s boy? NBC’s Peter Alexander found out during an interview for an upcoming Rock Center story airing Thursday, July 19 at 10pm/9c.
Just like any group of brothers, they like to pick on each other, even during their first sit-down interview of the 2012 campaign. They say Josh, the middle son, is the mama’s boy.
“Thanks guys. Let’s take it easy here,” replied Josh, one of three Romney sons who works in real estate. Another son is a doctor. The eldest runs a private equity firm like their father once did.
They are all married and have a combined total of 18 children. If Romney wins, he’ll have more grandkids than any sitting president in U.S. history.
The Romney sons grew up in Belmont, Mass., an affluent suburb outside of Boston. All of the brothers attended the same private school and later the same college, Brigham Young University. Three of them went on and received their MBA’s from Harvard, just like their father.
The boys were raised in a Mormon household where Saturdays were devoted to service. And all five followed their father’s footsteps by going overseas on two-year missions to spread their Mormon beliefs.
They are campaign veterans, on the trail stumping for their father since he first ran for Senate 18 years ago. But when it came to Romney’s second run for the White House, four of his five boys didn’t want him to run.
“I didn’t want him to run again. I really didn’t,” Matt said, “I thought you know, you gave it your best shot in 2008, you felt like you had to do it, you had to go and give back to the country and you tried, and they didn’t take you, so let’s move on.”
Matt and the others eventually came around. And again the Romney 5 have joined in Mitt Romney’s march to the White House.
Along the way, they have heard about how their father has struggled at times to connect with the public. The campaign hopes the sons can help explain some of their father’s more idiosyncratic moments, for example, when Romney told an audience, “It just feels good being back in Michigan. You know, the trees are the right height.”
“He’s a little goofy,” said Tagg, “That’s part of his charm, I think.”
But the biggest criticism is that the wealthy Romney family can’t understand the economic challenges facing the average American family. The sons insist their family and their father are not out of touch.
“We've obviously been very blessed,” Craig said, “And because of that we feel a responsibility to make sure we can do everything we can to make this country as great as it can be.”
They say they are not put off by the accusations, even within the Republican Party, that their father is aloof and a flip-flopper.
“His true identity will come out and we know what a great father he is, we know how much he loves the country, we know how much he loves our kids,” Matt said, “It’s not ambition that’s driving him. It is really a desire to give back. and this is how he thinks he can give back. And we agree.”
Editor’s Note: NBC’s Peter Alexander’s full report ‘The Romney 5’ will air Thursday, July 19 at 10pm/9c on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams.
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That is brilliant reasoning Mimi... with that in mind I guess that Obama will have to step down... unless you are quite confident that his daughters will enlist when they are of age.
It may not be illegal to hide money in known tax havens. It might not be illegal to gut a company, fire the American workers take their pensions and send the jobs to some third world country. It may not be illegal for his biggest donor to be Sheldon Adelson, who is involved with Chinese mob. May not be illegal to destroy hard drives from computers in his administration when was Gov.
But it looks shady. Seems unscrupulous. And completely UN-American.
It's also not illegal to drown puppies and kittens .. doesn't mean we want to be led by someone that does that .. or ... strap your dog to the roof of the car ... and hose down the tears and vomit from the dog every 3 or 4 gas stations.
Ok- will some Republican explain to me why Mitt cannot- TODAY- invest some of his millions of US Dollars hidden/stored/invested/banked overseas (or even under his wife's name).... wait.....here it comes.... Invest TODAY in a new American company.
I think Mitt's NEW COMPANY should employ TAXPAYING American employees, should make a profit, and make goods for Americans to buy. Ok Mitt, You Ol' Goofy buddy, its up to you. Not in a Las Vegas Mafia casino tho, or even a Utah hotel, tho, pretty please. That's kind of cheating.
Of course he is charming and can seem to be charming: he is narsisistic!(sp?) Romney is very shallow and that is reflected by his inability to connect withmost other people. With Romney it is all about Romney. Be fore-warned!
I am among the 98% and I truly believe that there is NO connection between Romney and the 98%
Its a good thing Obama is SO connected then.
