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Posted on 02/20/2012 1:19:49 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
John Hinderaker encapsulates an assumption which has started to take hold among many of Mitt Romney’s backers: that the fault for what appears to be an increasingly likely 2012 election loss lies with conservatives for making this a real primary. Speaking of the see-saw of not-Romney candidates, he writes:
The same pattern has been repeated more than once during the current, discouraging presidential nominating process. If the GOP loses this year’s presidential contest, the party will have no one to blame but its own activists.
I'm hearing this meme repeated by many increasingly dejected Romney supporters around Washington, D.C. See, if people had just gotten in line when we told them to, the theory goes, things would be looking up. But this is revisionist history, and this is a meme that deserves to die.
It is ludicrous to claim that the fault lies among conservatives for Romney's precipitous drop among independents, which he’s endured over the past month (in some polls, it's been a negative swing of 20 points), the primary reason he now lags Obama in most measures. Consider: since Romney ground Newt Gingrich into pulp in Florida with his 65-1 ad ratio three weeks ago, there has been not one debate, not one major piece of scandal or breaking news, not even one major round of negative ads against Romney. There has only been a series of gaffes on Romney's part (most notably his line about not caring about the very poor) and a series of numbers which show mild economic improvement.
In reality, it’s those who demanded conservatives get in line ages in advance who made a fundamental mistake in how they approached this election. By demanding an ideological shift from a more populist, more fiscally conservative base they no longer direct or control, Romney’s most prominent backers failed to learn any of the right lessons from what led to the 2009-2010 cycles. They failed to realize that the base expected more from a candidate, from a leader, than the politics and policy of the past. This problem worsened when their candidate put forward a meandering, maintenance-based agenda which inspires no one, not even his backers. As Jim Pethokoukis put it recently:
"Mitt Romney wants to be the next president of a country in need of serious and sweeping economic reform. And here are the first two points in his 59-point economic plan:
1. Maintain current tax rates on personal income
2. Maintain current tax rates on interest, dividends, and capital gains
Now imagine private-equity boss Romney back at Bain Capital sitting down to read his team’s 59-point turnaround plan for some troubled widget maker. And imagine if the first two action items started with the phrase “Maintain current ….” Romney probably wouldn’t bother reading any further before tossing the report in the trash, calling a meeting, and cracking heads. Heck, if Private Equity Romney were called in to turn around Romney Campaign Inc., axing CEO Romney might be the first move on his to-do list—especially after looking at last night’s numbers from Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri."
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Even worse than this unimpressive agenda is a failing of the candidate: that Romney has proven incapable of selling himself to the American people. In 2008, Romney failed in a horserace against McCain, Huckabee, Giuliani and Thompson. (Read Dan McLaughlin for reasons why.) Having the only real machine in the 2012 cycle and as an experienced candidate, he absolutely should have been able to stand on his own right as soon as this race came down to the far more flawed and less politically capable efforts of Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul. By all rights, he should be running circles around them all..........Continued at Richochet
Thank you for the report.
So in effect, Bill Cunningham added nothing to help the situation but he had a nice whine.
Romney is OBAMA -LITE.
Yeah, all he needed to complete the pity party picture was some cheese to go with it.
I am sure that Mitch Daniels WILL be supported by some, like him, if there is a deadlocked convention.
And that whoever different folks are pushing, they’ll want to team them up with Rubio.
As I said...anyone but Newt, who is the most qualified still standing, and who would shake their comfy-cozy little worlds.
Rick Perry said “we don’t need ObamaLite”.
Right out of the starting blocks.
Wow, has that ever held TRUE!
The worst part is that mittens and his gang are what started the bad blood in this race in how they treated perry and newt.
He has poisoned the well so bad all around its disgusting.
*Crossing fingers that Romney is toast*
I don't know how the Party leaders *think* that by putting a new and improved GOP-E selected substitute in for Romney (seems their favorites have endorsed Mitt -- or coyly remained silent like Jeb) the base will just swoon and comply with their pick. They kill off all Romney's opposition (because Mitt is a terrible candidate and can't be elected) and then expect us to let them choose again.
What planet do they live on?
THeir planet is called Washington DC.
It’s based on the mindset of top down rule.
They know we all deeply fear Obama, so they are counting on that as well.
Trouble is, on some level they might not even care about the outcome.
There’s always 2016 and Jebbie...
Bingo!
Hey Romney, we’re just not that into you!
“So will Romney’s backers now join with conservatives? I wonder.”
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A very good question. I firmly believe the RINO establishment elites will go absolutely ceazy if Mittens does not get the nomination. Instead, they will work with the Donkeys and MSM to destroy the people who have dared reject this poseur and is phony candidacy. That is who the Stupid Party RINOs are — petty, vindictive, “my way or the highway” kinds of people. They are vaccuous and without any core principals. Even winning doesn’t motivate them if it’s the “wrong” kind of candidate — that is, a CONSERVATIVE candidate.
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