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Chump 'change'

Mitt vs. the fourth estate
January 9, 2008 3:50:17 PM

If and when Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign dies, our former governor has his excuse picked out: the media did it. In a pre–New Hampshire-primary interview with Politico earlier this week, Romney said his newfound focus on political “change” wasn’t newfound at all; the problem, according to Mitt, was that reporters in Iowa kept obsessing over his conservative credentials. “I go on TV and it’s, like: ‘Tell me about your church, tell me where you stand on abortion,’ ” Romney complained. “There is no question the focus of my campaign has been on changing Washington.”

This isn’t quite as bogus as you might think. Romney didn’t mention the word “change” at all in his first several TV advertisements. But later in his TV-ad oeuvre, he turned the word into something of a mantra — stating that “changing America always starts in Iowa,” for example, and vowing to “work like crazy to go to Washington and bring change there.”

So, is it the press’s fault that Romney isn’t currently known as the change candidate? Not really. Blame, instead, the candidate himself — who astutely sensed the electorate’s desire for change, but lacked the gumption to follow his instincts.

Here’s a telling Romney quote from CBS’s Early Show, on the morning of January 4, one day after he lost to upstart Mike Huckabee in the Iowa caucuses: “Well, you know, I think the race in Iowa was really a very clear call that people want change in Washington. Not in the White House; in Washington.”

That’s nonsensical, obviously, since the White House is in Washington. But it’s also vintage Romney: calculating, inoffensive, and ultimately ineffectual. Candidate, heal thyself.

COMMENTS

Mr Romney is absolutely correct. Not only do his first ads in Iowa articulate his mission to reform the federal government, but his earliest web ads, his early speeches, and other communications clearly establish HIM as the change agent. What's far more telling is that of all the cretin politicians screaming that they'll change Washington...he's the only one with the evidence of having done so!

POSTED BY Ricard AT 01/10/08 9:23 AM
The Mittster needs to rethink everything that he says he has done to bring it in synch with reality. If Massachusetts is viewed as his example of change, than there are few positives to be garnered. Education - equitable for all - was to be a top priority, and instead we have cities and towns addi8ng surcharges for bus rides and music classes, in addition to the long list of needs and wants handed to students as their own classroom responsibilities - boxes of tissues, glue, pencils. Teachers can only teach to a test - no room for extra creativity - just get through the chapters you need for MCAS. He was supposed to attract businesses and scores of new jobs to the Commonwealth, and instead we ended up 47th on the list of states with new job starts. Romney was going to set the national example of health care for all with his Commonwealth Care initiative and instead left out needy children and self reliant teens, since coverage in Comm Care begins at age 19. And even more importantly, the program now levies fines against anyone who didn't sign up before 12/31 - I can't think of anything more Romneyesque that levying fines against those who can't afford the premiums to begin with. I often wonder why noone in mainstream media has asked the Mittster to talk about the number of companies his precious Bain Capital has closed and the number of people out of work without severance. Why might that be? Does he actually count these things among his list of accomplishments? Why isn't anyone asking??

POSTED BY Skatermom AT 01/21/08 10:15 PM

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