Saturday, December 22, 2007

The Anti-Endorsement

It's one thing for a candidate to get endorsed by a publication, quite another for a paper to not endorse anyone, instead telling voters who not to vote for. Mitt Romney gets the "giant lump of coal" for Christmas in New Hampshire:
Romney "Must Be Stopped"


Concord Monitor editorial board has leveled an extraordinary broadside against Mitt Romney, declaring in an editorial to be published in Sunday's paper that the former Massachusetts governor "must be stopped" in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination.

"If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats. If you followed only his campaign for president, you'd swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you're left to wonder if there's anything at all at his core."

This characterization is actually pretty amazing:
"When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state's first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we'll know it.

Mitt Romney is such a candidate.
New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no."

A pretty accurate read if you ask me, the guy just oozes slick and has the air of insincerity. It's actually quite interesting watching a supposed moderate run so far to the right that he brushes by Pat Buchanan on the political spectrum. In another sign that Romney might be getting desperate, the bloom coming off the rose, he is taking direct aim at McCain in his speeches, much like he did with Huckabee in Iowa, when the threat materialized.

9 comments:

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

In the case of Romney, he certainly does seem to flip flop a fair bit, whereas someone like McCain at least seems to be somewhat more principled. Even Huckabee who I find way too conservative is at least somewhat consistent.

I think the reason for his change in positions is Massachusetts is a very moderate state and you cannot win there as a hard right winger. The Republican base is however quite right wing and you cannot win amongst them without being a hard right winger.

Anonymous said...

Miles,

I had mentioned Huckabee as a reverse Carter 1976. A social conservative who is very interventionist economically. The total opposite to you.

Romney trying to become a disciple of Tommy Tancredo is bizarre. If this is how he reacted to Huckabee's surge than he has totally lost it. New Hampshire is much different than Iowa and progressives have done well there. The McCain surge may be a result of Romney going mad.

Anonymous said...

Romney is frightening because he is so totally self-assured and self-rationalized in whatever he says on any given day. Even if what he says happens to be a lie or several rotations different than what he heart-felt believed in any number of points in the past.

Perhaps I'm just hoping here, but maybe US citizens have learned to be a bit more circumspect of politicians who believe that their "sheer unwavering arrogance" in their (on any given day) positions equates intelligence, strength or wisdom. They've tried that route the past 8 years, and it hasn't gone all that well.

Steve V said...

I suppose the good news, if Romney were to win, he would have a hard time moving back to the center. Rommey's negatives are already quite high, up there with Clinton's, which is surprising, given his relatively new exposure to national politics.

Anonymous said...

"Romney is frightening because he is so totally self-assured and self-rationalized in whatever he says on any given day."

From a recovering alcholic to a self-confident Mormon. On the Democratic side, you have a pious Methodist with a mean streak who has a "my way or the highway approach" in trying to be the first woman President of the US.

I am suggesting that Hillary can be as controlling as our PM. The consolation is that her baggage is nothing as drastic as the eight years of Republican rule.

"They've tried that route the past 8 years, and it hasn't gone all that well."

This is why Huckabee is soaring, McCain is having a revival, and Obama is getting notice. Obama's two books show that he is somewhat authentic although his political career is quite patchy, to say the least.

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

Mushroom - Yes it is true Huckabee is the exact opposite of me, that being said my views are probably more in line with your typical Northeastern suburban voter and maybe to a lesser extent those from the Mountain West, although I am not that Libertarian. The South is the area where your average voter has the least in common with myself.

Steve V - A Romney win would be the best news for Democrats as no poll has shown him ahead of either Clinton or Obama. States such as Ohio, Iowa, New Mexico, and Nevada would almost certainly flip to the Democrats with Romney as leader.

Anonymous said...

A little off topic, but something you might find of interest.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/geekthevote08

Steve V said...

Things are certainly heating up. Obama and Edwards are engaged in some serious sniping in Iowa, and Rommey is attacking McCain in NH, with a scathing response from the McCain camp.

Anonymous said...

the last thing this country needs is another right wing conserative to hold the highest office. this country needs Edwards as the next U.S. President. This country is finally thinking long and hard who they want in office.