Exploring Opinions on Mitt Romney's Candidacy

[skeptic2]

http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20120227/OPINION01/202270305/How-will-voters-react-rare-primary-twist-?odyssey=mod|breaking|art7

 

[WhoWee]

http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20120227/OPINION01/202270305/How-will-voters-react-rare-primary-twist-?odyssey=mod|breaking|art7

How are the Republicans being "cheap"?

 

[WhoWee]

Romney is the projected winner for both Arizona and Michigan.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/election/2012/primaries/index.html

"Mitt Romney will win the Michigan primary, CNN projected based on exit polls and partial returns, giving him a sweep of two contests Tuesday vital to his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

Romney also is the winner in Arizona, according to the CNN projections, providing new momentum for the former Massachusetts governor in his bid to be the Republican candidate against President Barack Obama in November.

In Michigan, Romney was ahead with 41% to 37% for Rick Santorum, 12% for Texas Rep. Ron Paul and 7% for Newt Gingrich, with 74% of unofficial returns counted.

The state's 30 delegates will be allocated on a proportional basis, and Romney and Santorum each won three so far, according to the returns. However, it was unclear who would win the most Michigian delegates, which are based on congressional districts.

Romney's victory in Arizona, where exit polls showed him getting 43% to 28% for Santorum, gave Romney all of the state's 29 delegates in the winner-takes-all primary. Trailing well back were Gingrich and Paul."

 

[grendle7]

I know it's a knee-jerk reaction, but Romney sometimes reminds me of a used car salesman who's trying to sell me my own car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4vS9SF3vc-A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[ThomasT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vS9SF3vc-A

The format you used for posting the video was incorrect. You can see the correct format by replying to this post (ie., hitting the "quote" button).

Anyway, yeah, imho, Romney is the Mittbot, the Ken doll, the wedding cake figurine, the used car salesman. Extremely good looking. He probably could have made a good living in soap operas, but a lot less money.

Acceptable candidate for the presidency? Not imho.

 

[WhoWee]

Anyway, yeah, imho, Romney is the Mittbot, the Ken doll, the wedding cake figurine, the used car salesman. Extremely good looking. He probably could have made a good living in soap operas, but a lot less money.

Romney won the female vote in MI - didn't he?

 

[ThomasT]

Romney won the female vote in MI - didn't he?

Don't know. But I wouldn't doubt it. Apparently, women are somewhat attracted to vacuous, but extremely good looking, male model types of guys who also have about $200M. I can't say that I would be any different if I were a woman.

 

[WhoWee]

Don't know. But I wouldn't doubt it. Apparently, women are somewhat attracted to vacuous, but extremely good looking, male model types of guys who also have about $200M. I can't say that I would be any different if I were a woman.

I don't think women treat it as a beauty contest. However, might it be possible women view him as being more sophisticated and better equipped to deal with heads of state?

 

[ThomasT]

If that were true, I'd expect Romney to be polling about 67%. If anything, I think women are generally more attentive to details and look at the whole package - rather than only the rhetoric or positions - I could be wrong?

Or, you could be right. This is a scary election. But then, aren't they all?

 

[Char. Limit]

I think that deciding that one arbitrary group of people is inherently better or worse at making decisions than another arbitrary, but mutually exclusive group of people is a blanket statement that should be avoided if at all possible.

 

[ThomasT]

I think that deciding that one arbitrary group of people is inherently better or worse at making decisions than another arbitrary, but mutually exclusive, group of people is a blanket statement that should be avoided if at all possible.

Good point, imho.
Back to Romney. My current opinion (it changes a lot, wrt lots of things): I really don't think he would, or could, do any real harm, and he might even get lucky and do something really good (ie., that precipitates some sort of major improvement in America). I think that Romney and Obama are the only candidates worthy of serious consideration. I make fun of Romney, but the bottom line is that he really does have his **** together. I very much doubt that he would make any sort of serious mistake. He's a business as usual guy. Prima facie, he would be an acceptable president. I might actually vote for him ... if I happen to be in experimental mode on election day.

 

[WhoWee]

Good point, imho.
Back to Romney. My current opinion (it changes a lot, wrt lots of things): I really don't think he would, or could, do any real harm, and he might even get lucky and do something really good (ie., that precipitates some sort of major improvement in America). I think that Romney and Obama are the only candidates worthy of serious consideration. I make fun of Romney, but the bottom line is that he really does have his **** together. I very much doubt that he would make any sort of serious mistake. He's a business as usual guy. Prima facie, he would be an acceptable president. I might actually vote for him ... if I happen to be in experimental mode on election day.

The man has a track record of success. He has a mix of executive level experience in business, the Olympics, and as Governor (of a Democrat controlled state). A vote for Romney is quite reasonable.

 

[apeiron]

He's a business as usual guy.

Do presidents get any choice? Wasn't Obama sold as a mould-breaker who went straight into BAU-mode?

But the derivation of BAU is probably quite amusing.

"The maxim of the British people is 'Business as usual'." - Winston Churchill, speaking at Guildhall, 9 November 1914.

Crisis? What crisis?

 

[WhoWee]

Business as usual can have several different meanings. IMO-President Obama owes a major share of his legislative accomplishments to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid - they controlled the House and Senate during his first 2 years.

