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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / Mitt Romney, Economist

Mitt Romney, Economist

by John Cole|  January 30, 20085:17 pm| 100 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008

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I have the flu and a fever, so feel free to write this off as feverish conjecture, but I find this interesting:

Given four choices, 45 percent of Florida Republican primary voters said the economy is the most important issue facing the country. Terrorism was picked by 21 percent of voters, while immigration and Iraq were picked by relatively few. The economy also was the top issue out of three choices for voters in the Democratic primary, which none of the candidates contested because of questions about whether Florida’s Democratic delegates will be seated at the convention. The economy has been seen as increasingly important since the start of the 2008 presidential nomination season. McCain won the votes of Republican voters most concerned about the economy, getting 40 percent of their support. Clinton easily won the support of those Democrats who were most concerned about the issue.

Unless I am confused, isn’t Mitt Romney’s whole campaign based around his business acumen, and his ability to get the economy back on track? And yet, even among Republicans, he can not capitalize on his so-called strength?

Is it possible that his business experience is a net negative- with people losing their asses in the market and losing their homes because of the loan fiasco and after several years of an allegedly booming economy that people are not feeling, perhaps Mitt merely symbolizes the business executive cashing end of the year 30 million dollar bonus checks while everyone else is hurting?

Again, just a feverish thought, because I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain.

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100Comments

  1. 1.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Again, just a feverish thought, because I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain.

    Because they think he’s a straight-talking, swell guy who they can have a beer with. CNN told me so – McCain supporters are part of a personality cult, and not interested in stupid things like facts.

    You voted for Bush twice. Doesn’t this seem familiar to you?

  2. 2.

    Zifnab

    January 30, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Is it possible that his business experience is a net negative- with people losing their asses in the market and losing their homes because of the loan fiasco and after several years of an allegedly booming economy that people are not feeling, perhaps Mitt merely symbolizes the business executive cashing end of the year 30 million dollar bonus checks while everyone else is hurting?

    :p Hating your corporate overlords is all for the liberal whiny welfare queen. If you honestly think that another “CEO President” would scare off the die-hard fiscal conservatives, you really should see a doctor.

    Romney is backing away from his CEO roots because he wants to play the George Bush “President you’d like to have a beer with” card.

    That said, I found this way more interesting:

    According to the exit polls Mitt Romney and John McCain tied 33% to 33% among the 89% of the Florida voters last night who were not Hispanic. Among Hispanics, who where 11% of the Florida GOP electorate last night, the vote was 54% McCain, 24% Rudy and 14% Romney. So it was the vote of Hispanic voters who put John McCain over the top in Florida, and gave him the most important win of his fight for the GOP nomination.

    Thus, John McCain, the candidate who championed immigration reform, may have had the nomination delivered to him by those Hispanic voters he has been fighting for. And Romney, who has led the anti-immigrant crusade in the GOP field this year, saw this strategy explode on him – as it has virtually every other Republican who has invested in it – last night.

    ~link
    ~Hat tip DKos

    If I were a Republican, I’d care way less about my appeal as a business leader or a military commander and way more about my image as a giant bigot.

  3. 3.

    MJ

    January 30, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    I think how much a president influences the economy is a lot less then people give them credit for.

  4. 4.

    DougJ

    January 30, 2008 at 5:41 pm

    I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain.

    John the guy is a hero. Heroes are good for the economy, even they coddle illegal aliens. Is that so hard for you to understand? Tax cuts increase revenue. Romney doesn’t know that because he’s so stuck his dweebish MBA world that he thinks you calculate revenues by adding up the sum of tax monies received. McCain’s never looked at a spreadsheet in his life and he knows that kind of accounting is liberal hogwash.

  5. 5.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    January 30, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    I’d say that’s sound if I didn’t believe that people voting on the right side of the ticket were mentally compromised.

    I picture these people choosing their candidates like a 2-year-old chooses her next teddy bear.

    So, I think I disagree. Maybe.

  6. 6.

    demkat620

    January 30, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    If I were a Republican, I’d care way less about my appeal as a business leader or a military commander and way more about my image as a giant bigot.

    They’ve been happy looking like galactic size dorks for the last 7 years, I don’t think the bigot part worries them.

  7. 7.

    DougJ

    January 30, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    I picture these people choosing their candidates like a 2-year-old chooses her next teddy bear.

    I think you’re giving them to much credit. Kids don’t think about which teddy bear they’d like to have a beer with. They may think about which teddy bear they’d like to hide pot in when they older, but that’s different.

  8. 8.

    Rex

    January 30, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    I think most people see now how well that “First MBA President” thing worked out.

    That and Romney is a ridiculous fake cultist who embodies the Wall Street culture of privilege.

  9. 9.

    Gus

    January 30, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    People trust McCain because like them, he admits he’s ignorant when it comes to economics.

  10. 10.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    Every time I hear about Mitt’s business experience, I think of the mantra I heard back in 2000-2001 about the MBA president. Well, we know how that turned out. I think the whole business experience thing is pretty much a non-starter to most voters, except for the corporatist wing of the Republican party.

