Warning. If you don't care about politics, just skip this post. It's all politics and I make no apologies for my opinions. After all, I wouldn't be "Mr. R." if I wasn't known to speak my mind from time to time. Let me preface my remarks by stating that whoever the Republican nominee is, that is who I will support in the general election because Obama and his cronies have been an utter disaster for this country.
And now, the recipient of Mr. R's coveted endorsement for the Republican presidential nomination: Mitt Romney.
When looking for my nominee, I considered several factors:
1. Is this person presidential? Do they have a presence that commands the room? Are they knowledgeable on the issues? Do they have a record of getting things done? While a few candidates have shown glimpses of presidential behavior, Mitt Romney is the only candidate this year who always looks presidential. Almost every candidate in this race has had at least two weeks as the favorite "anti-Romney" candidate; and yet each of those candidates have wilted under the increased media exposure. As the "favorite," Mr. Romney has been dealing with this kind of media attention longer than any Republican in the field, and he continues to show a steady, controlled demeanor that is important to have for someone who hopes to have the most stressful job in the world.
2. How do the candidates line up on the biggest issues? There is no question the biggest issue in this election is going to be the economy and job creation. On these issues, no other Republican in the current field comes close to matching Mr. Romney's private-sector experience of turning around failing enterprises. If ever there were a failing enterprise that needs a turnaround, it is our federal government. It is also worth mentioning that Mr. Romney supports Congressman Paul Ryan's proposed federal budget reforms that will cut our deficit and bring Medicare spending under control, and that he has promised to repeal Obamacare starting Day 1 of his administration.
3. Is this person ready to be the commander-in-chief of our armed forces? There is more to commanding the military than just being able to defend the nation. A good commander-in-chief must be a diplomat and a strategic thinker; someone who knows that American actions are going to have global consequences that will be felt by our allies as well. In 2008, Mr. Romney looked weakest in this area. But judging from his debate performances and other speeches, he has clearly done his homework. Nothing about the phrase "Commander-in-Chief Mitt Romney" gives me the kind of nightmares that phrase would conjure if it included Ron Paul's name.
4. Is this someone that independents and even Democrats can vote for? It is a fact of life for both major parties: Neither the Republicans or Democrats can win a national election by appealing only to their base. Successful campaigns need to appeal to the 30% of the electorate who do not identify with either party. Mitt Romney, as a former Massachusetts governor, has a proven ability to attract independent voters. And although he's being painted as a "Massachusetts Moderate," Mr. Romney's stance on the issues puts him firmly in the Republican mainstream. He may not be the most conservative candidate we could hope for, but his election still moves the country in the "Right" direction.
After watching several debates and a close look at other statements and articles written by this year's GOP candidates, I am convinced that Mitt Romney is the best man to defeat Obama and repeal the Obama agenda.
And now, the recipient of Mr. R's coveted endorsement for the Republican presidential nomination: Mitt Romney.
When looking for my nominee, I considered several factors:
1. Is this person presidential? Do they have a presence that commands the room? Are they knowledgeable on the issues? Do they have a record of getting things done? While a few candidates have shown glimpses of presidential behavior, Mitt Romney is the only candidate this year who always looks presidential. Almost every candidate in this race has had at least two weeks as the favorite "anti-Romney" candidate; and yet each of those candidates have wilted under the increased media exposure. As the "favorite," Mr. Romney has been dealing with this kind of media attention longer than any Republican in the field, and he continues to show a steady, controlled demeanor that is important to have for someone who hopes to have the most stressful job in the world.
2. How do the candidates line up on the biggest issues? There is no question the biggest issue in this election is going to be the economy and job creation. On these issues, no other Republican in the current field comes close to matching Mr. Romney's private-sector experience of turning around failing enterprises. If ever there were a failing enterprise that needs a turnaround, it is our federal government. It is also worth mentioning that Mr. Romney supports Congressman Paul Ryan's proposed federal budget reforms that will cut our deficit and bring Medicare spending under control, and that he has promised to repeal Obamacare starting Day 1 of his administration.
3. Is this person ready to be the commander-in-chief of our armed forces? There is more to commanding the military than just being able to defend the nation. A good commander-in-chief must be a diplomat and a strategic thinker; someone who knows that American actions are going to have global consequences that will be felt by our allies as well. In 2008, Mr. Romney looked weakest in this area. But judging from his debate performances and other speeches, he has clearly done his homework. Nothing about the phrase "Commander-in-Chief Mitt Romney" gives me the kind of nightmares that phrase would conjure if it included Ron Paul's name.
4. Is this someone that independents and even Democrats can vote for? It is a fact of life for both major parties: Neither the Republicans or Democrats can win a national election by appealing only to their base. Successful campaigns need to appeal to the 30% of the electorate who do not identify with either party. Mitt Romney, as a former Massachusetts governor, has a proven ability to attract independent voters. And although he's being painted as a "Massachusetts Moderate," Mr. Romney's stance on the issues puts him firmly in the Republican mainstream. He may not be the most conservative candidate we could hope for, but his election still moves the country in the "Right" direction.
After watching several debates and a close look at other statements and articles written by this year's GOP candidates, I am convinced that Mitt Romney is the best man to defeat Obama and repeal the Obama agenda.
Hmmm, I tend to agree with you on most points, Mr. R, although I'm not TOTALLY sold on Romney. I think he would be 1000% better than Obama and will gladly vote for him, but, don't laugh, I kind of like Newt. I think he would be a pretty decent choice as well. He's smart and capable, but I know his past (both personal and in Washington) might turn people off.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the nominee isn't Ron Paul or Huntsman, the GOP should be in decent shape. As a the wife of an Army guy who is seeing cut backs left and right, which will ultimately affect how long he can stay in the Army, we really need a Commander in Chief who cares about our military and our nation's defense.
I'll be interested to see how the NH primary goes tomorrow.
Mr. R. here.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments. Honestly, Romney wasn't my first or second choice - that would be Chris Christie and Mitch Daniels. But he is the only one actually running who I think has a shot at beating Obama.
I like Newt too. In fact I have an autographed picture of him from when he was Speaker of the House. But his tenure in that job ended so badly, because he would start working on one new idea, and then put it aside before it was complete to work on some new intellectual curiosity. This kind of leadership made it harder for Republicans to get more things done during his time as Speaker, and was certainly exploited by the Clinton White House.
My take on Newt is that he has great ideas, but that his fatal flaw is ego. He can't stand to step back and let others implement his ideas, and he can't bring himself to admit when someone else has a better idea. Those aren't the kind of qualities you want in a president. And his recent attacks on Romney's business record are straight out the Nancy Pelosi class warfare playbook. That should make any Republican wonder whether he could be a stable leader in the White House. I happen to think Newt could be a much more effective voice on the right if he were running a think tank and lobbying members of Congress on certain ideas.