"Romney Derangement Syndrome" and the Battle of Bain Capital

[pellegrino]

Um, howzat?

Love ya Tim, but I have no idea what in that ad would offend a moderate, since Wall Street and the financial world generally is loaded with moderates.

I agree. I'm left of center, and I found nothing offensive about the ad. Care to elaborate, Tim?

[CardiacCoug]

Moderate voters are don't like capitalism either? That line moves further right everyday.

Moderates think the government would do a better job running Staples and Sports Authority.

I have to assume Tim didn't watch the ad. There is nothing there that won't have pretty broad appeal even among a few people on the left.

[LA Ute]

I agree. I'm left of center, and I found nothing offensive about the ad. Care to elaborate, Tim?

I feel like I did when I learned there was no Santa Claus.

[pellegrino]

I feel like I did when I learned there was no Santa Claus.

this too shall pass.

[Tim]

OOC, what, precisely, in that ad offended you?

Um, howzat?

Love ya Tim, but I have no idea what in that ad would offend a moderate, since Wall Street and the financial world generally is loaded with moderates.

I agree. I'm left of center, and I found nothing offensive about the ad. Care to elaborate, Tim?

I wasn't offended... I'm not a moderate. But the last thing moderates are interested in right now is more cross-aisle attacks. He made a jab at President Obama in the middle of his intra-party squabble. It looks tacky and cheap, and it won't help him endear himself to moderates, most of whom are interested right now in collaboration, cross-party unity, and compromise.

[myboynoah]

Newt now calling on his super pac to edit or pull the 30-minute ad. What a fiasco.

[Katy Lied]

I wasn't offended... I'm not a moderate. But the last thing moderates are interested in right now is more cross-aisle attacks. He made a jab at President Obama in the middle of his intra-party squabble. It looks tacky and cheap, and it won't help him endear himself to moderates, most of whom are interested right now in collaboration, cross-party unity, and compromise.

I think your assumptions here have not been proven. They may be true; i just dont see any evidence of this. I think the only "moderates" who find this ad tacky and cheap are the true Obama supporters, who would never vote for anyone but Obama. Mitt has nothing to lose by alienating that group.

[Surfah]

Newt now calling on his super pac to edit or pull the 30-minute ad. What a fiasco.

I am guessing this is a contributing factor to Newt's backpedal:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) criticism of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) as a “vulture capitalist” has cost him the backing of at least one prominent supporter.

Barry Wynn, a top GOP donor, investment fund president and former state party chairman, plans to leave the Perry campaign and endorse Romney. Wynn had been serving informally as a member of Perry’s finance team. News of Wynn’s move was first reported by CNN’s Peter Hamby.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/rick-perry-vulture-attack-on-romney-costs-him-influential-sc-supporter/2012/01/12/gIQATiiktP_blog.html

[Shaka]

I wasn't offended... I'm not a moderate. But the last thing moderates are interested in right now is more cross-aisle attacks. He made a jab at President Obama in the middle of his intra-party squabble. It looks tacky and cheap, and it won't help him endear himself to moderates, most of whom are interested right now in collaboration, cross-party unity, and compromise.

KL is right. The moderates who align with Obama are the only ones who will take offense. The rest of them, who I believe are in the majority of moderates, aren't all that thrilled with Obama at the moment and don't mind a few jabs aimed at the president.

[oxcoug]

Gingrich booed at forum w/ Mike Huckabee when he brings up Bain Capital

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/sc-republicans-boo-newt-gingrich-over-romney-attacks/

[Uncle Ted]

Ouch...

[YOUTUBE]BdYx19temU8[/YOUTUBE]

[Moliere]

Ouch...

[YOUTUBE]BdYx19temU8[/YOUTUBE]

I forgot what the statute of limitations was for stupid mistakes. Remind me again what it is?

Also, is there somewhere that actually gives details on this "bailout"? Sounds like loan forgiveness from a failed bank, which seems like a roundabout way to call it a federal bailout.

[Eddie]

I wasn't offended... I'm not a moderate. But the last thing moderates are interested in right now is more cross-aisle attacks. He made a jab at President Obama in the middle of his intra-party squabble. It looks tacky and cheap, and it won't help him endear himself to moderates, most of whom are interested right now in collaboration, cross-party unity, and compromise.

I think this is kind of a silly argument.

First, before anything else he needs to win the Republican nomination. His goal isn't to get all of the moderates right now, it is to galvanize the core of the Republican party. Right now the core does not like Obama and want someone to replace him. Anyone wanting to win the nomination should be doing their best to NOT sound like Obama. So pointing out the similarities between other candidates and Obama draws people to Romney.

Second, these are arguments that Obama and the Democrats will make during the general election. So why not address them (to a degree) right now? Get it out of the way, answer the critics and demonstrate they aren't correct, and the bite is taken away when they hit the general election.

I think that it is a pretty smart move - because he's spending the money for the ad once but getting twice the value (messaging for both the primary and the general election).

Anyway - I just think this is an ad that will only scare away folks who were NEVER going to vote for him in the first place.

[Pelado]

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/01/private-equity-is-a-force-for-good/251419/

Governor Romney's defenders have argued that critics of his role at Bain Capital are really attacking capitalism itself. Given the academic evidence, we would have to agree.

[oxcoug]

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...r-good/251419/

That's an important article from a credible center/center-left publication.