It's typical that in the sorry state of American journalism that finally, now that Mitt Romney's about to be annointed as GOP nominee in waiting and maybe the 45th president (if this prediction about unemployment is correct) that we're finally getting around to asking who this guy is and what does he really want.
The cavalry -- in the form of senior officers Frank Rich and Eugene Robinson -- is making a belated charge here. First here's Rich -- who reminds us why the Times Sunday Week in Review section has been so lame since he bolted for New York Magazine:
For four years now, Republicans have been demonizing Barack Obama for his alleged “otherness”—trashing him as a less-than-real American pushing “anti-colonial,” socialist, and possibly Islamist ideas gleaned from a rogue’s gallery of subversive influences led by his Kenyan father, Saul Alinsky, and the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. And yet Romney is in some ways more exotic and more removed from “real America” than Obama ever was, his gleaming white camouflage notwithstanding. Romney is white, all right, but he’s a white shadow. He can come across like an android who’s been computer-generated to be the perfect genial candidate. When forced to interact with actual people, he tries hard, but his small talk famously takes the form of guessing a voter’s age or nationality (usually incorrectly) or offering a greeting of “Congratulations!” for no particular reason. Richard Nixon was epically awkward too, but he could pass (in Tom Wicker’s phrase) as “one of us.” Unlike Nixon’s craggy face, or, for that matter, Gingrich’s, Romney’s does not look lived in. His eyes don’t show the mileage of a veteran fighter’s journey through triumphs and hard knocks—the profile that Americans prefer to immaculate perfection in a leader during tough times. Even at Mitt’s most human, he resembles George Hamilton without the self-deprecating humor or the perma-tan.
Nailed it in that one paragraph. In a more down-to-earth style, the Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning Robinson asks the same questions:
Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have all laid out bold visions — more properly, hallucinations — of where they would take the country. But where is Romney’s shining city on a hill? What’s his “compassionate conservatism,” his “hope and change”? What is it that Mitt Romney, deep in his heart or down in his gut, really believes in?
“Free enterprise” seems to be what he’s most passionate about, but that’s not really an answer to the question of core beliefs. Who doesn’t believe in free enterprise? Obama would advocate a bit more regulation of markets than Romney would; Santorum and Paul, less. Gingrich, of course, wants free-market spaceships to fly us to the moon.
Watching the recent GOP debates that bracketed Obama's State of the Union address really drove home how deeply flawed the Romney candidacy is. His core message -- which isn't about him, of course, but about the idea that Obama is fundamentally un-American, that he goes around the world apologizing for his country (he doesn't) and has embraced "European-style socialism" (he hasn't) is something that plays well, or at least OK, at an all-Republican rally. But those allegations will look silly -- or be rendered unusable -- when he goes toe-to-toe with Obama in a debate. (I think even GOP voters realize that, which is why they're not "all in" with Romney yet.)
Over the coming months, I think many voters will be asking the title of Rich's piece: "Who in God's name is Mitt Romney?"
Anybody but Obama.— Black Label Society- Obama's Achievements
1. Presided over 22 consecutive months of job growth after the previous 27 consecutive months of job losses (EVERY SINGLE MONTH) under George Bush.
2. Saved the US auto industry when GOP ideologues wanted to let it die, preserving hundreds of thousand of middle class jobs that support families.
3. Stopped the GOP efforts to raise taxes on working people.
4. Has a federal tax rate lower than taxes after the Reagan Tax cuts.
5. Called for and presided over the operation which killed Osama bin Laden. Killed most of the command and control structure of al Qaeda.
6. Deposed Qadaffi by crafting an international alliance that earned thanks, and not disdain, from the Arab world with NOT ONE AMERICAN CASUALTY.
7. Ended the disastrous, immoral, and costly war in Iraq - despite pressure from the GOP.
8. Pressured the Iranians to back down on closing the Strait of Hormuz.
9. Manufacturing hiring at fastest pace since 1995.
10. Cut $600 billion in wasteful military spending.— wokmaster - Mitt is beatable for a few reasons. First, he garners no support from the Republican base. Yes, the establishment supports him, but the base does not. The base gets out the votes and works on the grassroots campaign. If he has no excitement behind him, there will be many voters who just stay home, especially as the economy gets better through the year.
