Mad Mitt

The American Spectator ^ | December 1, 2011 | George Neumayr

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Mitt Romney appeared strangely agitated in his interview with Fox News host Bret Baier on Tuesday. Romney had won praise earlier in the campaign for his calmness. But the calmness has given way under campaign pressures to open irritation. He testily brushed off Baier's blameless questions as "unusual." Baier isn't exactly Martin Bashir, yet Romney felt the need to treat him like a particularly hostile questioner. Romney hasn't been this agitated since he grabbed at Rick Perry's shoulder.

Behaving like a thin-skinned pol didn't lend any credence to Romney's claim during the interview that he is the refreshing outsider in the race. Newt Gingrich is a "good man," Romney said, then implied in the next breath that the former Speaker of the House is a crooked beltway insider. Newt is a "lifelong politician" who comes from a different "background," Romney continued, as if the taint of D.C. politics is somehow worse than the taint of liberal Massachusetts politics. Playing the purist is a bold and novel tack for a former governor whose political career has been largely defined by useful compromises.

Romney's frustration with Baier was no doubt a projection of his frustration with conservative primary voters who remain unimpressed by him despite slim offerings elsewhere in the GOP field. Romney upbraided Baier for going down a list of his flip-flops and attempted to correct him in a patronizing manner -- "We" need better information, he admonished Baier. Baier had said nothing inaccurate. If anything, his list could have been expanded. Romney accused Baier of listening to "snippets" of Democratic ads. Romney dismissed his reversals on issues like abortion as the standard evolution of any worthy leader, generously placing himself in the company of Ronald Reagan.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Romney hasn't been this agitated since he grabbed at Rick Perry's shoulder.

That's -- I'm running for office, for Pete's sake, I can't have illegals. [video clip] -- Mitt Romney, GOP presidential debate - October 18, 2011 - Las Vegas, NV

Rudy Giuliani asked Mitt Romney the same question in the 2008 CNN debate that Rick Perry asked him during the CNN 2011 debate -- Mitt lost it both times.

Nov 28, 2008 CNN-YouTube Debate: Sound familiar? [LOOK who interrupts whom!!]

Funny Accent Mitt Romney, discussing reports illegal immigrants did landscaping at his home: It would "not be American" to check workers' papers simply because they have a "funny accent."

[LimberJim]

Have you seen this?

http://dailycaller.com/2011/12/01/romney-aide-laments-fall-of-cain-he-keeps-perry-down/

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Huh!

It seems everyone wants to keep Gov. Perry “down.” He wants to shake up the establishment and that just isn’t how they want things to go.

[cotton1706]

“Romney’s frustration with Baier was no doubt a projection of his frustration with conservative primary voters who remain unimpressed by him”

This is dead on. Four years ago, Romney was the conservative alternative to McCain (which wasn’t saying much).

Romney probably doesn’t understand why he’s not liked and why all his grease is not lubing up the populace sufficiently enough.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You’re right. And as more time passes and he isn’t getting anywhere with conservative voters, the tighter his smile gets and the more he reveals his contempt for the primary process.

[presently no screen name]

Cain’s campaign initially accused Perry’s campaign of the accusations, now Mitt is acting like he has a hands off approach. Mitt has attacked Perry, yet, he’s in single %, in public/debate and Cain behind the scenes. And then Newt pops up! LOL! Since I am not supporting anyone now - I can see it w/o being bias. However, the game I really see - no one would believe so I won’t go there.

[X-spurt]

You got it CW, its Anybody but Perry, especially HERE.

Watch the insane “Perry hatin” Cain groupies jump to Mitt just like they jumped to Cain from Paul or Bachmann! They seem to HATE Newt as much as Rick.

Hopeful Rick is grinding away working in the background and will surprise everyone in the primaries, just like in TexGov elections.

[presently no screen name]

why all his grease is not lubing up the populace sufficiently enough.

And with all the money he greased out of the palms who he is beholden to (cronyism) - he has to save face and I'm sure they are telling him to push harder. Mitt: "What part of my 'entitlement' don't the voters get?" He truly is the weakest of all candidates with the mo$t $upport - he brings nothing to the table but himself wearing flip flops with romneycare surrounding him.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

As you’ll see in LimberJim’s #2 post, the Romney campaign wanted Cain up in the polls, depressing Perry’s numbers. The only way for Newt to rise was to sink Cain, so the buzz is that Newt is behind the “women” story.

