Associated Press
Romney suddenly finds himself all alone.
In theory, there's nothing stopping Mitt Romney from seeking elected office again. He has vast wealth, high name recognition, and an eagerness to serve, and came relatively close to winning the presidency a few weeks ago.
But at this point, Romney would be lucky to get his own allies to return his phone calls. The failed candidate caused a stir last week when he told donors President Obama won re-election because he bribed women and minorities with "big gifts," such as health care and education. Several prominent figures on the right denounced the comments, but on the Sunday shows, Republicans piled on.
Mitt Romney, who just two weeks ago was the Republican Party's standard-bearer, seen by many as the all-but-elected president of the United States, has turned into a punching bag for fellow Republicans looking to distance themselves from his controversial "gifts" remark. [...]
Whether it's an instance of politicians smelling blood in the water as the party, following Romney's defeat, finds itself without a figurehead, or genuine outrage, a number of Republicans have eagerly castigated their former nominee.
Josh Marshall said the GOP pushback amounted to "Lord of the Flies" treatment, which seems like an apt comparison.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) again helped lead the charge -- "If we want people to like us, we have to like them first," he said on Fox News -- but this was no small chorus. Newt Gingrich called Romney's comments "nuts" and "insulting." Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R), and Carlos Gutierrez, Romney's director of Hispanic outreach, joined in with similar condemnations.
On ABC, conservative columnist George Will lowered the boom: "It's been well said that you have a political problem when the voters don't like you, but you've got a real problem when the voters think you don't like them.... Quit despising the American people."
There are two larger angles to this that are worth keeping in mind.
First, the speed with which Romney has gone from "national leader of the Republican Party" to "political pariah" is truly incredible. It's not unusual for an unsuccessful presidential candidate to hear grumbling from within his or her own party after a defeat, but I can't think of any modern instance in which a major-party nominee has been trashed this much, this quickly.
It's hard not to get the impression that the Republican establishment merely tolerated Romney's candidacy for much of 2012, and now that he's lost, officials are more comfortable expressing their barely-hidden contempt.
Second, I hope the political world doesn't overlook the notion that these GOP condemnations of Romney probably aren't entirely sincere. After all, Romney's "gifts" comments, while phrased in a clumsy and offensive way, were pretty consistent with contemporary conservative thought. Indeed, they echo Romney's infamous "47 percent" video, which many on the right cheered after the tape was released in September.
In other words, there's reason to believe Republicans were looking for an excuse to distance themselves from their failed candidate, and "gifts" offered a pretense for the party to do what it wanted to do anyway.
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Mitt Romney... the "gift" that keeps on giving.
I am enjoying the playing out of 'evolution' of a party that often rejects the theory. Species that have the traits best suited to adapt to an environment will survive...
While I agree with some of the others, skeptical of the sincerity of some of the ones speaking out, I am relieved to see some of them that I think are 'getting it'. Just wonder how long they will be 'welcome' within their own party.
It's pretty darned amusing to see some of the premier nut jobs in the Republican Party call Romney "nuts," and say other words to that effect.
But most of these Repub critics are people who never wanted Romney as the nominee anyway, and they include people who themselves ran against him for it (Gingrich) and people who were disappointed in their hopes to be chosen as Romney's running mate (Jindal, Walker, Rubio, Christie). Sour grapes never tasted so sour, right guys?
Romney had more money than anyone else running. Other candidates shot themselves in the foot or did not have the money to continue running. Romney was the only one who appeared like-able and who didn't totally forget his third objective to delete from the budget. They threw all the money they could at him to make him electable but people still saw through his B.S. The GOP needs to look within to find the answer to why they didn't win. Their policies help 1% of America and worked against their candidates who knock up their secretaries. (Jackasses need to learn the dump truck method if their going to continue to go against their own "Republican Family Values.") If they want to win they need to stop pandering to the extreme far right. Damn it, I just ruined it for the Dems. Sorry, you may actually have real competition now if one of the GOP'ers reads this post and takes it to heart.
Democrats saw Romney as a pariah long before the GOP fell in line. His comments and beliefs are congruent with his upper class life style. He doesn't like what he doesn't understand- and he clearly doesn't understand women, minorities, or those who are GLBT. Naturally he will blame us for his shortcomings as a person and candidate.
Well said!
Wow! It really is amazing how fast Romney went from being the GOP great white hope to being lower than whale dung in the Republican universe. It's also really cool and very very funny! I love it!!!
Let's go back to the Republican Convention, with the exception of Mrs. Romney, there was not one presenter who spoke of how they admired Romney or of his accomplishments or how good he would be as President. They all tooted their own horns as though they were running for nomination. That was the first clue that his own party really did not like him.