    I can’t find the link right now but Mitt has issues. He has outspent McCain (if I remember correctly) about 5-1 or 7-1, depending the state. Mitts in deep … doo doo. I also remember reading that his fundraising is in the toilet AND if he kept up this level of spending it would require him to spend half of his fortune.

    Sounds like bye-bye Mitt to me. (Barring a miracle, of course.)

  11. 11.

    Curious

    January 30, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    I thought Romney’s campaign was based on desperate and utterly shameless pandering to conservatives.

  12. 12.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    Kids don’t think about which teddy bear they’d like to have a beer with. They may think about which teddy bear they’d like to hide pot in when they older, but that’s different.

    LOL

  13. 13.

    srv

    January 30, 2008 at 5:58 pm

    Again, just a feverish thought, because I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain.

    Is Keating still alive? Obviously Bernanke hasn’t worked out very well, and we need a replacement.

  14. 14.

    aschupanitz

    January 30, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    So it was the vote of Hispanic voters who put John McCain over the top in Florida, and gave him the most important win of his fight for the GOP nomination.

    Can someone pleeeeease send this to Michelle Malkin so she has an aneurism?

  15. 15.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    I thought Romney’s ______________________(insert GOP candidate’s name here) campaign was based on desperate and utterly shameless pandering to conservatives.

    Fixt

  16. 16.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    People trust McCain because like them, he admits he’s ignorant when it comes to economics.

    Actually, no he doesn’t. From the Florida debate:

    Russert: Sen. McCain, you have said repeatedly, “I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” Is it a problem for your campaign that the economy is now the most important issue, one that, by your own acknowledgement, you are not well versed on?

    McCain: Actually, I don’t know where you got that quote from. I’m very well versed in economics. I was there at there at the Reagan Revolution.

    McCain only admits he’s ignorant on economics when he thinks nobody is listening. When he is called on it, he pretends like he never said it.

  17. 17.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    McCain: Actually, I don’t know where you got that quote from. I’m very well versed in economics. I was there at there at the Reagan Revolution.

    Then he should understand that “voodoo economics” doesn’t work.

  18. 18.

    Emma Anne

    January 30, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    Is it possible that his business experience is a net negative- with people losing their asses in the market and losing their homes because of the loan fiasco and after several years of an allegedly booming economy that people are not feeling, perhaps Mitt merely symbolizes the business executive cashing end of the year 30 million dollar bonus checks while everyone else is hurting?

    We need some more cross tabs. There are Repub constituencies I’d believe that of – I doubt your average fundie likes rich business people all that much, especially when three of his neighbors have been foreclosed on and his equity is swirling down the drain.

  19. 19.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    Every time I hear about Mitt’s business experience, I think of the mantra I heard back in 2000-2001 about the MBA president. Well, we know how that turned out.

    It turned out very well for big-businessmen.

    For the rest of us, not so great.

  20. 20.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    We need some more cross tabs. There are Repub constituencies I’d believe that of – I doubt your average fundie likes rich business people all that much, especially when three of his neighbors have been foreclosed on and his equity is swirling down the drain.

    That’s the libruls fault.

  21. 21.

    Dennis - SGMM

    January 30, 2008 at 6:08 pm

    McCain: Actually, I don’t know where you got that quote from. I’m very well versed in economics. I was there at there at the Reagan Revolution.

    And he was a drummer boy in the Civil War too.

  22. 22.

    libarbarian

    January 30, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    I was talking to a friend about the related issue that “we” (our country) have now tried the “CEO president” several times and it just hasn’t worked. CEOs, even successful CEOs, tend to make lousy presidents. I’m not sure why, though I have my theories, but its true.

  23. 23.

    Svensker

    January 30, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    Romney comes off like an MBA suit — the kind who skis at Aspen and lives in a NYC highrise — not a roll-up-your-sleeves-how-many-widgets-did-we-sell-last-week businessman.

    On the other hand, according to an article I read on antiwar.com, antiwar independents went for McCain (gah!!!) in NH. So go figure.

  24. 24.

    JGabriel

    January 30, 2008 at 6:19 pm

    John Cole:

    Is it possible that his business experience is a net negative- with people losing their asses in the market and losing their homes because of the loan fiasco and after several years of an allegedly booming economy that people are not feeling, perhaps Mitt merely symbolizes the business executive cashing end of the year 30 million dollar bonus checks while everyone else is hurting?

    John, Romney’s business experience may also be a net negative simply because people don’t have to reach back very far in their memory to remember how our last MBA president turned out.

  25. 25.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 6:26 pm

    CEOs, even successful CEOs, tend to make lousy presidents. I’m not sure why, though I have my theories, but its true.

    It might have something to do with the “separation of powers” thing.

    The President can’t fire Congress, although Lord knows G-Dub tried.

  26. 26.

    jrg

    January 30, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    Maybe it’s just me, but when I think of a good businessman, I think of a prescient, risk-taking, hard worker who saves a lot, and has an interest in improving his or her own community.

