“The shadow of [the "brainwashing" quote] looms over every word he’s said.”
Romney was profoundly impacted by how his more gregarious father’s political career was upended in an instant. George Romney, the governor of Michigan, said his early support of the Vietnam War was the result of “brainwashing” by generals. He was obviously speaking in the vernacular, not saying he had lost control of his faculties, but one clumsy comment helped derail his presidential ambitions in 1968.
The father’s setback wounded the son. Mitt Romney has called his father the “”the definition of a successful human.” The centerpiece of the current Romney campaign bus is a large poster of the elder Romney.
As much as he reveres his dad, Romney is determined not to make the same mistake his father did and commit a rhetorical blunder. So he only shows so much of himself, according to those who know him, determined to never have his own “brain-washing” moment.
“The shadow of that looms over every word he’s said,” according to a strategist on the 2008 campaign. “He’s afraid if he slips up, he’ll square the tragedy.” A current adviser echoed the 2008 strategist.
More from Jonathan Martin and John F. Harris here.
I think he gave a glimpse of himself in his "I'm running for office, for heaven's sake" remark at one of the debates and, well, that went over not so good.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI've noticed for a long time that Mitt doesn't seem to understand his father's vocation and personality. His remarks about the auto industry and the Rambler have shown a remarkable ignorance of the history and meaning of Nash and AMC.
Even if his dad was a busy and distant man, you'd think the "data-bathing" son, specializing in corporate management, would take the trouble to do some research!
He could have picked up some useful lessons from Nash business methods (which were the EXACT OPPOSITE of Bain) and some useful lessons from his dad's later political career.
Instead, Mitt seems to be picking up the wrong lessons from both. He's a backwards learner.
I wrote about this back in '08:
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Look at the best politicians in recent history. They were all comfortable in their own skin. They spoke with real conviction and made a personal connection with voters. Reagan, Clinton, Obama, etc.
Look at the worst candidates in recent history: Dukakis, Gore, Kerry. They were all superficially "presidential," but they exuded this stiff, overeducated, northeastern ivy league moderate vibe that did not resonate with the rest of the country.
Mitt Romney is part of that group. He can't speak on the level of the average American. It's not the substance of the Bain issue or the tax issue, but the way he responded (and what it revealed about his personality) that so turned people off to him. This is not something he can resolve by rewording his stump speeches. The problem goes to the very core of his personality.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think Romney may have learned the wrong lesson from his father's mistake. The "brainwashed" comment was not an accidental moment of candor; it was an ill-advised attempt to whitewash a change of political position. Of course Romney Sr. had not been "brainwashed"; he had changed his mind, but attempted to shift the blame for having done so. The issue is sincerity, and the more careful Romney Jr. is to avoid accidental candor, the more insincere he comes across. The best thing he can do at this point is to be more candid about his shifts in position, and take full responsibility for his views.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHaven't we had enough pols with Daddy issues? Either they're running to meet or beat Dad's political plans (Bush 43, Gore, JFK, Mitt), or they're abandoned by Dad (Obama, Clinton, Reagan). Didn't anyone have a normal Dad who stuck around, but didn't map the electoral college on the kid's diapers?
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