Did you catch Mitt Romney's victory speech in Illinois last night? Echoing the themes -- and at times, the literal phrasing -- of his economic speech at the University of Chicago on Monday, the former governor spoke at length about his vague appreciation for "freedom."
Romney did not, however, do what he spent 2011 doing: he didn't accuse President Obama of making the economy "worse."
How does Romney argue the economy is getting worse? It's simple: he doesn't.
This is not an accident. I first started reporting in January about the subtle -- and at times, not-so-subtle -- shift in Romney's rhetoric about the economy, as the candidate and his campaign began to come to terms with the fact that the recovery is picking up steam. Romney had a choice: stick to a line no one would believe, or adapt to improving circumstances. He chose the latter, and now acknowledges practically every day that the economy is getting better on Obama's watch, while trying to deny the president credit for the progress.
The L.A. Times had a good report on this yesterday, noting that Romney effectively had no choice.
[A]fter months of steady job growth, improved consumer confidence and big gains on Wall Street, the economy seems in less dire need of fixing, and Romney has been forced to alter his message or risk seeming out of touch.
"I believe the economy's coming back," Romney said at a breakfast stop Monday in Springfield, where the former Massachusetts governor campaigned ahead of Tuesday's Illinois primary.
But he gave absolutely no credit to President Obama -- "the economy always comes back after recession" -- and insisted the administration's policies had made matters worse and the recovery slower than it should have been.
Greg Sargent added, "This yet another sign that the Romney campaign is betting heavily on the possibility that the American people won't remember or factor in just how awful a crisis Obama inherited upon taking office."
Quite right. At this point, the old Reagan line -- "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" -- is the one question Romney and the Republican Party doesn't want Americans to ask, because it's so transparently obvious that national conditions have improved considerably.
This is not to say that conditions are good, necessarily, only that they're better. When FDR sought re-election in 1936, the unemployment rate was 17%, but he won re-election in a historic landslide -- not because a 17% unemployment rate was satisfactory, but because Americans realized Roosevelt inherited a crisis and helped get the country back on track.
It was about the direction, not the condition -- like now, the economy went from losing jobs to gaining jobs, from contraction to growth.
It makes Romney's challenge very difficult. His pitch is, in effect, "Sure, Obama inherited a global crash, took steps to turn the economy around, and I'll concede that things are now better. But vote against him anyway because I perceive us lacking ... economic 'freedom.'"
This is the single most important aspect of the 2012 presidential election, and Mitt Romney appears to have found himself without an argument.
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With an improving economy, not only has Mr. Romney lost his economic argument but he has lost the entire rationale for his candidacy. But what's with all of this "freedom" nonsense he was spouting last night? The last time I checked, the US hadn't been transformed into North Korea overnight when no one was looking. And, since he's suddenly so concerned about freedom, why does he want to take a chunk of it away from women by telling them how to take care of their bodies? Or, more precisely, not take care of their bodies because he's on record for wanting to "get rid of Planned Parenthood" and putting restrictions on contraception funding.
The man has no principles whatsoever. Too bad Seamus didn't strap Mitt to the roof of the car.
Are you unclear what Freedom means????
Freedom from regulation so we can loot the middle class and pollute to our hearts content.
Freedom to control women's bodies .
Freedom to disenfranchise voters
That my friends is freedom.
Freedom to keep their base uneducated
Freedom to ignore various religions
Freedom to rape the earth
(btw, if you take water out of a bowl, eventually the water goes away...)
Freedom to take children off of food stamps
Freedom to create social division and run on that campaign
Freedom to out right lie during the information age.
Freedom is one of the buzz words so abused by Republicans that I half-expect it to jump off the teleprompter and get a restraining order against them.
Charley James, you are so right!
FDR was elected president four times! After he died during his 4th term, the congress changed the law which limited a president to 2 terms.
You Republicans would be wise to remember that next time you grumble that we can't afford Obama for another 4 years, and take solice in the fact he can't be vying for another 12 years - because I believe America would continue to choose him over the mindless, pandering Republican alternatives being presented today.
Obama/Biden 2012
absolutely,and rember the republicans did cause the term limits for the president,e because they wanted to take controll of us ,it has taken 40 years for them to get that controll and now they are trying to chang history and the constitution,they want to make us a totally religious state,and there have been more wars fought over religious ideals than any other reason,no body took prayer out of schools they just fixed it so other religions didnt get forced to pray their way,any christian knows that god has told them to pray in their closets and he will hear them, and as far as Limbaugh I dont know if he goes to any church but ,do you renmber god told all of us not to judge any one that would be his job when and if we are lucky enough to meet him,also when the prostitute was brought before Jesus ,what he told the accusers, that anyone with out sin should throw the first stone,Im betting theres not anyone who will read this who would be qualified to even pick the stone up!