    When I see a silver-spoon stuffed shirt like Romney, I think of exactly the opposite: someone born into power does not need to be prescient, he has enough money to bet on more than one outcome. He does not have to be much of a risk taker – betting $30K of your life savings is a much bigger risk than betting one million of the many your daddy gave to you. People like Romney do not seem to have an interest in the community, either. In fact, people like Romney seem to think the community owes them something (remember the “my sons are serving their country by helping me run for office” remark?)

    McCain might not be an Oracle, but he does seem to be a risk taker and hard worker. McCain also gave to his community (in the sense that he fought for his country).

    I’m not a huge fan of McCain, but I can understand why someone would pick him over someone like Romney, who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

  27. 27.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    Huck’s got Chuck.

    Barack’s got the HULK!

    And Hillary’s got Belvis, the Black Elvis.

    Heh. This is gettin’ funner and funner.

  28. 28.

    The Other Steve

    January 30, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Again, just a feverish thought, because I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain.

    McCain is going to increase the federal payroll?

    That’s what Reagan and Bush did.

  29. 29.

    Calous

    January 30, 2008 at 7:03 pm

    @jrg: McCain is as much a silver spooner as Romney. Both his father and his grandfather were admirals. That won’t have hurt his Navy career.

  30. 30.

    calipygian

    January 30, 2008 at 7:07 pm

    Voters broke for McCain because in a field full of stupid, insane people, McCain comes off as the least stupid and least insane.

  31. 31.

    Hypatia

    January 30, 2008 at 7:09 pm

    Is it possible that his business experience is a net negative- with people losing their asses in the market and losing their homes because of the loan fiasco and after several years of an allegedly booming economy that people are not feeling, perhaps Mitt merely symbolizes the business executive cashing end of the year 30 million dollar bonus checks while everyone else is hurting?

    What’s interesting is that it seems to have helped him in deeply depressed Michigan, where he told people that he’d use his ‘business expertise’ to bring their jobs back and apparently some of them actually believed him. There were other factors helping him in that state, of course.

  32. 32.

    sparky

    January 30, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    florida is really having some post boom problems. you don’t want to hear from a business guy when teh bank is foreclosing on your nest egg. you want the “regular guy” who seems more likely to be like you/sympathetic than the banker type guy, even if the regular guy says he doesn’t have a clue.

    rational? no. but finance isn’t rational for much of main street, at least in florida. elections would be rather different if they were the outcomes of rational decision-making. for example, see Bush, G., 2004.

  33. 33.

    Psycheout

    January 30, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    I read some exit polls that suggested that those who thought the economy was doing great (primarily upper class folk) voted for Mittens.

    Those who thought the economy was in trouble (middle class and poor folk) voted for McCain.

  34. 34.

    Wilfred

    January 30, 2008 at 7:29 pm

    off topic, but it needs to be said:

    NEW ORLEANS — John Edwards, the progressive Democratic candidate who made a populist, antipoverty message the centerpiece of his campaign, announced his exit from the presidential primary race on Wednesday, saying he was stepping aside “so that history can blaze its path.”

    That rascal history. Here’s hoping it blazes its way up Mitt’s ass next.

  35. 35.

    Psycheout

    January 30, 2008 at 7:29 pm

    Still delusional, Huge Hewitt applies fuzzy math to declare that Mittens can still win this thing. Somehow.

    Super Tuesday Math: Far, Far from Over

  36. 36.

    Once-ler

    January 30, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    Didn’t Romney make his fortune as CEO of a private equity company? You know, the kind of company that buys other companies just so they can sell off the pieces and fire most of the employees. I don’t know why that wouldn’t appeal to people worried about the economy.

  37. 37.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Voters broke for McCain because in a field full of stupid, insane people, McCain comes off as the least stupid and least insane.

    “Vote McCain! He’s not a crazy idiot!”

    Yeah, that’ll bring in the independents.

  38. 38.

    Jason

    January 30, 2008 at 7:53 pm

    Part of the problem is that Mitt’s Mormonism and Governor-of- Massachusetts-ism forced him to spend so much time pitching himself to the religious right, that that’s how he ended up being defined. This didn’t hurt him, exactly, but it just overshadowed his economic credentials (such as they are).

  39. 39.

    myiq2xu

    January 30, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    In other news:

    LEWISTON (Maine) – A 50- to 60-foot doughy mass is clogging a sewer line under the city’s main drag, and crews have been unable to budge it.

    “We’re not sure exactly what it is,” Public Services Director David Jones said Wednesday. “We’re just trying to get rid of it. We want it to stop clogging up our pipe.”
    (h/t Rising Hegemon)

    “And it’s breath smelled like Cheetos”

  40. 40.

    Tsulagi

    January 30, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    I think it is Romney’s mouth that is turning the advantage over to McCain if Mr. Reformer can get his 32 lobbyist campaign contribution bundlers to bring in a chunk of money now. The more MC Mitty opens his mouth more people get the sense you can’t believe anything coming out of it. Two NH newspaper editorials easily caught on to that before they voted.

  41. 41.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    In all this excitement after America’s Mayor dropped out I completely forgot about Reverend Huckabee and Ron Paul. They should be at tonights Republican debate! Fewer candidates. More time for those two fine fellows to talk about the gold standard and how Jesus can make our Constitution more godly. Woo hoo! I got the beer and tequila. Whose bringing the chips and salsa?

