Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Mitt Romney needs a, uh, posse?

Mitt Romney's 15 minutes of infamy over a four-month old video continues as conservatives weighed in with some criticism of their own over the Republican presidential candidate's comments. The Weekly Standard, the conservative Bible to some on the right (along with the Wall Street Journal's editorial page) offered these assessments:

From blogger John McCormack: "I was a severely conservative Republican governor," Mitt Romney told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2012. Who says such a thing, McCormack asked. "The answer: The same kind of person who says, 'I'm not concerned about the very poor.' ...The same kind of person who says, 'Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect.... So my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.'

"These appear to be the words of somebody who doesn't understand American conservatism and its relationship to the American idea," McCormack continues. "Conservatives don't believe in economic determinism. Conservatives know--and explain why--their economic policies will help the poor, as well as senior citizens, working families, and our troops who pay no income taxes... The likely problem is that Mitt Romney is not a conservative - or at least wasn't a conservative until late in life - but he is running for president as the nominee of the conservative party on a conservative platform. So he has trouble defending conservative ideas. And when he sells himself to conservatives, he sometimes comes across as a right-wing caricature..."

Ouch.

From Bill Kristol, editor of the Standard: "It's worth recalling that a good chunk of the 47 percent who don't pay income taxes are Romney supporters — especially of course seniors (who might well 'believe they are entitled to heath care,' a position Romney agrees with), as well as many lower-income Americans (including men and women serving in the military) who think conservative policies are better for the country even if they're not getting a tax cut under the Romney plan. So Romney seems to have contempt not just for the Democrats who oppose him, but for tens of millions who intend to vote for him.

 "It remains important for the country that Romney wins in November (unless he chooses to step down and we get the Ryan-Rubio ticket we deserve!). But that shouldn't blind us to the fact that Romney's comments, like those of Obama four years ago (about some Americans being bitter and clinging to their guns and religion), are stupid and arrogant."

From blogger Stephen Hayes: "Romney here seems to be articulating a deeply pessimistic view of America and what makes it great... Romney seems to believe that those who are sucking at the public teat are forever destined to do so. 'My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.'

"He is not saying that he’ll never convince these people that they should vote for him. He says, without qualification, that he’ll never convince them to take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

"If Romney truly believes that, then he shouldn’t be running for president."

Not all conservatives agree with these three. Many have come out swinging in defense of Romney and his assertion about a shiftless 47 percent. But these three join long-time conservative columnist Peggy Noonan, whose Tuesday column sums up conservative anxiety and frustration about Romney.

 "This is not how big leaders talk, it’s how shallow campaign operatives talk: They slice and dice the electorate like that, they see everything as determined by this interest or that," Noonan said.

Her prescription to "right the ship" - her words: "Be serious and fight.If you’re gonna lose, lose honorably. If you’re gonna win do it with meaning.

 "Romney always seems alone out there, a guy with a mic pacing an empty stage. All by himself, removed from the other humans. It’s sad-looking. It’s not working. Time for the party to step up. Romney should go out there every day surrounded with the most persuasive, interesting and articulate members of his party, the old ones, and I say this with pain as they’re my age, like Mitch Daniels and Jeb Bush, and the young ones, like Susana Martinez and Chris Christie and Marco Rubio—and even Paul Ryan. I don’t mean one of them should travel with him next Thursday, I mean he should be surrounded by a posse of them every day. Their presence will say, 'This isn’t about one man, this is about a whole world of meaning, this is about a conservative political philosophy that can turn things around and make our country better.' "

Posted by Fannie Flono

14 comments:

CarolinaDrums said...

Fannie: Where are the editorials and other articles on all of the failures of the Obamanation and his misadministration? Where is the commentary on the "I believe in redistribution?" statement? What the hell happened to the COs sense of honor,duty and objectivity?

Adolf said...

Romney is doing us all a favor by pointing out the fallacies in the Conservative philosophy. Who better to do that than an ex-Mass. Governor?

kantstanzya said...

Well as you say Obama's comments which have been open to interpretation didn't hurt him in 2008. How about an editorial on the Obama tape of these comments that came out today?