Romney has taken the same attack dog path as Sarah Palin, and Michelle Bachman. Voters made it clear to Palin and Bachman that they have no interest in juvenile insults.
Eventually, he will have to come up with more than negative attacks, and present an actual plan to show Americans his "vision".
America is not ready for a hostile take over of Social Security, or Medicare. Romney is experienced in only take overs, with some success and a lot of failures.
His failures left companies and workers alike, bankrupt and destroyed, and Americans are not ready to put America at that type of risk.
Obama has lead a steady course that has us pointed in the right direction, and we all know it. His policies will also protect us from a Wall Street take over of the political system.
Romney will be gambling with his approach to the budget and will produce nothing more than winners and losers. The wealthy being the winners and the rest of the population losers.
America has already witnessed what Wall Street gambles do to America.
I hear you and agree whole heartedly, however, the GOP base don't believe that the African-American currently holding the office is a "natural born American", believe in that trickle down drivel that almost took US over the edge, and FAUX NOISE hasn't talked about the good that has been happening (albeit slowly) to this nation, and don't live in the real world nor do they pay attention....
Zora...Sad but true.
I do think there is a wave of awareness coming into play this election that will put voters in a good position to see through the character assassinations the GOP professes as " serious issues" for America.
Eventually the *hit will hit the sidewalk for the GOP, and truth will prevail.
I watched Mitt Romney as he rose from his seat to join with his supporters in reciting the pledge of allegiance recently. It was refreshing to see the man actually stand for something.
When you're clutching at straws, all you can hope for is people that don't remember past yesterday to vote for you......
It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the one candidate or even several; it's the whole Republican party that's like this. It's like they believe the Information Age never started.
If, indeed, Obama made the recovery slower and 'worser', it is curious that Romney isn't telling us how better it would be, if only we had been wise enough to have voted for McCain. . .
Palin would already have been replaced would that scenario have occurred.
And that's a loser for the gop. Let's start setting up for 2016.
Hillary 2016!
I watched Romney's 'victory' speech in Illinois -- the first time I've heard his whole speech. I was shocked by how dull and platitudinous he sounds --almost like a bad high school paper -- full of empty generalities interlarded with sniping at 'the intellectuals' and 'community organizers.'
The GOP's sheer faith in the public's desire to identify with the wealthy because they hope someday to be millionaires, too, is out of step with contemporary trends. Not only that, when the structure of a corporation -- hierarchical, underlings without say-so on anything -- pretends to be able to govern an entire, diverse nation like ours it shows that they are not only ridiculously out of their depth, they simply are too narrow to rule us. Though they clearly want to!
Intellectuals = smart people
Why the Republicans want to go to war against smart people is beyond me. I guess it comes down to the fundamental difference between the two parties.
Democrats: The mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Republicans: The mind is a terrible thing. We need to repeal it!
"interlarded " ...brilliant metaphor, or is that a simile? You decide.
To steal a line from the Nixon era; ' would you buy a used car from this man'.
Not only are Romney's arguments empty, he continues to come across as unlikeable. He just seems so phony. At least the other clowns in the circus parade actually believe in the crap they spew. Mitt doesn't seem to believe in anything other than his destiny should be as POTUS. And he will say absolutely anything to acheive that end.
what makes it so bad is he will lie and cheat the public worse than Bush did,and he is good at running businesses in the ground and taking their pensions,then selling what is left to scrap dealers.
I noticed Romney started talking about the gas prices but, not too much. I think he probably got a reaction from the audience that they didn't believe him. I think the Republicans are going to stop using the gas price issue. Too many Americans are onto that lie. But, the more they talk about it the more desperate they look. I think that if the Republicans in general started disecting what the nominees are saying they would probably not vote at all. They are patriotic like us and want to vote. They could vote Democrat for one year. That would send a clear and present message to Wall Street and Big Oil. We're not bailing you out again. We as Americans will no longer be fooled by anybody regardless of Party. That's what being an American is all about. Noone tells us what to do.
Maybe for once they decided to not step on the landmine of their own making? They cheered for drilling right up to the BP spill. They insisted back in 2008 I believe that you can't get anything out of the oil companies without it being passed onto the consumers. And gas prices have shot up not because of supply/demand but potential supply issues that they themselves are exacerbating with war talk.
"This yet another sign that the Romney campaign is betting heavily on the possibility that the American people won't remember or factor in just how awful a crisis Obama inherited upon taking office."
And that the ameriKKKan sheeple won't remember or factor in that Mittens wants to reintroduce (on steroids) the Bush policies that got us there!!!
Romney is the consummate used car salesman for the Republicans. He smiles all the time he is trying to screw you out of something. Vague and ambiguous promises. lofty language are all part of the sales pitch.
Vague and ambiguous promises. lofty language are all part of the sales pitch.
This can be applied to almost every politician from any political party. It's called campaigning.
what a fitting analogy!