  42. 42.

    Digital Amish

    January 30, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Unless I am confused, isn’t Mitt Romney’s whole campaign based around his business acumen, and his ability to get the economy back on track? And yet, even among Republicans, he can not capitalize on his so-called strength?

    The last guy Florida elected was also touted as ‘the MBA president’. How’s that workin’ out for ’em.

  43. 43.

    libarbarian

    January 30, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    McCain might not be an Oracle, but he does seem to be a risk taker and hard worker. McCain also gave to his community (in the sense that he fought for his country).

    McCain didn’t just fight for his country and he didn’t just “do time” as a POW either (he himself has said “it doesn’t take a lot of talent to get shot down”).

    McCain was “offered” (ie. pressed to take) early release from prison, largely because of his fathers position as Commander of the Pacific Fleet. McCain refused, however, because of an unofficial code among aviators that said you didn’t go home while people who had been captured before you remained behind. They were pissed and actually tortured him in an attempt to get him to agree to go home – and he still refused. He stayed a few more years in prison, enduring torture and solitary confinement, before he was finally released.

    Think about that – being tortured and having the power to make it stop, not by confessing to a crime you didn’t commit or turning on a friend, but by agreeing to go home!! How fucking tempting would that be?!!? It takes STONES to endure real fucking torture, when you have nothing to lose by breaking except your sense of right and wrong, for the sake of an unofficial code of honor.

    Whatever differences I have with McCain politically, I can’t agree with people who attack his basic character – I think he’s proven, empirically, that he is willing to sacrifice and suffer for people and principles. There is NO WAY he will see war, like Bush & Cheney, as a game and the lives of his soldiers as so many pieces on a chess board. For chrissakes he got fucked-up for years in what was ultimately really just a display of solidarity with the men he did time with.

    Frankly, if we have to stay in Iraq for longer, I’d much rather do it under a guy like McCain, who I trust to be conscientious about it and put it above domestic politics, than under Hillary who will be like Bush and make policy decision in Iraq based on domestic political decisions at home.

  44. 44.

    Dave in ME

    January 30, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    Romney’s problem isn’t his business background so much as his completely fake persona, which the reptilian brained aren’t buying. Romney is a completely self absorbed rich fuck, and the last time one of those was on the ballot, we got the last 8 nightmarish years.

  45. 45.

    libarbarian

    January 30, 2008 at 8:26 pm

    domestic political decisions at home.

    I meant “domestic political conditions at home.”

  46. 46.

    aschupanitz

    January 30, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    Whose bringing the chips and salsa?

    Sorry, I don’t own a bringing.

  47. 47.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    There is NO WAY he will see war, like Bush & Cheney, as a game and the lives of his soldiers as so many pieces on a chess board.

    Way to buy the bullshit.

    Never mind that he goes around singing “Bomb Iran” and has declared that we will be in Iraq for another 100 years in addition to being involved in several more wars. Forget all that. He’s a good guy and a straight-shooter, so there’s no way he would play politics with the military.

    Unless of course he is just saying those things to pander to his warmongering base, in which case, he’s just being a good politician!

  48. 48.

    Dennis - SGMM

    January 30, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    Romney has a business background all right. He looks like every other cocksucker that calls a company meeting, tells you how rosy things are and then lays off half of the outfit the following week.

  49. 49.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    libarbarian: I agree with your assessment of McCain’s character and I also believe he is a hell of a man. But I will vote for a Democrat. Period. Its about Supreme Court Justices.

    McCain thinks Alito and Roberts were good appointments and he would appoint Justices with a similar point-of-view. At least one, if not two seats will open this next four years. I can’t vote for McCain for that reason.

  50. 50.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    Question for those of you who approve of McCain’s character:

    How do you explain him flat-out lying about his remarks regarding his lack of depth on economic matters? Is that an admirable quality for a future president to have?

  51. 51.

    Neal

    January 30, 2008 at 9:46 pm

    I’m going to say the weirdest thing ever.
    I watched the Republican debate and I have to say that Huckabee sounded like the most sensible one up there. I don’t agree with him on much of anything but at least he sounded like a human being…and I liked his bit about the 10th amendment. Romney and McCain sounded like gibbering idiots.

    They didn’t let Ron Paul talk any so I can’t factor him in there.

    Oh, and kudos for Huckabee and Paul for not turning into groveling messes when asked if Reagan would endorse them.

  52. 52.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    How do you explain him flat-out lying about his remarks regarding his lack of depth on economic matters?

    You’ll have to be more specific because I haven’t heard or read the remarks. But I don’t follow the Republicans to closely.

  53. 53.

    Krista

    January 30, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    He looks like every other cocksucker that calls a company meeting, tells you how rosy things are and then lays off half of the outfit the following week.

    /shudders in visceral dislike.

    That’s happened to me…once was a 50% salary cut, and once was a layoff.

  54. 54.

    Equal Opportunity Cynic

    January 30, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    @libarbarian:

    I was talking to a friend about the related issue that “we” (our country) have now tried the “CEO president” several times and it just hasn’t worked. CEOs, even successful CEOs, tend to make lousy presidents. I’m not sure why, though I have my theories, but its true.

