The Players: Romney, Paul and Gingrich - image: Houston Chronicle
Mitt Romney’s PAC is now running ads in Florida and South Carolina that are either the same ad or similar in scope to those run in Iowa (Time Magazine) The problem with the ad is that is it far from accurate, and this is ok with both the candidate Romney and those who remain silent in the media. Time after time, from the very beginning of the Romney’s machine’s attacks on Gingrich for being ahead in the polls, Gingrich ask Romney to denounce the ads run in his name, but to no avail – therefore, the gloves came off and a pro-Gingrich group began to run ads touting the former Govenor of Massachusetts’ record as a principle player in Bain Financial Group. It was not Capitalism that the group targeted in their 30 minute ad, rather Mitt Romney himself and the decisions he made to gut companies, sell their assets and make a profit for investors and those principles in the Bain firm, including Romney. Watching both ads is similar to taking a trip to the dentist to have a tooth pulled. However, one has to ask the question, regardless of the fact that Romney’s Camp came out gunning first, and despite the fact that their ads are targeted Gingrich to the point where he lost 20 points in the polls, and regardless of the fact that Mitt Romney merely smiled at Gingrich when he was asked to put a halt to the ads – why do those Romney supporters and the media continue to claim Romney as “innocent”, while Gingrich, who has done nothing more or less than Romney after the fact, is tarred as anti-Capitalist?
The most ridiculous assertions are those coming from the Romney surrogates that it is simply not OK to question Romney’s business decisions – no matter what the charge – this coming from newly elected Govenor of S.C., Nikki Haley, (on Sean Hannity on Fox last evening). Yet at the same time it is fine to make assertions that are false against the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich.
If Romney is not responsible for the ads run by his PAC, then Gingrich is not responsible for the ads run by his PAC - regardless of the levels of truth involved in either PAC’s advertisements.
There should be questions raised about the way in which Mr. Romney ran the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the way in which Mr. Romney behaved during his tenure at Bain Capital. It is unfortunate that the media and those power brokers are able to target an opposition candidate with falsehoods (proven), while giving Romney a complete pass (sound familiar?). What makes Romney so different from President Obama? Obama has the Chicago Machine, true, he was merely a Community Organizer before running for the State Legislature and the Senate, holding terms that were not lengthy, and he was ideologically left, while presenting himself as ideologically moderate in his ads against Hillary Clinton and then John McCain. However, one has to ask which one of the candidates, Romney or the President appears to be more ethical, both in their choice of businesses as well as their commitment to their political ideology. When one examines, without rose colored glasses, both mens measures, then one has to wonder why the GOP and those pundits believe Romney to be the better of the two to run the country. When elected as Governor of Massachusetts, Romney ran on a variety of platforms contradicting him once in office, for the short period of time, before beginning his run for the Presidency in pre-2006. His record at Bain Capital can surely be explained in simple terms - you win some, you lose some, however, one has to ask – why a firm that basically liquidated the assets of a company to make a fast buck? That did not always happen, which is true, he has two examples that he constantly uses, the largest being “Staples”, but those jobs created at Staples are retail jobs, not manufacturing jobs – if one has to be honest, the President has created more jobs in manufacturing that Romney did at Bain in his career, regardless of whether one agrees with the Presidents ideology - or the manner in which the Government has changed to a European model under President Obama’s tenure.
Therefore, drawing a contrast between Romney and the President, regardless of how low the President’s approval ratings are at the moment, does not favor the favorite son of the GOP. It is that simple, and that is why the number of those showing up at the polls to vote in Republican primaries are mainly independents and democrats, rather than the core conservatives – their hearts are not in the race – they have no candidate they feel they can back, and this lays at the feet of the Romney campaign and his attacks on Gingrich. Gingrich has baggage, but the father and grandfather, also has gravitas, the ability to debate, and ideas that are the core of the American system of free enterprise and exceptionalism. There is a sharp contrast between the President and the former Speaker, while no such contrast exists for the Governor.
Yet, it is apparent that no one is listening, and the feeling that another John McCain is being shoved at the Conservatives, again, is pushing those individuals away from the polls. The question is has Romney damaged Gingrich to the extent that both men are unelectable? That remains to be seen – Romney is the status quo and Gingrich, not so much (even if he was a former Speaker, a position which, when one is honest, is of extreme import, requires a willingness to work across aisles in order to get things done, and involves compromise, something that is anathema to those who work for the money machines that are the GOP and DNC campaigns and organizations.