Second, he touts his experience in the private sector as an indicator of his ability to lift the economy more. Yes more, because he has admitted that things are better. To do this, he uses concrete, though increasing numbers. He says his work at Bain created 120,000 jobs. We know from investigative reporting that those numbers include his time with the company all the way through this year - 18 years.
So, Mitt says his creating 120,000 jobs over 18 years is a success. How? That's less than 600 jobs per month. That is not a successful story.
Last, his policy proposals state that lowering taxes on earners, such as himself, will stimulate and grow the economy. He made almost $20 million per year each of the past 2 years, only with investments. Can he prove to us that those investments lead directly to job creation? I'm thinking he can't. And if he can't, his own policy can be called into question.— wokmaster - Obama WILL still be President after January 20, 2013. Bank on it.— AHiredGun
- All I can say about this piece is that there's only one "n" in anointed.... geez.— michael_b
- Has any one asked Romney how many homes that he owns yet? Bunch and his cohorts have already tried bringing Romney down by his looks (tooooo presidential looking), by his demeanor (way tooooo bland), they keep on mentioning that he is a Mormon (my god a fringe religion), and his business experience (oh that LBO evil capitalist), then his taxes (ah that should put an end to this 1%er). Now that Romney is on the verge of taking control of the nomination process Bunch brings up some fancy smoke and mirrors question about 'who in god's name is Mitt Romney'. Yeah right Will .......... Like we all don't know your agenda.— RufusG
- Mitt Romney is the GOP candidate for President of the United States that keeps millions of dollars of his assets offshore in the Cayman Islands. He's also the Father of Obamacare. He's a real American.— dontlikeneocons
- Romney- he's the guy with the magic underwear right? he'll win come the fall due to his beautiful hair.— OhOkay
Comment removed.- There are actually two n's, Brainiac.— wilron
- Brainiac... that's a good one.
You should consider looking it up before calling names.— michael_b - Wkomaster,
Here's a few of Obamas latest acheivements:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72205.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/latest-congressional-budget-outlook-2012-2022-released
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/cbo-taxes-will-shoot-more-30-percent-over-next-2-years— Phishface - CNS News - formerly called the Conservative News Service. Enough said.
As far as the other 2 sources, what is your point? That it will be all downhill from here? Exactly why we need Obama to be re-elected and not put another irresponsible Republican in the White House.— wokmaster - Obaba was never vetted as much as the Republicans.
Obama's campaign promises of a transparent government were never realized.
HObama and his speech to the blacks to take off their slippers was offensive to me let alone his targeted audience.
He has been lauded for Gadhafi's demise, All that he did was stand on the sidelines as thousands of people were killed.
As for Osama Bin Laden, that was an operation which was an ongoing since Bush. All that he did was to sit in the war room and watch the results.
And those 50,000 jobs he created at Mcdonalds does not impress me at all.— RufusG - 1. Presided over 22 consecutive months of job growth after the previous 27 consecutive months of job losses (EVERY SINGLE MONTH) under George Bush.
Its called the business cycle. Even if politicians could control hiring, you're leaving out Congress and the federal reserve's influence as well.
2. Saved the US auto industry when GOP ideologues wanted to let it die, preserving hundreds of thousand of middle class jobs that support families.
Bush first issued the bridge loan. Ford didn't take the bailout and reformed on their own.
3. Stopped the GOP efforts to raise taxes on working people.
How can one raise taxes on non working people?
4. Has a federal tax rate lower than taxes after the Reagan Tax cuts.
And historically high deficits.
5. Called for and presided over the operation which killed Osama bin Laden. Killed most of the command and control structure of al Qaeda.
He did not kill al Qaeda's command structure. Thats systematically been going on since 2001
6. Deposed Qadaffi by crafting an international alliance that earned thanks, and not disdain, from the Arab world with NOT ONE AMERICAN CASUALTY.
Without congress' approval. Another expansion of executive power. And the hard work was done by the Libyian people.
7. Ended the disastrous, immoral, and costly war in Iraq - despite pressure from the GOP.
No, he actually tried to keep troops there. I've shown that many times.
8. Pressured the Iranians to back down on closing the Strait of Hormuz.
What?
9. Manufacturing hiring at fastest pace since 1995.
While we really need more high skilled, knowledge based workers.
10. Cut $600 billion in wasteful military spending.
Proposed, not accomplished.— RG
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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