Exactly, me1234... Don't try to argue that someone is inferior to Obama because he is a narcissist... O is the very definition. Look it up, there's a picture of him.
Hey Dacarls, for all you know Mitt is investing in such a company. The real question is, "what are you doing to help America?" Obama has enough money now that he could invest in such a company too.
And Eric of Montreal... IT IS ILLEGAL to drown kittens and puppies. Maybe not in East France (Montreal), but it is in America. And even if it weren't, what a stupid comment.
I have a lot of friends that support Obama, but most of them are at least able to make some reasonable arguments as to why. All I'm reading on this board is... well, when I really think about it, I'm not sure what your points are. Still waiting.
While so many Americans serve their country in the military, NOT ONE, none of the robust, healthy Romney "boys" have ever done a damn thing for this nation. While Romney says that we must be ever vigilant to guard this nation, his sons have skipped out on defending America. Romney has stated that his sons are serving by helping to elect their father! Can you believe the narcissistic megalomania in this clan. Oh yeah, they're too busy using daddy's contacts to make millions in fields where otherwise they would be shut out for lack of knowledge.
How dare you ... Mit has invested really big in the American Swiss Bank .. and the that state .. what's it called . Cayman Islands?
Well old daddy Romney did spend time in France in a castle during the Vietnam war. They are some of the fortunate sons Creedence Clearwater Revival sang about.
Love that band .. love that song. Times have noit changed ... Republicans still lie and make war and murder people .. while sitting at home with their silver spoons up their ass.
Yes the Romney boys have no idea what is it like to have to work for a living and Ann Romney, I am one of "You people" and you have insulted more than half of citizens of this country, You also have no idea what it is like to have to worry about whether your bills will get paid. You haven't give us enough information and your unwillingness to do so, just indicates that you have something to hide. I don't trust your husband and so far I haven't heard anything he has said other than trash Obama, as to how he is going to turn this country around. Quite frankly I am tried of talking to foreigners on a customer service line that is reading from a script and doesn't understand a word they are saying. BRING JOBS BACK TO AMERICA. and oh yeah if these companies didn't pay the "CEOs" outrageous bonus, maybe they could pay to keep the jobs here in America.
Next they'll say him being a serial liar is part of his charm....
Grow some balls, join the military you punk chicken@!$%#s.
If I was a Republican and Obama was a member of some silly cult like Mormon ... I would stop attacking Obama and start to learn about every crazy thing in Mormonism and start broadcasting what I find and make him wear his dogma.
:) Have a nice day!
on the other hand we could sit down for 20 years of hate laced sermons with Reverend Wright...
Yes, you can. If that's not enough hate for you .. there are the Republican preachers spewing hate .. like Roberson etc.
Yes there are plenty of hate filled preachers. It just fascinating our President was so well connected to one.
Thanks :)
I was looking for an opening to discuss preachers like Robinson that were regular guests at the Bush white house :) Bush was a born again after all. Please repeat your comment many times so I can one at a time mention the preachers that Bush hung with and the hate they spewed.
Yea I don't have anything great to say about Bush either. Thanks
The point though is that you appear not to have a problem shrugging off the fact that Obama had a very close relationship with a man who spouted hate from the pulpit. You can easily disconnect him entirely from the American hating racist beliefs the Reverend held and yet have no problem criticizing Romney and tying him directly to the beliefs of Mormonism.
The double-standard is awesome.
Hey Ourdoc, based on your comment, are we all to believe that you voted for McCain in 2008? And I'm forgetting... what branch of the service did O enlist?
Draft, Romney is a draft dodger. Romney went to France to avoid Vietnam. Chicken hawk, who wants to start a war with Iran.
How dare you :(
He went to France to teach everybody about his magic underwear:)
That's a good one, Eric of Montreal. You're taking one from O's playbook... don't talk about your own (lack of) success... keep the focus on a man's religion. George Romney was Mormon and his son followed in his footsteps. It's pretty typical. Now let me see... B. Hussein Obama's father was Muslim. Hmmm.
