Over in New York magazine, I’m quoted comparing Newt Gingrich to a particular NFL football coach. After further review, I realized there’s a reason that the Gingrich-Romney rivalry seems so familiar.
Newt Gingrich is heavy-set, boisterous, loud, almost always outrageous and entertaining, known for his complicated and innovative thinking, particularly on defense, often coming up with crazy schemes that sometimes work, and sometimes blow up in his face. Has some big wins, particularly as a coordinator, but has fallen short and is still looking for the big win for all the marbles.
Mitt Romney is from New England and is widely thought of as cold, impersonal, hard to really know personally, analytical and willing to take on and let go ideas and personnel as needed. He’s considered ruthless in his pursuit of victory, and his opponents claim he cheats and plays dirty. He’s not liked, but he has demonstrated an ability to win when it counts, and even runs up the score.
mitt has shown he can win when it counts?? he's only won one election!! if anything he's shown he can lose when it counts.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePerfect comparison! As a Colts' fan I can't stand either of these coaches either. Maybe we can complete the analogy with Rick Santorum = Tony Dungy?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusecolts fan = typical 2012 republican voter...?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePithy.
One major difference being that Mr. Belichick has earned leagues of respect among his most experienced, knowledgeable peers...among the greatest football coaches of all time.
Mr. Romney...not so much....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe analogy will be complete when we see Mitt Romney skulking around in a hooded sweatshirt with unkempt hair. Go Giants!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI can see the Ryan:Gingrich parallels; but Romney can't hold Belichick's hoodie, never mind wear it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't wanna be "that guy," but it seems like the Newt/Ryan analogy is begging for a fetish joke...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn your comparison, what are the three Super Bowls that Mitt Belichick has won?
Actually, a better comparsion is to another New England figure with no proven track record but a boundless confidence in the suitablity of his managerial skills to leading a team. The man with an unshakeable faith that he can technocrat his way to wins. The man who confidently declared that his team wouid have a "decided schematic advantage" over its opponents - but then failed to back up any of that up on the field.
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt is cute, a humorous exaggeration, and does reflect the story in the Primary a little bit. A comparison between the Giants Coach, Mr. Coughlin, might be more appropriate in professional terms.
However, many big problems with the entertaining metaphor. Gingrich would be someone who only worked in the NFL front office (not even as the Commissioner), as opposed to the real field of play as identified by the Free Market/Private Sector. Also, Gingrich has no real Executive experience, which is more identified with a Head Coach running a team. You could compare him to an assistant Coordinator for 4 years in the league a long time ago, who worked as a consultant to the NFL for a long time, now trying to make a comeback.
Also, Romney is wise, strong, but hardly the "cold" stereotype being presented. Romney is well liked by many, and his human decency/warmth is clearly demonstrated by his record, especially his Family life. He once shut down business to find a lost coworkers daughter. Hardly the stuff of being cold hearted Mr. Geraghty. Romney worked to save the Olympics and turn around MA without pay, his charitable donations are impressive, etc., hardly the "cold" Business machine being peddled.
The narrative being "unliked" is actually a bad sign of a tiny tunnel visioned community amongst us, some who have embraced populist resentment against a wealthy success, some who have the most ugly religious bigotry, some who have an unhealthy regional prejudice against the East or the West. The numbers racing out to attend Romney political rallies, even in the clearly biased SC (against Mormons) has been truly impressive.
The failure of many Conservative Pundits to strongly rebuke the ugly inspiration for much of the anti-Romney sophistry is only sinking the Conservative Movement. WFB knew better, and was a strong leader. Today's sideline punditry are just too concerned with ratings, readers, etc., and many are just not that sound.
Sarah Palin seems to be the most misguided, and watching some follow her off a cliff yet again, just like the disaster in Delaware is embarrassing:
"In an intense primary battle, a lot of silly things are said. (Many of them, it turns out, are said by Sarah Palin, who seems intent on confirming every negative thing her critics have said about her.) "
Regardless Mr. Geraghty, the entire comparison tends to remind me of the same image games which tend to weaken Conservatism. I know it is fun, and I enjoyed it. But too many are stuck on the superficial image obsessions. We see the gross distortions coming from all over the place in the once sound side. Some don't even know the MA Health Care Reform is not a "government run" system. Gingrich can lie about his support for Rockefeller, can peddled Amnesty making Grandmothers into victims, run leftist attacks on Private Enterprise just like Obama, etc., and still be marketed as some Conservative. The superficial identity game is making a mockery of us all.
Besides, we all know Gingrich as a Nominee will only give the Democratic Party a huge gift:
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"A Gingrich nomination, however, would be "a nightmare for Republicans" by turning many purple states blue and giving Obama a starting point of 303 Electoral Votes, 33 more than needed."
Good grief, if you want to really dissect the analogy, then Belichick is a lousy fit for Romney because, while both are intensely disliked, no one doubts that Belicheck is a very good football coach. Even before he became a head coach, he was probably the best assistant coach in the game. In contrast, Romney appears to be a very weak candidate who flopped badly the one time he managed to get elected to public office.
And attributing the anti-Romney sentiment to anti-Mormon bigotry is as ridiculous and insipid as the Democrats' insinuation that opposition to Obama is racist bigotry. Mitt is disliked by the grass roots because he has always been an Olympia Snowe-Jim Jeffords type of politician, he remains proud of enacting the model for Obamacare, he has a weak resume, and he has shown very little ability to relate or persuade as a candidate. I oppose him because I want to defeat Obama and reverse his agenda. With Romney I see minimal chance of doing the first and essentially no chance of the latter. At least with Newt I see a fighting chance of doing both.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAfter 12 years as Patriots head coach, Belichick used Aaron Hernandez as a running back out wide. Where is there any evidence of out of the box thinking for Romney? With that he would have the nomination wrapped up, and would have beaten McCain too.
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