Romney is a venture capitalist , a corporate raider. This he does with a standard of excellence and he would do well to stay within his element.
So is Romney politically done, I hope so - unless there is a need for a national dog catcher.
(DISCLAIMER: I voted Libertarian) This is just another clear example of GOP hypocrisy. If Obama had lost, Democrats would have pointed out why, they would have criticized, but they wouldn't have lambasted him the way the GOP is going after Romney. Their crucifying him now just reveals what we already knew: they never wanted him in the first place. They don't know what they want. And they sure don't know what the American people want. There was intense dissatisfaction within a large segment of the American populace with Obama's first term, including among those who voted for him in 2012. But the GOP couldn't come up with a candidate who could intelligently debate pertinent issues such as the economy and steer the party away from crackpot discussions of abortion, rape, and welfare cheats. Despite what the fringe (becoming the center) of the GOP thinks, the American people don't need or want a daddy, they want a fiscal manager. The GOP only need produce one and they would significantly increase their chances of a win.
Fiscally conservative and socially liberal Republicans were run out of the party by ultra-right wing nuts. Until they return, the GOP will continue to be a racist, sexist, elitist party struggling to garner favor with a majority of the populace unwilling to return to serfdom.
Newt GINGRICH called Romney "nuts" and "insulting"? Well, I guess he'd know... All hail the moon king!
RICO Romney proved he is delusional & not in the loop with the majority of People in America. The rest of the party continues to lie, steal, and publicly rebuke their chosen one. Watch the Congressional actions in 2013 to determine who can replace the incumbents best.
Romney and the Republican party does despise ordinary, hard-working people, seniors, the disabled and every other not so minority groups. They pander to the super rich individuals and big businesses with corporate welfare, that no one talks about. Lets talk about the "gifts" the super rich get, such as lower taxes, subsidies, loopholes, etc. I know Romney and the Republicans are reeling from their loss, but I don't expect they will change their ways--they are not too smart!!!
Does anyone else find it delightfully ironic that the one of
the “servants” setting out the caviar in Boca Raton was partially responsible for exposing
Mitt and quite possibly bringing down his presidential campaign.
Really? Where did you get this information?
And it was Carter's grandson! How rich.
Lost in the backlash from his "gifts" excuse for losing the Election, is the point that Romney was making to his donors. He was telling them that they did not spend enough to buy the Election, and they would need to spend more in the next ones. Congress must act soon to stop the flood of money that will make 2012 look like a trickle.
Oh my God! The rush of love is overwhelming. Does anyone think Bain is pulling up a chair for Mitt this very moment?
Romney lost the election. Stop giving him media coverage and hopefully he will go away. I am sick and tired of hearing about him. How many times does it take when you keep losing to understand people do not buy what you are selling.
I said - early on - that Mitt - probably MORE than even Gingrich, was a 'diagnosable' narcissistic, delusional, sociopath ... which works fine in BUSINESS when you when you START OUN FAVORED and RICH.
I does nor, however work out so well when runnung for POTUS.
Sic Transit Gloria!
Mitt's true feelings about we slackers and deadbeats, in song:
http://youtu.be/zq6CTWFvrUs
The Republican Party put its collective hand up Romney's rump and made sure the talking points emanating from his mouth were the ultra-right-wing, racist, sexist, garbage they have pushed for the last 14 years. Flinging him into the fire because his lying, wooden performance couldn't give them the White House is no surprise. As mentioned by others, they are condemning him for saying what they really feel. This time however, his words were not confined to a fundraising dinner with like-minded millionaires and billionaires. Their real reaction was probably: "He said that out loud?!"
republicans what are republicans oh I remember they are a bunch of monkeys who wanted to run a dictatorships
They're hypocrites! The stench of Mitt Romney should plague them. Mitt isn't saying anything differently from his (47%) comments, and why are the GOP outraged now? They all were hiding behind Super PAC $$$$'s. They bet on Mitt winning the Election and lost! They have no more need to affiliate themselves with him anymore, because Mitt has become a liability to the Republican party. Hypocracy!
I agree.
Mitt Romney and his entire family better bring their birth certificate before they can swim in our blue waters of Waikiki.
Years ago, when I was still an impressionable young man, my parents involved themselves in a multi-level marketing (aka "pyramid scheme") sales company. No, I won't name names, but it was one of the mainstream brands.
My step-father, bless his heart, was a hard-working paper mill foreman with nothing more than a high school diploma. He put in long hours, often working double or swing shifts, and really tried to work with both management and the millwright's union. But it took its toll on his body, and with the promise of an "easy" path to financial success, he left his well-paying job and "invested" in the new MLM model.