You are correct that all politicians make vague and ambiguous promises. But Republicans love to wave the flag as if they have a monopoly on patriotism. And they are anything but patriotic. They have tried to undercut Obama's foreign policy at every turn. But they expect Dems to stay quiet when it is a Republican president.
Romney would be unable to specify what "freedoms" people have lost under Obama. He is using buzz words that mean different things to different people. Eventually, he is going to face the hard questions. People will pick up on canned answers, particularly when they don't answer the question.
What I love is his argument that 'yes, it's improving but Obama had nothing to DO with it.' Who DID Mitt? The Republicans in Congress who blocked every single thing to make the country better? How about those 'small business' owners that have been SO SCREWED in the economy? The Banks? Those guys that are SO over regulated that they can't do their jobs? How about the HEDGE FUND MANAGERS that have now decided Obama is NOT their friend and they have to pivot to ROMNEY who is determined to take over the American economy, pocket his 'fee', sell off the bad parts and THEN blame it on Obama AGAIN for the NEXT 4 years? Despicable.
The republican budget announcement leaves very little for middle class and poor people. Just because they were first does not mean its good for the country. I dont claim to know alot about all this but it will effect me a retired teacher and my family. Gas companys gets us three ways, pump, exports when we need it here, government subs. and tax breaks. I feel no one talks about it enough to make a difference. Please keep talking about it and make it a part of public opinion.
I find it fascinating that Romney keeps 'pushing' his wife out in front of him...everywhere he goes and she says..."I LOVE the way women are becoming interested in jobs and the economy"...OMG...Now SHE'S forgetting that she's the only one who has 4 houses and 2 cadillacs...
She is obviously trying to cover up the war on women...the Party keeps waging! :)
They say you campaign in poetry, and govern in prose. I think the GOP is campaigning in Hooked on Phonics... and with all of the crazy things they're trying (and succeeding, in a lot of cases), we can see how they're governing... *sigh*
Romney's base are the super rich. They didn't feel the recession much, so you really think they will remember how bad it was 4 years ago?
heck no!
In all honesty, President Obama has not been able to help the economy very much, because his "friends" across the aisle have made sure that he would have to dance on one leg. Mitt Romney's own economic analysis seems to be, "Let's do everything we were doing in 2007, and more so. That should get the economy rolling again."
They may take our lives...but they will never take our FREEDUMB!
"And let me add that my proposal for replacing Planned Parenthood with UNplanned Parenthood is a freedom that all America's women will soon embrace as much as they embrace their Cadillacs that are the right height."
Im wondering if we will have to cut our tall pines, down to a heigh,t he will be happy with?
That is the latest heavily emphasized "buzz word" for the GOP - "FREEDOM" - Santorum's banner hypes "freedom" and he stressed the fact that he was speaking about "economic freedom for businesses". Freedom? What about freedom for women to manage their own lives and their own bodies? The young women who were on stage and clapping and cheering these guys must NOT have an understanding of what will be done to squash their rights, hopes and dreams once under Republican rule. Better start cutting and sewing your scarlet letter on all of your clothes.....
I LOVE Jon's comment about the word 'freedom'. And I've heard PLENTY of Romney victory speeches! I don't want to hear another one--ESPECIALLY NOT in November. Look--I KNOW the Republican field is weak and weak-minded, but this is NO slam dunk. All the 'big guns', including several loose cannons like Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann are going to be out IN FORCE all the way to Election Day and there's NO TELLING how many BILLIONS the Koch Bros. and their minions are going to throw at Romney. So--until we really DO 'get 'er done', I'll save the 'victory laps' on the Dem side until October at the earliest.
Wise advice indeed
Jacqueline's analysis is spot on. Once this primary circus has left town, the big guns with the big dollars will be out in force. Now's the time to go door to door, making sure voters understand where the real threat to our freedom will be coming from in November. At least this looney primary season has let the people paying attention see what the real agenda is!
Doesn't Romney pivot on every topic on a roughly 48 hour schedule? Does he have people to remind what he's for or against or are those some of the jobs he out-sourced overseas? I think all of his answers come out of a Magic 8 ball that he keeps hidden under the lecturn
The following are words and phrases that Republicans should never again be allowed to say on TV... ever!
"Freedom"... "The American People"... "Free Market"... "Socialist"... "Job Creators"... "Gay Agenda"... "Corporations are People"... "Obamacare"... "Pro-Life"... "Muslim"... "Obummer"... "The Word of God"... "Tax and Spend"... "Entitlements"... "The Economy"... "Voter Fraud"... "Taxation"... "Regulations"... "Big Government"... "Women"... "Contraception"... "I Promise"... "Deficit"... "Family Values"... "Anti-Religion"... "War on Families"... "Defence of Marriage"... "Sheeple"... "Founding Fathers"... and of course"Tea Party".