"What Obama Did To Romney" By Steve Kornacki at Salon

[applegrove]

What Obama Did To Romney

By Steve Kornacki at Salon

Mitt Romney has stumbled since the president seized the issue on Friday

http://www.salon.com/2012/06/18/what_obama_did_to_romney/?source=newsletter

"SNIP.................................................

This really is the definition of talking without saying anything. And in a way, it’s totally consistent with Romney’s general election strategy, which relies on speaking in broad, platitudinous terms and avoiding policy specifics and culture war traps as much as possible. He wants to be the generic vehicle for swing voters who are motivated by their economic anxiety to seek an alternative to President Obama – nothing more, nothing less.

But immigration looked like it was going to be the exception to this strategic principle, an opportunity for Romney to make a bold-seeming stand that would repair some of the primary season damage he incurred and create the impression of strong and effective leadership.
The idea, which Romney teased during in a private meeting with donors a few months ago, was for Sen. Marco Rubio to trot out a watered down version of the Dream Act sometime this summer and for Romney to endorse it. This would represent a break from the hardline posture Romney struck when he was battling Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, and would serve as a potentially reassuring gesture to swing voters who are uncomfortable with the nativism that has taken hold on the right. Rubio’s framework had the added bonus of being a possibly acceptable compromise for immigration advocates; real momentum might have built for it, burnishing Romney’s leadership credentials.

But what Obama did Friday eliminated Romney’s opening, since he essentially implemented what Rubio was going to propose. This put Romney in an awful position. His campaign is committed to never, ever giving Obama credit for anything, but the steps Obama took are also quite popular and (relatively speaking) modest in scale; to oppose them might worsen Obama’s (!) Romney’ problems with Hispanic voters and smack of nativist pandering.

....................................................SNIP"

[siligut]

1. Keep it up Obama. He never wanted to play this game.

I think Obama finally faced the horrible truth. Obama can out play all of them.

[JDPriestly]

2. I hope you are right.

Obama was naive. I always knew that. That is one of the reasons I supported a more cynical, hardened politician in the primaries.

But Obama appears to have learned or at least to be learning.

In the days of Eisenhower, maybe even Nixon, Democrats could deal with Republicans.

But since Brown v. Board of Education and the abortion decisions, the Republican Party has changed. It has drawn all the bigots, the racists, the sexists, all the nasty souls under its wing and is now run by them.

Obama, hopefully, finally realizes what he is up against. It ain't pretty. In fact, it is downright disgusting.

These nasty characters used to be easier to handle because they were kind of spread around like a fungus, infecting all aspects of our political life, but not able to amass too much power or concentrate their meanness in any one political power. But now, the Republican Party is infested. Too bad, but that is the way it is.

I'm happy to see that Obama is finally acting a little bit as though he recognizes the truth of our national crisis.

Sorry that this post is so nasty itself. But it was inspired by the ugliness in the Republican Party, and my intention is to express that ugliness in a way the DUers can recognize it when it pops up in the headlines.

[tabatha]

4. Everyone was wringing their hands in the last election about Obama.

I believe Obama knew exactly what he was up against - and despite that he has some accomplishments.

"I'm happy to see that Obama is finally acting a little bit as though he recognizes the truth of our national crisis."

Obama has known all along. He is way smarter than most.

[siligut]

7. Intelligence isn't a factor in recognizing what we are dealing with

I agree, Obama is brilliant, but he is also somewhat of an idealist. Who would think that the American politicians would seek to destroy their constituents?

Villainy is easy to see, it shows itself by its actions, but this is like malignancy, it lays in wait, until it has spread and believes itself to be invincible.

[GeorgeGist]

9. So spending his honeymoon chasing Republicans ...

was just a scam?

[tabatha]

11. I have no idea what that is meant to convey.

[siligut]

5. The awful truth

Our desire to believe that humans are basically good was instilled at an early age. Now we are actually seeing people who are trying to make our country into what we all thought we were fighting against.

Your post isn't nasty, it is recognizing a very nasty fact.

[hrmjustin]

3. Well here is to pissing off Romney! n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Governor Jan Brewer are angry

Romney doesn't know which way to turn!

[jenmito]

8. K&R. This was a brilliant move in so many ways. Not only did Obama put Romney in a

box, he stepped all over Romney's bus tour. Good politics equaled good policy in this case.

[leftynyc]

10. Saw a poll on MJ this morning

68% of those asked supported the President's position on this. More than 2/3. Romney has to be looking at that and shaking in his boots.