Posted on 03/13/2007 9:03:04 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
When a candidate for president blows into town, most reporters show up. There’s always a chance he or she will say something surprising or stupid, and there could even be a chance to ask a substantial question and get an answer with some teeth to it, but it’s not likely.
That’s just the way these things go.
But when the Idaho press showed up today for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, his people were still rehearsing – badly - the drill of the classic obligatory campaign fly-through. They issued conflicting information about the place and time of the press conference, with most reporters never notified at all and nobody in charge who could straighten it all out. Attempts to reach the campaign by phone with follow-up questions went unanswered. Multiple cell phone and landline numbers were available, but nobody responded except to refer us to someone else – who wasn’t there. It was a disgraceful runaround. It’s early, but when a field organization is THIS bad, it’s not encouraging.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a nice man with good hair who was considered a superior governor by opinion leaders on both sides of the aisle, provided a possible reason for all that uncertainty: he’s remarkably uninspiring. Anybody who has ever called Al Gore “wooden” has never seen Mitt Romney.
It’s nothing to do with politics or party; it has everything to do with electability. Everyone wants their horse in the race to have what it takes to cross the finish line first, and today, Romney didn’t have it.
I was eerily reminded of the novel and film of “The Manchurian Candidate,” a thriller in which a handsome war hero is controlled via a brain microchip and turned into the perfect presidential candidate, who is later directed by evil forces via the chip. His speeches are repetitive platitudes which seem to arrive in his mouth by computer. Romney is good-looking, fit, beautifully turned out with perfect white teeth, and unfortunately, he speaks that way, too.
He’s certainly not the first presidential candidate to employ banality in an attempt to say nothing which would commit him to any firm policy, but it’s still disappointing. The weariest old adages flowed from Romney like so much water. “Look at my wife and me and our family if you want to know our values,” he said.
“Look at my heart, character and experience.”
“I see the internet age and the YouTube era as a great opportunity to take my message directly to the people.” And that message would be…..?
Romney did name universal health insurance, on which he has an impressive record, as a top priority of his, but was equivocal about exactly how he’d handle it as President. He said the “Muslim jihad” needed a solution, but offered none. He worked up a little enthusiasm about global competition – “especially with the Chinese” – but really only came alive when talking about his experience as President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 winter Olympics. “We took something in trouble and made it a success.”
Which he did. An excellent Olympics, indeed.
Outstanding comic relief was provided by a protestor who, complete with rolled R’s and dramatic Shakespearean tones, boomed out, “MISTAH RRROMNEY! WHY DO THE MORMONS SAY JESUS IS THE DEVIL’S BROTHAH?”
Nobody answered that, or was much interested in Romney’s Mormonism. That was good.
Asked about the Rocky Mountain West, Romney said he saw “the spirit of innovation. The opportunity-seeking of the American West has long been the character of the American people.” (I can’t interpret that one.) He spoke of technology innovations which came from the West, but again, nothing about what that had to do with….anything.
“Coal has a major role to play in our future energy policy, along with wind and solar power.” No specifics.
Of the evangelical Christian groups which seem to dog Romney wherever he goes, he had this to say, “I will do my best to establish my bona fides with that group.”
“On the internet, people can see me in speeches, get to know a candidate on a personal basis, in unguarded moments, and see the true character of a candidate.”
Despite many years working in, and watching campaigns - enough to know the hard realities - I still say enough, enough, enough with the Family Values and the Spirit of America and the Heart and Character and Hope for the Future and…..holy MOTHER of mercy….STOP! For once, can’t we please have a candidate who says, “I believe this. I will do this. I will not do that. I don’t care who gets mad; it’s the right thing to do. I don’t care who gave me money, it’s the right thing to do.”
I know. Incredibly naïve. Hopelessly idealistic. Never going to happen, and all that.
But isn’t it, in our unguarded, raw heart of hearts, what all of us truly want from candidates? If you could wave a wand and turn them all into decisive, plain-speaking, committed people who said what they mean and mean what they say, wouldn’t you?
Of course you would. But in the words of Governor Romney, “If this is a place where I can come and raise money as well as strengthen my political base, I’m going to do it.” And at $1,000 a plate, 100 people showed up to have lunch with him.
MISTAH ROMNEY! YOU’LL BE BACK!
"Anybody who has ever called Al Gore “wooden” has never seen Mitt Romney."
"The above tells me the writer's judgement is sorely lacking, and thus the entire rest of his piece is suspect. He must not have seen Romney's C-PAC speech."
She (Jill) is obviously a Liberal, and would have Romney's convincingly conservative CPAC speech 'hate speech' and unwatchable.
You're ignorant, and that's the nicest thing I can say about such a statement. I wouldn't support Giuliani if he was the last candidate on earth.
Romney doesn't deny saying what he said 12 years ago. If you had the guts to post his record as a governor of a blue state, we'll all see who is playing the fool.
We'll see, but you heard it here, first. I know a winner when I see one. : )
You have got to be joking . So who do you support ?
Hey, smarty. A road is alot harder than a row to hoe.
The only evidence I need re romney is that hillary would have him for breakfast. And this alone is sufficient. Why trouble myself with a guaranteed loser?
I've posted it over and over again: Gay marriage, socialized medicine, assault weapons ban, gay propaganda in the schools, more Dems appointed to the bench than Republicans, etc. What more do you want?
Who hoes a road? :)
OK -- then Duncan can have the "road" to hoe and we'll let Mitt have a mere "row" to hoe. Fair enough? LOL
He looks the part. But he's so far making Kerry look like Mr. Consistency.
Hillary, apparently.
Romney will have to.
"Romney has no core principles, so what he trots out is trite garbage. He can't even fake sincerity."
This is 'trite garbage' - contentfree factfree baloney. His conservative positions have been clear and known for some time, and he has acted accordingly as Governor.
What in his bio and actions justifies such outrageous comments? ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney
I saw some ho's on the side of the road once.
They looked tough.
You are right. Romney is the sharpest candidate in the race.
You're wrong.
Post it once more.
Fair enough. Not sure if Romeny's dish pan hands can handle it. LOL
You've got to be kidding.
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