Mitt Romney is still trying to be what he isn’t
When the AJC interviewed Mitt Romney before the 2008 Georgia presidential primary, a conservative journalist in the room turned to me afterward and said:
“Based on that, I’d say he’s the perfect nominee … for the Democrats.”
Mitt Romney
I knew what he meant. Romney came across as the most liberal Republican I’d seen or heard in years. And it wasn’t just talk. His record as governor of Massachusetts was that of a competent, practical, non-ideological corporate executive, as exemplified by his advocacy of a health-reform plan quite similar to that now proposed in Washington.
But of course, many conservatives would look at that same record very differently, as confirmation of Romney’s RINO status.
It’s a problem that Romney is working hard to solve. His new book, “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness,” is part of an effort to rebrand himself as a hard-shell conservative. Among other things, he uses the book to criticize President Obama’s alleged “Apology Tour,” which Romney calls “a steady stream of criticisms, put-downs and jabs directed at the nation he was elected to represent and defend.”
But his big problem, of course, is health care, as Chris Wallace made clear in an interview with Romney on Fox News yesterday. Wallace pointed out that in the plan signed by Romney in 2006, “you have an individual mandate. You have an employer mandate. You have subsidiaries for some of the uninsured. You set minimum insurance coverage standards. Again, a lot of e-mails I got from conservatives say — make this point. They say it sure sounds an awful lot like “ObamaCare.”
Yes it does. Romney ducks and dodges in the interview, throwing out alleged differences between RomneyCare and ObamaCare that Wallace immediately refutes. In the end, Romney can identify only one important substantive difference: His plan is run by the state government, while Obama’s approach would be federal.
Every politician from city council member up to president has to tailor himself to his electorate, and in many ways that’s a perfectly legitimate, honorable process. After all, the politician is offering to serve as the people’s representative, and to some degree should and must embrace the wishes of the people over his own.
However, I can’t think of a politician on the national or even state scene who struggles more with that problem than Romney. The chasm between who he naturally is and who he must be to get elected in the modern Republican Party is huge, and his efforts to camouflage that gap often come off appearing awkward and insincere.
Personally, I think he’d make a much better president than any of the other top candidates for the GOP nomination. And that’s exactly his problem.
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246 comments Add your comment
Jenifer
March 8th, 2010
8:36 am
Anyone who would tie a dog to the roof of a car is a scumbag.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( Have A Drink On Us, obozo!
March 8th, 2010
8:38 am
His competition is obozo.
All he has to do is be better than that, which ain’t much of a hurdle, just sayin….
Let the chips fall where they may.
Normal
March 8th, 2010
8:40 am
“Personally, I think he’d make a much better president than any of the other top candidates for the GOP nomination. And that’s exactly his problem.”
I agree, Mitt seems more reasoned and willing to work with others. If he was the GOP candidate, I’d consider him.
Outhouse GoKart
March 8th, 2010
8:40 am
FOURTH!!
The Screen Door
March 8th, 2010
8:42 am
The GOP thinks it has someone better than Obama. Now THAT’s funny.
GOP is Gone
March 8th, 2010
8:44 am
Anyone who can believe that Jesus is really form Missouri and that a schizophrenic pedophile looked in a big black hat told him so has no business being President.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( Have A Drink On Us, obozo!
March 8th, 2010
8:46 am
The GOP could prop up a corpse and stick a sign on it’s chest that says we know that he won’t be frittering away your children’s future, landslide, just sayin…
Paul
March 8th, 2010
8:51 am
[[he’d make a much better president than any of the other top candidates for the GOP nomination. ]]
Yup.
[[his efforts to camouflage that gap often come off appearing awkward and insincere.]]
Yup
[[he’d make a much better president than any of the other top candidates for the GOP nomination. And that’s exactly his problem.]]
Yup
Such is the power of the hard-core base in the nomination process. I’d like to see him challenge that base more – he definitely has the mental capacity to do so. Republicans aren’t going to win with a throwback to the Goldwater years – the last couple of election, topped by Massachusetts, demonstrate that. But the anti-RHINO Republicans aren’t much on nuance. They seem to be taking a R win not as a different kind of R and exploiting that in other races, but they seem to be taking it as “great, we have R momentum, time to make it what WE want it to be.”
