A couple of months ago, Mitt Romney unveiled a curious line of attack against President Obama. The Republican said Obama's campaign strategy is to "re-elect him so we can find out what he will actually do." Romney added, "With all the challenges the nation faces, this is not the time for President Obama's hide and seek campaign.... Unlike President Obama, you don't have to wait until after the election to find out what I believe in -- or what my plans are."
It remains one of the more ironic comments I've heard from a politician in a long while.
On Sunday, CBS's Bob Schieffer asked Romney four times whether he would keep Obama's new immigration policy in place if elected, and four times, Romney dodged. Yesterday, Fox News' Carl Cameron tried to get a straight answer, but the GOP nominee would only say, "What I can tell you is that those people who come here by virtue of their parents bringing them here, who came in illegally, that's something I don't want to football with as a political matter."
First, "football" is not a verb. Second, for a candidate to state a position on an important national issue is not to turn something into "a political matter," as if "political matters" are somehow inherently awful.
In the larger context, I'm reminded of something Rich Lowry, the editor of the conservative National Review, said over the weekend.
Romney, Lowry noted, has "a great allergy to specifics and details." Romney may have rationalized the value of such a strategy -- if he told voters exactly what he intends to do, they'd probably vote against him -- but his tactics really aren't healthy in a democratic system, they'll deny him any kind of mandate if he wins, and they reinforce the perception that Romney too often prefers the coward's way out.
Indeed, the problem only intensifies as the list of issues he avoids gets longer.
We talked on the show last week about Romney's vague health care agenda, and Greg Sargent reported on Romney refusing to explain how he'd pay for his massive tax breaks. Josh Israel had a good item yesterday, listing the seven major issues Romney simply won't take a position on, and if recent history is any guide, more are on the way.
The mainstream is starting to notice.
Romney's struggle to offer a clear alternative on the immigration issue was a fresh reminder of one of the challenges he faces, which is to go beyond his steady criticism of the president with a more detailed description of the policies he would implement to replace what Obama has done.
Immigration is a problem particularly because of conservative stances Romney took during the Republican primary campaign that now could cause him difficulty in appealing to Hispanic voters in the general election. But even regarding the biggest issue of the campaign -- the economy -- there are many unanswered questions as to what he would do. [...]
At the rally here in Newark, Romney revved up a couple of thousand supporters by promising to "shock the world with how our economy's coming back," but in a speech that clocked at just nine minutes, offered only broad outlines and few specifics.
Even if Romney sees potential benefits from such ambiguities, maybe he could give irony a break and stop boasting, "Unlike President Obama, you don't have to wait until after the election to find out what I believe in -- or what my plans are"?
Leave a Comment:
Do voters and the ordinary folks in this great nation look like idiots and fools to Mitt Romney? Just because we don't have car elevators in our homes and $250 million in offshore bank accounts doesn't mean we can be taken advantage of. But Mitt thinks so, for why else would he continue to evade any responsibility or accountability for his plans for this country if he wins this election? Candidates generally have a platform and sell it to voters. Romney breeds great suspicion about what he will do to America by repeatedly refusing to discuss any facet of his policies or proposals, even refusing to take a position on the most important topic of the latest news cycle. Romney is a dangerous man.. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
The hypocrisy and lies of the gop know no bound. Specifics? None.? Because they simply lie and make it up as though reality does not exist. Which is dangerous and telling in the mental condition of one such as the those in the gop.
Like wanting government out of EVERYTHING to do the work of Jesus for the poor, unless its anti abortion of anti gay or anti women mind you. Not convinced? Then why is Mr. McCain leading a charge to regulate Boxing? Hmmm. Keep out of it gop, its a private industry, you know, like Wrestling. Why on earth can you not remain consistant? Are you being controlled or has dementia set in on you all? ; ]
Cheers
News flash - the vast majority of voters and ordinary folks in this great nation are idiots and fools, which is why Romney has a good chance of being elected.
