Memorial Day Memories – Mitt Romney to Homeless Veterans – Let Them Milk Cows

Apparently, the Romney Gaffe machine is not something that started with this presidential election. No, Romney is known for making stupid comments about matters that are important to less fortunate people, you know, those who can’t help themselves.

Buzzfeed is reporting on a story that took place in 1994 when Mitt Romney was running against Ted Kennedy for the US Senate. According to the report, Ken Smith, the director of a Veteran’s Homeless Shelter in Boston MA. asked both Senate candidates to make a visit to the homeless shelter and meet with the vets. The visit from Ted Kennedy lasted about a half an hour and according to Mr. Smith, Mr. Kennedy “congratulated us on our programs and promised if he was elected to the senate for another term, he would befriend the shelter and that’s exactly what he did.”

Romney’s visit was another story. Mr. Smith remembers Romney’s visit lasting about an hour and rather uneventful until the candidate was about to leave.

At the end of Romney’s visit, as he was preparing to leave out the front door, he pulled me aside and asked me what was the biggest problem that I was facing at the time?

Milk, I said.

Milk?  What do you mean Milk?  he stated

I explained that the state of Massachusetts was giving me $2.37 per vet, per day for meals.  That funding included both dinner and breakfast expenses and since you couldn’t go to McDonalds for that amount of money, one of the biggest expenses I encountered, was giving each vet a pint of milk at dinner and again at breakfast.

His response to me was “Well Ken, maybe you can teach the vets to milk cows”.

I think my jaw was on the floor as he headed out the door and one reporter came over to me and asked what he said.

Did he just tell you to have homeless vets milk cows?  asked the young guy,

Yes, he did.

Needless to say, Romney lost that election against Ted Kennedy as news of his let them milk cows statement spread throughout Massachusetts.

Whether it’s telling Vets to milk cows, expressing his love of firing people or getting rid of “illegals” on his property because he’s running for office, Romney will continue providing us with these laughable moments. The unfortunate part is, this Romney humor is often directed at those in less fortunate positions than he is.