    Not to get too far off topic, but who are you considering the successful CEOs who became US president?

    I certainly grant that we now have a spectacular case study strongly suggesting that lousy CEOs become even worse presidents. HBS should be proud. Apparently just anyone really can get in as long as Daddy’s well-connected.

  55. 55.

    Equal Opportunity Cynic

    January 30, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    @Zifnab:

    I agree that the Latino vote breaking for McCain and perhaps ultimately sinking Romney is a richly deserved outcome. That said, the presence of a large Republican Latino population in is pretty singular to Florida because of the Cuban population, isn’t it? Don’t you think Mitt’s pandering to xenophobes might help him more in TX or CA, where Latinos tend to be far more Dem-aligned?

  56. 56.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 10:04 pm

    You’ll have to be more specific because I haven’t heard or read the remarks.

    My apologies. From above:

    Russert: Sen. McCain, you have said repeatedly, “I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.” Is it a problem for your campaign that the economy is now the most important issue, one that, by your own acknowledgement, you are not well versed on?

    McCain: Actually, I don’t know where you got that quote from. I’m very well versed in economics. I was there at there at the Reagan Revolution.

    From the Florida debate. Original thread I saw was here.

  57. 57.

    Jorge

    January 30, 2008 at 10:04 pm

    McCain did not need to do anything but cost through this debate. As long as he didn’t say anything new he won. And really, the big story to come out of this debate won’t be the debate but the fact that the Governator is endorsing McCain.

    Romney’s problem is that he is going right when he needs to be going towards the center. What we are seeing is that the dittohead wing of the Republican party is not as big as people think. The average rank and file Republican voter doesn’t have the emotional anger towards McCain-Feingold that the dittohead’s do.

  58. 58.

    John S.

    January 30, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    He looks like every other cocksucker that calls a company meeting, tells you how rosy things are and then lays off half of the outfit the following week.

    I had a super one of those.

    The company actually threw me a birthday party. Right after I finished my cake, I got called into the office and let go.

  59. 59.

    Krista

    January 30, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    The company actually threw me a birthday party. Right after I finished my cake, I got called into the office and let go.

    I bet they didn’t let you take the rest of the cake home, either.

    Bastards.

  60. 60.

    Jen

    January 30, 2008 at 10:14 pm

    “And it’s breath smelled like Cheetos”

    Punctuation aside, you’re making up for the tedious HRC stuff now. Good work! (Positive encouragement, that’s what they say!)

    If I were a Republican worried about the economy, I’d vote for Mitt. Actually, I’d probably just kidnap one of those sons who are too big of wusses to be in the military and ransom ’em.

    (Note to the Secret Service: That is not a threat. I am not a Republican. Thank you.)

    I thought Kevin Drum was funny:

    Obviously I’m not planning to vote for any of the Republican candidates myself, but some are worse than others: Giuliani is a creepy one-note screwball; Huckabee is ignorant and proud of it; Thompson was a coma-inducing joke; and Tancredo, Hunter, and Paul were just vanity candidates. The two who are left, McCain and Romney, are by far the least offensive of the whole field. So: congratulations GOP. Considering what you had to work with, not a bad effort.

  61. 61.

    ThymeZone

    January 30, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    John McCain is a liar. He is a panderer. He will say, and do, anything to advance his career. That’s just the opinion of an Arizonan who has been watching him for 20+ years and wondering at how the guy can keep leveraging his POW experience into cover for his crummy service as a legislator. He has no character. He is a character.

    Having said that, who is listening to these insane morons in the GOP debate tonight? I swear, this is hard on the brain. The cognitive dissonance … it hertz.

    Make them go away. Crush them. Destroy them. Expunge them.

  62. 62.

    Davis X. Machina

    January 30, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    because I am not sure why those concerned with the economy broke for McCain

    I do.

    In 2000 McCain ran against Bush.
    In 2004 there was loose talk of him running against Cheney as Kerry’s VP.
    The economy, which sucks, is associated with Bush.

    And McCain is the not-Bush.

    I know McCain is Orrin Hatch 2.0.
    You know McCain is Orrin Hatch 2.0.

    But we follow this stuff.

  63. 63.

    TR

    January 30, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    Man, was it just me, or was McCain smirking like a sonofabitch tonight? He’s looking cocky and arrogant.

    I mean, more so.

  64. 64.

    Jen

    January 30, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    Thanks, TR, just as I had resigned myself to a McCain/HRC matchup in which McCain wins, and I’m already preparing my skull-toughening physical therapy routine for all the banging of my head against the desk I’m going to do, you’ve got to go and remind me about the smirk again.

    I cannot take any more Presidential Smirking. I cannot. I must buy a helmet.

  65. 65.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    January 30, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Man, was it just me, or was McCain smirking like a sonofabitch tonight? He’s looking cocky and arrogant.

    Cranky old man comes to mind. And Ron Paul taking Mittens and McCain to task for squabbling was very entertaining. Does anyone ever get the feeling that ol’ Reverend Huckabee could sell snow to Eskimos? AND make them feel good about it!

