Mitt Romney's Luck Has Limits

[xchrom]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,807124,00.html

Americans believe that each individual is the master of his or her fate. But perhaps their presidents are just plain lucky.

Barack Obama, a relatively inexperienced former community organizer, university professor and senator, won the election in 2008 thanks to a triad of lucky coincidences. Party rival Hillary Clinton underestimated the young Democrat, while Americans yearned for "change" after the Bush years, and his Republican opponent John McCain turned out to be a weak campaigner.

Obama's ascent began in the Iowa snow. And it is there that fate has once again smiled on another lucky politician: Mitt Romney, the winner of the Republican presidential caucus in the tiny agrarian state. Romney's victory wasn't decisive on Tuesday evening, when he came in just barely ahead of fellow conservative Rick Santorum, a favorite among the religious right.

But Romney is likely to soon become Obama's official challenger in the November 2012 presidential election, being the best prepared for the upcoming caucuses in South Carolina and Florida -- unlike Santorum, who has so far concentrated almost exclusively on Iowa votes. Romney's position also contrasts with that of his third-place rival Ron Paul, the idol of young radicals who wants to end America's involvement in wars and shut down the US Federal Reserve.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

1. Mittens doesn't need luck; he has the GOP making it harder for Democrats to vote and enough money

from KKKarl Rove and the KKKoch Brothers to see this thing through.

Mittens doesn't scare me. The Corporate Establishment that hates Barack Obama and wants Mitt Romney to win DOES!!

[gateley]

3. Agree, although Mittens scares me, too. People who aren't paying attention

will probably be relieved it's not a Ron Paul or a Michelle Bachmann on the ballot and gratefully give him their vote.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. Meanwhile the Corporate Media which refuses to vet Mitt Romney, is trying to convince

Independents that he's "rational" and "not crazy" like the rest of the GOP field.

It's going to be tough.

People seem open to the idea that somehow being a businessman qualifies one for office. The more that Americans buy into this fallacy, the more they will be convinced that this country ought to be run like a corporation. Government is not a corporation!!

[gateley]

6. I bought into it when Perot was running. I thought it made so much sense that

"if these people were running corporations, they'd have been fired by now". I still agree with that.

And during this tough economic time, it will appeal to people who are hurting financially. They'll WANT the Government to be run like a corporation and get into the black. They'll tune out how he GOT Bain capital profitable, won't acknowledge the bodies littering the path to profit.

That's just my fear, not a prediction, and I hope I'm underestimating our fellow Americans.

[gateley]

2. Interesting piece -- thanks. I think this is important:

"America's worries: Four years ago, conservative Iowa caucus voters were still concerned about abortion and Romney's Mormon beliefs. Today, the United States is a nation where fears of unemployment trump those about Mormons. The key issue for the 2012 campaign will be "jobs, jobs, jobs" -- and economic policy is one of the key skills possessed by Romney, formerly a successful businessman."

WE know how Romney became a "successful businessman". And even though, if we message smartly, we'll spread the word, people may be only looking at the bottom line -- "I don't care WHAT he has to do, I just need a job!".

IMO, natch.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. This piece still neglects the fact that Romney's business acumen notwithstanding did not translate

into jobs for MA. The state ranked 47th in the nation on job creation. During his time at Bain Capital, Mittens was responsible for the LOSS of jobs, not the creation of them! And finally, the Corporate Media simply refuses to go after Mittens on his lie about the car industry in Michigan. He argued that the industry should go bankrupt, but when Obama saved the industry, Mittens took credit for that! Why won't the M$M call out these lies?!?!? I'll tell you why: Because they want Mittens to be the nominee and they are rooting for him to defeat Obama.

[gateley]

7. You're right - and I share your frustration. We can't count on the MSM to get the unvarnished truth

out. I'm FERVENTLY hopeful the Dems will do it when the Republicans chose their candidate.

MSNBC showed an anti-Gingrich spot that ran in Ohio and it was very well done. Straight to the point, got all the hot points in, and called Gingrich out for his ethics violations, his revenue from fannie mae, his cozying agreement with Pelosi and Gore on global warming, etc. So Romney's PACs, anyway, know how to do it right.

I pray we will be as targeted, direct, and lethal.