Romney campaign forced to stop using story of slain Navy SEAL after mother complains. Update: Now friend weighs in as well.

This from Buzzfeed:

At a town hall here Wednesday, Mitt Romney re-told a story he first revealed earlier this week about meeting one of the Navy SEALs who would later be killed in the attacks on the Benghazi consulate. 

Romney has used the account in recent days on the stump to demonstrate the courage of Americans, in particular the troops: Upon hearing that the consulate was under attack, Glenn Doherty, 42, headed toward the action to try to defend it. 

It's a compelling story, offering a surprisingly personal link between the candidate and the tragedy in Libya — but it's one the SEAL's mother wants him to stop telling. 

Wednesday morning, NBC's Boston affiliate reported that Doherty's mother thought Romney was taking advantage of her son's death. 

"I don't trust Romney," Barbara Doherty told WHDH 7. "He shouldn't make my son's death part of his political agenda. It's wrong to use these brave young men, who wanted freedom for all, to degrade Obama."

Obviously the mother is NOT a supporter of Romney's and obviously found his use of her son's name for political gain as repulsive as the rest of us did. Her response resulted in Romney's people telling their candidate to stop using the story at campaign stops immediately.

Asked whether Romney would continue to tell the story, a campaign aide told BuzzFeed he would not, now that he knew the mother's wishes. 

Kevin Madden added, "Governor Romney was inspired by the memory of meeting Glen Doherty and shared his story and that memory. We respect the wishes of Mrs. Doherty though."

Of course Romney's use of his connection to this Navy SEAL is part of the Republicans newest attempt to smear the Obama campaign by claiming they were complicit in the death of Ambassador Stevens, and the Navy SEAL's there to protect him. And are also currently launching another Congressional witch hunt led by their favorite attack dog, Darrell Issa.

You may remember Issa as the same vicious asshole who tried to use the Fast and Furious debacle to smear the President, and even went so far as to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for not allowing himself to be bullied. Eventually of course Holder was cleared of all of the trumped up charges against him.

When I first heard Romney tell of his very tenuous connection to this dead soldier, and then squint his eyes a bunch of times in an attempt to produce a tear or two, I felt sick to my stomach.  This soldier's mother is quite right not to trust Mr. Romney, in that he will essentially use ANY means, no matter how disgusting or devious, to win this election.

Update: Navy SEAL's friend recalls meeting with Romney much differently:

But one of Glen Doherty's best friends remembered Doherty's impression of this meeting much differently. 

He last saw Doherty a week before the final mission to Libya. "I stayed in his house (in California), we paddled out in the ocean together, spent some good quality time." 

Ellefsen said Doherty recalled meeting Mitt Romney years ago, but the account was much different from what the Presidential candidate retold in Iowa. 

According to Ellefsen, Romney introduced himself to Doherty four separate times during the gathering. 

"He said it was very comical," Ellefsen said, "Mitt Romney approached him ultimately four times, using this private gathering as a political venture to further his image. He kept introducing himself as Mitt Romney, a political figure. The same introduction, the same opening line. Glen believed it to be very insincere and stale." 

Ellefsen said Doherty remembered Romney as robotic. 

"He said it was pathetic and comical to have the same person come up to you within only a half hour, have this person reintroduce himself to you, having absolutely no idea whatsoever that he just did this 20 minutes ago, and did not even recognize Glen's face." 

Ellefsen described Glen Doherty as a humble, non-political guy, and said it was ironic for him to be used during a presidential campaign. 

"Whether it be Republican, Democrat, Green Party, Libertarian, it doesn't make a difference. Because this guy is using our great friend, our humble, and honorable great friend...who is truly larger than life...He has become part of the soapbox routine for politics in a presidential race."

Jesus Christ just how low will Romney go in this election?

Shameless prick!