Mitt Romney Shows His Open Compassionate Side Once More!

During a campaign event for his presidential bid in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mitt Romney’s style of public discourse and openness showed once again what not to do when one is trying to be elected President.

Jose Antonio Vargas who was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting only wished to ask Mr. Romney about his stance on illegal immigration reform after Mitt finished reading his prepared speech. This had been the plan all along Mr. Romney would give a speech and then take questions from the audience and answer their questions during two different Q&A sessions. One would be for the general audience the other for journalists in attendance.

Mr. Vargas who revealed in a June article for the New York Times magazine that he was in fact an undocumented immigrant would have a more than valid reason for attempting to ask such a question.

However when Mr. Vargas raised his hand one of Mitt Romney’s staff moved and stood directly in front of him to attempt to block him from the view of the attendees. Then another member of the audience began to ask question about immigration and Mr. Vargas held up a sign that read, “I am an American without papers”.

That was all that Jose did just trying to get an answer to a question and raising a sign neither of which produced any type of response from Mitt Romney, nor did it disrupt the event. He was not yelling, cursing or interfering with others present at the event by any stretch of the imagination.

Here was a 30-year-old man of Filipino decent who has been in the United States since the age of 12 just trying to ask about the thoughts or opinions of a man running a campaign who is attempting to be elected President of the United States of America about immigration reform.

Jose only found out at the age of 16 that there was a problem with his immigration papers. Having worked or written articles for the San Francisco Chronicle, The Philadelphia Daily News, The Washington Post, New York Times Magazine and the Huffington Post his experience in journalism is self-evident. So as his question would be a very valid compelling subject worthy of some type of response from Mr. Romney he was apparently not deemed important enough to receive any type of response to his question.

After Mitt gave his speech and answered the questions he wanted to answer during the first session the event moved to another room. This would be where in the real world the candidate would answer more questions from the journalists  who were present which would only benefit his campaign. By letting them know his views on very important issues in America today as well as how he might address them, people across the nation would benefit and have a better understanding of this presidential contender. It is a tried and true occurrence common in political campaigns across our nation and especially important when a candidate is running for the most powerful office in the country namely President of the United States.

Following the event Jose Vargas entered that room where Mitt was supposed to take more questions on his views and opinions on various subjects currently under discussion across America. However Mr. Vargas encountered only the police who removed and escorted him out of the building.

Mitt Romney’s campaign replied that Mr. Vargas was escorted from the event by police after he entered a room that was designated a media availability room as he lacked current press credentials. However they didn’t address the earlier incident of attempting and succeeding in not having Mitt Romney answer Jose’s question on immigration.

Is this the same Jose Antonio Vargas who has contributed and worked for National press organizations across the country as well as being part of a team who won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting award, yes, yes it was the same man.

Immigration reform has been a hot button topic for quite some time especially during the recent republican campaigns leading up to the primaries soon to be held in America. Almost all the presidential contenders have voiced various views on immigration reform, yet they have all been vague with any answers they have been given. None of the current republican presidential candidates has addressed how they would try to handle the issue of immigration reform. Some have been more compassionate with their answers such as Newt Gingrich, others have said throw out all the estimated 11 million here without the proper papers no questions asked. Yet not a single one has presented any specifics about how they might carry out any goal that might be made on the issue.

Yes America, not a single current republican candidate for the office of president of the United States wants to give anything more than vague answers to any who might ask about immigration reform. And yes this is occurring right now in the United States our country which has an estimated 11 million people lacking proper documentation as to their immigration status.

Mr. Vargas has a journalistic resume that would be the envy of any writer or news publication in the World. His dedication to immigration reform cannot be called into question this young man has paid his dues.

Yet Mitt Romney who is running for the most powerful political office in the country doesn’t want to answer a simple question.

The President of the United States of America is supposed to serve all the people of this country and be willing to discuss important issues to All Americans without regard to political ideology.

At this event and others Mitt Romney and his staff have shown utter contempt for journalists one where just a reporter being seen at an event was then thrown out without any valid reason and this man was employed by a major national newspaper.

Mr. Romney has shown once again why he of all people is certainly not the right person to lead this country in these trying times.

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