Does today’s Romney’s makers-and-takers talk mean that he’s going all strapping young bucks, all the time? Take it with a grain of salt, cos it’s Buzzfeed, but there was a piece today suggesting his campaign was going to focus more on motivating the base than on winning over independents.
It’s worked before for Republicans, but that was when the message worked better on independents. If it’s about giving Erick Erickson a hard-on, I question the wisdom.
Update. As people have pointed out, that tape is from earlier this year.
raven
I have to say I have seen more Romney bumper stickers today than I had in the previous month. Two.
Villago Delenda Est
If here, three weeks after the convention, he’s still in need of keeping the rabid rabble of the base in line, there’s no way to tack to the center and grab the mushy middle.
The etch-a-sketch cannot be shaken without pissing off the wingnuts.
He’s fucked.
Might as well cross that N word event horizon and get it over.
dmsilev
It’s truly impressive that Romney and his campaign think they need to secure the base just 7 weeks prior to the election. Either that’s an accurate perception and Romney is an impressively bad candidate or they’re doing an impressively bad job at reading the electorate.
It’s also highly amusing to watch a Republican campaign run around like a whole flock of headless chickens.
West of the Cascades
I think the Mother Jones article refers to this talk as having occurred “earlier this year” – so it doesn’t seem to be a sudden shift in campaign strategy.
Baud
Wait. Everything he was doing up till now was to win over independents?
dmsilev
@raven: I saw, a couple of weeks ago, an actual Romney convention delegate. It was in an airport, she was obviously heading home after the convention, and she was carrying an RNC2012 tote bag and wearing a “Romney/Ryan 2012: America’s Comeback Team” T-shirt.
So, I can state with some certainty that there are a non-zero number of people who will admit in public to being Romney supporters.
Concerned Citizen
@raven: I’m starting to see Elizabeth Warren yard signs. It’s cool.
Dennis SGMM
When did they ever stop?
different-church-lady
A base turnout strategy is when you pack the state elections with red-meat ballot initiatives and your guy gets votes because of that turnout.
A base turnout strategy does not work when you pivot to the far ends and forget about the middle.
I can’t freakin’ believe I need to explain this to the Romney camp. They must honestly think there’s enough base voters to get him to 50%.
raven
@Baud: This old motherfucker in a caddy at the Y had Romney, DeMint and USMC stickers plastered all over. Fucker was on his cell and blockin my way.
mainmati
@raven: Here in MD I actually two Romney bumper stickers too. The second time I saw it, though I realized that it was the same car (seriously).
So…um…FREEDOM!
Baud
@raven:
Fuck ’em.
raven
@Baud: There it is.
mainmati
@Concerned Citizen: I’ve been giving steadily to her campaign because she seems to be in trouble. This is my parents home state and all my other relatives so I am dismayed. They all get her but maybe she’s perceived to be an interloper.
jwb
If the GOP is doubling down on the base again and giving up the independents that’s because they are now worried about Romney’s numbers crashing through the floor and taking the Senate and House with him.
kvenlander
I have seen two Rmoney bumber stickers too. ON THE F*CKING SAN FRANCISCO BAY BRIDGE. Triple take.
I did see two (count ’em, two) Rmoney yard signs when I drove through the Central Valley lengthwise and crosswise the other weekend.
Thymezone
Still want to go double or nothing on our 2008 bet?
As I have been saying for four years, Obama will win this election by a larger margin (popular, not electoral) than he won in 2008.
Bet? Come on, you know you want to.
burnspbesq
Hank Williams? Impressive.
JustAnotherBob
@different-church-lady:
I have a strong feeling that Romney understands that he is defeated. Now his goal is to not be overly embarrassed.
Put his remaining energy into doing at least a minimally OK job in the debates and carry the red states.
He’ll go down in the history books as being defeated, but not one of the blown out of the water candidates.