"I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution...because I actually believe in redistribution." Barack Obama 1998

Looks like both sides have these "gotcha" sound bites in reserve. I'm glad the Dems have reduced the election to this middle school nonsense instead of discussing the fact our country is in real danger and the Obama record of the past four years.

Bill said...

The GOP has become so desperate, they're resorting to quotes from the 20th century in an attempt to deflect criticism from their candidate.

Thanks for the entertainment, fellas!

Anonymous said...

*gasp* Romney speaks the truth! Liberals are aghast! How dare he say that almost half the country will vote for Obama! How dare he insinuate that some people are happy being supported by the government via other people's hard-earned money, and will happily vote for someone who promises more of the same?

Garth Vader said...

Reject the partisan pizzing contest - GARY JOHNSON 2012!

JustCallmeP said...

Wow Texgirl, Romney's ignorant broad generalization includes seniors, the military, people who are dependent on medicare. Granted, it also includes real leeches who abuse the welfare system, but to be so bluntly cold and brush off everyone isn't a wise choice for someone who wants to lead this country.

How has the Obama admin really affected your daily life? I don't understand how people can blame a president for their unemployment and loss of jobs? What ever happened to accountability? Oh wait, I forgot, it's our American way to blame and point fingers right. Just look at the the stupid frivolous lawsuits swirling around.

Now I'm not an Obama supporter, but ask yourself how can Romney help you? Do you make over 250k? Shoot, I don't make 250k, but I make a more than decent six figure salary and still considered middle class, and I STILL pay a higher percentage of taxes than Romney!

If anything, based on the evidence Romney doesn't give a darn about people who aren't millionaires and are in his 1%. This hidden clip just further supports his agenda.

At least under Obama my 70 year old parents and millions of other seniors can still live day to day and have assisted healthcare costs.

John said...

As one of the 47% (I receive Social Security), I have to agree with Mr. Romney. It would be a cold day in hell before I'd ever vote for him.

grizzy4884 said...

What evidence do you have to suggest that Obama cares at all about Americans who don't support him? I have only heard ridicule directed towards me by him.

One Discerner said...

Romney voiced what most of us already knew. Romney only plans to be president of one half the people in the U.S. The "liberal" press cannot be made the fall guy and be blamed for treating Romney unfairly. Romney is speaking these stupid words himself. He is self-destructing right in front of our eyes. This guy is a bumbling idiot and at this point we are not even including his displayed inaptness with foreign policy. Romney simply is not U.S. presidential material.

Skippy said...

Peggy is as about as conservative as David Brooks.. Meanwhile the knee pad wearing press went on full attack to come up with a 2500 word story on Mitt cutting someones hair 35 years ago.. And pay no attention to the new video of the Kenyan Klown promising once again he believes in redistribution or the fact that the Middle East is on fire.

Skippy said...

Peggy is as about as conservative as David Brooks.. Meanwhile the knee pad wearing press went on full attack to come up with a 2500 word story on Mitt cutting someones hair 35 years ago.. And pay no attention to the new video of the Kenyan Klown promising once again he believes in redistribution or the fact that the Middle East is on fire.

Archiguy said...

Gee, I wonder when Romney will mention the 30+ million automatic votes the GOP gets from the "pro-life" evangelical crowd? They've been taught to never vote for a Democrat because they're all godless baby killers who love abortion. They've been told they don't need to think through the issue, just vote for all those Republicans who love every single baby. Umm, until they're born, that is. Oh, and let's not forget how fruitful gay bashing is for the GOP. That's a surefire vote winner too.

That's why the last thing Republican strategists want is the actual repeal of Roe v. Wade. If that issue gets taken off the table, then all those evangelical votes are back up for grabs and some of those folks might finally realize how Republican policies are hammering them. The GOP would have a hard time winning national races in ANY state, let alone the red states, if that issue evaporated. And the guys who formulate policy for the GOP know that all too well.

Jim said...

International powers come and go. Witness Egypt, Persia, Rome, Spain, France, England, et al. The USA is not likely to be the first power to maintain its position from now on. The existance of overwhelming debt, an economy which cannot provide full employment and a segment of the population -- whether the percentage is 47 or 25 or other -- which is content to subsist on federal benevolence erodes our staying power. How many of the "issues" which are argued daily in these forums will seem important when we no longer are a "great power"?