You've got him.
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!
You've got him.
Phony enough to get nominated. Not phony enough to get elected.
I'm not writing him off yet. But bragging on your NRA lifetime membership (obtained just weeks ago) after being a gun grabber for most of his adult life does not sit well with this lifetime member.
You speak with selective fort tongue, because that is not what Romney said, Verginius Rufus!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1799287/posts?page=505#505
You can say that again she used politics as a front to legitimized her position!
It never works EternalVigilance people always see right throuh it!
I'm sorry, but the "family values" of a politician who supported abortion, full-blown, for over 35 years, who supported the gay agenda, full-blown, throughout his term as Governor, are irrelevent. How about the families of the 4000 dead babies who were killed today by the NARAL ghouls and their political enablers?
Yada yada yada!
EV selective fort tongue disimformation machine!
Romney had a platform it was not on abortion or any other liberal agenda Romney was in "Chappaquiddick land," get real folks and stop listening to EternalVigilance!
Romney had a platform on cutting taxes and lowing crime etc. it had nothing to do with Chappaquiddick land sacred COW abortion etc!
It was the media pressing about issues Romney had NO control over Federal Laws!
LOL. I can never win. The number of immediately unemployed government employees and bureaucrats would overwhelm the unemployment system.
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.”
GOOD FOR ROMNEY!
This was nothing but a bunch of hecklers and hypocrites looking for something they thought they could spin, like you EternalVigilance
BTW Lucifer is also your brother EV!:)
I am not for Romney because he LDS, I am for him because I know he will do the right thing!
Harry Reid is LDS I would throw him to the wolves!
Thank you George, I appreciate your advice!
The Bottom line is to do what is right for this country!
Hey EV. You know you've done good when you strike the moonbats nerve. They're coming out of the woodwork. Blackbird.
"Still waiting for some proof of your claim, btw."
Stil waiting for you to tell us all who YOU support, btw.
Don't give up just yet.
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