Thanks .. you made one mistake .. I learned this from Karl Rove.
My point is .. it's time to fight fire with fire.
I have a question for you my friend ... why isn't Mit talking about his great success as governor? If it wasn't for Romney care how many people would even know he was a governor .... what with all he talks about it :)
You obviously don't have a clue. You're clearly a foreigner with a lot of nothing to say. You should stay in Canada.
The Romney family is a joke, their mormon cult belief leaves them open to the mormon influence on world policy if elected. I can just see Romney asking the president of the LDS church for advice on how to handle foreign affairs. He needs a VP to do all his dirty work for him then he can deny and point fingers to blame someone else for his decision. The kids all look like a bunch of dorks living on dads money doing as told by the Romney family prophet Mitt. Romney as president would lead to the elimination of the middle class and social security and medicare. Romney with his cronic friends would then began the work of destorying the constitution with the help of the republican supreme court.
Are you serious Mr. Hanson? President Kennedy went through the same stupid questions as a Catholic. Many thought he would take direction from Vatican City... but he didn't. Obama had his drama too. This is America for cripes sake... read the 1st Amendment. What is the first thing that's mentioned in the 1st Amendment? As much as you might like America to be homogeneous... it ain't.
I'm not big on any religions. But, there is one thing in Romney's Mormonism that concerns me.
They believe, when they die, they will become a GOD. And get their own planet to rule and populate with as many sister-wives as they wish.
Talk about having a God complex.
Is that for real?
Kinda like scientology ..... Might as well vote for Tom Cruise then hahahahahahaha
Christians look forward to seeing God when they die. Mormons believe they will become a God.
Well the men anyway. Sorry ladies.
WHAT HAS ROMNEY GOT TO HIDE? How about the many contradictory statements over his Bain departure. Here is just a sample, about what releasing those tax returns will clear up.
Romney Faces Residency Questions in Massachusetts Race
June 06, 2002
Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for governor, faced the first serious obstacle today in his campaign with a report in The Boston Globe that he saved $54,000 in property taxes by claiming his multimillion dollar Utah house as his primary residence.
The report in the Globe today raised questions about whether Mr. Romney meets the residency requirements to be governor of Massachusetts, and it comes amid growing public scrutiny of business leaders and other wealthy people who take advantage of tax loopholes.
The difference, under Utah law, is major. Nonresidents pay taxes on 100 percent of the assessed value of a home. Residents pay taxes on only 55 percent of the assessed value.
Mr. Romney's house, high on a bluff in the expensive Deer Valley section overlooking Park City, was assessed at $3.8 million in 1999, but he paid taxes on only 55 percent of that valuation, Ms. Kresser said. Normally, it is extremely difficult for nonresidents to have their homes reclassified as primary residences, Ms. Kresser said, and they must show proof like drivers licenses, voter registration and documentation that they live in Utah more than half the year.
''Historically, residency questions don't work very well in Massachusetts in weakening candidates,'' Mr. DiNatale said. ''But this is a character issue and it's where Romney can be tested.''
''He has to answer some questions about whether he is a resident of Utah or Massachusetts,'' said Shannon O'Brien, the state treasurer who is the leading Democratic candidate for governor. ''So far, it doesn't sound like he wants to do that.''
One of Mr. Romney's supporters, Mickey Edwards, a former Republican Congressman from Oklahoma who is now a lecturer at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, played the issue down. ''Mitt may owe some back taxes in Utah, but this isn't going to hurt him politically,'' Mr. Edwards said.
++ SO YOU SEE MITT HAS A REASON NOT TO PRODUCE THESE TAX RETURNS. IT OPENS HIS TO TAX FRAUD.++
Residency issues have plagued Mitt Romney in the past. When he campaigned for governor of Massachusetts in 2002, he ran into trouble because he had switched his residency to Utah three years earlier when he moved to Park City to take over the struggling Salt Lake Olympic operation. The move technically made him ineligible to run for office in Massachusetts, which requires seven years of continuous state residency before a candidate is eligible to run. After a lot of legal wrangling and paying back taxes, he was finally allowed on the ballot.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CASE. HOW ABOUT HIS TRAVELS TO AND FROM UTAH? Does he use Bain and the subsidaries as a business tax write off and also declaring he was not running day to day operations. AGAIN TAX FRAUD?
