Still think…
…Romney’s not hard-hitting enough? Check this out:
Mitt Romney calls campaign attacks by President Obama and his allies “vituperative” and “vicious” and “absurd” and “sad.” Also: Effective.
“I do think that the president’s campaign of personal vilification and demonization probably draws some people away from me,” Romney says when asked why he’s no better than tied against a vulnerable incumbent…
“There are plenty of weaknesses that I have, and I acknowledge that,” Romney says. “But the attacks that have come have been so misguided, have been so far off target, have been so dishonest, that they surprised me. I thought they might go after me on things that were accurate that I’ve done wrong, instead of absurd things.”…
“Isn’t it sad? Isn’t it sad that the focus of the president’s campaign, having been president for four years, is to try and attack the personality of the person he’s running against as opposed to standing up for his record and his plan for the future? But because his record is so weak and because his plan forward is a continuation of what he’s done in the past, the only thing he can do is attack me.”
By the way, what were those legitimate vulnerabilities on which he had expected attacks?
“Not going to tell you,” he says, chuckling. “Sorry.”
And man, I sure hope this is true:
How will the next 10 weeks be different from what’s gone before?
“It will be more intense,” [Romney] says, “and I will make no mistakes.” Then he laughs.
You know, at the beginning this campaign seemed endless. But all of a sudden it feels like it’s going very fast. I think that, unlike many other candidates, Romney becomes more appealing with more exposure. I hope he doesn’t run out of time for the American people to get to know him instead of the caricature of him that the Obama campaign has tried to paint.
I would say “I’m getting nervous,” but that’s not true. I’ve been nervous from the start, and I remain so.
Don’t forget the debates. I’m sure Romney and Ryan are looking forward to them — can’t say the same for Obama and Biden, who are probably thinking of ways to get out of them. Laryngitis?!
Call me vindictive or whatever; But, at the end of this campaign I would like to see Obama with two black eyes, a broken nose, a bloody and swollen lip, a couple of scraped knees, and missing his front teeth!
Obama is the one who fights dirty and, hopefully, Romney can give him “a dose of his own medicine.”
Further, I hope Romney gets away with it even though the referee (i.e. the news media) is on Obama’s side.
Bully Obama needs to be put in his place. And I believe that Romney “can do it!”
I am pleased that Gov Romney is vocal in point out Barry’s failings. I also look forward to debates, especially the one between Paul Ryan and the Vice-President. I would call it a battle of wits, but Slow Joe has no ammo!
I am not suprised that the dinosaur media is lacking reporting it. They will do all in their power to re-elect the One.
Like you, Neo, I am nervous. As much as anything, though, I am nervous about the months between the election and the inauguration. If Romney wins (and I think he will) Obama will go to extreme lengths to change America, perhaps even destroy it. I believe that to my very core. Radical orthodoxy absorbed from various people over his entire life will come to full blossom during the lame duck presidency and Obama will use presidential decrees for destructive ends that you and I cannot even imagine right now. And how many in the media will stand up to this destruction?
@neoneocon I think that, unlike many other candidates, Romney becomes more appealing with more exposure.
That has certainly been my personal experience: the more I’ve seen of him & his campaign, the more I actually like the guy.
If the debates were Lincoln-Douglas style, I’d really be looking forward to them. With them “moderated” by MSM stooges, Romney-Ryan will be fighting two-front wars. I think they can handle it, but I’m not sure that voters understand that the media is dysfunctional.
Maybe the debates can illustrate that… but I’d still prefer a MSM-free debate structure.
“Still Think . . .?
Since you asked . . .
As one who was a particularly vocal Gingrinch supporter, I am heartened and pleased at Romney’s campaign so far. I always thought that he didn’t have the Gingrich fortitude (or perhaps smarts) to bring the fight to the adversary and define the field on his own terms. I am very pleased to have been proven wrong.
Certainly there have been some errors (London Olympics) and some crises (Todd Aiken), ther always will be, but on the whole, I think the Romney campaign has acquitted itself well thus far including the choice of Paul Ryan and the Medicare “Ju Jitsu” that has, in some way, redifined the classic third rail of American politics.
I understand nervous; I recommend cautious optimism without getting cocky.
Agree with “F Says”. Also, don’t forget his pardoning power.
Furthermore, parallel to the Medicare ju jitsu issue, Jack Cashill has an interesting aritcle over at American Thinker:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/08/if_the_birther_issue_comes_up_in_debate.html
The basic question he asks is whether or not Romney’s birth certificate comment was actually debate “bait” being dangled out there on the end of a hook? Normally I would discount this as wishfull thinking, but after Medicare, I’m not so sure.
I suspect we’re in for an very interesting next ten weeks.
F and Efess,
I also agree. I think the pardoning power will be interesting (Holder among others?).
I think, though, that the abuse of this privilege as a lame duck will be the final “tell” of Obama’s presidency. It could easily mark him for life as ineffective, incompetent and corrupt. Obama has shown little personally loyalty expect for a very limited inner circle.
