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.
John S.
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?
Zifnab
: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:
~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.
MJ
I think how much a president influences the economy is a lot less then people give them credit for.
DougJ
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.
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
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.
demkat620
They’ve been happy looking like galactic size dorks for the last 7 years, I don’t think the bigot part worries them.
DougJ
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.
Rex
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.
Gus
People trust McCain because like them, he admits he’s ignorant when it comes to economics.
The Grand Panjandrum
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.)
Curious
I thought Romney’s campaign was based on desperate and utterly shameless pandering to conservatives.
John S.
LOL
srv
Is Keating still alive? Obviously Bernanke hasn’t worked out very well, and we need a replacement.
aschupanitz
Can someone pleeeeease send this to Michelle Malkin so she has an aneurism?
myiq2xu
Fixt
John S.
Actually, no he doesn’t. From the Florida debate:
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.
myiq2xu
Then he should understand that “voodoo economics” doesn’t work.
Emma Anne
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.
myiq2xu
It turned out very well for big-businessmen.
For the rest of us, not so great.
myiq2xu
That’s the libruls fault.
Dennis - SGMM
And he was a drummer boy in the Civil War too.
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.
Svensker
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.
JGabriel
John Cole:
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.
myiq2xu
It might have something to do with the “separation of powers” thing.
The President can’t fire Congress, although Lord knows G-Dub tried.
jrg
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.
The Grand Panjandrum
Huck’s got Chuck.
Barack’s got the HULK!
And Hillary’s got Belvis, the Black Elvis.
Heh. This is gettin’ funner and funner.
The Other Steve
McCain is going to increase the federal payroll?
That’s what Reagan and Bush did.
Calous
@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.
calipygian
Voters broke for McCain because in a field full of stupid, insane people, McCain comes off as the least stupid and least insane.
Hypatia
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.
sparky
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.
Psycheout
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.
Wilfred
off topic, but it needs to be said:
That rascal history. Here’s hoping it blazes its way up Mitt’s ass next.
Psycheout
Still delusional, Huge Hewitt applies fuzzy math to declare that Mittens can still win this thing. Somehow.
Super Tuesday Math: Far, Far from Over
Once-ler
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.
myiq2xu
“Vote McCain! He’s not a crazy idiot!”
Yeah, that’ll bring in the independents.
Jason
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).
myiq2xu
In other news:
“And it’s breath smelled like Cheetos”
Tsulagi
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.
The Grand Panjandrum
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?
Digital Amish
The last guy Florida elected was also touted as ‘the MBA president’. How’s that workin’ out for ’em.
libarbarian
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.
Dave in ME
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.
libarbarian
I meant “domestic political conditions at home.”
aschupanitz
Sorry, I don’t own a bringing.
John S.
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!
Dennis - SGMM
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.
The Grand Panjandrum
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.
John S.
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?
Neal
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.
The Grand Panjandrum
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.
Krista
/shudders in visceral dislike.
That’s happened to me…once was a 50% salary cut, and once was a layoff.
Equal Opportunity Cynic
@libarbarian:
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.
Equal Opportunity Cynic
@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?
John S.
My apologies. From above:
From the Florida debate. Original thread I saw was here.
Jorge
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.
John S.
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.
Krista
I bet they didn’t let you take the rest of the cake home, either.
Bastards.
Jen
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:
ThymeZone
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.
Davis X. Machina
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.
TR
Man, was it just me, or was McCain smirking like a sonofabitch tonight? He’s looking cocky and arrogant.
I mean, more so.
Jen
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.
The Grand Panjandrum
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!
Neal
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…
Jen
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?
Dennis - SGMM
Hell, the good Reverend could sell snow suppositories to the Eskimos.
Neal
I’m glad I’m not the only one. He’s a smooth son of a bitch sometimes.
Chuck Butcher
let me see,
Republican voters voting for one of this bunch…
You found something irrational in their vote? OK…
Psycheout
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?
The Other Steve
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.
Neal
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.
Woody
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.
Horselover Fat
Jeb Bush’s machine in Florida was backing Romney. McCain won anyway.
myiq2xu
Bad squirrel eh?
A Crockpot(c) is okay for roadkill, but only if it’s fresh.
aschupanitz
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.
DougJ
Off topic but you know how fascinated I am by the punditry. Broder took a shot at George Will today:
What a dick. Comparing Will with Rush is a very, very low blow.
demimondian
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.
myiq2xu
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
myiq2xu
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.
Tom in Texas
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.
DougJ
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.
myiq2xu
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!”
Anne Laurie
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.
Helena Montana
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.
RSA
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.
Jake
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.
p.lukasiak
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.
Dennis - SGMM
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.
DrDave
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?)
4tehlulz
It looks like Mitt is finished.
Poor Josh. He loses Rudy!, followed shortly after by Mittens.
I feel your pain, JMM.
bobbob
Sorry to hear you are under the weather.
Get well soon.
Neal
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.
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
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)?
Caidence (fmr. Chris)
Oops. Fixed.
Farhad
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…
Jake
Damned lies from TPM:
Here’s an ad by the Mittster.
Cyrus
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.