  66. 66.

    Neal

    January 30, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Exactly, Grand Panjandrum. Listening to Huckabee…I just forget who I am and say “Cool, sure buddy, sounds great!”…I don’t know why.
    Again, I don’t agree with Mike on much at all, but damn…

  67. 67.

    Jen

    January 30, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    Yeah, I didn’t watch the debate, but the Huckster totally has that. It’s like he’s so charming you forget he’s a neanderthal….these are not the droids you’re looking for…. right, Huck, these are not the droids we’re looking for.

    Now, can we sic him on myiq?

  68. 68.

    Dennis - SGMM

    January 30, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Does anyone ever get the feeling that ol’ Reverend Huckabee could sell snow to Eskimos? AND make them feel good about it!

    Hell, the good Reverend could sell snow suppositories to the Eskimos.

  69. 69.

    Neal

    January 30, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    I’m glad I’m not the only one. He’s a smooth son of a bitch sometimes.

  70. 70.

    Chuck Butcher

    January 30, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    let me see,
    Republican voters voting for one of this bunch…
    You found something irrational in their vote? OK…

  71. 71.

    Psycheout

    January 30, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    Blogs 4 Huckabee highlighted Huck’s great answer to the “Would Reagan endorse you?” question.

    Mittens’ typical phony answer: “Absolutely.” Are you going to dig up the body and reanimate the corpse to prove it, you filthy liar?

  72. 72.

    The Other Steve

    January 30, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    Looking at the exit polls out of Florida and even South Carolina and such there is something interesting going on.

    The main pattern is the voters recognize if they want a break from Bush they vote McCain. If they want the Bush policies to continue, they vote Romney.

    I think that’s an interesting dynamic given Romney’s rhetoric and McCain’s reliance upon Bush advisors.

    Similarly speaking, those who want out of Iraq lean McCain.

    Maybe it’s just all wishful thinking on their parts.

  73. 73.

    Neal

    January 30, 2008 at 11:26 pm

    Huck’s answer to the Reagan endorsement question was good. A little modest. Nice. Paul and McCain mentioned how they had experience with Reagan (Though McCain sounded rehearsed and silly). Romney sounded like a pompous ass.

  74. 74.

    Woody

    January 30, 2008 at 11:56 pm

    NEAL – Thanx for your posts. I felt the same way. I am a lifelong Republican and I can’t remember when I have been more disappointed than tonite, seeing the top two contenders bickering over interpretation of what was said , and re-stating the quotes just a bit differentluy from accurate just to spin in their supposed favor. Huck has never been higher than 4th on my list, but tonite he was the only one that behaved in an executive manner, IMHO. I was also pleased with Ron Paul calling the two top dogs to task for bickering when there were important issues to address. This was a low point for me, an old guy (77) who has been a lifelong social and economic conservative. It feels like we have lost our way.

  75. 75.

    Horselover Fat

    January 31, 2008 at 12:07 am

    Jeb Bush’s machine in Florida was backing Romney. McCain won anyway.

  76. 76.

    myiq2xu

    January 31, 2008 at 12:11 am

    I have the flu and a fever

    Bad squirrel eh?

    A Crockpot(c) is okay for roadkill, but only if it’s fresh.

  77. 77.

    aschupanitz

    January 31, 2008 at 12:13 am

    Man, was it just me, or was McCain smirking like a sonofabitch tonight? He’s looking cocky and arrogant.

    That’s been his MO lately: spout some errant bullshit about “ZOMG RADICAL ISLAMIST EXTREMISM” and then sit back and look really pleased with himself because he managed not to look like a total fuckup.

  78. 78.

    DougJ

    January 31, 2008 at 12:33 am

    Off topic but you know how fascinated I am by the punditry. Broder took a shot at George Will today:

    Unelected conservative ideologues — such as Rush Limbaugh and George F. Will– can mutter in frustration, but Republican politicians recognize what was written here as long ago as last Dec. 2: “If the Republican Party really wanted to hold on to the White House in 2009 . . . it would grit its teeth, swallow its doubts and nominate a ticket of John McCain for president and Mike Huckabee for vice president — and president-in-waiting.”

    What a dick. Comparing Will with Rush is a very, very low blow.

  79. 79.

    demimondian

    January 31, 2008 at 12:37 am

    Suggesting that Huckabee has any chance of not torpedoing any ticket he’s on is just…broderesque. My God, what a self-satisfied fool that man is.

  80. 80.

    myiq2xu

    January 31, 2008 at 12:45 am

    Suggesting that Huckabee has any chance of not torpedoing any ticket he’s on is just…broderesque. My God, what a self-satisfied fool that man is.

    The 2000 election proved that the American people will elect a lunatic if he’s funny and amiable.

    “Yeah, he’s dumber than a bag of hammers, but I’d like to have a beer with him. Let’s put him in charge!”

    /end snark

  81. 81.

    myiq2xu

    January 31, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Now, can we sic him on myiq?

    I’m immune to the pHuckabees of the world. I was raised in one of their cults but escaped when someone left my cell unlocked. These days I’m an apostate and a practicioner of Voodoo.