Perhaps it will all come down to a final consideration as to how to make his (potential) single term minimally respectable and avoid comparison with Carter as an abominable administration.
‘Effective’
They are definitely effective. I use to think Romney was fantastic; the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now, after seeing only three of Obama’s advertisements, I realize that in actuality, he’s the antichrist. Though it wasn’t stated explicitly, in the ads, I’m pretty sure this guy tortures bunnies for his children’s amusement and bathes in the blood of virgins. I’m still going to vote for him, though. Go figure.
I’m nervous and then some. I fear that Barry O and the Dems will stoop to any level to win this election, including stealing the election via voter fraud.
Here in the People’s Republic of Illinois, Gov Quinn (D) was lagging in the polls by 5 points in the weeks and days before the 2010 election. Somehow, he managed to WIN by 5 points. A 10-point swing in just one day! I’m afraid that the Dems will find a way to replicate this Illinois miracle on the National level.
Chris Wallace had a nice segment on the Romney’s Sunday. Unfortunately, these positive vignettes probably only play to the choir.
I am nervous because Obama will lie, and his surrogates and supporting organizations (SEIU, ACORN, etc.) will have no limits as to how low they can go. Seriously, where do you go after “Romney causes cancer”? We’re about to find out…
I am also nervous about the debates, because Obama will lie (and not be called out on it) and the moderators will select topics and phrase questions so that it best suits Obama (i.e. a lot of abortion, contraception, gay rights questions, not as much on the economy).
Lastly, Obama will still have the entertainment media. He will be promoted on the Daily Show and SNL, while they will attempt to destroy Romney & Ryan as they did with Sarah Palin. For example, SNL would do a skit on Palin, and then every MSNBC (and other “news” broadcast) then re-ran these skits throughout the week, until smears like “I can see Alaska from my house!” became truth.
neo,
Don’t be nervous. The American people will throw Barack out. Decisively.
Remember, a year ago, and 18 months ago, when there was widespread angst over the perceived awfulness of all potential Repub candidates? Fast forward to today: American voters envision Romney as a better POTUS than Barack.
The dynamic will be the same re Nov 6: if we fast forward to Nov 7, we will all be pleased that Barack was decisively thrown out of office.
And, Barack will be tossed out .. regardless of whatever alleged muck exists in Romney’s or Ryan’s past*, and regardless of whatever alleged mistakes are made by Romney or Ryan. The public understands that Barack is a bad POTUS. It’s as simple as that.
So: take heart! It’s going to happen: Barack is already irrelevant, as only can happen to a candidate whom professional insiders already know is going to lose. You think Axelrod doesn’t know Barack is done? Axelrod knows, and has known for a long time.
Barack is irrelevant now, and will remain irrelevant, and will die irrelevant. After death, he will remain historically irrelevant. Political correctness, as is the case with all lies, will inevitably die. The death of pc will mean that even Barack’s one lonesome symbolic purpose will become, over time, less and less interesting.
If Barack has any historic relevancy, it will be that he will be remembered as the POTUS who killed leftism. Leftism will stagger forward, from here, as a zombie. Leftism is a zombie. It is no more than a slight bother: we must, periodically, still swing our machete’s of truth, and lop the zombie lurching leftism’s head off, yet a mosquito is more of a bother, and is more significant.
~~~~~~~~~
*Alleged muck will arise. Still, I have to say: for men who have had public careers lasting over some years: Romney and Ryan are amazingly difficult to drag into muck. It would be difficult to find a pair of cleaner candidates who were also serious candidates and winning candidates.
How is Romney’s response hard hitting? The Obama campaign is falsely accusing him of being a felon and having contributed to the death of a woman and his response is that they are being vituperative and absurd? Wow. That is really bland. He is standing up to Obama–like McCain did. I guess we’ll see what happens after the convention. Hopefully he takes the gloves off and starts the hard hitting.
Steve,
it seems that you are really asking “How is Romney’s defense of Obama’s charges hard hitting?”
I offer thatRomney & Co. have for the most part refused to take Obama’s bait and play defense to the Dems disreputable offense. Remember when you answer a charge you contribute to it’s credibility as a charge (not necessarily to the truth of the charge). It’s always better if you can ignore it as the whining of a petty bureaucrat and loser. Admittedly, ther’s a fine line between the two.
Romney has been forceful in going on the offense, e.g., the Medicare case I cite above. Social programs have been the Democrat haunt for decades and Republicans have consistently lost on those issues. Now Romney & Co have reframed the Medicare debate in the framework of a $15 trillion debt, a continuing trillion dollar-plus annual deficit and an Obama plan that raids this bankrupting social program.
How can that NOT be hard-hitting?
