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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For all of those who want to make a negative comment. How can you be critical of a man who has raised 5 boys, who have all grown up to be responsible adults. These kids, now grown men, are a testament to the character of Mitt Romney. If Mitt Romney was a liar, or a bad person in any way it would be reflected in his children. Looks to me like ha has 5 outstanding young men who came out of his house. They are all good, responsible ciizens. This did not happen by accident. if a man can manage his own household well, he won't have any trouble handling the White House.
Yeah, if we want to be run like some kind of cult. And how do you know these boys are angels?
Responsible?? To whom?? Certainly not their fellow-Americans.
We've been at war over ten years and not one of them saw fit to march their entitled asses down to an armed forces recruiting center.
Pretty easily when the prick destroys American jobs for personal profit and refuses to pay his taxes in addition to having dodged the draft and keeping his deadbeat little pricks of kids out of the military using political influence...
Lizard of Ahaz-4610468 - please tell us about him refusing to pay taxes. I believe he was able to create more jobs than lose the ones that belonged to companies that were already failing. Why so negative? Jealous??
Goofy? Now all we need is Mickey Mouse for VP. Sounds like the perfect GOP slate.
I am just curious why none of the boys have served in our military? I am a Romney supporter, I just want the facts (please no party BS)
DADT was in force at the time and they didn't want to be discovered.
Oh no, he's goofy sometimes so we better not vote for Romney! We can banter about personality flaws or someone not relating to us as much as we'd like indefinitely, but in reality I honestly believe the man is trying to make America better and he has the skills and experience to do so. What else really matters?
Obama has his personality - Mitt has his. Everyone is different. Mitt, however, I believe is serious about trying to turn this mess of a country around and do his very best to help us get back on track (goofy or not). Obama, with his Mr. Personality approach, should just join the entertainment industry and get his own show - he and Michelle could just joke around and kid and try to charm with their big smiles. Which would you rather have as our leader - a charmer who is ruining the country or a more serious, devoted man who is honestly interested in helping the US to once again be a prosperous country with people working and able to pay their mortgages and afford to put food on the table. Obama has had his chance and has blown it! Come on people - you know how bad things are!! We do not need or want 4 more years of the same. Obama had his chance and blew it. He should just get his own TV show, horse around, tell jokes, go on expensive vacations to Europe, Hawaii, Martha's Vineyard, etc.(BUT NOT ON OUR DIME!!) He and Michele have been on just about every talk show possible while, in the meantime, the country is going down the tubes. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND WE'VE HAD ENOUGH. Mitt seriously wants to help the country get better and we so need that!
I voted for "GOOFY" in the past three presidential elections on a write-in ...guess what happened?
Why on earth would you vote for "goofy?" That is a really great thing to base your vote on.
What will he give back? He makes sure he takes his investments, banking, outsourced jobs and who knows what else to other countries..... the only volunteer work he's done is a forced 2 year service, in France no less (which is a destination that is reserved for the wealthier Mormons) and I'm sure he wasn't living in poverty during that time.... he inherited wealth and didn't turn out like his father by the way or his mother.... He is promoting a radical agenda to destroy the middle class, he is not a "job creator" but a job destroyer. Of course he doesn't relate to "ordinary people", he's lived his life in a bubble and doesn't want to change this..... he doesn't have to worry about being uninsured since he can afford the best insurance in the world and not like the rest of us that can't afford to take their families to I have to use home remedies because we can't afford a doctor for him!!!! I can only find part-time (if I'm lucky) $9 an hour work and haven't seen any benefits in YEARS! I'm now 59 and nobody wants to hire me anymore!!!!!!
We need a real public servant who wants to work for the majority of the people in the country, we don't need someone to give more, more, more to the affluent who don't need any help. We need protections from the affluent who want to take away what we've won over the years, otherwise do you think the rich would voluntarily give employees benefits? Do you think they would worry about our futures? Do you think they would worry about our children having a future? They think we should know our place and serve them, they think we should be grateful to them for a minimum wage job! They have ruined the country and are setting it up for a revolution once the masses realize there is no hope and the only way is to destroy the ruling class.... is this what we want? Where is the decency & humanity of people? We are supposed to be "all equal" yet every day they prove to us that they think we are dirt............
