PETA, Calf-Roping, and the Olympics. Mitt is weak as water.
"PETA is not happy that my dog likes fresh air", Mitt said in 2007. "PETA has been after me for having a rodeo at the Olympics and were very, very upset about that."
After doing a little research, it seems that animal welfware groups were indeed upset. The incendiary issue was whether calf-roping would be included in the Salt Lake City Olympics. Responding to growing opposition, Romney, President of the Olympic Committee (SLOC), said,
"If calf-roping is in, then SLOC is out".
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association contended that calf-roping was integral to the rodeo.
Needless to say, the Olympic Rodeo and Olympic Calf-Roping went ahead.
Will SLOC cut rodeo ties? Mitt, Rocky talk it over
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson said through a spokesman Thursday that he expects the Salt Lake Organizing Committee will cut ties with the Olympic Command Performance Rodeo.
Joshua Ewing, Anderson's spokesman, said the mayor came to that conclusion after the most recent of a series of phone conversations about the rodeo with SLOC President Mitt Romney...
During the call, Romney told Anderson that if calf-roping wasn't eliminated as a rodeo event, SLOC would cut ties with the rodeo, which is scheduled to be part of SLOC's Cultural Olympiad. And since the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has stated that it still plans to include calf-roping, Anderson now supposes SLOC will disconnect.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/886374/Will-SLOC-cut-rodeo-ties-Mitt-Rocky-talk-it-over.html
An aide to Romney wrote to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, advising them to cancel calf-roping events but added, "we would understand if you say no."
http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000186
The cowboys said no, and that was that.