"The best argument against democracy is a 5-minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill
Obviously the only platform or issue that right winged voters consider of any value is anti-obamaism.
Works for me. But even considering that Obama inherited a mess, are you better off than 4 years ago? I don't think so. If business stinks, having an anti-business President isn't going to help.
I love you Shooter. Are you performance art like Republican Point of View or do really believe the Fox News line?
The answer is yes, nearly everybody I know is better off now than he or she was 4 years ago. Remember that was the beginning of the depression. The world was bleeding jobs. Things aren't terrific now, but the bleeding has stopped. I am willing to give Obama credit for stopping the bleeding.
Oh if only President McCain had won .
The only down side would have been the appearances of loser Obama on the Sunday talk shows every other week.
Just because I'm in a mood to take on Shooty:
1) Care to tell us what Obama has done that's so anti-business? Be specific, please.
2) Right now, what we've got is an anti-business Congress: what businesses need to expand is people with money to buy their products and services. But with unemployment and underemployment running as high as they are, there's nobody to buy stuff.
The solution to this is appallingly obvious: we've got infrastructure repair and maintenance work that we've been putting off for years and decades, that we'll need to do sometime. Now is the best time in three ways: borrowing costs are the lowest they'll ever be, labor costs are unusually low because of high unemployment, and with so much labor and equipment sitting idle, there's no crowding-out of private activity. It's fiscally irresponsible NOT to do this stuff now.
And it would put millions of Americans back to work, they'd have more money that they'd be able to spend on what businesses have to sell, the businesses would hire more people, and we'd get back to normal.
Obama wants to do this. The Republicans in Congress have blocked him. We have an anti-business GOP majority in Congress that needs to be tossed out and replaced by Democrats that will get our country moving again.
Yes. Dramatically so, as a matter of fact.
@Ron Byers Sounds like you are believing the proffered unemployment numbers. Here's one of your own declaring those numbers bogus. PS how much value has your house lost since Obama's been in office?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-the-real-unemployment-rate-is-11-percent/2011/12/12/gIQAuctPpO_blog.html
Oh brother. Would you rather have the truth, or have Obama lie to you, to make you feel better? All Romney needs to say is I'll leave that to Congress, as in, I don't need to be King.
WOW!you haven't understood the essence of a DEMOCRACY and how our constitutional republic works,do you?
Sometimes,i feel really sad that our democracy is falling behind those of other wealthy nations.
I used to think,that you take a position,after a long and careful ANALYSIS of all options available to you.For a while now i have come to grips with the fact that some people,the MASS is incapable of analysis without being subjected to prejudices and fads.
What is scary in our democracy is that, these people are MANY,PASSIONATE and they VOTE!
What truth, exactly, is Romney telling people. He takes both sides of almost every issue. He won't tell anybody what he believes, or what he plans to do, because he knows that people won't elect him if he does.
So far, he's been the "fill in the blank" candidate. What will I do about immigration policy? Fill in the blank with--whatever. Same about jobs creation, since we know that giving the rich huge tax breaks and waiting for "trickle down" doesn't work. Tax policy? If he follows Simpson-Bowles, as he hints at, bye bye to the deductions for home mortgage interest and property taxes that many middle class folk need in order to afford the homes they're already mortgaged to the hilt for.
"Leaving it to Congress" isn't an option. Presidents are supposed to lead, and Romney keeps saying that Obama isn't. Or is, and he's doing too much. It's a little hard to tell what Romney believes (if, in fact, he really believes much of anything), since he never tells us.
But keep drinking that Republican Kool-Aid, Shooter.
For Romney, it's all Mittbelieve.
The mainstream is starting to notice.
Well no it effin well isn't.
I watch all three major newscasts simultaneously at the gym at 6:30 .
Blah Blah Blah .. Obama and Willard: Neck and Neck recent polls show.... maybe a 1.5 minute spot . Now what Brittney is up to and more news on the Royals
That ladies and gentleman is what you get along with Mitt clips of some mendacious statement (LIE) that receives no follow up or connection with actual facts .