Let's see, Obama's true colors are out and a blind person can see they aren't good. We can choose a person who hates America or a person who loves America. We can choose disaster or prosperity, bad or good. Count my vote for Romney!
I see no love of country in Romney. I see love of Romney, and that is about it.
I'll take character over charm. Of which Romney has none.
Damn Straight He's "Goofey" Boys! Probably the first HONEST thing ANY Romney has said in years!
Hey Mitt now that we're buddies and being Honest , how about those tax returns?!?!
just comes down to do you want a bozo who screws everything up or do you want somebody who can actually help this country and turn things around. if you want to turn things around get Romney who knows what he's doing. I don’t care what he's done. if he can do the job then let's get him and fire the other guy he can't do the job. isn't that business works.
Mormons have very strange habits, beliefs and issues. They can be two-faced to an extreme. And they can't be trusted.
Sounds like he's right for politics, so long as they don't have any bearing on the rest of us. Let him become president of his church and ruin them. Not America.
Mormons do not have strange habits, beliefs or issues, nor are they two-faced, any more than any other person. We'll put you down on the "Bigot" list.
Wow big surprise there,, successful Father, successful sons and families. Any person on this commentary who thinks Romney is not in this for service is mistaken. And he has a history of serving with great results. Why would anyone not vote for him?
Lyin Willardo, the Mexican Mormon Moron is a tax evader, bankrupter, draft dodger, job outsourcer and Etch A Sketch champion, and now a GOOF.
These are more than enough reasons for no one to vote for him.
The only reason people open overseas numbered bank accounts is to evade taxes on unreported income. It is estmated by some, that lyin Willardo, the Mexican Mormon Moron tax evader, bankrupter, draft didger, job outsourcer and Etch a Sketch champion has hidden about 32 million in numbered accounts in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. Unnamed workers at these banks sent this info to the IRS.
Hopefully, they will arrest this right wing criminal tax evader before the election.
This is why he won't release the last 5 years of his tax returns.
I wonder if that is where he keeps his Mexican birth certficate also
Romney has off shore investments, not accounts. But please, continue with your baseless bigoted rant.
By the way, why does everyone scream racism when you don't like Obama, but your clear religious prejudice is a-ok?
Read up on Romeny from ANOTHER source
MittRomney’s Bain Controversy: Why It Matters When He Left Company
Because much needed jobs at every employment level was needed here in the United States. 2003 -- 2005 were some of the most difficult times to find a job. I was out of work for 17 months and I looked for a job almost every day. At that time I had master degree (with honors), bba degree and 25 years of consecutive management experience. In 2003, 2004 and half of 2005 I could not find a job due to jobs being shipped overseas.
Mr. Romney said he was not a part of Bain Venture Capital during at least 2003 through 2005. It was during that time when Mr. Romney sent hundreds of thousands of jobs oversea so that his investors could make as much money as humanly possible.
Mr. Ronmey's tax returns for 2003 through 2005 will reveal whether he truly was involved with the business operations of Bain at that time. If he was, then he lied to the American public and/or lied on his tax returns. And if he lied to the American public on that issue -- then what else has he lied about.
Wow, how many wives do they have combined? Not enough to satisfy their repressed desires.
During the time of the draft in the United States, Mormons were exempt from the military only while they were serving as missionaries.
Mr. Romney's sons said that America will will eventually see Mr. Romney's true identify -- then who have we seen all these years. Who is that person and why does Mr. Romney find it necessary to hid his true identify. Something is wrong with this picture.
Vote intelligently. Be an informed voter. Google to check facts and information. Check Mr. Romney's record as a Senator, as a Governor and as a 100% Owner of Bain Venture Capital. Don't simply listen to CNN and the Fox Network. Vote intelligently. Be an informed voter.
They are all just so precious, aren't they? I wonder if daddy ever held one of them down against his will and cut all his hair off as he screamed and pleaded for daddy to stop. While the heat and the sweat and the odor of it permeated the scene--as their bodies pressed and rubbed against one another--one willing, the other not...
