[bitt]

..."We can be sure of this much: Unlike most of the governors and senators whose names get bandied about as presidential gold only to melt under the glare of the national spotlight, Mitt Romney is ready for prime time. His steady hand and media savvy running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics showed the world that. The lessons of the father have been learned, and learned well, by the son. He is not likely to flub his way to footnote status. But will he remember to breathe? Will he allow himself to go off script? Will he be able to get past that reputation for being so polished that he sometimes seems almost plastic?

His most recent test, stepping forward after 12 tons of Big Dig concrete fell and killed Milena Del Valle, suggests there may be some trouble ahead. On one level, the challenge of getting to the bottom of the Big Dig mess is tailor-made for our CEO-governor. After all, executive competence is precisely the reason that liberal Democratic Catholic Massachusetts gave a conservative Republican Mormon its top job, and Romney has shown reassuring leadership in taking charge of the investigation. No one has talked so confidently about bolts and screws since Henry Phillips named one after himself in the 1930s. But on a deeper level, the Big Dig crisis hints at an emotional deficit in the public Romney. It's a safe bet that either Bill Clinton, with his ability to speak from the heart, or George W. Bush, with his ability to speak from the gut, would have known that shaken citizens needed more from their chief executive in his first comments after the tragedy than a perfunctory apology to the family of the deceased and a lengthy exposition on how the courts would be used to settle an old political score."

[bitt]

Wow, NOT a hit piece.......

[Torie]

Here is the key paragraph as to why Romney fils may get the traction Romney pere never had:

"Beneath the surface, however, Romney version 2.0 runs on a different operating system. Whereas George Romney was often zestful, impulsive, hot-tempered, Mitt is analytical, cautious, even-keeled. Michigan reporters loved to cover George because they knew they could always get him worked up enough to deliver a headline. You never hear Beacon Hill reporters talk about Mitt like that."

Romney fils is a first tier candidate for president, and deserves to be. You can write that down.

[Democratshavenobrains]

In my opinion, saying we should deploy our troops to Okinawa and easily respond to events in the Middle East is a lot more stupid than the brainwashing comment. Of course, Murtha is a Democrat with almighty veteran status, so nobody is going to make fun of him for his stupidity.

[JohnnyZ]

The lessons of the father have been learned, and learned well, by the son.

Aw, father and son liberals. How cute!!!

[Plutarch]

From the interviews I've seen on T.V. and heard on radio, Romney is very articulate. His Harvard Law credential innoculates him against the Dems stupid charge. The Dems would be reduced to using his religion against him.

After 12 years of Bush presidents that can't talk, I want a Republican president that doesn't make me wince when he opens his mouth.

[Larry Lucido]

Daddy Romney may have been flaky but he did give us a classic car.

[Lexinom]

To sum up then:

* MR managed 2002 Olympics.

* MR is scripter

* Some people like MR's hair

Impressions:

* He is indeed articulate.

* He seems to be a flip-flopper: pro-choice->pro-life

* He appears to make decisions for political gain.

* He is too polished - the "airbrushed guy" from the article.

I am wary of this man but, given a choice between him and Rudy (whom I respect) he would be my guy. Still, is this the best we can do?

[bilhosty]

I'm looking at Romney seriously. I supposed he took some liberal positions just like Giuliani did because he was ruining in Massachusetts just like Giuliani was running in New York. I was hoping giuliani could at least back track from the open immigration and the Gay marriage issue but so far it does not seem likely. Romney has already back tracked on several of them. I can understand person's here wanting conservative purists but I don't see any of them running who can win. Partly, I blame Bush who has become his father's President a man of no vision who now has not program to push and nothing any more to give to the country. Stagnant waters get toxic and turgid.

[mewzilla]

Romney's a RINO. What's not to love?

[Aquinasfan]

The rap on Mitt is that he's squishy on abortion. With the fate of the SC in the balance, he gets a thumbs down.