[SOLVED] Root password trouble on new install

I just did a clean install of F17 on my laptop to clear up some issues. After it was done and I was logged in, I opened up a terminal and used yum to install a few things including yumex. Then, I tried to use yumex. Every time I tried to enter the root password to authenticate it rejected it. Clearly, I know what the root password is because I used it to install yumex. If I try to run it from a terminal I get this:

** (process:9394): WARNING **: Trying to register gtype 'GMountMountFlags' as enum when in fact it is of type 'GFlags'

** (process:9394): WARNING **: Trying to register gtype 'GDriveStartFlags' as enum when in fact it is of type 'GFlags'

** (process:9394): WARNING **: Trying to register gtype 'GSocketMsgFlags' as enum when in fact it is of type 'GFlags'
23:26:22 : INFO - Using config file : /home/joe/.config/yumex/yumex.conf
23:26:22 : INFO - Using config file : /home/joe/.config/yumex/yumex.conf
23:26:22 : INFO - network connection state check is disabled
23:26:22 : INFO - Starting yum child process
23:26:43 : INFO - YUM: Error executing command as another user: Request dismissed

Yumex does come up and requests authentication, but the authentication always fails.