Time Mag Editor: 'Only Thing Weaker Than the Economy Is Romney's Electoral Skills'

NewsBusters.org ^ | July 15, 2012 | Noel Sheppard

[Kaslin]

"The only thing weaker than the economy is Mitt Romney's electoral skills."

Such was actually said on CBS's Face the Nation Sunday by Rana Foroohar, Time magazine's assistant managing editor in charge of economics and business (video follows with transcript and commentary):

Time Mag Editor: 'The Only Thing Weaker Than the Economy Is Romney's Electoral Skills'

BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST: Let me-- let me go to Rana because you-- you wrote something very interesting the other day. You said that since 1967 when consumer confidence is as low as it is right now the incumbent is always defeated. Does that mean this thing is already over?

RANA FOROOHAR (TIME Magazine): Well, you know, I actually think that we're on the verge of a historic upset. That's true, the statistic that you just gave. And it would make you think that Obama has no chance of winning this election. But I think this election is going to hinge on middle-class pain. I think that people know that what's happened in the last four years have not been down to Obama's policies, it's about globalization, it's about the rise of technology. Each recovery since the early 1990s has been weaker and taken longer than the one before. So this is a-- this is a twenty-year problem. This is not a three- or four-year problem and I think that whoever can best speak to the middle-class is the person that's going to win.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Well, what do you mean when you say a historic upset?

RANA FOROOHAR: Well, I think that traditionally if you had consumer confidence numbers that were this weak and growth that was this low, there would be no chance that the incumbent is going to win, but, frankly, I think the only thing weaker than the economy is Mitt Romney's electoral skills. And I think he hasn't really put himself in a good position for this debate over the middle class.

"The only thing weaker than the economy is Mitt Romney's electoral skills."

And this woman has an editing function at Time.

Pretty scary, don't you think?

[StAnDeliver]

"Conservatives were right. Gingrich was right."

"Former presidential candidate Newt Gingrich strongly endorsed Mitt Romney and said the former Massachusetts governor “is a solid conservative,” during an appearance Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

"Mitt Romney is a solid conservative," Gingrich told host Bob Schieffer right out of the gate. "I think you have to come down to what's the choice this November, and the choice is the most radical president in American history and a failed president at the economy and somebody who has a solid record on jobs and who in fact, on basic principles is a conservative." -- Newt Gingrich, May, 2012

[DManA]

I agree. Romney has been running for President for 12 years and it never occurred to him that people would want to see his tax return?

It is unbelievable to me.

[DManA]

He was shoved up some orifice. And the decision to shove was made 4 years ago.

Grow up.

If Romney loses it it the Republican Elite to blame not me.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

This is the FOURTH TIME that a RINO ends up as the final GOP POTUS choice, and both former President Bush’s were “Big Government Conservatives”, too! Many conservatives, especially small government conservatives, are way beyond tired of the repeated, “Vote for the RINO, this time around, and then, do something else that’s pro-conservative, during the next presidential election cycle.” excuse. When is it, ever, enough to stop not voting, IN THE MAJORITY, for the most conservative candidate for POTUS, be it from a major political party, be it from a minor political party, or be it from an Independent run for POTUS, while crossing over the line of excuses, and then voting, IN THE MAJORITY, for a RINO POTUS candidate or a Big Government Conservative POTUS, yet again?

[xzins]

From Newt Gingrich

Opening what could be a make-or-break campaign to win South Carolina's Republican presidential primary, Newt Gingrich defended his criticism of Mitt Romney's role as an investment banker in corporate buyouts that led to job losses.

"Criticizing specific actions in specific places is not being anti-free enterprise," the former House Speaker told a crowd that packed a banquet hall here in upstate South Carolina on Wednesday, rejecting Romney's suggestion that questioning his record as chief executive of Bain Capital was tantamount to attacking free enterprise.

