Mitt Romney for President My Man Mitt: The Competition

I have no illusions. Rudy is has the national spotlight, McCain has the history, base, and moderates, and Thompson might be a threat. But if you think Romney has challenges here are two articles that highlight the problems on the other side of the fence.

Here's the illustrious J-POD in the New York Post: "YOU'RE BLOWING YOUR WHITE HOUSE RUN"

You combined two essential qualities of executive leadership. You had an overarching vision of a new New York City - a safer, cleaner and more prosperous place - and you were able to marshal the institutions of city government to help effect your aim.

And I haven't even yet mentioned your magnificent leadership on and after 9/11, which also combined both the visionary and the practical in a truly stirring way.

That combination of vision and competence is what even your enemies have come to show a grudging respect for.

So where is it now?

The vision seems to be there. But not the competence.

What was that word that pollsters use to describe Romney again? Oh yeah... COMPETANCE. Check.

To get the take on McCain we have to go the other side of the spectrum: E. J Dionne:

John McCain's 2000 campaign for president failed, but it was an unruly and joyous romp. His campaign this time feels quite different: Carefully planned, meticulously calculated -- and a tragedy.

I laugh when I see the note on McCain - because I recognize him as the real threat here. Jonah Goldberg sees the McCain light as well.

Labels: John McCain, rudy


	1 Comments: I would love to see Mitt Romney as President Mitt Romney. Senator McCain has burned serious bridges with the conservative base, Giuliani hurt himself with Pro-lifers with his recent comments about abortion being a 'constitutional right', and Fred Thompson is currently Arthur until further notice. Mitt has the intelligence, problem-solving ability, and speaking ability to articulate his ideas, but he needs to frame himself in a new light as a transformative figure. Although Senator Obama is a standard liberal ideologically, the mainstream media and many Americans are intrigued by his 'beyond politics as usual' rhetoric. If Romney can find a way to make himself a 'new thing' with all of his other attributes, then America and the Republican Party will be better for it. Let's hope he can find a way to do this. Paraphrasing Michael Barone at Regent University, 2008 is going to resemble 1992 in terms of the political atmosphere more than the standard left versus right issues that attract voters. Let's hope Mitt fills the vacuum in 2008, the same way an obscure governor from Arkansas did for two terms in the 1990's. By Steve, at April 10, 2007 at 8:22 PM Post a Comment