Cookiegate

From NY Times

Mitt Romney never even tasted them.

But his offhand remark about a tray of five dozen cookies from a bakery in Bethel Park, Pa., on Tuesday has lighted up the local airwaves with confectionery consternation, even earning that most coveted distinction of superficial scandals – a name.

“Cookiegate,” as the bakery itself is calling the brouhaha, began as Mr. Romney sat down at a picnic table with six couples from suburban Pittsburgh to talk about the economy, a campaign event intended to capture the Republican presidential candidate engaged in casual conversation with ordinary Americans.

The table was filled with snacks, like potato chips and pretzels. But for whatever reason, Mr. Romney zeroed in on the cookies, a colorful collection that the bakery calls mini lady lox and gourmet thumbprints.
“I’m not sure about these cookies,” he said, looking at one of the woman. “They don’t look like you made them. No, no. They came from the local 7-Eleven, bakery, or whatever.”

In the retelling, all anybody at Bethel Bakery, the beloved 57-year-old outfit that made the cookies, would remember was “7-Eleven.” As in, Mr. Romney had compared their bakery’s cookies with those from a convenience store.

“I thought, oh my God, how can this guy actually make that statement?” said the bakery’s owner, John Walsh. “He needs to be educated about the quality differences.”

But the bakery swallowed its umbrage long enough to see an upside: It put up signs about  Cookiegate, changed its outgoing phone message to mention the controversy, and offered a new limited-time promotion: the Cookiegate Special – buy a dozen cookies, get six free.

Sales have surged, Mr. Walsh said, with orders flooding in from as far away as Georgia.

Among the bakery’s new customers: the Obama campaign. The local Pennsylvania office ordered a tray of five dozen cookies on Thursday, the same platter that sat before Mr. Romney earlier in the week.

Unfortunately this won't be the last time Mitt shows his unappreciation for the middle class and shoves his foot in his mouth.