The evidence is based on a mere few seconds when Romney approaches the podium and removes a white folded something from his front pants pockets. Commentators such as the Daily Kos find something especially sinister in keeping one’s alleged handkerchief in such careful order in such a pocket. The Daily Kos said, “I have never seen a man’s hanky be so uniform and flat coming from a front pant’s pocket. Back pocket, yes, breast pocket in a jacket, yes, but not from the front pant pocket.”
“A Romney spokeswoman says it was a handkerchief, but the Internet isn’t buying it,” claimed the Daily Beast, suggesting the internet is haunted by credulous idiots. They also bothered to call it “Hankeygate 2012,” a tired to the point of death reference to Nixon. Early this year, Romney’s Aide had made an Etch-a-Sketch metaphor commentators were calling “Etch a Sketch gate” being low, apparently, on imagination.
In response to the hoopla, a Romney Aide said simply, “It’s a handkerchief,” seemingly perceiving that a word more on the topic would be a waste of breath.
Nevertheless, for commentators to allege that Romney cheated in the debate suggests they were at least impressed.