Posted on 02/14/2008 9:12:59 AM PST by JRochelle
Snip Let us not forget that Romney snapped his fingers before the election and decided to become a conservative by switching his positions on a litany of key issues, even though his past record was moderate. There were endless gaffes throughout the campaign in which he reinforced the well-earned perception that he would say anything to get elected--from describing himself as a lifelong hunter even though he had hunted only twice, for saying he watched his father march with MLK, for claiming an endorsement of the NRA he never received, etc.
He also failed to emotionally connect with voters. I would go to Romney speeches all year, and talk to audience members after who would tell me they agreed with what he said, but he was "too slick" and "too packaged." It never ceased to amaze me how emotionally tone deaf he was as a candidate, most notable was when he said his sons were serving their country by working to get him elected. I went to a townhall meeting just days before the New Hampshire primary in which a woman said her 26-year old cousin had been paralyzed in a rugby accident, and she asked Romney for his position on stem cell research. Romney responded, "Great, thank you for the question" and he went on with a textbook answer about pluripotent cells without offering any sympathy. Romney's checklist conservatism appealed to desperate conservatives on a cerebral level, but he never reached people emotionally as Huckabee and McCain did. If you want to know why McCain beat Romney, look no further than the final debate between them at the Reagan Library. When they were asked why Reagan would endorse them, Romney recited a laundry list of issues on which Reagan would have agreed with him, while McCain
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
You asked, "What else besides Romney's faith can explain the ex-governor's poor showing?" Let us count the ways. Is it inconceivable that primary voters would find his conversions to conservatism inauthentic? Is it inconceivable that they have a hard time believing that a man who described himself as pro-choice since 1970 would suddenly become pro-life in 2005? That somebody who once found McCain reasonable on immigration, would suddenly attack McCain's position as tantamount to amnesty? That somebody who once promised to be more pro-gay rights than Ted Kennedy would end up portraying himself as a social conservative crusader? That somebody who signed an assault weapons ban in Massachusetts would say he's a big defender of the Second Amendment, who would veto any such legislation as president? Are conservatives bigots if they don't support government mandated health care? Or $20 billion bailouts for the auto industry? Are they anti-Mormon if they decide that in a time of war, somebody with national security credentials is preferable to a one term governor?
Nobody likes to admit it, but the only reason Freepers did not support Dennis Kucinich is that he is short and married a tall girl. This forum is full of short people bigots.
The phrase
“Mormonism Sank Romney”
... is just a chance to play the victim card.
My only problem with Dennis was his ears.
:)
This is a great article.
At the same time, you have to be struck by how Romney played in the South relative to other areas. Recall how he gave up in South Carolina after concluding that he just wasn’t going to gain traction there.
Something has to account for why he was able to do much better in some parts of the country than others, and I’m afraid that religion looks like the logical explanation.
I think he was able to connect to the small business types. he spoke like a CEO or a technocrat. Details details over your head. That crowd likes that style.
But the average American won’t go for that at all. It’s also why Bush was able to win debates vs Al Gore and Kerry.
Bravo. Can we now put this non issue to rest?
(ok I already know - the answer is no.)
Yes I think religion did play a big role in the South.
They voted for one of their own, Huckabee. He won most of the Southern states.
well if you want to learn from mistakes for next time...
No, it was just the bigots who would not vote him.
What parts of the country did Romney do well in?
#1 - States with lots of Mormons
#2 - States the Mitt & his family lived in for years.
He also won a few caucus victories with the help of the conservative anti-McCain vote.
That's it.
True. I hate short people.
Small hands, feet are just creepy.
“They voted for one of their own, Huckabee.”
Probably true. As did Utah.
He played OK in the South in areas that have had a large influx of Moderates/Liberals: Florida, the Moderate parts of Tennessee, places like this. This could be religion and it could just as easily be that the stronger Conservatives did not trust him. If you look at the exit polling, the self-identified strong Conservatives went for Huckabee in states like Missouri. The 'Somewhat Conservatives' broke for Romney. McCain dominated the middle/Left.
“Mormonism Didn’t Sink Romney”
It certainly didn’t help. I cannot tell you how many “good Christians” that I saw post here and talked to in person that said, “Sure I agree with most of what he stands for (then in a whispered voice) but he’s a “Mormon.”
When was the last time a NE coast Rockefeller Republican WON in South Carolina?
Perhaps it is Romney’s political posturing that made him impotent in the South, and has nothing to do with religion.
Now why would this same NE coast Rockefeller Republican garner 90% of the Utah vote, and win overwhelmingly in Wyoming or Nevada?
People don’t want to acknowledge that because they don't want to be accused of being bigoted "Christians". So they dance around it like this article does.
Mitt is the best on economics as well. What we desperately need is someone who understands business. That person is certainly not Huckabee or McCain. It's no wonder CPAC a true conservative organization ENDORSED Mitt, not Huckabee or McPain. They could look past the Mormonism and realize he was the best candidate.
George H.W. Bush. And arguably, George W. Bush.
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