Whoa. Mitt Romney Would Be A Formidable Candidate

[cali]

Watching Q&A with Mitt Romney, I'm struck by this guy's political ability. He's not an empty suit. He's smart. He's articulate. He's got this soothing voice. He even has a sense of humor. I rarely see the appeal of republican politicians, but I can definitely see this guy appealing to a lot of people. This is a republican who got elected governor of the bluest state in the country. I think he could overcome the obstacle that his Mormonism purportedly poses.

I hope he gets thoroughly trounced in the primaries.

[Mass]

1. You're serious - The man could not get reelected in MA even if he wanted.

If this is the type of person who can be elected, we can leave the country now, because it is the sign that something is VERY wrong with the American people. He is an empty suit, definitively.

We had 12 years of Republican governors, so it is not that difficult for a Republican to be elected in MA. All he has to say is that he is not part of the machine.

[cali]

3. Being from Mass

you know him up close. Most Americans don't. And sorry, I don't see him as remotely stupid. Unlike bush, he's well spoken, and like bush in 2000 he doesn't come off as a member of the far right, to the general public. He's a skilled politician. He's obviously learned from his father's pitfalls. I don't think we should underestimate him.

[TayTay]

12. It is very early in the race.

You are seeing that first flourish of press attention when not too much scrutiny is actually being paid to the record that Romney has. Apart from his running the Olympics, this guy hasn't done anything. During his tenure, Massachusetts has lost population, the only state in the nation to do so. There is not one piece of legislation that he can point to and claim as a signature move. His sole claim to having anything to do with Massachusetts at all is his recent penchant for going around the country bad-mouthing both the state and the people who elected him.

I would love to see the Rethugs nominate him. He is a lightweight and a pretender. The words 'flip-flopper' do not even begin to describe Romney's positions in 2002 when he ran for Mass Gov and how he actually governed and how he is running around the country talking about his stands now. I don't believe he has any principles and he only believes in whatever, at the moment, he thinks will get him elected. That would come out in a long and grueling race for the top. Presidential races are very long for a reason, over time they reveal the weaknesses of the candidates. Romney may look good in a wide-angle lens, but the closer you get, the more you notice how this guy is just an empty suit.

[zanne]

20. You're so right.

He's like so many politicians who are "groomed" to run for president someday. He's all hair.

[theHandpuppet]

14. Not a member of the far right?

"He opposes civil unions for gay couples. She supports them. He backs a new South Dakota law that virtually bans abortions. She describes herself as "extremely pro-choice." She supports stem cell research. He vetoed a bill designed to encourage stem cell research in Massachusetts.
Romney tried to exempt Catholic and private hospitals from a new state law requiring that they offer emergency contraception to rape victims."

Much more at http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/03/17/healey_jettisons_romney_legacy_on_social_issues/

And this article just scratches the surface.

[seaglass]

23. He must have really practiced cali because I saw him live

at a ceremony last fall for Firefighters and he was bad. Other than telling a long, repetitive pointless story about the Olympics - he had no personal warmth. His Lt. Gov is a more REAL person than he is, and it shows in person.

But I did notice Kathleen Parker wrote a positive story about him so he is gaining a little momentum and I agree with you that he shouldn't be written off.

[Squeech]

6. Yes and no

He is the sort of attractive front man the electorate has been taught to embrace. None of the fondly remembered presidents of the past could be elected today, in the TV-and-tabloid era-- Truman, Carter, even (let's throw the R's a bone) Eisenhower would all look like terminally inept rubes on camera. Whereas our savvy political marketing consultants know how to package the truly inept rubes to look "electable" and "presentable." Just give 'em a good suit, an expensive haircut, and Reagan's speechwriters.

Romney has proven he'll say whatever he has to say, assume whatever pose his consultants tell him to, in order to get elected. Track his ever-shifting position on abortion some time.

As to why Massachusetts keeps electing Republican governors, I think the reason is that there are so many ambitious Democrats that slaughter each other in the primaries, so we ultimately have a choice between the last man standing-- bloodied, besmirched, with an exhausted and disgruntled staff-- and a nice neat telegenic empty suit. (Also, because the Massachusetts Republican party is such an anemic organization, few ambitious pols will join-- note we had to import Mittens from Utah. So the Democrats include even our wingnuts-- remember John Silber?)

And for the last dozen years, the Bechtel Corporation has needed just such a compliant empty suit in the corner office, so they could gorge at the Big Dig trough unimpeded. I don't know how much real influence they had, or how they used it, but I'm willing to believe anything conspiratorial.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. It's really bothersome to me, when states like CA, NY, MA can have Repub

governors and NYC can have a Repub mayor, time and again.

It doesn't say too many good things about the state of the Democratic Party.

I guess there are some "counterexamples" of Dem govs in Repub voting states, but none in states with such a large electoral vote that I can think of.

[ClintonTyree]

9. New York's next Governor WILL BE a Democrat.

Eliot Spitzer is a shoe-in no matter who the Slugs run against him. He's the champion of the "little guy" and many Slugs are even on his side. We've had enough of Pataki ( who's running for President :rofl: ) and Republicans in general. We haven't had a decent Governor since Mario Cuomo and Spitzer will fill that gap nicely.

[cali]

10. It troubles me too

Here in Vermont we have a repub governor and it drives me nuts. He'll almost surely get re-elected in November, as we send Bernie to the Senate.