"And crony capitalism, where people pay each other off at the expense of the rest of the country, is not free enterprise," Gingrich said. "And raising questions about that is not wrong."

I guess we could play dueling quotes, but we both know the Gingrich despises Romney. Why stick up for someone every recognizes is a weak candidate foisted on you by the GOP-E and a huge money advantage?

[citizencon]

When a magazine dwindles down to five pages, is it still a magazine?

No. And in Time Mag's case, it is a White House flyer.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

TIME is out of date the moment it hits the street.

[Aetius]

Yeah, it’s kind of dismaying to see how bad Romney had been about responding to the offshore accounts and his time at Bain. He and his people MUST have known this would be a major line of attack on him, yet they seem to have been caught completely off guard by this.

[fortheDeclaration]

The way to handle this is to run a real conservative far enough ahead before the primaries to be a real contender against the RINO.

But the reality is the conservatives are splintered, we can't agree on a conservative, so we break apart between 'social' and 'fiscal' conservatives.

Until we can find some unity, we are going to be beat by the establishment candidate everytime.

The conservatives won't form one Party since the 'Social' ones will demand social issues to be the primary focus while the rest will focus on fiscal issues.

Being a member of a major political Party often means getting less then what you want.

The GOP is different then the Democrat, since the grassroots are idea people, the Democrats simply want power and loot.

[fortheDeclaration]

With more real conservatives in the Senate and House, Romney is going to have to recognize that if he wants another term, he had better back conservative issues.

The Teaparty movement is a real movement that could easily morphe into a political Party.

[ari-freedom]

Rana ForooUP

[Jack Black]

Another arrogant Hindu who got her job through ethnic favoritism. Diversity is our strength.

[CaptainK]

The only historic upset will be the MSM if Obama loses.

[lentulusgracchus]

[Art.] And this woman has an editing function at Time.

Are you sure? Did you notice her name? How do you know she didn't e-mail it in from Chittagong Editorial Support Center?

Of course, she could be a green-card editor.

But I like her sand, either way, telling Mittens how "weak" he is. Way to tell those Americans how to get busy, honey! You're starting more and more to sound like management material to me, by Jove!

[Diogenesis]

No one could have won against the chosen loser, Romney.

He is funded with billions to destroy conservatives for Obama.

The ineligible, backstabber Milt:
”My goal is to run and make money; not to win.
Now, on your knees and then defend ME.'“

[cynwoody]

Rana's name sounds like its from Muslim-derived ethnicity.

Sounds Iranian to me.

[cynwoody]

Why stick up for someone every recognizes is a weak candidate foisted on you by the GOP-E and a huge money advantage?

That's easy. Because I want Obama out of there! To be openly anti-Romney at this point is to be pro-Obama. Newt is smart enough to figure that out.

First things first! Let's elect Romney and a GOP House and Senate. Let's repeal Obamacare, cut taxes, and revive the economy. Then we can stand back and the take the measure of President Romney's performance.

[bert]

Amen....... Romney will be the tool of a Republican House and Senate

The conservatism of the new direction will be determined in the legislative branch

[lentulusgracchus]

I heard Carville on Bloomberg radio this morning -- "middle class" must be on the list of this weekend's 'rat talking points.

Haven't you heard? The Regime went wide with it -- this is their re-election theme, they're staking the Regime on it. All the boys and girls on the JournoList and at 'Rat Central are chanting it in unison, like a ranting choir of fallen seraphim.

Middle Class!

[lentulusgracchus]

This election isn’t about the middle class or ANY class. It’s about the failed Marxist policies that are harming all American’s. The folks are way ahead of these MSM lapdogs.

No, it's just the Obama 'Rats isolating what they think is Romney's biggest weakness, and running on it as a theme.

Romney has zero connection to the "middle class" .... that's why they want to make the election all about that.

Of course, hothouse foundling and classic empty suit Mr. Zero ManChild is even stranger, but this is about defining the target and freezing it, remember?