 

[ThomasT]

Do presidents get any choice?

It depends, I think. For example, the Bush administration wasn't just BAU. It seems that it was extreme, to a fault, and that we'll be paying for it in one way or another, or many ways, for a long time.

I don't see Romney as an extremist. So, it's, imho, a coin toss between him and Obama at this time.

 

[Hobin]

I don't see Romney as an extremist. So, it's, imho, a coin toss between him and Obama at this time.

He may not be an extremist, but the people I know in my country definitely like him less than Obama (especially because of Romney's American exceptionalism). I don't know how it is elsewhere, of course, but diplomatically speaking, Obama would - in my opinion - be a better choice.

 

[russ_watters]

He may not be an extremist, but the people I know in my country definitely like him less than Obama (especially because of Romney's American exceptionalism). I don't know how it is elsewhere, of course, but diplomatically speaking, Obama would - in my opinion - be a better choice.

Do you believe that your criteria for why he would be a better choice would also apply to Americans?

 

[Hobin]

Do you believe that your criteria for why he would be a better choice would also apply to Americans?

That depends. Do these Americans care about how the rest of the world sees them? If they do, and I'm right (which is obviously debatable, considering I can only speak for myself and the people I've talked to), and Romney and Obama would be equally good/bad for America on all other points, then yes.

 

[WhoWee]

That depends. Do these Americans care about how the rest of the world sees them? If they do, and I'm right (which is obviously debatable, considering I can only speak for myself and the people I've talked to), and Romney and Obama would be equally good/bad for America on all other points, then yes.

I would think the world's view of Romney would be favorable - given his success with the Olympics?

 

[lisab]

Do you believe that your criteria for why he would be a better choice would also apply to Americans?

They did in the last election, apparently.

 

[WhoWee]

They did in the last election, apparently.

Romney wasn't a candidate in the last general election.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Romney wasn't a candidate in the last general election.

Perhaps she was referring to the last Presidential election.

 

[WhoWee]

Perhaps she was referring to the last Presidential election.

Romney wasn't on the ballot - (McCain/Palin vs Obama/Biden).

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Romney wasn't on the ballot - (McCain/Palin vs Obama/Biden).

He wasn't the nominee. He was a candidate.

 

[mheslep]

The conservative base may be demanding too much of Romney the candidate for purposes of accomplishing their goals (which I share). It may be that all that is required is a non-obstructionist president, and the popular, respected innovators in Congress (e.g. Rep Ryan) can do the rest. That line of thinking depends on getting the gavel out of Harry Reid's hand in the Senate, but then that is probably a requirement of success in any scenario.

 

[mheslep]

Hobin, if I may:

...Do these Americans care about how the rest of the world sees them? ..

Do you think it important to poll the American viewpoint when assessing PM Rutte? Or, say, UK or French or Russian opinion?

 

[MarcoD]

Do you think it important to poll the American viewpoint when assessing PM Rutte?

Nope. And I disagree with Hobin.

 

[Oltz]

The conservative base may be demanding too much of Romney the candidate for purposes of accomplishing their goals (which I share). It may be that all that is required is a non-obstructionist president, and the popular, respected innovators in Congress (e.g. Rep Ryan) can do the rest. That line of thinking depends on getting the gavel out of Harry Reid's hand in the Senate, but then that is probably a requirement of success in any scenario.

I think I would vote for Rep Ryan if he ran...maybe next time, but I would prefer now.

 

[mheslep]

I think I would vote for Rep Ryan if he ran...maybe next time, but I would prefer now.

Me too. Or Mitch Daniels. Or Marco Rubio. Woulda coulda. My point above is I may be able to get Ryan's works with a Romney presidency.

 

[lisab]

He may not be an extremist, but the people I know in my country definitely like him less than Obama (especially because of Romney's American exceptionalism). I don't know how it is elsewhere, of course, but diplomatically speaking, Obama would - in my opinion - be a better choice.

Do you believe that your criteria for why he would be a better choice would also apply to Americans?

They did in the last election, apparently.

Romney wasn't a candidate in the last general election.

Sorry for the confusion. I thought Russ's comment was about Obama.

 

[AlephZero]

I would think the world's view of Romney would be favorable - given his success with the Olympics?

Oh, please. Until this thread, I didn't even know he had anything to do with the Olympics. Tell me again what medals he won, I've forgotten.

Anyway, whatever he did must have been a failure, considering they are having to rerun the whole games again in London this year ...

 

[AlephZero]

Do you think it important to poll the American viewpoint when assessing PM Rutte? Or, say, UK or French or Russian opinion?

The rest of the world tends to be interested in whether a potential US president actually knows where the rest of the world is. History suggests that isn't a prerequiste for getting the job, and certainly not for applying for it.

 

[mheslep]

It still surprises me how frequently posts are a made on behalf of the thoughts of the entire world.

 

[apeiron]

It still surprises me how frequently posts are a made on behalf of the thoughts of the entire world.

Are you saying the US exercises no power over the rest of the world?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is just one current example where people have great sovereignty concerns.

http://tppwatch.org/2012/01/19/beware-the-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement/

So yes, the qualities of future presidents is an issue of interest.

 

[mheslep]

Are you saying ...

Actually I am saying what I said.