dagblog - Comments for "The Romney Meltdown"

I think Romney is totally

ocean-kat — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:05:36 +0000

I think Romney is totally flummoxed that the standard tax cut line is not working. "Tax cuts. For everyone. Yeah that's the ticket. Everyone gets a tax cut. And deregulation." It worked so well for years but all of a sudden pundits are asking how he'll pay for them and the public is not buying it. Now he's flailing about trying to find some way to break through.

Honestly, I'm baffled by it too. For years, since Reagan, people have been pointing out the scam, the pittance tossed at the middle class was a con to get massive tax cuts for the rich, but the public didn't hear. They just shouted, "woo hoo I get a tax cut." Has the public finally woke up? Has this tax cut nonsense finally died?

Oh destor, no you didn't! I'm

Aunt Sam — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 18:24:54 +0000

In reply to Good point, Aunt Sam. I

Oh destor, no you didn't! I'm stunned.....

that you, one who I consider to be astute and possess the ability to see behind the curtain is giving any due to this nonsense. (note: I actually enjoy Joe Klein but really....)

I have read quite a few articles on Mitt, by his supporters and those not so much, and all state that Romney is not one to take in the advice/opinions of those who do not share whatever stance he has on an issue. He very much plays the leader of the pack and has little patience with those who do not pursue his vision in lockstep.

It's basically, to quote that old nut, 'his way or the highway'.

I believe that Joe needs to put his remembrances in context - at the time Mitt was the Governor and things, in his wordview, were good - and of course he was courting Joe, a card carrying member of the MSM.

But if you really consider his campaign to date, is there any time where he showed an inkling of being not only politically but tone and issue savvy? I stand by my opinion that Ann is really the brains in the family (but her ego and sense of self has also impacted her ability to relate to those who don't enjoy the same societal benefits/privileges as those nearest her.)

But Mister Hope has never

AmericanDreamer — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:59:27 +0000

In reply to The Romney Meltdown

But Mister Hope has never been Barack Obama's only political persona. There's always been another core element to his appeal, which the media has never been interested in, and which I've previously argued is actually the central feature of his campaign personality. Barack Obama projects reliability. He's sober. He's responsible. He communicates his own personal calm to others, calming them. He is No Drama Obama. These traits don't seem sexy to the media, who are mainly interested him as a big-speech orator. They like their candidates dramatic. But No Drama is a big part of what got him elected in 2008, and it's the heart of his appeal to voters now.

True and well said. I have felt he has left himself far more vulnerable than he needed to be by being too cautious in his approach to some major issues, such as on jobs and more mortgage relief. That cost him--and all of us--dearly in the midterms, I believe. On jobs, it is political malpractice for a Democrat to be trailing a Republican on who is likely better on that issue.

But...look who he's running against. It's easy, and justified, to mock the comic ineptitude of R/R. But the truth, I think, is that it is almost impossible for the presidential nominee of the GOP at this time to be anything but. Such is the extent of the knots that individual has to tie themselves up into to both win the nomination and try to win the general. The party has simply gotten so extreme that the advantages it holds, and the old strategies it has used to win election after election they had no business winning, may no longer suffice. Romney is showing us all that he can't--but how could any GOP presidential nominee project steadiness and reliability at this point? Steadiness and reliability? From the party of scorched earth radical bomb throwers? Much of their activist base demands nothing less at this point.

I would not be surprised if the GOP party elders press for some major changes in the party's issue stances and strategy if they do get trounced in November, still by no means a given although looking good at the moment.

Good point, Aunt Sam. I

Michael Maiello — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:50:36 +0000

In reply to Romney's not dumb. You sure?

Good point, Aunt Sam. I definitely can't say he's done anything smart in this campaign to date. Maybe he is an empty suit. But what I suspect is going on is what Joe Klein says in Time:

"It's hard to be effective when you're biting your tongue and swallowing your pride at the same time."

Romney's not dumb. You sure?

Aunt Sam — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:21:05 +0000

In reply to I think we're watching a man

Romney's not dumb.

You sure? Perhaps his arrogance, ego mania affliction and let them eat cake attitude has rendered him dumb. If only it would also make him mute, he'd no doubt be considered a smarter, more viable candidate with a better sense of the real world.

But seriously, as Forrest would say, 'stupid is as stupid does'. IMO, there is no way that any could sincerely state that he's been a symbol of political astuteness and/or intelligence during this campaign to date.

It is such a shame that the

The Decider — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:39:26 +0000

In reply to That campaign stinks of

It is such a shame that the campaign has become this desperate--so willing to say anything... Particularly amazing since Mitt has been such a model of consistency through his entire public life.

--W

I think we're watching a man

Michael Maiello — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:31:29 +0000

In reply to Yeah. And the Romney campaign

I think we're watching a man publicly breaking with his own identity. Romney's not dumb. He's known for 8 years now that his only argument for being president is that he's an unthreatening, competent administrator who has worked with the other side in the service of good ideas. That means being a Bloomberg type. And those types don't win Republican primaries.

I get the sense that once Romney realized that to even have a shot he'd have to ignore his entire record as governor that his whole relationship to the concept of truth was altered. Had to have been traumatic. You imagine you're going to run for president saying things like, "His health care plan? I invented that!" You wind up running on a promise to repeal it because it's such a very. very bad idea. After that, fudging the facts about some embassy tweets must seem like a minor fib to Romney.

Yeah. And the Romney campaign

Doctor Cleveland — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:03:34 +0000

In reply to The truth is, Romney doesn't

Yeah. And the Romney campaign seems strangely obsessed with running against 2008 Obama, rather than 2012 Obama. Ryan said something bizarre last week about he had more foreign policy experience than Obama had four years ago. But surely the point is how much experience your opponent has now.

I think on some level the Romney campaign, which should know better, is captured by the right-wing media, which still portrays Obama as a caricature of who he was as a challenger, and seem determined not to take in any information from the last four years. And the truth is, about a third of the country really does see Obama that way. But those people aren't enough to deliver a majority on their own.

The truth is, Romney doesn't

Michael Maiello — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:48:29 +0000

In reply to The Romney Meltdown

The truth is, Romney doesn't know anything about foreign policy. In itself, this is okay. A lot of would-be presidents don't. Voters understand that they can elect a foreign policy neophyte to good effect, if they elect somebody cautious, curious, imaginative and responsible.

That was Obama's line against McCain, who was widely seen (falsely, I think) as the experienced policy hand. Romney's line against Obama has been ridiculous from the start. He talks about his work on the Olympic Committee as if he'd negotiated the break up of the League of Nations. He has no humility at all about this. He's peppered Obama with comments about how he's making America look weak without really ever saying what he'd do differently. Then, this. He just jumps into an ongoing diplomatic crisis with a crass and false attack and then repeats it the next day. The arrogance on display is amazing.

Romney is so bad at this that he could probably get us into a war with Britain.

That campaign stinks of

tmccarthy0 — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:05:40 +0000

In reply to The Romney Meltdown

That campaign stinks of desperation. They will do anything, say anything, but you are right Doc, it will backfire, acts done from desperation never work. Talk about a craven response to what is an international crisis. Wow. Unbelievable, just when you think the Romney campaign can't get any lower.. this. I am pretty sure his quest for the Presidency is over, he makes too many mistakes and it has revealed something very important about these so-called genius businessmen, simply stated those business skills (and I am using the term skills very loosely here) don't translate to preparing anyone to run the federal government.