[Redleg Duke]

Perry was my early choice, but he lost me with his stand on illegal immigration and his repeated gaffs and mis-statements have been breath-taking.

The only "shake-up" he is doing is a result of the belly-laughs at his statements, like the "New Hampshire Caucuses" and telling all of the youth under 21 who cannot vote in the election to keep working.

Sorry, but your best path is what you are doing, trashing all of the other Republican candidates...your candidate has nothing to offer.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It’s pretty much “crickets” here whenever I post a “Mitt is not a conservative” thread, while when I post a positive Perry thread posters come to knock him and personally insult me. Then there is the small band of Romney supporters who ping their list to the thread and tag team with each other to run the thread for dozens of posts and then return the next day to cap it off with more insulting exchanges. Makes you wonder.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Perry was my early choice, but he lost me with his stand on illegal immigration and his repeated gaffs and mis-statements have been breath-taking.

Do me a favor and explain what you understand his immigration policy to be and then list his gaffs. I really want to respond.

[kevkrom]

It’s pretty much “crickets” here whenever I post a “Mitt is not a conservative” thread

Posting a "Mitt is not a conservative" thread at FR is like posting a "the Sun rises in the east" thread on a meteorology site. It's so painfully obvious it doesn't need or deserve comment.

As for myself, I haven't committed to any of the candidates yet, with the exception that I will never vote for Romney.

[presently no screen name]

I don’t believe that for a minute. These women knew him - one way or another. First of all, it’s Mitt’s style, secondly, he has the staff and money and time - to get any dirt on anyone and use it when they rise above him. If anyone is behind it - it is Mitt. What does Mitt have to offer? NOTHING. So he attacks behind the scenes to bring whoever down. We know his words aren’t trustworthy - Mr flip flop himself - so nothing about him is trustworthy. His smile gives that away. He’s the media darling and they are doing their part for him. He has it all - money and media and that didn’t work - so out comes his dirt bag.

[Graewoulf]

” - - - Romney’s frustration with Baier - - - “

This is why I love long, tedious campaigns. The longer the campaign, the better the chance that a candidate will be placed outside his/her comfort zone.

Bret Baier is an unarmed pleasant fellow of the MSM, not some foreign leader with nukes at his disposal. Bret is on camera, not in some foreign conference room surrounded by armed guards. Bret quoted Romney, not threaten to blow up an embassy.

Yep, I LOVE long political campaigns!

BTW, polished debate skills go right along with having a motor-mouth, but “grace under pressure” is what Hemingway called courage.

[sanjuanbob]

He reminds me of Michael Dukakis.

[ejonesie22]

I can't see how that even makes sense seeing as Perry's numbers are still flat. Cain's woes have done nothing Perry or Romney, just Newt.

[cotton1706]

We’ve heard a lot of a third-party run by Palin, Huntsman, etc.

I think it more likely that Mitt (if anybody) would run as an independent should he lose the nomination, a la Charlie Crist.

For while it would be demanded of conservatives to support a moderate nominee, moderates would never be called upon to support a conservative. For real conservatives must be thwarted at every turn, by both the democrat and republican establishments.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think it’s something different. Romney has been flying under the radar, sitting back watching and not making any waves, held innocent by the msm, no “gaffs” played up as headline “campaign killers,” like not remembering how long he’s been married (by decades - oops!) or the tantrum he threw when Perry pinned his ears back on hiring illegals in the debate (”I’m running for office for Pete’s sake I can’t have illegals”), his non anal exam by the msm on his governing on environmental issues, his health care policy history, how his beliefs on Life have evolved, his 2nd Amendment waffling - and the establishment GOP-Fox elites cushioning him in cotton batting so as not to expose his flaws — all this protection has allowed Romney to occupy a different level in this GOP battle, one where he doesn’t have to attack — where he is viewed as the front runner. Even here on FR. There is the occasional “Not Romney” 500 posts thread but it’s like the rest have to duke it out to be “allowed” to be the non-Romney. So Romney sits in his gilded cage waiting. I think Bret Baier was taken aback by how ticked off Romney got being asked serious questions (after he had to be treated with kid gloves and not subjected to “center seat” like the rest of the riff-raff field of candidates). Romney is a spoiled brat. When is he going to be tested?!!!!!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Of course that theory would depend on money flowing to Mitt’s war chest. A lot of people are still sitting on their money.

A 3rd party run would keep Obama in the White House. Mitt would be the most hated man in the country.