They're dead wrong. He's not charming, he's slick, slimey and plain creepy. He's a F-ing phony. Anyone who serves high office in the Mormon Church is used to going through the motions. They can't possibly believe the utter nonsense and proven falsehoods of that cartoon character Joe Smith... it's all no less preposterous than L. Ron Hubbard's Scientology... Moroni = Zenu = Jesus = Yawheh... all are primitive nonsense and belief in such ridiculous superstitions is what keeps people like Romney completely detached from reality, non-credible and downright dangerous.
if he was a phony his own kids would be against him. he raised 5 sons, 5 sons who are all contributing to our society. You cannot make personel atacks on a man like this. You may disagree with his politics, but he clearly was a great father. He raised those 5 sons to be law abiding citizens who take responsiblity for their families. if only more fathers would do such a great job, many of the problems in America would go away. That is reality, may want to check and see what color the sky is in your world.
Yes if only more fathers would indoctrinate their sons into ridiculous cults with preposterous claims of their own private planets to rule over after death... what a wonderful world this would be...
BTW, what color is the sky on Kolob?
The two-party system sucks ...it arbitrarily limits the voters choice to what is equivalent to a coin toss ...which party is "heads" and which party is "tails?" Why choose either "heads" or "tails" if you know it's going to be one or the other and neither comes close to representing your interests?
Does this mean that if I write in "Goofy" again, that I will be voting for Romney? Does this mean that I voted for Romney in the last election when I wrote in "Goofy," even though he wasn't even runnning?
Even lyin Willardo's father knew what he would be like when he grew up So he gave him his first name "Willardo" after the large movie rat. He gave him his middle name after an old baseball glove that they found in the family outhouse that was full of shxt. They shortened lyin Willardo's first name to Willard and their last name from Robberos to Romney when they smuggled little lyin Willardo over here from his birthplace in Tijuana.
He is now known by most people as Mitt Robme, the GOOF
The last rich "goofball" we had in office crashed the economy why would we want another?
As for me I will vote for someone who actually PAYS his friggen taxes not that deadbeat slime-bag Romney...
The ignorant Americans continued be fooled that higher taxes on the wealthy will solve the problem. Not a chance based on the math. The problem is government is too big. The tax burden (state, local, federal) on the middle class reduces disposable income and will continue to result in no job growth. The bulk of Ammericans need a pay raise through reduced taxes. The debt has to be reduced or will eat up the federal revenues when interest costs increase. There is only one answer and that is a significant reduction in government provided social services. Families & charities need to take care of citizens not the government.
You are an idiot who believes the stupid pablum you are fed by the rich bastards in charge of your life who leave you little more than starvation wages. The real answer is the opposite of what you say and the end of welfare for the rich who don't need it while forcing them to pay their taxes for a change...
I can imagine how "goofy" Romney would do negotiating with world leaders over peace pacts. "Ah come on guys! If you agree to sign off on this, I've got this neeto magic trick to show ya!" Save me. Really, who knows what this guy is for. Love or hate the President, you at least know what he supports and what he doesn't. That really hasn't changed. He's compromised here and there but he has remained fundamentally the same. But with Romney...even his own sons tell us we don't know him yet....and since he's more secretive than the KGB, it sounds like we never will.
23 million jobs, 280 billion dollar budget surplus, no business experience, people, I give
you Bill Clinton. These GOP leaders have sold us out to big business by pursuing and winning unlimited campaign contribution in the courts. These billionaires want a real corporate raider in office to reduce US workers to the same level as 3rd world countries
and this Romney guy takes no prisoners. Class warfare started 11 years ago and the
GOP only wants to stop because they want Romney to put the final nail in our
coffin. Wake up middle class and vote for your own pocket book and to hell with
political ideology.
Watching this a$$e$ speech. He's a liar, and can't keep Obama's name out of his mouth for one second. He never says anything about what he'll do and how he'll do it, he just bashes Obama with lies. Does he think people don't watch the news or read newspapers? How dumb is this wooden little man? Lord, Help us! This man will not make it to the WH.