[michreject]

15. I don't think Blomberg is a Republican

I think he's a Democrat that had to run as a Republican because that was the only slot open. Not a bad tactic.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. If it says "R" next to his name he's a Repub. Why wouldn't the Dems

"make a spot" for him if he's so Dem like, rather than leaving him to the Repubs where he's a help to Bush? Don't they value the mayor's seat?

[michreject]

18. Read this

In 2001 the incumbent mayor, Rudy Giuliani, was prevented by term limits from running for re-election. Several well-known New York City politicians aspired to succeed him. Bloomberg, a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, decided to run for mayor as a member of the Republican Party, reportedly to avoid the crowded field in the Democratic primary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bloomberg

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

21. Why doesn't the next hot Dem presidential candidate just become a Repub

to "avoid the crowded Dem field" too? Sounds like a plan to me!

I don't buy that at all, sounds like an excuse to me.

If Bloomberg was in the mayor's seat as a Dem, do you think he would have said and done the same things to help prop up Bush's pimping of terror alerts etc. that he has as a Repub?

[seaglass]

25. It's because of the overwhelming Dem legislature in MA. And

we really do believe in checks and balances here. I don't think it says anything at all about the Democratic party.

[Emit]

2. My Republican mother-in-law

can't stand Romney. But I forget why. I'll have to ask next time I see her. But, then, she hates Bush, too.

[NoGOP]

4. Don't know much about him..........

but I thought the "Rising Star" of the repubs was Allen from Virginia?

[cali]

5. Allen currently is

the fave of the wingnuts, but he really is dumb as a pile of rocks. Romney is beginning to grow on the repukes, judging from the Tenn. straw poll and remarks I'm seeing around the net.

[durrrty libby]

7. The guy is charming

He was very funny on Imus last week when the show went to
Boston. MA is liberal, so they don’t care about his religion, but as a Mormon, it will be impossible for him to get elected as president. The association of Mormons and polygamy just won’t fly.

I’m not sure what’s up with MA and pug governors; It might the illusion of lower taxes.
It is my home state, but I’ve been away for a few years. Anyone remember Bill Weld? I think he had at least 2 terms.

[Punkingal]

11. Well, if he's a Mormon.....

Harry Reid will probably have nice things to say about him. In Nevada they say about Harry that he is a Mormon first, a Democrat second.

[Justice]

13. Romney and MA - Some observations from a native

First MA is not as liberal as you think. There are more unenrolled voters (aka independents) than democrats. In any other state, many of the unenrolled would register republican.

Romney is completely a smooth talking empty suit. He has done virtually nothing while in office. Name one thing people who live here. There are a few real obstacles to Romney getting the nomination. He is mormon, his wife (sadly) has MS and he may not run if she is not well. He also has a couple of situations here that did not go well. First - a child in state care - state agency went to court to pull the plug on her - fought by stepfather (who beat her into a coma). Along the way, court approved pulling the plug, but then child started to recover (happily for the child). Oops. Anyone running against Romney on the republican side will surely make alot of that situation.

[Punkingal]

16. I didn't hear the child was starting to recover....

That is absolutely terrific.

[warrior1]

19. Do you know that his first name isn't Mitt?

It's Willard.

http://www.electromneyin2008.com/about.html

[Octafish]

22. Ask him if he watches ''Big Love.''

Then ask him if he's visited Iraq.

Then ask him if he's been brainwashed.

His pa went to Vietnam and that's exactly what he said.

It probaboy cost him the Repuke nomination in '68.

[converted_democrat]

24. Just wait till the public gets a whiff of that hair brained health

insurance deal he tried to throw down.. I don't remember the exact specifics, but it was something along the lines of being economically punished if you didn't have health insurance.. Part of the deal was that you were forced to carry health insurance, and if you didn't than you would either pay more taxes, or some form of economic sanction.. Didn't go over real well with the folks of MA.. I don't remember all of the specifics, but it was draconian at best.. The biggest reason I remember it to begin with is when the plan was announced I got some quotes for insurance, and it was like $1100.00 a month.. I just wanted to see what people were going to be forced into paying.. On top of that, the President touted the plan as a plan for the whole nation to deal with uninsured people, if the plan was implemented and went well in MA.. I was half afraid that if they actually got it going in MA, they might try to force the rest of the country into it..

edited to add link to the story--
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2005-07-04-health-insurance-usat_x.htm

"Failing to sign up could lead to a loss of a personal tax exemption or garnishment of wages."

[bigtree]

26. Aren't you the one who was protesting that your Dem credentials were being

questioned here?

This is an odd promotion for a republican. I can't think of one redeeming quality in any of them because the party's agenda that they so readily line up behind is so repulsive. Romney has no redeeming qualities. If he is so appealing to you, I would suggest that perhaps it's because he was spouting his normal bullshit. If we can't break through the republican's obvious charades and expose their lies then cretins like Romney will have a chance to prevail. But, I don't anticipate that he will only get the kind loving coverage you've given him, especially from our ranks, if he gets going. I'll save my fire on him for that day. For now, he's just a bubble, a buzz. It's probably not wise to keep it afloat unless we want to elevate him above the rock he's crawled out from under.

edit: sp

[helderheid]

27. Would the Republicans really push a Mormon candidate?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

28. Romney is a horse's butt. You like him? You can have him.

[kentuck]

29. Everytime I watch "The Big Love" on HBO....

I think of Mutt Romney... Repubs need to get that show off the air.

[debbierlus]

30. Mitt Romney is a Plastic Ken Doll Whore

He is a HORRIBLE governor.

He will be a perfect GOP VP canidate.