I hold out little hope for this country after the Kochs and Roves of this world are through with it.
Mitt is a political Shape Shifter, an alien walking among humans, hoping we won't notice. But the small slips- 'the aircraft', 'sport', 'do you get your hoagies at Wawas?' gives him away.
He, -alien that he is,- does not understand mainstream American culture, or its mores, so his only hope of being the first non-human President is to run on a platform of "Elect me: I'm not Obama!"
Remember what it used to be like when you tried to buy a used car?
You took the car to your own mechanic, because no sensible person would trust what the used-car salesman told them.
Then CARFAX came along and really helped.
I think about used cars when I think about Mitt Romney. I hear him trying to sell me a "used car" just like the one we had before [GWBush policies*] that turned out to be a TOTAL LEMON!!!
*Just to clarify, the Great Recession was caused by factors that had been building for 30 years, but GWB was driving (and had the wheel for years) when the car went over the cliff.
>> they'll deny him any kind of mandate if he wins
Really? It seems to me that, when a Republican wins, he automatically receives a mandate for whatever he wants to do. A Democratic victory, however lopsided, never signals support for the policies voiced by the candidate, of course. Karl Rove told me so.
The Republican strategy has been obvious for the last three years: obstruct every decent policy Obama and the Democrats have formulated, wait for the 2012 election, then blame Obama and the Democrats for failing to repair the disaster the Republicans created over the previous ten years. Romney, true to script, is now crowing over the purported failure of Obama to repair the mess the Republicans left for him.
The only conclusion is that the Republican strategists assume the American voting public is so stupid, wilfully ignorant and gullible that they will buy wholesale such disingenuously blatant political chicanery. "God help America" indeed!
@cyclist
1) Taxes already raised. Taxmageddon at the end of the year. drilling moratorium on Federal land, EPA regulations closed coal plants and refineries, Giving GM to the UAW, NLRB denial of Boeing plant in SC, Bain attacks, Keystone Pipeline denial, "crucifying" potential EPA offenders.
2) If just giving away money were all that's needed for prosperity, Greece would be Germany. The reason for un and under employment is that business isn't growing. There's no reason for it to. There are trillions on the sideline because everyone's afraid of Govt. They see Boeing invest billions in SC and afterwards the NLRB declares that investment illegal. Fortunately, that's been resolved, but the next guy may not be so lucky. For any company to invest currently is rank negligence.
3) Maybe you've heard about Obama's epiphany that there are no shovel ready jobs, nor will there be until all Govt mandated studies are performed to their satisfaction. Your fantasy of ditch diggers bringing prosperity to America is just that, fantasy.
4) People don't have money because of the immense amount of personal debt. Unlike Govt they have to pay it back. And, in a debt driven recession Keynes doesn't work. You can't tax your way to prosperity, and you can't borrow your way to solvency.
5) One place that is doing well is North Dakota. They've pretty much done everything differently, but they have lots of jobs, demand, and tax revenue. Maybe Obama should give that method a try
" . . . but his tactics really aren't healthy in a democratic system, they'll deny him any kind of mandate if he wins, and they reinforce the perception that Romney too often prefers the coward's way out."
Of course Romney prefers the coward's way out. Because he's a coward. And he's proven it over and over again throughout his life. Advocates for war, but dodges the draft. Gets a gang together to intimidate a student he doesn't like. Uses power and money at Bain to reduce compensation or kill jobs outright for working class people while refusing to discuss the matter with them. Cuts benefits or raises living costs for the poor and the sick in order to give tax breaks to the rich and powerful.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Romney is a sniveling, cringing, yellow-bellied coward. Which qualifies him perfectly as the Republican standard bearer.
Hey, Willard said he thought Scott Walker's campaign for governor was something to emulate, and he's doing just that.