SO MITTEN WHERE ARE THOSE RETURNS?
Did Mitt Romney Commit Voter Fraud In Massachusetts in 2010?
The issue arises from the ballot Romney cast for Republican Scott Brown in January 2010 in the special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
The former Massachusetts governor did not own property in the state in 2010 and registered to vote from an address in the unfinished basement of an 8,000 square-foot Belmont mansion owned by his son Tagg.
Read more: #ixzz20telIGGb
Read more:
#ixzz20teAMf6e
++ VOTER FRAUD?? ++
You have GOT TO BE kidding me with this. With so many unanswered questions in President Obama's background... do you really want to go down this road? Really? Call the IRS or the municipality where the property is located... better alert them right now that Mitt is ripping them off! Ring the bell!!!!
WELL MORON! If you would have read, he was caught and repaid the Utah Taxes, But what else is hide and why won't he release those years. Now you Druggie Limpball mouth piece, list all those unanswered questions about Obama, that released 7 years of back taxes.Maybe I can point it out again.
Hey Steve, my apology for not reading the entire post. I just can't bring myself to read every bit of drivel that is posted. Does anyone else find irony in an Obama man dissing Romney on residency issues? Are you watching Sherrif Joe's live feed right now? And so far he is just talking about his findings as they relate to Hawaii... it seems that there are even greater discrepancies in regards to O's SSN. Oh, and guess who was in charge of Bain during much of the layoffs... Jonathan Lavine. Guess who is a significant contributor to O's 2012 campaign?
I love how you resort to name calling instead of attempting a civilized chat. It's typical.
I don't know Mr Rmney or any of his sons, but they all look like a fine family. As far as one of the sons saying sometime dad is goofy, I think that is a loving comment to make. My we would have a human being for president. How refreshing. I'm Catholic, but I have a great deal of respect for the Mormons and all the ones I know are certainly fine people. They have strong family bonding which is something we could use in this country.
As far as off shore business. HEY, keep in in the country if you can find someone to work. Too many are on government subsitance and don't have to or don't want to work. Dell computer and Sony USA outsource tech support. I would love to keep that in our country. The corporations are able to get the work done less expensive out of our country than in our country and the communication networks now make that possible.
Solution: Make every able bodied citizen work. Restore cometitiveness and capitalism to America. Everyone will have to work and large corporations will have to take a cut in profit also. When an athelete earns a million dollars or more a year, it shows us that our country is so into recreation and fun it has forgotten how to work.
where did the kids get the big, goofy buck teeth from...just sayin'...
Mitt Romney cannot bee sworn into the office of President of the USA because of his devotion to the Mormon Church, and his spiritual oath taken to it's worldwide secular society. This is why none of his son's, or any of their son's, will, or have served in the U.S. Military, or served in political office in the American government. Mitt Romney is not invested in the American government, and he and his sons have their wealth distributed to foreign banks, and accounts just like their father.
Mitt Romney refuses to to be transparent with his taxes, or any of his business dealing truthfully, so can the American people trust this man with control of the Nuclear Weapons System of the most powerful nation in the world?? President Obama has been in office for over 3 3/4 years, and he has not destroyed this country, but with constant political obstruction, has saved many American service members lives by stopping the stupid unfunded wars we allowed the last president and his henchmen to get this nation involved in.
With over 33 years of military service, and as an independent voter, I will vote for President Obama to continue in his efforts to save this nation from the greedy venture vulture capitalist party, and it's self destructive misinformed American voters. Vote for President Obama to keep the capital of the United States of America in Washing D.C. don't allow the Mormons leaders to move it to Salt Lake City, Utah.
"""VOTE INDEPENDENT, YOU BUNCH OF DUMB ASS DEVOTED POLITICAL PARTY PILGRIMS"""WAR FIGHTER OUT""HOOAHhhhhhh""""""""
.
