Turns out: There’s a long history of referring to Romney as a millionaire island castaway. | AP Photos Thurston Howell, the political epithet

In his New York Times column Tuesday, David Brooks calls Mitt Romney “ Thurston Howell Romney,” a reference to the wealthy and privileged “Gilligan’s Island” character played by Jim Backus.

Although Brooks’s high-profile column suggests that the nickname has reached the major leagues, it’s hardly the first time the name has been applied to the former Massachusetts governor.


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On Tuesday’s “Morning Joe,” journalist Jeff Greenfield referenced the nickname’s plug in Brooks’ column and seemed to take credit for the idea, saying, “I, on this very program, referenced Mitt Romney as Thurston Howell III, which is now the David Brooks column…” (Greenfield was later introduced by “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski as “the man who used the term Thurston Howell first…”)

On Tuesday’s “Fox & Friends,” Laura Ingraham said Brooks “is stealing my old line” about Romney as Howell. (Ingraham was referencing an Aug. 31 appearance on Fox News in which she said, “More swing voters in America should now see Mitt Romney in a warmer and more reassuring light, not as the Thurston Howell III of modern day politics.”)

Turns out: There’s a long history of referring to Romney as a millionaire island castaway.

Back in 2007, the Kansas City Star reported the following:

“In an attempt to get a handle on how Americans see the top six White House hopefuls, Ann Mack, the director of trend-spotting for J. Walter Thompson, conducted an almost surreal survey. She asked 681 people: ‘Which characters would the candidates be if they were on ‘Gilligan’s Island’?’”

“Sen. Barack Obama was seen as the Professor and Sen. Hillary Clinton as Mrs. Howell. Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain came back as the Skipper. Mitt Romney was Thurston Howell III.”

In August 2011, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson asked MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, “But, listen, here, before we start, I have a question. OK. So, Mitt Romney is Thurston Howell III, right?”

In October 2011, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow — referring to this picture of Romney during his years at Bain Capital — said “This is not something we PhotoShopped to make him look like Thurston Howell.” (Since then, Maddow has continued to refer to Romney as Howell.)

In November 2011, the blog Down With Tyranny penned a post titled, “Mitt Romney = Thurston Howell III— How Will That Go Over In Euro-Zone?”

In December 2011, the Boston Herald referred to Romney’s $10,000 debate bet with Rick Perry as “a Thurston Howell III–like $10,000 bet.”

Then there was Maureen Dowd in January: “It’s easy to picture Poppy and Mitt sitting in a wood-paneled room in a country club, chatting about tennis, Marquess of Queensberry rules and how they’re above being gutter fighters like the Clintons (except when they aren’t). Poppy was compared by some to Chatsworth Osborne Jr., the rich kid on ‘Dobie Gillis,’ and Mitt was compared by some to Thurston Howell III, the millionaire on ‘Gilligan’s Island.’”

Or Paul Foer — a sailor, himself — writing in Annapolis’s Capital Gazette in January: “Mitt Romney, who makes some recall tycoon Thurston Howell III of the hit 60s TV show, ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ is the poster child for the super rich, predatory capitalists.”

A writer on the Blue Virginia blog had a similar notion that month. “As if that’s not enough to demonstrate that Thurston Howell III Willard is completely out of touch with normal, middle class/working Americans, how about his comment that his $375,000 in speakers’ fees is ‘not very much.’”

Even one-time Romney running mates get tagged with the Howell stigma. In 2002, the Boston Herald referred to Romney’s lieutenant governor pick, Kerry Healey, as “the 21st-century version of Mrs. Thurston Howell III.”

Romney, however, he isn’t the only politico to be tagged with the Howell nickname. Here are four others:

Alleged White House party crasher Tareq Salahi: “I’m not hear to defend the Salahis. I describe them in the book as being like Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III from ‘Gilligan’s Island.’ I mean, they live in a different social strata than I do, and probably you too.” (Diane Diamond, CNN, October 2010)

Sen. John McCain: “That said, the fact that McCain doesn’t know how many residences he owns, be they condos or not, will not endear him to the middle class voters who are struggling in today’s economy. And the ‘I’ll have my staff get to you,’ reeks of Thurston Howell III like nobody’s business. ‘Lovey, call up the servants and ask them how many fabulous homes we own!’” (Howard Kurtz, Washington Post, August 2008)

Rep. Ron Paul: “Are you kidding me? Ron Paul is becoming the Thurston Howell III of presidential politics.” (David Brody, Christian Broadcasting Network, November 2007)

Sen. John Kerry: “Kerry calls the missus, ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz, ‘Lovie.’ Which considering his troublesome Thurston Howell III tendencies, may not be the best choice in the terms-of-endearment department.” (Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa, Boston Herald, February 2003).