Palmetto Strategy
2012-01-16 - by
It’s somehow fitting that the state that started the Civil War generally decides the Republican presidential war.
The question this year is whether Mitt Romney’s opponents picked the wrong battle. Was it a mistake to attack him on Bain Capital instead of his shifting positions on social issues? Suppose they made more of an issue of how Mormonism differs from evangelical Christianity? Note to Gingrich, Santorum and Perry: there’s still time.
Even if the Bain strategy was wrong, it’s remarkable to see a Republican candidate being attacked in a Republican primary for being a venture – or vulture – capitalist. That shows you how popular private-equity companies are today.
Amidst all the noise, the usual Republican scenario is playing out: the next candidate in line wins.
Romney – like John McCain before him and the Bushes before him – is the natural heir to the nomination. He ran four years ago, lost gracefully and immediately began running again. He learned from his mistakes, he started before everybody else and he cornered the money market.
He could still stumble, but he looks like the nominee. He will have to deal with the long-running drama of Ron Paul amassing delegates and demanding something at the national convention – something like Jesse Jackson and the Democrats in 1984 and 1988.
Romney, for all his flaws, is a formidable candidate for President. He’s not scary; if elected, he might revert to being a moderate. Some conservatives say he won’t excite the Republican base, but I suspect Obama will do that for him.
Posted in General, National Republicans
Palmetto Strategy
2012-01-16/
It’s somehow fitting that the state that started the Civil War generally decides the Republican presidential war.
The question this year is whether Mitt Romney’s opponents picked the wrong battle. Was it a mistake to attack him on Bain Capital instead of his shifting positions on social issues? Suppose they made more of an issue of how Mormonism differs from evangelical Christianity? Note to Gingrich, Santorum and Perry: there’s still time.
Even if the Bain strategy was wrong, it’s remarkable to see a Republican candidate being attacked in a Republican primary for being a venture – or vulture – capitalist. That shows you how popular private-equity companies are today.
Amidst all the noise, the usual Republican scenario is playing out: the next candidate in line wins.
Romney – like John McCain before him and the Bushes before him – is the natural heir to the nomination. He ran four years ago, lost gracefully and immediately began running again. He learned from his mistakes, he started before everybody else and he cornered the money market.
He could still stumble, but he looks like the nominee. He will have to deal with the long-running drama of Ron Paul amassing delegates and demanding something at the national convention – something like Jesse Jackson and the Democrats in 1984 and 1988.
Romney, for all his flaws, is a formidable candidate for President. He’s not scary; if elected, he might revert to being a moderate. Some conservatives say he won’t excite the Republican base, but I suspect Obama will do that for him.
Posted in General, National Republicans