Romney's Strategy Isn't Working (It's the Conservatism, Stupid!)

Commentary ^ | 8/10/2012 | John Podhoretz

[mojito]

....The polls suggesting he’s seven or nine points behind are surely wrong, but given that there is only one national poll that shows him ahead, we have to presume Romney is behind. He should presume he’s behind. And given that there’s no good reason whatever for Obama to be leading, one can only presume that Romney’s strategy in July and now in August is not working.

Which is why the “we only talk about the economy” line, while superficially clever, was and is so foolish—stupid, even. Of course Romney wants to focus on that one issue. It’s the one that hurts Obama the most, and the one on which he seems to score the best. He and his team have an idea about the campaign. They need to win independents to win. Independents are less ideological. So don’t press the ideological buttons. Keep it simple....

Romney and his people prefer this strategy because it’s what is most comfortable to them. He is not, at root, an ideological person. Neither, at root, are they. And the data suggest this is not a time for a sharply ideological campaign. The data suggest Romney needs to run as Mr. Fix-It. That is how Romney prefers to view himself. So the two match perfectly.

Alas for him, that’s not how it works. If conservative ideology is a problem with some independents, it also has the virtue of providing those who use it to discuss the nation’s problems with a pulse. Romney has just learned over the past few weeks that he cannot limit the discussion to the topics he wishes to talk about, especially when his rival is spending $100 million trying to destroy him in the swing states and when the media are largely serving his [0bama's] purposes....

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

And Romney thinks he needs to move left to find those independents. The only independents left of Romney are Obama’s posse.

BINGO!!!

The election is now less than three months away... and Team Mittens' shrill online scold squadron steadfastly refuses to mine for potentially persuadable voters in any of the "moderate" or out-and-out liberal haunts -- even though their entire rationale for wanting him in the FIRST place was because of his (purported) ability to "appeal to 'moderates' and lefties" -- opting, instead, to stay and tantrum Right. HERE.

The clearest indication possible that they're not really attempting to win hearts and minds, ultimately.

They're just here for the trolling.

[Jumper]

Conservatives need to realize that Mitt is socially in the middle where he needs to be on those issues to sway voters against the DNC folks who make that their primary issue basket; if there is a tie breaker it can and will be the economy but with the independents Mitt can pull their votes for not being too conservative. If Conservatives do not remember, we got killed on the social issues and “I’m not Bush” theme; this time around social issues are marginalized by Mitt’s Center-Left lite social views and record. He can actually pull any votes from the center and left to a great extend if they are social issue voters.

[LibLieSlayer]

This is not a polling result... this is data released by the Fed this week. 100 MILLION AMERICANS are on welfare as of today. That makes up 1/3 of all American citizens today. 30 MILLION receive EBT cards. How do you think they answer polls when they are called and who do you think that they will vote for? I think that they will vote for the man that promises to keep other people's money flowing to them.

They don't want jobs. The data shows that the vast majority of unemployed wait until all of their unemployment payments run out and then they quickly find a job. Make the payments endless and you will have people enjoying living their lives off of the backs of those of us that are stupid enough to continue to work and pay for all of this American Communism.

LLS

[W. W. SMITH]

Carter actually led Reagan by almost double digits in June of 1980 and ended up getting crushed.

Yes but, Carter and Reagan where different by several magnitudes, whereas Obama and Romney have to be examined closely to discern any difference.

[maryz]

Romney is running a "Donny and Marie" campaign, while Obama is running a "Gangsta Rap" campaign.

Um, where were his "faith" and his "upbringing" and his "Donnie and Marie" campaign during the Republican primaries against the conservative candidates? Maybe if someone could convince him that Obama's the choice of the Tea Party, he'd cry "Havoc!" and let loose the dogs of war -- the way he did in the primaries.

[greene66]

I never could understand the bizarre idea that Romney was seen by the GOP bigwigs as so amazingly “electable,” and the best option to put forward in 2012.

I mean, it has always struck me that during a time of severe economic distress, the public would not exactly cotton to someone they see will see as a cold, aloof Wall Street zillionaire who shuts down factories, has a freaky religion, and seems startlingly hollow (even for a politician) in the convictions department.

It again makes me question as to whether the GOP ever even truly ‘wants’ to win.

[madprof98]

Is it too late to replace Mitt with Bob Dole?

[sergeantdave]

“Not a single LV poll has Obama at 50% or more. Guess what that means? Hint: he’s not ahead.”

You shouldn’t say that. You’ll ruin the daily Free Republic French surrender monkey parade.

[Zionist Conspirator]

This is the man who systematically and without mercy destroyed his every rival in the Republican primaries. Now he's Mr. Nice Guy.

Great. Is there any chance we can overthrow him at the convention?

[pallis]

Before Romney can sell conservatism, he has to quit buying into the establishment middle of the road crap. It lost for McCain, and it will lose for Romney. Obama is a half-witted, p-—s ignorant, commie despot. Treat him as such. He is incompetent, inexperienced, and only knows one way to deal with problems. Throw money at them. Romney should make an ad about Obama and his minions running up to the pockets of Uncle Sam, grabbing cash, and throwing it away, until they run up to find Uncle Sam holding up his empty pockets. Of course we know that we are already there, but the dummies and gays who would vote for Obama don’t know that.

[tatown]

Some freepers are becoming a pretty pathetic lot. They seem to revel in whining and feeling sorry for themselves. To that bunch I offer my deepest apology for adding some factual information that ended up screwing up their pity party.

[MestaMachine]

Well then, they need to get over it right quick because obama and his criminal puppeteers equal Armageddon.

[pennyfarmer]

What??? His upbringing??? Faith???????

He belongs to the faith that puts a mortal man as greater than Jesus and proudly claims that all the Christian martyrs that have died had the wrong gospel anyway.

Don’t pretend that Mormons are so polite and upbeat. Unless you consider the Danite’s a welcome party.

[W. W. SMITH]

Romney is running a “Donny and Marie” campaign,

Nonsense Romney just needs to do the same as when he was trying to destroy Palin, use surrogates and paid mouthpieces. Romney’s problem is the same as McCain’s, the refrain in his head “ you don’t have to be afraid of a president Obama”. He can not attack someone of his own political persuasion but you noticed the attacks on conservatives.

[LibLieSlayer]

I don't agree with you. Bush ran on social issues and won twice. Reagan ran on social issues and he won twice. Dole did not run on social issues and he lost. mccain didn't run on social issues... in fact he became so angry about Republicans telling him to push the social issues that he snapped and said, "If they want Reagan... then I'll be *** ****** Reagan". He was being sarcastic... and he lost. mitt isn't running on social issues or much of anything Conservative... blowing the Chic-Fil-A event and every other chance to call out the left on their communist march to destruction and he is behind in every poll but one.

Mark Levin is screaming about how badly romney is running his campaign. Rush Limbaugh is screaming about how mitt is blowing it. coulter attacked him just yesterday. Some want to believe otherwise but this last SCOTUS decision by roberts has stopped me dead in my tracks from ever taking anything for granted.

LLS

[Joan Kerrey]

It looks like we’ve reached a point that those who win elections are those who promise the most give-a-ways. Lord help us!

Is Romney waiting for something or someone? He just isn’t fighting and he’s allowed the thugs to control the battle. He needs to kick some ass, fire a few people and hire some thugs of his own. This isn’t a skirmish of ideas, we’re in a battle for the very survival of our nation and only one side is fighting.

[Ann Archy]

Sadly, we now live in a J-Lo, Kim Kartrashian, Dancing with the Stars, X-Box WORLD!! The people want someone HIP and it doesn't matter if they have to live in their parents BASEMENT and NEVER get married and have NO JOB!!

Sadly these kids are too GAY, too STUPID, too POOR to get married, have children and a house, so taxes mean NOTHING to them.....they just want to have someone FUN as President!!

[LADY J]

"Something is terribly wrong with the Romney campaign."

You're right!! It's Romney!! WE don't even like him - so how do we expect anyone else to like him!!

We are in the very sad situation of voting for the lesser of the same kind of two evils & to get rid of the Kenyan Marxist - we have the choice of voting for the lesser of the two evils.

I am so fed up with the RINO Elites that I am going to drop out of their party & register as an Independent. They seem to be the ones who win the elections. Boy!! Is it time for a 3rd Party!!!!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Mark Levin is screaming about how badly romney is running his campaign. Rush Limbaugh is screaming about how mitt is blowing it. coulter attacked him just yesterday.

Yup. My standard response to those CINOs who continually decry socons and our (ostensibly) "divisive" social issues:

[oldbrowser]

And I think a lot of people are turned off by a mormon.

The Atheist or the Mormon? The Mormon or the Atheist?
hmmmm, what a dilemma.