Opinion: Romneys

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Thứ Sáu, 24 tháng 2, 2012

If Santorum's faith is fair game, why isn't Romney's?

Aides to Rick Santorum say it's unfair to question his beliefs without also targeting Mitt Romney's Mormonism Rick Santorum, a devout Catholic, has recently been forced to defend his religious beliefs on the GOP presidential campaign trail. First he took flak for suggesting that "liberal Christian" is an oxymoron, then he had to deflect criticism this week over his 2008 warning that "Satan has his sights on the United States of America." Noting that Santorum's chief rival, Mitt Romney, has not faced similar grilling about his faith, a frustrated Santorum aide asked the Washington Examiner: "Why is Mormonism off limits?" Is it fair to make Santorum's religion a campaign issue, but not Romney's?

Santorum brought this on himself: Rick Santorum should stop "whining" about being persecuted, says Ed Kilgore at Washington Monthly. "Mitt Romney is not on record suggesting that his campaign is part of God's Own Resistance to the takeover of America by Satan," or that President Obama is "trying to abolish Christianity in the pursuit of a secularist 'phony theology.'" If Santorum wants to attack Romney's Mormonism, he should do so at his own risk — and not expect the media to do it for him.
"Never mind Satan: How about the angel Moroni?

Actually, Team Santorum has a point: "Specifically religious questioning of Romney" has indeed been rare, says Byron York at the Washington Examiner. And that may be because he hasn't broadcast his religious beliefs the way Santorum has, but it's easy to understand why Santorum's advisers are "frustrated and angry." Critics used his Satan remark, for example, to cast him as a crank outsider, yet a 2007 Gallup poll found that 70 percent of Americans believe in the devil.
"Team Santorum: U.S. is with Rick on devil belief"

Hey, Romney has taken his lumps, too: Romney's rivals have mostly evaded the topic of his Mormonism, says David A. Graham at The Atlantic, but "the same cannot be said for pundits and voters, both Republican and Democrat." An erstwhile supporter of Rick Perry once flatly dismissed Mormonism as a "cult." But if Santorum's "picking a fight about Romney's faith," he'll regret it. He'll only taint his campaign, damage his party, and save Democrats "the trouble (and risk) of dog-whistling on Mormonism later on."
"Does Santorum really want to make a stand on Mormonism?"

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Thứ Tư, 15 tháng 2, 2012

Mitt Romney's plan to 'nuke Santorum': Will it work?

Team Romney plans to spend 29 times more than Santorum on ads in Michigan this week, and some politicos aren't sure Rick can withstand the barrage With GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum overtaking Mitt Romney in several national and statewide polls, the former Massachusetts governor is preparing to go after his conservative rival with a series of brutal attack ads. In an interview with Buzzfeed, a Romney advisor laid out the campaign's plans, which "may make previous attacks on Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich look like mere love taps." Romney will reportedly go after Santorum's lack of leadership experience, and will cast him as a longtime Washington insider. The ads will "hit very hard on earmarks, lobbying, [and] voting to raise the debt limit five times," the advisor said. In Michigan this week, Romney and his allied super PACs are set to spend 29 times more on ads than Santorum is. Will Mitt's plan to "nuke Santorum" work?

You betcha: This barrage could finally clear away "the last obstacle standing between Romney and the nomination," says No More Mister Nice Blog. "I didn't think Newt's fans were going to care much about ancient ethics charges in Congress," but then Romney launched his assault, and suddenly Gingrich's supporters began abandoning ship. Mitt has already proven that this is "a pretty effective technique." Santorum will have a hard time riding out the coming storm.
"Mitt Romney: The right's anti-propaganda machine"

Not so fast: Santorum isn't as vulnerable as Gingrich was, says Rachel Weiner at The Washington Post. Gingrich "is an opposition researcher's dream," with his messy personal life, past ethics violation, and history of flip-flopping on key issues. Santorum is "a far less polarizing candidate." And the attack pain laid out by Romney's aide — "earmarks, lobbying, [and] voting to raise the federal debt limit five times" — sounds awfully generic. Those lines "could be used against any former congressman."
"Can money stop Rick Santorum?"

This "incredibly lame" plan could actually hurt Romney: Mitt's onslaught could damage his electability, says Jed Lewison at Daily Kos. Even if he effectively "nukes Santorum" and bags the nomination merely because he's outlasted his competitors, he'll come off looking weak and unlikable. Plus, there's no guarantee that Romney will even be the one who benefits from a Santorum fall. Just as Santorum benefitted from Romney's attacks on Gingrich, Gingrich could reap the rewards this time around.
"Presenting Mitt Romney's (incredibly lame) plan to destroy Rick Santorum"

SEE MORE: The Romney revolt: Has the GOP base turned on him?

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Thứ Sáu, 10 tháng 2, 2012

Are House Republicans Mitt Romney's 'biggest liability'?

Tuesday was a terrible day for Mitt Romney. Conservatives abandoned him in droves for once-insignificant rival Rick Santorum, who won three statewide presidential contests. Still, the former Massachusetts governor remains heavily favored to win the GOP nomination. If (or when) he does, he'll surely be associated throughout the campaign with the one branch of the federal government his party controls, the deeply unpopular House. That may not be good news for Mitt. House Republicans don't seem too keen to moderate their more controversial policy prescriptions in order to help their nominee appeal to a general election audience. Is this Romney's biggest campaign challenge?

The House GOP is "Romney's biggest liability": House Republicans are going out of their way to become "an albatross to Romney's presidential bid," says Jonathan Bernstein at The Washington Post. They're "apparently preparing to dive off a cliff again" by doubling down on Rep. Paul Ryan's unpopular Medicare-voucherizing plan, and fighting a popular tax on the rich that would pay for an extension of the payroll tax holiday. "These are both issues where conservative orthodoxy is on one side, and the bulk of the American people" are on the other. Every time the House GOP brings up its "unpopular conservative positions," Romney is "going to take hits."
"Mitt Romney's biggest liability: The House GOP?"

But at least we'll get a real contest of ideas: "The future of Medicare is on the line," says Cory Adams at Big Think. And thanks to the House GOP's continued focus on Ryan's controversial plan, which Mitt has backed, "a Romney vs. Obama match-up will surely address this contentious issue." In the end, that may hurt Mitt. But we should all be glad that "in an era of record U.S. deficits, the question of individual liberty and the responsibility of the state is coming to the fore in a way that is hasn't for decades."
"Paul Ryan, individual liberty, and the fate of Medicare"

Plus, Romney's real problem is his social squishiness: "Conventional wisdom has long held that the 2012 election would be about fiscal and economic issues" like Medicare and taxes, says Joel B. Pollak at Big Government. But as Santorum's resurgence shows, "social conservatism may be due for a revival." That will be Romney's Achilles' heel: He's a notorious "flip-flopper" on social issues, and "after a year of frustrating compromises in Congress," voters want a man of conviction.
"Will 2012 be about social conservatism after all?"

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