Interesting thought about how this applies to Pres Obama. Were his positions close enough to the hard-core Democratic base that it didn’t matter? Or did he present himself in ways he really believed (public option, repealiing anti-jihadist policies) and then, when reality hit, changed? Did he not believe in those policies as must-do but said what he needed to to appease the base? Or did the base ‘mishear” him (”HEY: you’re gonna do WHAT in Afghanistan?!!?”).
Personally, I think it’s interesting to speculate if Romney can finesse the health care reform issue into one of state vs federal. That may work for some. But why the heavy attention to health care? Where Romney is really going to show his difference from Obama is in economic matters. THAT is what has most people concerned. Sure, most who oppose the Dem health care plan want some kind of health care reform. Romney can probably swing that and say “I said state-level. What’s an issue or what will work in Massachusetts won’t necessarily apply to Georgia, Calif, etc”). He’s also said there are a couple big problems with health care – one was the number of uninsured, and that’s what they set out to correct in Massachusetts.
The economy is the Obama Administration’s Achilles’ heel, and Romney’s arrow is pointed right at it.
BTW – good job on Fox and Chris Wallace for a pressing interview.
USinUK
March 8th, 2010
8:54 am
MITTENS!!
USinUK
March 8th, 2010
8:55 am
“The GOP could prop up a corpse and stick a sign on it’s chest … ”
and it would STILL be more appealing than most GOP candidates
FrankLeeDarling
March 8th, 2010
8:56 am
My gut level reaction to Romney,is that he is two faced and not someone I could trust.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
March 8th, 2010
8:56 am
Well, people worrying about a Mormon when the good Republicans in Gwinnett got a big road closed and can’t drive on it because sewer methane keeps blowing manhole covers off. Like I told the missus last night, put a bunch of conservative Republicans that like to vent anyway together in one county and then open a whole bunch of Mexican restaurants, of course you’re going to get lots of methane. I’m just suprized there ain’t a whole bunch of McMansions in Gwinnett that’s been blowed to smithereens.
Anyhow, we don’t need a librul Mormon that only has one wife in the White House. He ain’t even a good Mormon. I say we elect the Rev. Huckabee as President of the U.S. of A. Let’s put a Southren Baptist in there and bring God back to the White House. He’ll put a stop to this Gay Marriage and all the welfare programs and Sunday booze sales and just about everything else us God-fearing people don’t like. And half the people on this blog will be in jail in two years time just for being too librul.
That’s my opinion and it’s very true. Have a good day everybody.
Paul
March 8th, 2010
8:56 am
Jenifer
No kidding. That’s why families shouldn’t buy station wagons. That’s why Hummers and Escalades and Navigators were invented.
Well, not in 1983……. but they did have full-size conversion vans as an option -
Hef
March 8th, 2010
9:00 am
Seems Mitt is like most politicians of today including our POTUS.
Hef
March 8th, 2010
9:01 am
Kick em all out.Vote for Jason Lewis and those of simular beliefs.
Bob
March 8th, 2010
9:04 am
He does have a clue about the economy, more than Obo anyway.
Gale
March 8th, 2010
9:05 am
Good post, Paul.
If Republican would stop listening to the extremists and present a centrist, they would be back in power in a blink. But of course, there is all that campaign money the extremists bring in with their single issue ranting.
Bosch
March 8th, 2010
9:05 am
Romney is the only candidate the GOP has right now that I think could beat Obama in 2012 – but he’s flipped so much, the media will have a field day with that. I see him being another McCain – he’d get a loony toon like Palin to be VP to rile the nutty tea drinkers, but the difference is that he doesn’t look a few breaths shy of the Pearly Gates like McCain.
The Independents would like Romney as well. Another big problem for Obama. But, the GOP didn’t nominate him before.
retired early
March 8th, 2010
9:05 am
Reinventing himself to get thru the GOP primary to appease the far right just garantees defeat in the general election. The “original” version of Romney would be very attractive to Independents and moderates including this Democrat. Stay disfunctional GOP. We win, you lose.
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:08 am
Gale, wake up. BUSH as a centrist.
How’d THAT work out for us?
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:09 am
Oops! Make that Bush WAS a centrist. Fingers not awake yet.
Paul
March 8th, 2010
9:10 am
G’morning, Bosch!
[[he’s flipped so much, the media will have a field day with that]]
Do you really think, after what we’ve seen in the past year with Pres Obama, that the ‘he changed his mind’ issue has any merit?
Or are you saying ‘the media’ will use it against the Republican challenger but not the Democratic incument?
