Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
David Brooks: Everyone Misunderstood My Awesome Romney Take-Down Column, OK?
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 28, 2012
Modified Aug 28, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 28, 2012
Modified Aug 28, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
NY Times columnist David Brooks' piece today is a humorous biographical sketch of Mitt Romney, skewering the forthcoming attempts by the RNC to pad the candidate's story with enough folksy Americana (mayonnaise) to slide gently down the electorate's gullet. A sample: "After a successful stint at Bain, Romney was lured away to run the Winter Olympics, the second most Caucasian institution on earth, after the G.O.P." Sounds about right—but wait, maybe we're not sufficiently God-fearing or didn't wear enough navy blazers when we were teenagers to pick up what Brooks is putting down.
Ben Smith at BuzzFeed briefly spoke with the Times columnist at the GOP convention, and he denied having any intention of skewering Romney (presumably Brooks said this as several men in suits gripped baseball bats several feet away).
I ran into Brooks in the sweaty line outside the convention's media center, where he was rueful and said he should have anticipated the incomprehension at a column that was "originally intended as a parody of the media storyline."
Originally? Meaning, before he realized the unadulterated joy that came from lambasting the candidate, who, in Brooks' "media parodying" words, "barely won the 2012 Republican primaries after a grueling nine-month campaign, running unopposed" ?
The reaction, [Brooks] said, was "regrettable but predictable."
"Taste in humor is entirely partisan."
Riiiiight. A famous philosopher once said: "A lot of truth is said in jest."
Tagged
2012 election
david brooks
mitt romney
new york times
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Why New Yorkers should care about bats beyond spooky season
As Bat Week begins, state wildlife officials urge New Yorkers to protect bats, which play an important role in the environment.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 25, 2026 at 6:44 p.m. ET
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
News
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
Retired NYPD detective charged in George Washington Bridge killing out on $1M bail
By
Michael Sol Warren
Suicides decline in NYC, but inequities persist across groups
By
Jill Webb
Cuts to rural healthcare become key issue for upstate votes in race for NY governor
By
Samuel King
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .