Posted on 09/08/2012 10:09:39 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
I wrote a few days ago that if the Democrats could maintain the enthusiasm they showed on the first day of their convention for all three days, Mitt Romney would be in serious trouble.
They did, and he is.
If this is not what the polls currently show, try to remember that polls are not destiny. And you should not let them shape it.
Democratic enthusiasm — real fire-in-the-belly enthusiasm — is a killer for Romney for one big reason: There is no sizable pro-Romney movement in this country. There has been a sizable anti-Obama movement.
There are relatively few Republicans deeply in love with Romney. (I except his family, friends and paid staff.)
There never has been. Romney won his nomination by being the most electable general election candidate in a weak and whacky primary field.
He won, in other words, not by devotion, but by default.
His campaign is fueled by dislike for and disappointment with Barack Obama. That dislike and disappointment is real.
In 1996, the last time a Democratic president ran for reelection, there was a significant anti-Bill Clinton movement in this country. This was before the Monica Lewinsky scandal. But a lot of right-wingers hated Bill Clinton and felt he was guilty of unspeakable crimes like murder and drug-trafficking. That didn’t mean there was a significant pro-Bob Dole movement, however. And Clinton won easily by 8.5 percentage points.
This is not 1996, the economy is bad, the cast of characters has changed and nobody is going to win by 8.5 percentage points. But the dynamic is the same: It is harder to turn out a vote against someone than a vote for someone.
Anger is not a movement. Disappointment is not a cause. And passionate support is an antidote to both.
Except for a very sloppy bobble over their platform, the Democrats staged a masterful convention. It went from Michelle to Bill to Biden and Barack. The emotion built every night and something very unusual was revealed.
There has been a shocking transformation in the American political landscape.
As Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times tweeted Thursday night: “A striking difference between conventions: Military service, patriotism are center stage at Democratic convention and nearly absent at GOP.”
Virtually overnight, the Democrats have become the party of strength and loyalty to country. This is a huge role reversal.
And Mitt Romney gave the Democrats an opening by what he said — or, rather, failed to say — in his acceptance speech in Tampa last week.
As Sen. John Kerry, Democrat from Massachusetts, said in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday night: “No nominee for president should ever fail in the midst of a war to pay tribute to our troops overseas in his acceptance speech. They are on the front lines every day defending America, and they deserve our thanks.”
The Democrats have also elevated the killing of Osama bin Laden to an actual difference between the two candidates.
Joe Biden said: “When [Romney] was asked about bin Laden in 2007, he said, and I quote, ‘It’s not worth moving heaven and earth, and spending billions of dollars, just trying to catch one person.’ He was wrong.”
Biden said that “Barack understood that the search for bin Laden was about a lot more than taking a monstrous leader off the battlefield.” It was about sending a message “to terrorists around the world — if you attack innocent Americans, we will follow you to the ends of the earth!”
Love and toughness, those were the two themes the Democrats ended their convention with.
“This man has courage in his soul, compassion in his heart and steel in his spine,” Biden said of Obama.
And when it came time for Obama to speak, he made clear that toughness meant facing up to a tough road ahead. He even dared a restatement of John F. Kennedy’s famous “ask not” line.
“America is not about what can be done for us, but what can be done by us,” Obama said.
“I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy,” he continued. “I never have…. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades.”
Obama, like the other speakers, portrayed the Republicans as doomsayers who were selling short the strength and resolve of the American people.
“Our problems can be solved,” Obama said. “Our challenges can be met. The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place.”
It leads, he hopes, to four more years in the White House.
Roger Simon is POLITICO’s chief political columnist
I don’t expect Hussein to win, but I would not be surprised if he STOLE the election.
I really wish Mark Levin had a prime time show on FOX or somewhere on TV. He needs to replace Bill O or Hannity.
Your are right. Romney does have a plan. Saying he doesn’t is a dem talking point.
Maybe the pollsters tilt their polls each way purposely so they won’t be accused of being in the tank for one over the other—just a thought. Keeps people reading them too.
“the most electable general election candidate in a weak and whacky primary field. “
Note where this guy is coming from. He thinks Obama would be a better President than Newt, Santorum, Perry, Romney and Harman Cain.
My view is the opposite. We had an eclective field, for sure, but every one of them would be a better President than Obama.
Romney isnt well-loved. Maybe. But the crowds in August were bigger for Romney and Ryan than Obama and Biden, and the scaled back Obama convention address was an empty chair giving an empty speech to stir up the faithful with a platform that is leftist extremism.
A president who actually works?
I'm surprised and impressed.
I admired George Bush's administrative style. But wow. Romney is a different man altogether.
Believe in America is a workout plan.
"Let's roll!" Happy to be doing it with you!
Agree... Mitt really is great!
After listening to him and reading his plans, I believe in Mitt, his heart, his soul, his committment AND his experience.
I think we have found the right man for these times!
We're rolling! :)
Yeah, Romney has a lot more substance than flair, and is more humble and down to earth, despite the Democrats smears of him being a plutocrats, its the Obama’s that have let power and wealth go to their heads... Romney is different - kind of an anti-Obama in that way:
“I caught a replay of Romney’s visit to Iowa yesterday on C-Span, and damn it...he has thought this through, he really does have a plan, and I sat there realizing this is the right man for the times.
I want R/R to win even more than I want Obama to lose ... and that, my friends is QUITE a lot!
Theres’s good in all that stuff. The testimonials for Romney were powerful ... Romney needs to use this stuff and highlight it.
both Clint and Rubio were fine. The movie was great too.
” Obama, Dubya, and Clinton made plenty of promises as well. Few of the public supporters of any of those 3 were terribly pleased by their presidencies. Obama’s secret financiers and race-pimps are clearly pleased, of course, but few others.”
So what? I am voting FOR Romney and I am sure he wont be as conservative as I would be. so what? Neither was GW Bush.
But on 9/11, I had a profound sense of relief: “Thank God Gore isn’t President.” I knew things would be ok.
I will probably feel that way with Romney on the day he signs Obamacare repeal, and/or the day Ruth Bader Ginsbergy decides to retire.
You don’t vote for a candidate politician because they are perfect, you vote for them because they will do the things the country needs. We need to remove Obama pronto, and we need Romney and his leadership to get our economy back on track.
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