Youngstown, OH – Media outlets are already calling it “Dish-gate,” referring to Paul Ryan’s “career ending” photo op in which he rolls up his sleeves to seemingly hand-wash clean dishes at an Ohio soup kitchen.
The story goes like this: Countering accusations that the GOP ticket hates poor people, Paul Ryan decided to lend a hand at a local soup kitchen in Youngstown, Ohio over the weekend. There’s just one problem. The kitchen had already cleaned up for the day, and “the hall was empty of patrons” by the time the VP candidate had arrived. Not one to waste a trip, Ryan rolled up his sleeves and had photographers nab an image of him washing dishes anyway, but you can clearly see that the dishes are already clean.
Oops.
Liberal bloggers and left-wing media outlets are in a rage over the manipulative photo op, with NY Mag mocking the VP contender saying, “the truth is that Ryan simply cares so much about America’s non-income-tax-paying indigent that he thinks they deserve better than eating food from pots and pans that have only been cleaned once.”
Gawker called the affair a “sorry charade,” and liberal blog Daily Kos sort of cut Ryan a break, saying, “He’s running for office for Pete’s sake. And nothing will stop him from trying to convince voters that Mitt Romney and he have the empathy Americans expect in a president and vice president—even if that means wasting everybody’s time by washing dishes that don’t need to be washed.”
As a moderate publication (I, myself, have given numerous politicians on the left and the right breaks for even the most controversial gaffes and/or public missteps), we’re kind of on-board with Daily Kos‘s analysis. The important thing is that Ryan even showed up to the soup kitchen to lend a hand in the first place. Sure, the appearance was poorly timed, but isn’t it the thought that counts? Can’t we just say we caught him with his pants down on this one and move on?
What do you think of Paul Ryan and Dish-gate?
At least the jackasses could have shown up at a time when they could actually HELP, because these places can always use real help.. for Goodness sake.
This is no worse than Obama kicking white people from their seats near the podium and substituting black people so his audience appears more diversified.
This is no worse than Obama kicking white people from their seats near the podium and substituting black people so his audience appears more diversified.
I could see where you coming from except this. Its a lie the photo is a lie it is staged. And even if he had shown up when the dishes where actually dirty and there were needy still there. How many dishes would he have washed one or two long enough to grab the photo and and a little publicity. He wasn't actually there to help and there was no thought for actually helping the need. The thought was to score points with voters.
They all do that
What do I think? I think that Paul Ryan is a spoiled child and it'll be a shame if this soup kitchen loses money because he wanted to play dress-up.
He's exploiting the exact kind of place and population that would suffer most from the cuts he and Romney are proposing ~ which I guess isn't surprising, considering Ryan's extreme admiration of Ayn Rand's "Virtue of Selfishness." And obviously he didn't show up to actually help. He showed up to score points through a photo opp ~ if he'd meant to actually be of help, he would have either come back on a day when help was needed or gone to some other place close by in need.
Now all Ryan has to do is go on Katie Couric and do an interview and Obama will win in a landslide!
Why do Republicans keep picking amateurish goofs as their running mates? Lyin Ryan is the new Sarah Palin.
How embarrassing…. geez. Why would he think no one would find out? I sure wish the political commercials would tell us what a canidate stands for rather then just criticising their opponent. I don't have a clue what any of Indiana's candidates stand for… all I know is they really like wasting a lot of time and money digging up crap that I couldn't care less about.
How can you agree with the Daily Kos? It is not the "thought that counts" here! His thought for this entire thing obviously was to get a picture taken and he did just that! He wasn't there to lend a hand….give me a break. He is a joke just like the rest of them!
The primary condition of a sociopath is the inability to feel compassion. Romney/Ryan….perfect examples.
Does washing clean pots in an empty soup kitchen just to provide your campaign with a photo to disseminate constitute a FRAUDian slip? Discuss.
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14485409-ryan-did-wash-dirty-dishes-during-soup-kitchen-visit
I know it gets frustrating trying to know who to believe. I did some research and this might shed some light.
I am still not happy with ANY of the choices…..
I still think he should have gone to actually help…not just take pictures…. Dirty dishes or not… I am sorry to say I cannot trust any of them….