I think Romney did well. But he had few great moments and some very weak ones.
For instance, his answer on what he did for conservatism was very bad. He began with: I raised a family! I started a business! Well, there are lots of liberals who raised families and started businesses. Those are admirable things but they have nothing to do with advancing conservatism. And that’s fine! Conservatism is only a partial philosophy of life and there’s no shame whatsoever and much honor in dedicating your life to family and work. But by beginning that way it sent the signal that he didn’t have a good answer and by the time he got to his record it was already clear he wasn’t going to sell it. He doesn’t seem to understand that if you’re going to run as someone who didn’t spend his life in politics that also probably means you didn’t spend your life helping the conservative movement. He should just admit that and say he wants to make his contribution to conservatism now.
I think he probably drew blood with Gingrich in the long fight scene. But Gingrich was probably smart to be less grandiose tonight. It made Romney’s sobriety seem less reassuring than it would if Gingrich was up there doing his whole world-historical schtick.
Ultimately, Romney probably won narrowly in a boring debate in which no one was very bad. Not good enough, I don’t think.
Gingrich didnt do a patented "attack the questioner" move tonight, which means he picks up on what his "image" could become and quickly evaded it. Quicker than Romney does.
You in the anti-Newt wing of the Party better rally to Mitt fast and pull out all the stops for Florida, Mr Goldberg. Or your Nominee for President is going to be a "down-ticket disaster" "rightwing Barry Commoner" instead of a safer "rightwing John Kerry".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI just heard NBC say that Mitt's tax release is going to show substantial investments in Fannie and Freddie. If so, that's going to be Mitt's next big problem.
I thought Romney bringing up RomneyCare without being asked about it was particularly foolish during the later part of tonight's debate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI have to disagree with Jonah on one key point: I thought Romney's answer on what he did to advance conservatism was actually quite good. We conservatives argue constantly that there is great societal value in raising a family -- and in being entrepenuerial.
(In fact, this linkage between "social" issues and "economic" ones is the point Santorum made pretty well in earlier debates. Romney personalized it, which was good.)
That Romney saw these as his two key things -- and that he did this (apparently) off-the-cuff to an oddball question -- shows a glimpse, perhaps, of a core value that I've yet to see.
My captcha: "No one give a flying-f about your captcha". It was only a matter of time, I suppose....
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI took Romney's conservative comments as a way of him trying (not very well) to say that he had spent years living out conservative principles "on the ground." I think Romney is kind of annoyed that Gingrich, who has taken just as many non-conservative positions, has no business experience, and has a "less conservative" family background, has claimed the conservative mantle while labeling Romney a moderate. And, I think Romney was trying to make a point that he was "grounded' in conservative principles, and maybe draw a contrast to "conservatism" as just something politicians deal with. Of course, it didn't come out that way.
On another note, I'd say that liberals who raise families and start businesses might be doing more to advance conservatism than they (or you) realize...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBoring, yes. Tired candidates, most likely. But there was something odd about the so-called debate. Everyone looked and acted distracted on that stage (except briefly Romney's autopilot check-list of anti-Gingrich talking points). Even the audience seemed distracted and rushed out of the event. Something big going down?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI didn't know you had to spend your life in politics to help the conservative movement. That would surely limit the people who can help. This is not a defense of Romney but a disagreement with your premise.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah, I missed that exact exchange. However, based off what I've learned about Romney he governed very conservatively. He couldn't pass all the things that a Republican governor in a Republican state with a Republican legislature could pass, but I don't think that should knock points off him. Haven't the GOP kept Obama in check after all? This is how Democracy works. On every issue that matters though, Romney took the conservative position in a deep-blue state where it wouldn't have been a popular stand.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo one won this debate. And the whole thing looked like it was designed that way.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"I think he probably drew blood with Gingrich in the long fight scene."
Living proof that theatrics predominate the process of choosing our most powerful leader.
Exhibit "B". Exhibit "A" is our nation's finances.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah, I believe I read on this site about all the help and cash that Gov. Romney had given to the conservative cause by helping the many conservatives get elected in 2010. I guess he forgot and so did you. I also believe that your wife worked for Ginrich or am I mistaken. If so, sorry. I do agree his answer was somewhat lame when he had a perfect one.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm still trying to figure out why the Republicans agree to a debate in which Brian Williams is the moderator. Watching the clips on the NRO homepage nearly put me to sleep. The questions are also pretty stupid. At the end of one clip he starts asking Romney about electability in the south ... why isn't that a question directed towards cable news pundits or advisers on some "news" show? Issues please.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Those are admirable things but they have nothing to do with advancing conservatism."
Jonah, I can forgive you for not recognizing true conservatism when you see it, because you have spent your life waist deep in the fever swamps of electoral politics. Actually this is a pretty typical outlook of the beltway pundit crowd - they think the real action in "advancing conservatism" is in the power centers of Washington, rather than in our communities, businesses, churches and families. Did you happen to read David French's article at NRO the other day, or Charles Murray's article in the WSJ to which he linked? Culture is the key.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseActually Jonah's point is salient. There's nothing inherently conservative about raising a family or starting a business. Those are 'oops let me clear my throat here since I have no answer' answers.
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