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‘The Leni Riefenstahl of the blistering attack documentary’

I write today about Barry Bennett’s absurd anti-Bain film and the larger controversy. I do give the film points for highlighting the plight of ordinary workers, although now we’re learning that even their interviews appear to have been distorted. My bottom line on all of this is that the work of Bain is quite defensible, yet it’s not terribly sympathetic or always very intuitive. In an ideal world, you would not pick a representative of this particular sector of the economy to be your presidential candidate. But Romney has a very good chance to be the nominee. Fred Barnes recommended yesterday that he basically come up with a different rationale for his candidacy. That doesn’t strike me as very likely; this is Romney’s hill and he has no choice but to fight on it.

New on The Corner. . .


COMMENTS   17

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   01/13/12 12:24

If only there were another reasonably conservative candidate who can nevertheless attract moderate voters and _isn't_ a representative of this particular sector of the economy...

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   01/13/12 12:24

Gee, yet another NRO writer tagging Newt with a Nazi slur.

I miss the good old days when a slur like this would only be delivered by the leftist media.

Just pathetic, NRO. Simply pathetic.

Romney bias much?

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   01/13/12 12:26

Yes, the last person we want in the WH is someone with a proven track record of, you know, solving problems.

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   01/13/12 13:09

hehehehehe...

I tried to express it, using many words, you accurately do it with one sentence.

What is Mr. Lowry thinking?

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Whashomatic
   01/13/12 14:06

"Solving problems" by laying off huge numbers of people, bankrupting their companies, and coming out of the deal with hundreds of millions of dollars more than you started with... may not be the kind of problem solving voters are looking for in this election.

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   01/13/12 15:36

Romney solved the problem of how to turn himself from a really rich guy (3rd base) into an obscenely rich guy (home plate). Please explain how the world is now a better place for that.

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   01/13/12 16:31

How is it worse and why do you care how much money he accumulated.

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   01/13/12 13:07

"...yet it’s not terribly sympathetic or always very intuitive. In an ideal world, you would not pick a representative of this particular sector of the economy to be your presidential candidate."

This silly Mr. Lowry.
Absolutely silly.

Did you really believe a Washington Politician of 17 years without any executive experience, lacking private sector ability, having no economic credentials, would be better? Even someone who opposed "Right To Work"?

We need to run on the Free Market, period. We have to challenge the very flawed concepts floating around in today's fashionable mindset taking us all downward, before it is too late - to remind all why the US Capitalist System is the most healthy for all.

Mr. Barnes looked so poor the other night with hsi offering as well. The entire Panel was terrible, accepting suspect poll data attributed to a pro-Gingrich outlet, the desperate attacks of Democratic Partisans, the weak politics of populism, even the ugly in the form of Gingrich, Perry, etc.

Although Romney has accurately stated his experience in the Private Sector makes him a better Candidate for the Presidency as compared to Washington Politicians who have no clue. He has provided a number of reasons why he is a strong Presidential potential, as well as his excellence via Bain.

It is amazing, as if these major Conservative pundits are missing the entire picture out of laziness or intent. Bill Kristol for example clearly has an irrational emotive bias. It almost seems as if a number of these Pundits are afraid of populism or anti-Capitalist nonsense. Perhaps they too, have an unhealthy bias against a success from the Private Sector (which Mr. Kristol seems to possess). Haven't they bothered to see how unpopular the "occupy" movement is today? Perhaps they don't even fully grasp the positives of what an excellent private equity firm like Bain is today, creating opportunity, prosperity, etc.

But they clearly have not studied, or mistakenly fail to reference, Mr. Romney's entire record. The experience and success provided via Bain is a political strength, no doubt about it. But Romney has so many positives. Romney's competent leadership saving the Olympics is a prime example. He has a track record for turning around failure. Romney's record as Gov. in MA is excellent as well, having balanced an inherited deficit of 3 Billion, cut taxation 19 times, lowered regulatory burdens, turning around an anti-Business climate, etc: “a solid record of conservative accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts”

Regretfully, the sideline punditry has been so lackluster, so terribly mistaken. Perhaps because they are more alike to a number of Washington Politicians, who simply don't understand the real Private Sector. More and more we grow to realize why terrible Democratic Partisans remain a viable political threat, past the MSM partisan blanket. Those who sell opinion on the sound side look as if they really don't know what they are talking about. They seem eager to enable the opposite.

Just days ago, sideline voices were telling us how we needed a strident bombast to run as the genuine conservative. Now some are worried about running an unabashed, accomplished, conservative Free Market Capitalist.

You have to be kidding, the contradictions are vivid. The sideline opinion game continues to sink.

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   01/13/12 16:29
   01/13/12 16:28
   01/13/12 13:19

This is what Rush means by "buyer's remorse."

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LMA
   01/13/12 14:00

I looked at the fact-check piece linked in the article. The video received "Four Pinocchios." I'm reminded of Newt saying, over and over, "The ad got Four Pinocchios. Do you know how hard it is to get Four Pinocchios?"

Well, Newt, I guess now you know.

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   01/13/12 14:19

If we want the adults in the room - those people who are willing to make the hard decisions because they’re the right decisions - to represent us in Washington, then we have to understand that not all the decisions they make will be popular and fair; some of us will be called upon to sacrifice more than others. If the American people can’t deal with that reality and resort to demonizing the people who are responsible to make the hard decisions, then it’s time to give up the fight for the America we say we want and allow it to be transformed into the socialist nanny-state some are determined it should be. Life is hard, life isn’t fair and not everyone can be a winner are important lessons we should learn as children and carry with us into adulthood. “The plight of ordinary workers” did not begin - and will not end - with Mitt Romney and Bain Capital.

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GOP PATRIOT
   01/13/12 14:58

"some of us will be called upon to sacrifice more than others"

Unless you're earning over $250,000 per year, in which case sacrifice in the form of a return to surplus-era marginal income tax rates must never, ever be permitted.

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Windy City Commentary
   01/13/12 15:13

The Bain thing has definitely illustrated the 1 issue that Republicans will go to the mat over: Is it Defense? No; Pro-Life? You kidding me; Keeping govt. from taking over the best Medical Care in the World?; Not really; Securing the border?; get outta of here. Constitutionalist judges? Not if we have to deploy the nuclear option in the Senate.

Nope, the one thing they will go to the mat over is making sure companies like Bain Capital aren’t criticized for doing what they do. They will also proclaim that any former CEO of such company is completely electable. However, a staunch opponent of illegal immigration or abortion is thought to be unelectable in most conservative circles.

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Jeff Blake
   01/13/12 17:43

The irony is that Mitt is winning this Primary largely due to his perceived "electability." The further irony is that he bases his electability on his "business" background. An irony too far for me is that there is about a zero chance he would actually try to impose the "Bain Treatment" on the Federal Government were his campaign to survive the coming (cherry-picked) attacks on his Bain experience.

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socally mike 626626
   01/13/12 19:54

I loathe his foreign policy ideas but this is what Repubs have come to? so Mr. Paul looking better and better or as I've oft done- pox on both their houses and put my faith in something else- sorry Ben, it's not being kept.

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