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!
ping...
Well, you can pick your nose, you can pick your friends, but...
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!
Yeah. But she does have a point. Romney has no core principles, so what he trots out is trite garbage. He can't even fake sincerity.
Don't tell Hugh Hewitt he's picked a dead horse.
We simply disagree.
Health care for all; gun control for all...
If our standard-bearers get any more "conservative", I'm not sure I'm going to be able to handle it -
Like all RINO-enablers, he's deaf anyhow.
"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."
Is she talking about a re-make?
You and me both, friend.
I guess so. I don't know why you can't see that there is nothing authentic or conservative about this candidate. He's the kind of guy a liberal would invent if he had to produce his version of what a conservative is. He's a caricature.
Not sure. But I understand the gist of what she's saying.
I commend checking the linked story, to read the comments posted there which tell a quite different story and include some interesting Romney anecdotes I'd not seen before!
I also checked that site for other articles by her and scanned several as I haven't been in Boise for ages and don't know their media. In one article she raged against Idaho having switched from open to closed primaries. In another she was betting with her husband on how many people Gore would draw for an event there. She bet higher and, alas, won. For her take on the war check out these links:
Tonight at BSU: Hans Blix Lecture
A Milestone to Mourn: 3,000 American War Dead Marks Year’s End
http://www.newwest.net/index.php/main/article/vigil_held_for_guantanamo_prisoners/
I especially liked the last one. Looks like it was too cold in Boise that day for the striped PETA 'costumes.'
(((ROMNEY PING)))
Hey everybody! The moonbat Romney bigots want to play!
He pretends to have recently converted to a pro-life position, but his recent comments on Terri Schiavo tell me he's a fraud. At least Rudy Giuliani isn't a fraud.
"I guess so. I don't know why you can't see that there is nothing authentic or conservative about this candidate. He's the kind of guy a liberal would invent if he had to produce his version of what a conservative is. He's a caricature."
EV, posting this article proves that it is not about the issues for you. Renounce this article whole-heartedly or you will be seen a bigot, plain and simple.
It is the media, which is about universally leftist anymore and Boise is no exception. The nice thing is that the College Republicans at BSU are getting more active, as they've protested the fact that Jesse Jackson, Al Franken and ManBearPig himself have come to The Pavilion/Taco Bell Arena thanks to tuition/taxpayer cash.
The closest Boise State has had to anything near right of center show up for a speech was John Stossel.
Take heart in the knowledge that EV is going to be unhappy with the GOP nominee regardless. His eventual candidate will draw 1 percent if that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.