The trap with Obama is that he has been declared untouchable by the MSM, with every criticism declared racist. Romney has to walk a fine line of criticizing Obama’s policies and actions while not giving the MSM anything to hang their “racist” charges on (just look at their response to the birther joke). The two exceptions I can think of are Romney’s “character” ad in response to the cancer charges [http://tinyurl.com/97e8wr8], and then his throwaway joke about birtherism. I think he’s doing fine, especially when you consider how infrequently Obama has criticized.
While I do not admit to wanting to see a bruised and bloody Obama after the election, I’d like to think that there might be some investigation of him by the Romney administration.
Exposure of the corruption.
Perhaps even something that would invalidate his presidency and remove his SCOTUS appointees.
It’s a dream. I know.
There is a hint of pity in Romney’s responses, like I had hoped for more from Obama and I’m sorry he can’t deliver. My guess is that a lot of Obama’s base feels the same way.
Expat wrote: “There is a hint of pity in Romney’s responses, like I had hoped for more from Obama and I’m sorry he can’t deliver. My guess is that a lot of Obama’s base feels the same way.”
IMO that’s a good thing. If Romney can show that he is in sync with Obama’s disaffected supporters, it nullifies the “you are a racist if you criticize Obama” argument because many people who voted for Obama know they THEY are not racists and yet they’re unhappy with his performance.
Over the weekend I saw an article (don’t remember citation) that discussed Frank Luntz’s work and how the synpathetic Romney ad (Obama tried, it didn’t work, it’s okay if you don’t vote for him) was considered the most powerful of all the campaign ads by a focus group of Repubs AND Dems.
I read somewhere today that Obama is doing an interview with Glamour. Is he deliberately trying to tick off Jake Tapper and the White House press corps? Aren’t these the people who will be offering commentary on the MSM?
Ed Bonderenka-
I agree. Unless those records (college, passport, SS card) have been destroyed, and everyone with knowledge of them eliminated, I can’t believe they stay a secret forever. Not from the crew of “Fast and Furious” and the “Russian Reset”. I wouldn’t be surprised if Romney offered his tax returns for the release of those records on the first debate.
I agree with gcotharn, no need to be nervous. Team Obama and the MSM are desperate. R&R will win with a 3-5% margin.
charles,
Be content with seeing BHO back in Chicago staring into a mirror and babbling to his reflection.
Lizzy says, “I am nervous because Obama will lie… will have no limits…”
His entire adult life has been a lie, a self-created myth. He’s actually a rather pathetic mannish boy. Fear not the MSM.
I mentioned the Frank Luntz focus group above at 3:32. For those interested, here is some information via HotAir:
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/08/27/luntz-ads-about-disappointed-obama-voters-work-best-with-swing-voters/
@ Ed Bonderenka “…I’d like to think that there might be some investigation of him by the Romney administration …It’s a dream.”
From your keys to G-d’s ears.
“It’s a dream”: reading that, I immediately mused on the phrase “do androids dream of electric sheep”. Dunno why, in particular: it’s just been one of those days.
parker wrote (August 27th, 2012 at 5:42 pm), “I agree with gcotharn, no need to be nervous. Team Obama and the MSM are desperate. R&R will win with a 3-5% margin.”
Is 3 to 5 percent enough, given the left side’s propensity to discover gobs of mistakenly uncounted ballots and transport the dead multitudes to the polls on election day?
Makes me plenty nervous . . .
Could Romney publish his forged tax returns, invite Sherrif Joe to describe how they were forged, and offer to supply the real ones, when Obama released his real birth certificate and selective service certificate.
Check Karl Rove’s Buzzfeed appearance and interview, aired on CSPAN 1 earlier today.
That should cheer y’all up. Rove is VERY optimistic, and he is the ultimate numbers-cruncher. (His James Carville imitation was pretty funny, too.)
It could be that Romney is taking the high road. If so, this will eventually play to Romney’s advantage.
The more Obama plays dirty, the more he is revealed to be the candidate who will stop at nothing to keep power. And the American people will see this and be even more revolted. I think a lot of Americans can see through the act and can be persuaded that Obama should not be re-elected.
It’s too late for Obama to avoid being compared to Carter. He will be. In fact, I wonder if Obama is worse than Grant or Harding (who are usually considered “failures”) or the 19th-century presidents around the Civil War (Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan).
I watch too closely and from too far away (Perth, Western Australia) to have much sense of who is going to win. My gut is still saying Obama but what I am picking up from the convention is that the Republicans are fighting canny and fighting clean. They have to because of the race issue as discussed above, but I will say as a Republican that I am as proud today that the US could elect a Black president as I was on election night 2008 having voted for McCain. And I will be as proud of the good sense of the American public if they unelect him in November. At a deeper level I think Romney has given himself a chance to change the public’s perception of him precisely because he is prepared to lose. The Ryan pick, the Christie keynote both say loud and clear that he is going to run on what he believes the country needs and behave with dignity – win or lose. I remember when our elites stepped up the plate and gave their best for their country – the Roosevelts, the Rockefellers, the Kennedys. At first Romney seemed like nothing more than a bland CEO, now he is beginning to look like the real thing.