Wow, what typical NBC/post MSNBC comments. Where's Porchop Ed Schultze at?
Shame on you Brian!!! You took what should have been a positive and interesting interview with Mitt's children and turned into another Democratic BS advertisement. When asked about how these young men presented themselves in the interview, your field reporter said "guarded". Complete BS. I am disappointed in your reporting. Stop catering to you station and start telling the nation the real truth. Please.
Romney should never be near the Oval Office.
He is not a loyal American, is more interested in making his family rich - at the expense of others. Romney is a liar, and corrupt.
Goggle in The Real Mitt Romney the Weather-Vane Candidate, and read what the Romney's will not tell American voters.
Detroit corruption has links back to Romney family insiders and family.
Do we measure the worth of a person based on the amount of money they have? No. Mr. Romney will be the next President because he is a proven leader. He has a lifetime record of giving to charities, not just money but time and personal effort. His family values are stronger than this country will ever comprehend. What qualities are we looking for to lead this country? Mr. Romney will be a strong leader and a positive influence on the leaders of the world. Let's build back our pride in the leader of these United States of America.
Many Americans love our country and who called to serve they answer with pride and honor. 1965 Mitt like every young man got their draft notice and he went to Stanford U with a deferment. W ell Mitt got caught up in the wild days of the 60's as he even joined in War Protest and college activities. Well the grades weren't good and rather then serve the USA Mitt Romney skipped off to France becoming a Vietnam Draft Dodger. Yes Gov, Romney tried to say the Mormon Missionary was like a college but it didn't work. Mitt come back to the US once the Draft was over but to assure he didn't have to serve in the US Military his Dad had him get married. Ann Romney let the viewers know today that Mitt's taxes are none of anyone's business. The sons never talk of friends or enjoying times outside of the inter circle. The sons seem to think giving means taking money and storing it off shore. Mitt's take paid for his college, life style when married and even his cost of buying Bain Capital. Mitt did the same for his sons as he did for the sons what his Dad did for him. Mitt is teaching his son's how to cheat on their taxes.
Mitt Romney "America Street" campaign song/ad? a must see on youtube-haha
Surrogate or Sister wife?
If Mitt's elected, will he introduce us to his other sister-wives like Bill did on "Big Love"? I'm just saying! Mitt must be hiding something, either money or other family members, as to why he and his sons are so guarded and won't show the taxes. There's always a little reality in fiction.
There is no one to vote for in this election. Obama has sold out his own base. He is pro-fracking (a method of gas drilling that will poison the nations water). He has not protected the environment. He continued to please the rich with bailouts as Bush did before. He signed a bill that at the end of this year will do cuts on the poor. The only constituency he made happy was the gays. He has also favored internationalism more than to protect our nation. I could not vote for him. But neither could I vote for Romney, the out of touch rich guy with his plastic clone sons. I could not vote for someone who hides money at the Caymans or destroys jobs by wrecking companies like Gordon Gecko. I know what he wants to do is slash things like Social Security and hand it all to the rich. I question his loyalty to America because he is more loyal to the Mormons. I was hoping, before I saw this video about his sons, that he was not a fanatic Mormon. His sons reveal that he is a very fanatic Mormon. They all avoided the military but ALL FIVE were Mormon missionaries! They all look and act like clones all sporting grins which is typical of self-righteous cult types. They probably think they are holier than the rest of us. They would not even relate to ordinary people. They live in their own cult world. If the kids are cult fanatics, you can bet their daddy is.
Truth is, it is like Aliens vs. Predators, no matter who wins, we all lose.
I rather meet their father's tax returns. If they can talk their Dad into releasing his tax returns, then maybe I would be interested in meeting the Romney 5. But to be honest I don't give a darn about meeting them. Show me Mitt's TAX RETURNS. Mitt Romney released 23 years to John McCain when he thought he could be McCain's VP. Now Mitt is running for President and he don't think the American people deserve to see anything. It's July 20,2012, Have Mitt Romney release his tax returns yet?