So far on this thread I’m picking up “Romney: don’t try to appease the base. Try to get the nomination by conducting the campaign the same as you will for the general election.” Nice thought. Pretty high stakes, though.
Scout
March 8th, 2010
9:11 am
Isn’t the “Oscar” kind of sexist especially now that a woman director has won one? Shouldn’t there be a “Babbette” or something?
tscali
March 8th, 2010
9:13 am
**Every politician from city council member up to president has to tailor himself to his electorate, and in many ways that’s a perfectly legitimate, honorable process. After all, the politician is offering to serve as the people’s representative, and to some degree should and must embrace the wishes of the people over his own.**
that is the advantage romney has over obama.
Normal
March 8th, 2010
9:13 am
I suppose that it is a sad commentary on the GOP, to be discussing Mitt and a reasoned, middle of the road candidate, but that is the way the GOP has presented itself.
I personally don’t care what religion one is, what party he or she belongs to, or what color of skin they have. I want a President that has the vision of an America, not of the past, but of the future, working, healthy, content within our dreams. I want a President who can, and will, work with both parties and both chambers of Congress….
Is there anybody out there?
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:15 am
Coming from that state, I know a bit about Mitt Romney and how he governed. He wasn’t too bad, but he was saddled with a super majority in the State House that could (and did) derail most of his initiatives.
Sadly, one of them was health care reform. I posted it the other day, but so far Massachusetts’ version of health care isn’t working so good (one very similar to the Senate bill currently under consideration in D.C.). Higher premiums than the national average and rising faster, millions (approaching a billion) of dollars in cost overruns, talk of payment caps and possible rationing of care.
Think what our federal government could mismanage on that large a scale . . .
Bosch
March 8th, 2010
9:16 am
And a whopping good morning to you Paul –
I’m saying that the media and the Democrats would use that against him. And they have plenty of ammo to use. It looks worse to be a flipper to a challenging candidate than a sitting POTUS – as the Democratic candidate will be. People have less patience for blasting the POTUS, especially when they can point to what they actually gotten accomplished since taking office – regardless of what the Obama haters say here, he has actually done stuff.
On another note – helped the OB make a peach pie this weekend, used some new knives me mum bought us for Christmas – good knives from Switzerland even – am missing part of my thumb now.
Jenifer
March 8th, 2010
9:17 am
Many fundamentalist Christians and a whole lot of teabaqqers will not vote for a Mormon for president. And that’s the way it is.
USinUK
March 8th, 2010
9:18 am
Bosch – were the knives a little sharper than you were expecting?? they say the most dangerous thing in the kitchen is a dull knife, but I would say that a super-sharp one when you’re used to dull ones is a close second!
Doggone/GA
March 8th, 2010
9:19 am
“I want a President who can, and will, work with both parties and both chambers of Congress….”
That’s a laudable goal…but you also need to wish for a Congress and both chambers that will work with the President. It doesn’t matter how willing and able the President is to be bipartisan, it’s a two-way street. And so far, it looks like the traffic is stalled on one side.
Paul
March 8th, 2010
9:20 am
Bosch
Yeah, I kinda think so, too. Amazing how people can rationalize a double standard, isn’t it?
Yikes! with the knives! Curl those fingertips while slicing! What’d you tell the miniBosches that white lumpy stuff in the pie was – cornstarch?
And I envy you for being able to buy peaches that taste like peaches. Or did you use some good-tasting frozen or canned?
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:20 am
The problem with pointing to any actual accomplishments, Bosch, is that the GOP can also point out the cost of those in the form of deficits and long-term debt. And his list of many failures as well.
It’s not an albatross I’d want hanging around my neck at re-election time.
Not that the voters aren’t dumb enough to re-elect the American Idol President. Just so long as they have a GOP Congress to create the gridlock we need to keep Washington from screwing up this country any further.
USinUK
March 8th, 2010
9:22 am
Doggone – 9:19 – TESTIFY!
dumber than a rock
March 8th, 2010
9:23 am
Haley Barbour for President.
Paul
March 8th, 2010
9:23 am
Jenifer
Sadly true. We got over the Catholic issue in the 60s, the woman and minority and Jewish issue at the start of the new century, but when it comes to “those people with that religion” some are still back in the stone age.
Jenifer
March 8th, 2010
9:24 am
Mitt the mens store mannequin.
