Respect and Think

Aretha Franklin on R-E-S-P-E-C-T:

And on how we should "Think" about what we're doing to other people:

Madame L wishes that the Romney campaign would show a little respect for the President of the United States and think about what they're saying.

In Mitt Romney's speech at the Al Smith charity dinner earlier this week, he seemed to think it was a roast of the President, jabbing him in a way that made Madame L and the person with whom she was watching feel so uncomfortable that they walked out of the room. He started out great, but quickly got mean, repeating lines from his stump speeches as if they were great comedy lines. Totally inappropriate.

Sure enough, some journalist counted the jabs when both speeches were over, and found that Mr. Romney made eight really mean jabs at the President.And we found we weren't the only ones who thought the speech was not quite right for the occasion. 

In Pres. Obama's speech, he showed the way such a speech is supposed to work: with self-deprecating humor and only three very mild jabs at the Romney campaign:

And then Mitt Romney's son Tagg told a radio interviewer that he wanted to "take a swing" at Pres. Obama during the Tuesday night debate. Madame L cannot imagine what would have happened if an Obama supporter had said such a thing about Mr. Romney.

Come on, even if you dislike the man, can you at least show a little respect for the office? And think about what you're going to say before you put your foot in your mouth?