Posted on 04/02/2007 2:02:49 PM PDT by Unmarked Package
Like a lot of kids, I grew up thinking my Dad was Superman. And like most kids, in my teenage years, my view of him changed from Superman to Supernerd. But by age 16, I realized that my earlier view, though not totally realistic, was a lot closer to the truth. We continued to have occasional disagreements, and we still do. But I've come to realize how extraordinarily lucky I am to have Mitt Romney as my father. I also think that if elected, he would be one of our nation's most remarkable presidents.
I'll never forget one weekday sometime during July 1986 (burned in my memory as a magic year for a crazy Boston sports fan, with the Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox all making it to the championship games). I went fishing in an old row boat in Buzzard's Bay on Cape Cod. I threw the anchor overboard and dropped my fishing line. After catching a few fish, I realized I hadn't tied the anchor to the front of the boat.
I returned to the house with my fish and sheepishly informed my Dad, who had company from work at the house, that I had lost the anchor. He told me to go back out and find it. I told him something along the lines of, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard – I can't find an anchor on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean."
Now my instinct as a parent of three would be to send my kid to his room for talking to me that way and then make him work to pay off a new anchor. His reaction was different. He excused himself from his friends, got dressed in his bathing suit, grabbed a snorkel mask, and took me down to the beach with him. For 45 minutes we rowed back and forth, putting our faces into the water to see if we could find the anchor. Amazingly, we did.
I learned three lessons that day. The first is that my Dad really is pretty frugal. There isn't much that bothers him more than wasting money. The second is that my Dad honestly believes he can overcome any challenge with enough hard work and ingenuity. And third, I learned that my Dad cares for me enough to spend his day looking for an anchor in the Atlantic Ocean. He didn't care so much about finding the anchor as he did about teaching me the first two lessons – being wise with money and not letting anything stand in my way.
I've seen that pattern repeat itself dozens of times in his life – at the Olympics, as Governor of Massachusetts, as a successful businessman, and as a father and husband.
When I vote for a Congressman or a Senator, I want someone who is going to be a strong representative for my conservative values. A thinker. A legislator.
But when I vote for President, I also want a doer. No-nonsense. Pragmatic. Proven. Someone who will be able to react quickly to any crises that arise, someone I trust to safeguard my family from threats abroad and threats from within.
I've seen my Dad in action, not just in one crisis, but in dozens. I don't think there is a person alive in whom I'm more confident in placing my trust.
Take a look back to 2002. That was the year he put on an incredible Winter Olympics with a $100M surplus (right after 9/11, and despite a major scandal that almost ruined the games before he took them over), won as a Republican Governor in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, and turned a $3B budget deficit into a surplus without raising taxes.
I recognize that all of that wouldn't matter so much if he were on the wrong side of the issues. We should want someone who not only will lead, but will lead us in the right direction.
Ask yourself who you want leading our nation over the next decade as we face the following challenges: a Jihadist enemy intent on destroying our way of life; liberal elites and activist judges attempting to break down the social values and norms that have existed for centuries; an exploding immigration problem; a serious threat to our status as economic and military superpower from Asia; a looming energy crisis; out-of-control spending in Washington.
What kind of person should we want to be leading our nation at this time of challenge and opportunity? The answer seems obvious – we want someone strong; someone who recognizes our challenges and is willing to deal with them head on; a fiscal conservative; a social conservative; someone whose personal integrity and moral values are unquestioned; someone who has been tested; someone who isn't a career politician; and someone who will get the job done.
There is only one person I believe can do all of that. There's no question that I'm biased—I love my Dad. But my love hasn't blinded me. Like Lincoln in 1860, Roosevelt in 1901, and Reagan in 1980, Mitt Romney is the right leader at the right time for our great nation. He may not be Superman. But he's close enough for me.
It's called freedom. If you don't like it, feel free to move to Canada.
The story hasn’t even begun yet. The debates haven’t even started. LOL.
"Muffy" is the nickname of Kerry Healey, Mitt's lieutenant governor and attempted successor. She's looking better every day of the Deval Patrick administration.
That after 20 some years in and out of public office, supporting gun bans and gun control in general, this East coast RINO would suddenly appear at a gun industry trade show and join the NRA while gearing up for a run at the White House.
That's called a "flip-flop" and is pretty much what we expect from the East Coast's liberalized brand of RINO's.
Mitt, John, and Rudy are so far Left of the spectrum that they barely deserve the moniker "Republican" much less Conservative. With the number of real conservatives to choose from, weeding out the chaff like Mitt early on is a good thing.
Well, he was elected governor of Massachusetts, one of the blueest of blue states and certainly not very Mormon.
The only one that really "gets" this is Ron Paul. For the Big Ring, he's unelectable. Next is Duncan Hunter. Pretty solid. Fred Thompson has some blemishes, but he's better than Rudy, John, or Willard. Tancredo is a one trick pony, even if it's a good trick. Everyone else is essentially out of play.
See there is you attitude, if I don’t agree with you your reaction is to move!
Its that attitude that has stired the pot where things never get setteled among the civilized.
Freedom only means something to you when others agree with you, elsewise you lack the meaning of, and make a mess for the rest!
BUMP!
It is hard not to like Mitt. Personally, I have to overcome my repulsion of voting for somebody who was elected by Massachusetts before I can vote for him.
“The only one that really “gets” this is Ron Paul.”
***
That is funny the dude Ron Paul, wants to cut and run from Iraq!
Great story! You are an awesome writer, also. You got my vote. Now, ya got any skeletons in your closet?
In your dreams only...
Than I guess it will be you, who will moves, when Mitt becomes President!:)
It’s Mitt for me if Fred Thompson’s not on the CA primary ballot.
LOL, yes I know what you mean!
Whatever reasons you have for voting or not voting seem pretty weird, but I suspect you are just throwing negatives toward Mitt, as is your pattern.
Abraham Lincoln shares the same first name as half the worlds population of Muslims. Would that have prohibit you voting for him too?
I'm sure Mitt has plenty of Toms, Dicks and Harrys that he can get to vote for him, he doesn't need yours. As if you would have voted for him anyway!
He went for as many principles as he could get which is what any sensible person would have done. If all you can take is an incremental step, that’s what you do. I consider Romeny’s actions, upholding the constitution.
Romney wouldn’t know a constitution if someone slapped him upside the head with one.
Good luck with that . Let me know how it works out with them .
Mitt admitted that he was never a big hunter or even knows that much about guns, but he is very receptive to being educated on the issue . There are no photo ops with Mitt, as he is an honest man and not here to Kerry it with hunting BS .
Mitt is far from being a John effing Kerry .
If the law had been constiutional and Mitt made it unconstitional I would agree. The facts of the matter are otherwise.
That’s “unconstitutional.”
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