HDB
March 8th, 2010
9:24 am
Not only will the fundamentalist Christians and tea-baqqers not vote for Romney due to his religion, his religion will also alienate ethnic minorities…..since Mormons don’t believe that black people exist…and their mantra against minorities rail them unattractive to them……but since the GOP doesn’t believe that minorities exist anyway………
Quite an issue for the GOP, isn’t it??
HDB
March 8th, 2010
9:26 am
Dave R: the last time we had a GOP Congress, they screwed up the nation and allowed Bush to go wild and crazy; is that what you REALLY want??
Pete
March 8th, 2010
9:28 am
Jenifer, you are right. The Christian right wing, including many tea partiers, will never support a Mormon for President. It’s sad but true. You’d think in 21st century America religious bigotry would not be an issue, but it is. I know many of these people, and they all say they would vote for Obama before Romney. Romney, for his part, needs to quit trying to appease the nutcase wing of his party. He is the most qualified, competent candidate the Republicans have, and he could pull in many Independents. He is a pragmatist, and that’s a good thing. He needs to stress that he is a problem solver, and then lay out his vision for the USA.
Paul
March 8th, 2010
9:28 am
Jenifer
Big on judging people based upon their appearance, are you?
Doggone/GA
March 8th, 2010
9:29 am
Thanks USinUK!
Williebkind
March 8th, 2010
9:29 am
Well I glad the conservatives do not depend on AJC liberals to pick their candidates. We might have another community organizer in office. We know how well that is going.
Doggone/GA
March 8th, 2010
9:30 am
“He needs to stress that he is a problem solver, and then lay out his vision for the USA”
He needs to get out from under the thumb of the GOP and run as an Independent.
Bosch
March 8th, 2010
9:30 am
USinUK and Paul,
Yeah, a super sharp knife is alot better – cleaner cut – lobs off the flesh alot quicker. And Paul, in pie, there is no substitute for fresh fruit – just saying.
“Amazing how people can rationalize a double standard, isn’t it?”
I dont’ think it’s so much a double standard as most of Obama’s critics are those who wouldn’t vote for him in the first place, or didn’t vote for him to begin with. Yeah, he’s losing ground with Independents now, but Independents are usually alot smarter and can see through the twisting critical bs. But as I’ve said, all along, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Obama was a one-termer, especially with the economy like it is – people do blame the POTUS because it’s one person they can take their frustrations out on – it’s not like you can use your one vote to take out Congress – which we all know is really the problem.
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:30 am
You know, Jenifer, your comments would be accepted so much more readily if you actually put some thought into them.
Don’t know what you’ve ever accomplished in your lifetime, but Mitt Romney is much more than a “mens store mannequin”. He is a very successful businessman who turned around a flailing U.S. Olympics in Utah and made them one of the best in recent memory. Was elected governor in one of the bluest states in the nation as a Republican, and governed by working with both sides of the aisle.
Try bringing a little substance to this blog every now and again, will ya? Your hyper-partisanship gets very, very tiring.
Williebkind
March 8th, 2010
9:30 am
HDB:
You are high on that sugar filled koolaid this morning!
Gale
March 8th, 2010
9:31 am
Dave R. Ok, ammend that. I want a centrist who is also not stupid.
The Cynical White Boy
March 8th, 2010
9:32 am
Hey Jay, friend-o,
Let’s see….a politician tries to morph into what she or he thinks the audience (or in Obama’s case – the focus group) wants. Is this breaking news? I don’t think so.
I recall Zig-Zag Zell.
I recall the member of Congress I worked for (a conservative Democrat), being told straight out, “We know you have to vote this way for the Georgians who sent you, but you’ll never be given a sub-comm chair until you walk the party line”.
So folks have to appear one way in DC and another way for the folks back home.
And we wonder why we have Presidents with spines of jelly?
I say ressurect Harry S. Truman. Or hell, maybe give Hilliary a shot – at least she has proven she could care less what her critics think. Meanwhile, Obama sticks his finger into the wind and ponders why this community is so hard to organize. Maybe a few more pretty but empty speeches and a little more telling people to “knock on some doors”.
Williebkind
March 8th, 2010
9:32 am
Dave R.
March 8th, 2010
9:30 am
You know the Jenifers do not read various sources of news. She gets her info from CT, Jay, and the crowd she hangs out with.
Whacks Eloquent
March 8th, 2010
9:32 am
I personally always thought Mitt looks like a game show host…
That said, he was a much better candidate than McCain!