    Now excuse me, I’m late for a goat sacrifice.

  82. 82.

    Tom in Texas

    January 31, 2008 at 12:52 am

    I’m a big supporter of the McCain/Huckster ticket. As I said, I think the corporate class might actually vote for Hillary in that case.
    On that note, I waited on the CEO of El Paso Energy a few weeks ago. The man spent the entire meal convincing his dinner partners to vote for Hillary.

  83. 83.

    DougJ

    January 31, 2008 at 1:08 am

    It’s just sinking in that Broder likes the idea of Huckabee as “president in waiting.” And that he’s smugly putting George Will down for thinking otherwise.

  84. 84.

    myiq2xu

    January 31, 2008 at 1:19 am

    It’s just sinking in that Broder likes the idea of Huckabee as “president in waiting.”

    For years now the GOP and the MSM have been saying and doing things that make my first reactions “They’re kidding, right?” and “They don’t really mean that, do they?”

    Unfortunately, they’re serious.

    It’s like a batshit crazy version of “Can you top this?”

    “Let’s invade Iraq!”

    “Oh yeah? Well let’s invade Iran too!”

    “We’ll stay in Iraq for ten years!”

    “100 years!”

    “Double Guantanamo!”

  85. 85.

    Anne Laurie

    January 31, 2008 at 1:24 am

    In 2000 McCain ran against Bush. In 2004 there was loose talk of him running against Cheney as Kerry’s VP.
    The economy, which sucks, is associated with Bush.

    And McCain is the not-Bush.

    And you, Mr. Machina, have a genius for distilling the perfect summary!

    To extend Caidence’s quip about teddy bears, when the sun is shining and it’s grape juice day at playgroup, the average two-year-old is all about the complicated heavily-advertised brand-name battery-operated plastic toy. But when it’s dark and thundery and past time for bed, that same two-year-old will not be happy with anything but the ancient teddy that’s been dragged & chewed & run through the washer until it looks like a plush model of a teratoma. If the American economy were still mid-bubble, the Repub Base would be all over Shiny Plastic Action Romney, but with so many people and businesses circling the drain, they’re looking for the familiar comfort of the Elderly Velveteen McCain.

  86. 86.

    Helena Montana

    January 31, 2008 at 8:25 am

    It’s possible that McCain did better than Mittens among ALL Republicans because Mittens is a lousy campaigner–wooden, robotic, and uncomfortable. Also he’s completely and painfully un-genuine. His public persona is not at all likeable. NOBODY would want to have a beer with him, even if his religion permitted him to drink.

  87. 87.

    RSA

    January 31, 2008 at 8:27 am

    Unless I am confused, isn’t Mitt Romney’s whole campaign based around his business acumen, and his ability to get the economy back on track? And yet, even among Republicans, he can not capitalize on his so-called strength?

    Oddly enough, John McCain’s whole campaign is based on his being a conservative, and yet he’s similarly been unable to capitalize on this so-called strength to capture even a plurality of their votes so far.

  88. 88.

    Jake

    January 31, 2008 at 8:45 am

    I was there at there at the Reagan Revolution.

    Keating 5 Baybee!

    I do think Senator “Gays in the Military are an Intolerable Risk” McCretin will be sitting in the White House this time next year. The alternatives are OMG! HITLERY LESBIAN CLINTON or OMG! BARAK HUSSEIN OSAMA! Just wait until the GOP NoizeMachine gets up to speed. Those of you with delicate constitutions may want to look away.

    Can this country take four more years of GOP rule?

    Yeah, but we might wind up fighting over the nice cardboard boxes before it’s done.

    But can the GOP take four more years of GOP rule?

    Bwaha ha. Ha ha ha. MWAhAHAHAH!

    Never mind kids with teddy bears. The GOP is a kid poking at an electrical outlet with a butter knife.

  89. 89.

    p.lukasiak

    January 31, 2008 at 8:47 am

    the reason why “economy” voters broke for McCain is simple — the amorphous ideas espoused by all the GOP candidates on the economy are identical — there is no real difference between what Romney says he will do, and what McCain says he will do. So, while the economy may be their chief concern, its a toss-up for GOP voters who has the best “plan”, and other factors come into play.

  90. 90.

    Dennis - SGMM

    January 31, 2008 at 8:48 am

    All of this is fun to watch but, as soon as the Republican nominee is identified, you’ll hear a hearty “Jawohl!” from the noise machine which will unanimously begin spewing all of the cliches that constitute the reasons why their boy is great and ours will bring about the downfall of civilization.

  91. 91.

    DrDave

    January 31, 2008 at 8:50 am

    Every time I hear about Mitt’s business experience, I think of the mantra I heard back in 2000-2001 about the MBA president. Well, we know how that turned out. I think the whole business experience thing is pretty much a non-starter to most voters, except for the corporatist wing of the Republican party.

    I wouldn’t vote for Romney (because who can tell what he believes? He’s changed his position on every friggin’ issue) but…

    he actually has a track record of running successful, profitable businesses. In contrast, every business Bush ran was run into the ground and either went belly-up or got bailed out by his Daddy’s friends.