The aforementioned is how it appears, it appears as dirty politics, and politics as usual, and the player primarily responsible for this apathy and the tone of the camp gin is one Mitt Romney. One hears that Romney is the one who is best suited to take the White House from the President – where is the data to back that up? One or two polls perhaps, however, those same polls show Ron Paul in a similar position. The GOP is also dismissive of Paul to their own peril. His message and his website are, indeed one of isolationism, but those who would not have looked at Ron Paul in a lifetime are now taking a second and third look.
The strongest contrast between any mainstream Republican and the Democrats is one Ron Paul, and frankly, should Romney continue to attack Gingrich with falsehoods, while he must be aware that the Gingrich camp has just as much information on him during his tenure as Govenor of Massachusetts as the Obama campaign, and the mainstream media chastises Gingrich for drawing the contrast between himself and Romney, the last man standing may well be Ron Paul.
There is it – although Romney and his staff destroyed every smidgen of electronic communication available form his tenure as Governor, the hard copies were left behind and they were released by the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the Freedom of Information Act. To those who were not watching, Gingrich was in Boston at approximately the same time this occurred – if fact, Gingrich has spent more time in the Bay State than Romney, something one might question since no GOP candidate campaigns in this wasteland. Therefore, it is more than possible that Gingrich and his camp are quite prepared to back up their assertions against Romney, just as much as Team Obama.
Writing as a moderate, and having lived in Massachusetts under Romney’s very short tenure as Governor (viewed by moderates and others in the Commonwealth as being used as a stepping stone to run for President, nothing more nothing less), it was evident, jobs were lost, the backs of the middle class were burdened with fees and taxes, and it was glaringly apparent he would not win reelection. Coming from Massachusetts one does not are what religion one might subscribe to, one does not care particularly which party one aligns themselves with either, one only cares about how one conducts themselves when governing or in the legislature, whether one agrees or disagrees with the Governor, Senator or President’s actions . One only need look at Scott Brown as a shining example, ask a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent about the upcoming race for reelection, and Brown is normally the choice, not Warren, and the reason is simple: Brown is doing, as Senator, exactly what he said he would do from the very beginning – his constituents would agree and sometimes disagree with his decisions, but that he would make them for the people of the state using his best judgment.
That’s honest.
That’s what the people want in a Mayor, in a Congressional Representative, a Senator and yes, the President, honesty – therefore, one has to ask the final question, and put this question to those who have not voted in a primary or general election. Which of the GOP candidates is the most honest? About their past, and about their records – is there enough contrast with the President? Will those moderates and especially those conservatives come out in droves (and it is known to happen), for a candidate that does not have a sharp contrast? Judging from the turnout to date, that answer is no. However, one may find that during the general election, should Romney be the GOP Nominee, the GOP had better hope they can promise the people a majority in both houses, otherwise, the gains made by the Tea Party will have been for naught. There simply is no positive contrast between the President and one Mitt Romney.
There is a contrast however, between Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul and Mitt Romney (those are the most reasonable choices for those voting in the GOP primaries and caucuses, in this opinion - Santorum is a weaker candidate backing down quickly when challenged, and delivering a rather lackluster performance, even though the man appears to have good intent, and the same can be said for Huntsman, Governor Perry, who is a stalwart conservative appears to be more comfortable as Governor of Texas, perhaps a disservice to the Governor, but nonetheless, the impression.) Those who are not taking part, out of apathy, or out of disgust, one hopes will come to their senses and cast their primary and caucus votes according to the one or two or three men left standing, and then in the general, do the same. It is indeed a dark time for the Republic of the United States of American and there can be revisions, but it has to be with a candidate that one can implicitly trust to deliver the legislation necessary to right the ship – even if that candidate has baggage, or may be a outside the mainstream, as long as the message they have delivered in their roles as Congressman, Speaker and Governor has been consistent.
For one, all the pundits in the world, all the endorsements from supporters, regardless of candidate, mean nothing, what means something in the end game is the mettle of the man (woe there is no woman), who can stand on their record for good or for ill (politically), in all honesty. That candidate will gender goals. From this Massachusetts Concrvative Moderate is it my wish for the nation (having already warned about Massachusetts legislation and certain players form this state being exported to the other 49 for years)that New Gingrich has the backing of the voters to stop Romney in both South Carolina and in Florida. To those those individuals watching Romney's PAC's ads, understand they are what they are- rehashed form Iowa and above all - dishonest.
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