Romney's Tom Dewey Moment

spectator.org ^

[tsowellfan]

Obamacare tax confusion a warning sign: the peril of playing it safe.

Thomas E. Dewey.

The president who might have been.

The Romney campaign's stumble over Obamacare (it's a penalty…no…wait…it's a tax! Yes! Yes! We're sure now…it's a tax!) was both unnecessary and avoidable.

If the Romney campaign isn't careful (as our friends at the Wall Street Journal noted here), the morning after the 2012 election they may well find themselves linked forever to the famously hapless 1948 campaign of Tom Dewey. The campaign everyone expected to be a hands-down winner -- which turned into the greatest upset in American political history at the hands of underdog President Harry Truman.

As the famous George Santayana quote reminds: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

So in light of the Romney stumble, perhaps the most pertinent question about the past that was the shocking Dewey loss is: why? Why exactly did Governor Thomas E. Dewey, the man every political analyst in the country believed was a certifiable winner over Truman -- lose?

Read more at link...

[rarestia]

An Obama win in November means the end of the Republic. Dewey may have been the biggest upset in US political history, but an Obama win will mean US political history is over.

[ScottinVA]

The main glaring difference is most aren’t assuming Romney to be a “hands-down” winner in November. He may have a chance to (with a miracle or two) pull out a close win, but there’ll be no blowout victory. As such, Romney should campaign like he’s a nagging few points behind Obama, because... he is.

[montag813]

Here is part of the problem. This was what Romney posted on Facebook after the miserable jobs report this morning...

The President's policies have not gotten America working again. He is going to have to stand up and take responsibility for that.

THAT'S IT??? He will NEVER win with tepid responses like that. But is he even capable of it? Nice guys finish last.

[tsowellfan]

He seems to be putting all of his eggs into the economic basket.

[SuziQ]

The majority of voters aren't paying attention, right now. I'd venture to guess that most couldn't tell you what Mitt Romney said about anything, over the past week, much less what one of his campaign staff said.

WE know what was said, because we follow this stuff, but most folks just can't be bothered. They'll start thinking about it, at the earliest, around the time of the political conventions, but probably not before.

[SuziQ]

It’s Facebook! What did you expect, a full campaign speech?

[Truth is a Weapon]

I agree that Romney must have more of an edge about his campaign. However, it is understandable that he missed on this particular issue because the MSM lets the 0bama campaign get away with pure doubletalk nonsense. How do you effectively counter your opponent when he is allowed to say Obamacare is a tax, no penalty, no both, no neither.

[tsowellfan]

I'd venture to guess that most couldn't tell you what Mitt Romney said about anything, over the past week, much less what one of his campaign staff said.

I'm sure the Obama campaign is more than willing to tell those voters not paying attention right now what Romney has said about everything over the past week, month and all the way back to his debate with Ted Kennedy. It's out there on video. No doubt they will be TV ads running 24/7 in October and brought up by Obama during the debates.

[eddie willers]

Simple answer should be: “Tax, penalty....who cares? Its still a lousy bill!”

[tsowellfan]

Well the Obama campaign's trying to get past ObamaCare (tax or penalty).

The NEW mantra this week is...

"Romney is the most secretive candidate we've seen probably since Richard Nixon"

They are claiming that Romney is HIDING is records.

By the end of the weekend Romney will be on the defensive.

[tsowellfan]

who cares? Its still a lousy bill

If we cannot define it, we cannot identify the best way to get rid of it.

[raccoonnookkeeper]

Romney to Obama: “Here’s my school records and my birth certificate. Where’s yours?”

[eddie willers]

If we cannot define it, we cannot identify the best way to get rid of it.

“Tax, penalty....who cares? Its still a lousy bill! And here's why....”

Happy? :o)

[Beagle8U]

Romney should be bashing Obumbler on every single issue, while weaving into it the stalled economy.

Example: “The economy is stalled, employment shows no sign of recovery, and the Obama administration is working on UN small arms treaty that will restrict our 2nd Amendment rights.”

Let that commie bastard answer every point in that short blurb. Tomorrow you can hit him with another one along the same lines.

Example : Iran is threatening to block oil shipments, the Obama administration is blocking domestic drilling and pipelines, an oil shortage will crash an already weak economy and job market.”

Lather, rinse, repeat, everyday. Force the liberal press to report everything you say.

[tsowellfan]

And here's why....”

That's the problem.

It may be easy for you to say "why" (which you have not) as you attached to particular past accomplishments as Gov. of the State of Mass.

Romney is not politically free to say "why". The problem is, he was planning on the SCOTUS to declare a NATIONAL version of RomneyCare with an individual mandate to be unconstitutional .

Now that it is considered constitutional by the highest court of the land (a curve ball to Romney) he's trying to figure out how to approach this without putting himself in a bad situation with his own RomneyCare.

That's why Romney cannot get past "it needs to be repealed" to say WHY it needs to be repealed.

Romney is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[tsowellfan]

Correction: It may be easy for you to say “why” (which you have not) as you are not attached to particular past accomplishments as Gov. of the State of Mass.

Romney expected that a national version of RomneyCare would be shot down as ucontirutional by the SCOTUS.

He got caught with his pants down. Now he's forced to run against his won healthcare plan since ObamaCare has been decided by the court to be constitutional.

[tsowellfan]

Romney's singing the same one tune. He must be hoping the economy stays bad until november. Originally, he put his eggs into only two baskets.

Basket #1) He vowed to repeal ObamaCare but never really planned that he would have to do it. He figured the Supreme Court would take care of ObamaCare for him by declaring it to be Unconstitutional.

Basket #2) The economy

Now Romney's only got one basket. The national version of RomneyCare has been declared Constitutional. This was a curve ball and unexpected. The court sucked the air out of his balloon. Now he has to either run against the decision of the SCOTUS or he has to run against his own health-care bill (RomneyCare).

The only difference between RomneyCare and ObamaCare a couple of weeks ago was the question of Constitutionality. Well, that question has been answered.

Now Romney needs to face telling Americans why his health-care is NOT a good bill.

[Bratch]

Bingo!

His advisers were more interested in defending Romney/Romneycare than they were in attacking Obama.

He’s fighting with one hand tied behind his back.

[ngat]

Obama to Romney: “Here’s my income tax records and my records as President. Where’s your income tax records and your records as Governor of Massechusetts?”