Who in God’s Name Is Mitt Romney?

NY Mag ^ | Jan 29, 2012 | By Frank Rich

[Jim Robinson]

~~big snip to bottom line~~

To escape the twin taints of Bain and his one-percenter’s under–15 percent tax rate, some Republican elders are urging Romney to “stake his campaign on something larger and far more important than his own business expertise” (The Wall Street Journal editorial page) or, as Fred Barnes suggested more baldly, to find “a bigger idea to deflect attention from Bain.” But even Mitt’s own spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, once described him (to the Des Moines Register) as “not a very notional leader.” Romney is incapable of an arresting turn of phrase, let alone a fresh idea. Running on empty, he resorts to filling out his canned campaign orations with lengthy recitations of the lyrics from patriotic anthems. (“Believe in America” is his campaign slogan.) Take away the bogus boasts about “job creation” at Bain and the disowned Romneycare, and what else is there to Mitt Romney? Mainly, his unspecified service to his church and his perfect marriage. That reduces him to the stature of the Republican presidential candidate he most resembles, Thomas Dewey—in both his smug and wooden campaign style and in the overrating of his prospects by the political culture. Even the famously dismissive description of Dewey popularized by the Washington socialite Alice Roosevelt Longworth—as “the little man on the wedding cake”—seems to fit Mitt.

No Republican has ever won the nomination after losing the South Carolina primary. No incumbent president since FDR has won reelection with an unemployment rate higher than 7.2 percent on Election Day, and ours currently stands at 8.5 percent. No candidate with a 58 percent disapproval rating—especially Newt—is likely to win a national election, even for dogcatcher. But surely someone has to be nominated by the Republicans, and someone has to win in November.

[greeneyes]

Romney can not beat Barack Obama. Bain Capital alone would be enough to sink him. Screaming to the voters - don't attack from the left or don't attack capitalism won't work in the general. All those laid off workers in the swing states will just say no thanks to Romney.

[Bobalu]

Thomas Dewey...the man always looked like he had a tuxedo on...lol

MittWitt has a boardroom air about him....no way for him to shake it either...in dirty overalls he’d still look like the chairman of the board. The OWS nonsense was set up by the dems to help Zero run against Romney.

It ain’t Mitt’s bankroll that makes me despise him..it’s his support for abortion and all the trappings of the social welfare state....phooey!

[RC one]

It seems to me that he doesn’t have much of a record to brag about himself so he has to minimize the records of people who actually do have things to brag about like Newt’s Reagan Republican heritage and his accomplishments as the house speaker. Unfortunately, he has the resources to rewrite history in a way that benefits his own ambitions.

[Christie at the beach]

Romney will not beat Obama. Once those ads run showing he closed all of those companies/loss of those jobs/sad families on TV/ while he took the profits and got out. Mitt needs vetting and we know why the Obama media is holding that off for now. You know, to be such a religious person, how he can justify running those deceitful ads on Newt.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Newt was excoriated by “conservative” pundits for attacking Romney from the left on Bain.

In fact, Newt was bravely playing against type and his own inclinations to try to take down Romney with an issue that was preprogrammed by the Establishment for Obama to take down Romney anyway.

Newt wasn’t “supposed” to pull that rug out from under Romney during the primaries and the Establishment hates him for it.

[hosepipe]

Rumor is Newt Gingrich gets an erection when he talks of lowering taxes and gutting the federal government like fileting a fish...

A disgusting rumor but I hope its true..

[BobP]

You'll need a weather vane to determine which way Romney will stand on any given issue.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"his one-percenter’s under–15 percent tax rate,"

So you noticed the ENEMEDIA's ace card ready to play also.

No wonder the alphabets want Mittens so badly.

[PhilDragoo]

Romney is the desperate school-teacher applicant of LBJ's folksy anecdote, who, when asked by the school board considering his application, "Is the earth flat or round?" replied, "I can teach it either way."

But we know principles aren't malleable. That Romney pushed abortion, gun control, higher taxes, socialist medicine, the homosexual agenda, and that he proudly opposed Ronald Reagan.

Now he claims he's had his Road to Damascus moment.

He's not merely a "flip-flopper" but a lying opportunist without conscience.

[seton89]

But even Mitt’s own spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, once described him (to the Des Moines Register) as “not a very notional leader.”

Mitt is a fine technician. He is not a philosopher. We need a philosopher to analyze and correct.

[MissMagnolia]

You know, to be such a religious person, how he can justify running those deceitful ads on Newt.

A lot of people warm church pews and would describe themselves as 'religious', but have no personal relationship with God. Bottom line ..... actions speak louder than words (refer to his record in Massachusetts) which tells me that while folks may think Romney is 'religious', it is a cloak he has put on for what it will do to help him get elected.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Shouldn’t it read something like “Who in the god’s names is Mitt Romney?” to fit in better with his chosen doctrine?

[MachIV]

Good point. Richard Land penned an artile some time back indicating the problem with Romney was he “wasn’t Morman enough”. It was essentially questioning Romney’s commitments to biblical values in light of his apparent support for various things anathema to most Christians while governor of Mass.

[MachIV]

While we are talking about governor of Massachusetts, exactly how does the Republican Establishment who is in the tank for Romney somehow explain why Romney is so much more electable, when any conservative who has had a pulse for the last 10 years or so knows he won’t even win his home state?

[MayflowerMadam]

Romney has succeeded in changing the image of Mormonism for many Americans. We used to say, “Sure, it’s a whacky little cult thing, but they’re harmless and are decent people.” Mitt has shown us that they’re neither harmless nor decent. Good job, Mitt!

[tsowellfan]

Very true! Bain Capital will be a problem for Romney in the general election. I’m sure the dems already have ads produced and ready to go.

[DH]

A lot of people warm church pews and would describe themselves as ‘religious’, but have no personal relationship with God.

---

You are right. Romney is one of those who attend their church to see and to be seen. Nothing else.

[manc]

obviously you did not see FOX this morning,

We were told that Romney will win the woman named Dee Dee from the Bush years has decided that Newt can’t beat obama and really all of us here need to shut up, follow those establishment types and just vote for who they decide.

I’ve had it, WHO THE F DO THEY THINK THEY ARE?
WE’LL DECIDE NOT YOU LOT

[manc]

Romney is all for he homosexual agenda, and if he wins then the queers get their agenda advanced.

I know now I will never vote for ROmney nor will any of my family.

I’ve just now stopped watching FOX and for this is the first time for over 10 years, FOX has been disgusting in their attacks towards Newt.
But then again FOX loves the queer agenda and it explains why they have just hired a media matters Soros stooge homosexual activist