    As for McCain and his success among voters most concerned about the economy: McCain is the first to admit that he is weak on the economy (so who will HIS economic team be???) so voters who claim to have economic concerns and then vote for McCain are doing so because they either trust McCain to surround himself with good people or (more likely) they aren’t paying attention. (Maybe the same morons who voted for Bush twice b/c he had an MBA from Harvard without looking at what he did with it?)

  92. 92.

    4tehlulz

    January 31, 2008 at 9:20 am

    It looks like Mitt is finished.

    Poor Josh. He loses Rudy!, followed shortly after by Mittens.

    I feel your pain, JMM.

  93. 93.

    bobbob

    January 31, 2008 at 9:56 am

    Sorry to hear you are under the weather.
    Get well soon.

  94. 94.

    Neal

    January 31, 2008 at 10:11 am

    Woody – It has to be disconcerting to see where these guys have gone. I’m relatively young and I’m not so much the social conservative (I’m a little more libertarian there) but I do pay attention to both sides when it comes to the debates because one of these people is going to be my next president. I just can’t believe how sad these GOP candidates are. They trip over themselves to be likened to Ronnie…but damn it, I want to know who THEY are. Ronald is dead. Doesn’t anyone have an original idea? I know this is a rhetorical question, but still!
    I like kooky old Ron Paul for his convictions in regards to the constitution but his skeletons in the closet disgust me…and he has no chance of winning anything. Huckabee is a smooth talker but I do not want a preacher in the white house…and his knowledge of history is lacking. The signers of the Declaration were not all clergy. One of them was…and the guy who wrote it, who is my personal hero, was a deist who didn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus. Aside from that, I don’t want abortion to be the number one issue of my president. I hate to be insensitive, but it’s not the number one priority for our country right now.
    Mittens takes pandering to a whole new level. He makes me ill. Lastly, you have McCain, who has just absolutely lost his shit with this whole “We’ll be in Iraq for a billion years” pledge. The only upside with McCain is he’ll end the US torture…but that’s it. That won’t even out for me when our soldiers are dying in Iran.
    I don’t have to agree with my president on everything…but I do want to be able to respect him/her. I’m having a hard time with that.
    This whole party has just lost their minds.

  95. 95.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    January 31, 2008 at 10:26 am

    4tehlulz’s link is broken, I think he’s talking about this

    Am I the only one, when looking at that picture, that is reminded of the Bobs from Office Space (the “consultants” hired to fire people)?

  96. 96.

    Caidence (fmr. Chris)

    January 31, 2008 at 10:28 am

    Am I the only one, when looking at that picture, that is reminded of the Bobs from Office Space (the “consultants” hired to fire people)?

    Oops. Fixed.

  97. 97.

    Farhad

    January 31, 2008 at 10:53 am

    I think its rather simple:

    – Mitt Romney has endlessly tried to built his support on religious and conservative issues, changing alot of stances from purely Left to Right. This was noticed and picked upon voters, and discredited him in their eyes.

    – Religious stances and terrorism were his focuses, and not on his business handling, this is not something they capitlized. Thus voter resonnance was lost on that front.

    – As someone seen so shifty and flip flopping, the public doesn’t trust him, hes buying votes not really appealing to populist economic reform nor stating specific measures he will carry out. Post Bush people want someone they can actually believe in again, someone who they can listen to without having to wonder what they are lying about.

    Lastly Romeny is a big business ticket, he won’t go out of his way to help the common man right the economic wrong that stems from the very foundations of those who financially back his run but rather fix it by doing the old Bushims… lax taxation on the top 1% and general regressive taxation…

  98. 98.

    Jake

    January 31, 2008 at 11:06 am

    Damned lies from TPM:

    With five days to go until Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney’s spokesperson is confirming that the Romney campaign has bought exactly zero TV ad time in any of the states that vote on Feb. 5.

    Here’s an ad by the Mittster.

  99. 99.

    Cyrus

    January 31, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    Unless I am confused, isn’t Mitt Romney’s whole campaign based around his business acumen, and his ability to get the economy back on track? And yet, even among Republicans, he can not capitalize on his so-called strength?

    You might be right about class resentment, but I think that Republican primary voters concerned about the economy support McCain over Romney for the same reason they support McCain in general: emotional party identification.

    Everyone’s been mystified why McCain has lots of support from anti-war Republicans. The consensus seems to be simply that they must be stupid and unaware of his positions. That’s possible, but it seems more likely to me that it’s the “maverick” appeal. False, of course, but whatever. It’s Bush’s war, it’s the Republicans’ war, liberals hate it — and look who is complaining about torture in debates (and not for any kooky America-hating reasons like Ron Paul).

    Same thing with the economy. That things are going well under Bush, and that what’s good for General Motors is what’s good for America, seems to be Republican orthodoxy. Romney is sort of the establishment candidate, so people who emotionally identify with Republicans but are a little less sure about Wal-Mart would support the guy who is, supposedly, the maverick.

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  1. Pseudo-Polymath » Blog Archive » Thursday Highlights says:
    January 31, 2008 at 9:44 am

    […] When, oh when, will the “pundits and bloggers” lose faith in polls? It seems never. […]

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