They bought products. They bought office equipment. They "bought in" to seminars, speeches, and rallies (all for a "fee," of course). They bought, and bought, and bought. Even though the money was going out faster than it came in, they continued to buy the company's product because they really, truly believed that they would break through that bottom base level, and move up through the ranks of distribution to leadership.
And certainly, the illusion was well played. A "district sales manager" would come to our distributor's house and hold a seminar. He would drive up in a Cadillac, wear a nice suit, and be resplendent with jewels and rings. He would tell us how if we just "worked hard" and "sold more" and "found more contacts" we could be just like him.
And for awhile, they believe them. They were impressed by the fancy cars, the spacious mansions, the yachts, and rings, and gold, and precious stones. All of the sparkly things. But after about a year ... it wasn't working. It wasn't for trying, either. They dutifully talked to their friends, family, church members — anyone who were willing to listen. They'd offer testimonials, invite others to seminars, and give away product samples. But like I said above, the money went out faster than it came in.
You see where this is going, right?
My parents lost everything: their savings, their retirement funds, etc. Luckily, the house was already paid for, or they would have probably lost that, too. They were too busy paying the "fees" and buying the "product" and trying to convince others that they should "buy in," too.
And me? Well ... I certainly remember the first "district sales seminar" my parents took me to. It was in a well-appointed home which was packed. People wore their suits and dresses, it was a dress-up party for adults. Even though I was too young to understand most of the jargon "district manager" was casting from the podium, something struck me: he was a fake; an imposter — "slick."
I knew right away (children are the best judges of character, no?) what he was. The fake sun tan. The Brylcreem pompadour. The rings on every finger. On, and on. He was a shark. A well-dressed, smooth-talkin' shark. But no one was looking at the rows of razor-sharp teeth in his bleach-white smile.
The "dream" lasted all but two years. It's taken my parents nearly two decades to get back to where they were, before. They now, once again, have a retirement fund (thanks to my mom's public teacher union-backed savings plan), and are making plans for their future. I thank God they (and I) learned this lesson early.
The reason I relate this is because I had the same feeling about Mr. Romney as I did that "district manager," that of a flawed individual trying to impress others with his wealth and supposed know-how. I saw a consistently shifting man; more than willing to say one thing, and then do another, as long as it would secure him more votes. His gaudy rings were his "mis-statements" — telling trinkets of who the real Mitt Romney really was: a despiser of the "47%"; a rich plutocrat who believed that writing away the "unprofitable" aspects of society (the poor and lower-middle class), would somehow lift the rich and wealthy.
Time and time, again, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. He had turned around the Winter Olympics. He had saved name brands (Staples, Olive Garden, etc.) we all knew and loved. He was certainly a competent man ... but was he a moral one? Was he truly "honest in his dealings with his fellow man," as his religion's founder required? I don't know ... I still don't, and that's the problem.
You see, I never got to see the real Mitt Romney. I saw the competent, left-of-center Republican governor of a deeply-blue state. I saw the business leader; a turn-around wunderkind. But then I saw other, more concerning, attributes, as well. "My wife drives a couple of Cadillacs." "Corporations are people, too." "I know some of the NASCAR owners." Time and time again, given a chance to "connect" with the people, he fell flat on his face. His comments always seemed high-brow, the subtext reading: "I'll stoop down to you poor slobs, if I must, but I'll still remind you of my superiority."
Why? Why did he do this? Why couldn't he just "speak the language of the people"? Why couldn't he be the "compassionate Conservative" W. had purported to be? Why?
Because that wasn't who he naturally was, or is. Mitt Romney is a wealthy son of a wealthy Michigan businessman. He's the "car guy" who, in the final desperate moments of his campaign, tried to scare Ohio workers with false statements about Chrysler's Jeep operations in Toledo. Because, underneath all the suits, and rings, and Brylcreem, Mitt Romney is a man desperate to please. He wants to be liked; listened to and consulted with. He desperately wants to be the "nice Mitt" who can put his hands out to both the unionized worker and the high-dollar plant owner. He wants to be the smart kid who figures out how to save a failing business and collect a handsome fee.
But he couldn't be the real Mitt. He had to be the "severely conservative" Mitt. Instead of showing us his best aspects — his ability to work with others to get things done — he came off as pedantic, belittling, and even cruel.
Once I heard that, I knew that this was the real Mitt Romney. And now, the "gifts" remarks just reinforce my view of him: a washed-up, pompadoured salesman. We saw through his pitch, and thankfully ... avoided the disaster that "buying in" to his product would have created.
I disagree that Romney has "an eagerness to serve." I believe he has a desire to rule, stemming from his contempt of us.
yes, and to dominate.
Yes, I wonder at Benen's definition of "serve". Romney's "eagerness to serve" doesn't fit my idea of service.
he just wants "to serve man."