Romney

[Sleeping in EQ]

I tend to agree with you--his roboticity is a huge problem. That said, I get the sense that even if he were super charismatic, you'd find another negative Stake President analogy to apply to him. Your disdain is palpable.

What disdain do you infer?

[SoonerCoug]

Romney is nothing like any stake president I have ever had.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Romney is nothing like any stake president I have ever had.

LMAO.

You need to drop one of your famous stories on us now.

[SeattleUte]

who's watching? Is my man Romney rolling?

[YOhio]

who's watching? Is my man Romney rolling?

Lol. You're such a frontrunner.

[hopfrog]

If Mitt wins the election, do you think that he will go inactive? I bet he will work on Sundays.

He has Harry Reid and Orin Hatch to keep him in line. We don't know how active he is now, do we? I more concerned with what kind of a president he'll be, he seems so inconsistent in his statements. But I love the idea of an LDS president, and I like Chris Christie, he seems very real. A Romney/Christie ticket would please me, I think. I rather hope they won't invite Glenn Beck to any White House gigs -- that guy creeps me out.

[DU Ute]

I just want to go on record saying that I will totally vote for Romney over Obama. I have two reasons for this.

1) Romney is my 2nd cousin once removed.
2) Romney is a closet liberal.

Is Mitt coming out?

[Paperback Writer]

Is Mitt coming out?

I can't remember where I heard the political commentary (George Will?) that Romney was the only Republican candidate that is running a national campaign right now. Perhaps Mitt learned his leason in 2008 that he's not going to be conservative enough to please the Republican right. Maybe Mitt is positioning himself as the candidate to defeat Obama and a liberal lean in some areas may appeal to middle ground independents in a national election.

Besides, I like the liberal Mitt. IMO, he should have staked this ground in 2008 instead of trying to appease ultra conservatives.

[Goatnapper'96]

Is Mitt coming out?

I think if we are going to solve the deficit issue it is going to require an increase in revenues/raising taxes. I think a Republican President can accomplish this through the voodoo of "tax reform" in a manner that makes the US business environment more competitive and increases government revenues. I don't think a Democrat President can pull that off because the Democrat will start with using sad face looks into the camera as he waxes eloquent about what is "fair." Well at least this current President has shot his wad with that approach to the current electorate. They just need a break.

Saying that I don't know who, what or how Romney is defining as middle class but there is no way to fix this deficit without more govenment revenues. And those are going to have to come from a lot of folks I would call middle class. To fix this mess it is going to require a mixture of increased government revenues, significant cuts to federal spending and more business friendly pro-growth atmosphere. Class warfare and protests to bring back $50,000 a year jobs of rivetting bolts on cars is not that mixture to solving the problems. I think Romney has the business sense to identify the problems and hopefully the political sense to craft a viable solution. Further, since I am convinced part of a viable solution will include increased revenues I think it must be a Republican President in order to keep Brother Grover Norquist at bay. To some extent it would help if the Democrats could take some of those seats from the real right winger Tea Party types in the House. But I am hopeful that a leadership team of Mitt, Boehner and McConnell are savy and will to compromise enough to craft some good legislation.

I think Romney's campaign appears charmed. Clearly Mitt has his issues but his core issues are his lack of charisma and appeal as a normal guy. Obama is more charismatic but I don't think that pony is as important when one is running against a poor record and further I don't think President Obama can bury Mitt, with a huge amount of voters, as far as being a normal fella you wanna have a brewskie with. Further, the lackluster and self-destruction of Mitt's principal opponents in the Republican Primary is allowing Mitt to run a primary campaign as a moderate, as this article indicates, and that will take a great deal of the wind out of the sails of the Democrats whose only hope is to pin the extremist label on their Republican opponent - gonna be hard to do convicingly against Mitt. Finally, Mitt is so damn squeaky clean he is annoying. It will be difficult to run a scorched earth policy against him. Mitt's mixture of business and fiscal/economic conservativism mixed with his moderate social stance and policy accomplishments that bridge ideological chasms will appeal to the suburb young professional who bolted to President Obama is suffering from voter remorse. Get Rubio as his VP candidate, although I wouldn't mind Newt as a VP, and that will be really tough for President Obama to beat.

Then in 4 years when Mitt has not significantly fixed the economy he is likely to get fired as well!

[Goatnapper'96]

I can't remember where I heard the political commentary (George Will?) that Romney was the only Republican candidate that is running a national campaign right now. Perhaps Mitt learned his leason in 2008 that he's not going to be conservative enough to please the Republican right. Maybe Mitt is positioning himself as the candidate to defeat Obama and a liberal lean in some areas may appeal to middle ground independents in a national election.

Besides, I like the liberal Mitt. IMO, he should have staked this ground in 2008 instead of trying to appease ultra conservatives.

I think it is because Mitt is already the establishment choice. The other Republicans seem to be takeing turns moving into second place and then get teamed up on by all the others while the leader, Mitt, just continues to run his national type campaign. I think it is becoming a foregone conclusion that Mitt is the man for the Republicans and it just going to take time for these huge egos to line up. I could almost believe it is a conspiracy..cure Robin!

[Jacob]

He has Harry Reid and Orin Hatch to keep him in line. We don't know how active he is now, do we? I more concerned with what kind of a president he'll be, he seems so inconsistent in his statements. But I love the idea of an LDS president, and I like Chris Christie, he seems very real. A Romney/Christie ticket would please me, I think. I rather hope they won't invite Glenn Beck to any White House gigs -- that guy creeps me out.

Pretty sure he is "super-active." I'm not sure what the levels of activity are. Maybe you are thinking of Huntsman who hasn't given off the vibe that he's much into Mormonism. He's more cosmopolitan.

[falafel]

Pretty sure he is "super-active." I'm not sure what the levels of activity are. Maybe you are thinking of Huntsman who hasn't given off the vibe that he's much into Mormonism. He's more cosmopolitan.

Wasn't Romney a Stake President within the 10 or 15 years?

[Goatnapper'96]

Pretty sure he is "super-active." I'm not sure what the levels of activity are. Maybe you are thinking of Huntsman who hasn't given off the vibe that he's much into Mormonism. He's more cosmopolitan.

I thought it was obvious that Huntsman is what one might colloquially call a "Jack Mormon."

Romney has the Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning reflecting off of his lilly white perfect little teethe. I wait, with baited breathe, for the day he leans on an elbow when giving a "State of the Union" address. While he might be a wanker, he is my wanker!

[LA Ute]

Wasn't Romney a Stake President within the 10 or 15 years?

Yeah, he's the real deal when it comes to Mormon-ness. So are all his kids and his wife, who has a great conversion story.

[Jacob]

Is Mitt coming out?

Wow. That was some extra-ordinarily weak stuff.
Thinking China is a currency-manipulator is liberal? Conservatives are supposed to ignore the WTO?
Proposing tax cuts for the middle class and opposing tax rate increases is a liberal position? Who knew?
Populist rhetoric during a campaign is a purely liberal tradition?