Apparently the "spark" this go round is being unabashedly liberal and stabbing conservatives in the back. Romney has the misfortune of converting to conservatism at the wrong time. Well, on a few issues he converted, the rest he was already conservative on, but the DNC and daily Boston Globe hit pieces were obviously effective) The conservatives went down one by one, Tancredo, Hunter, Thompson, and finally Romney. Even 75% of FR supported him the day before super Tuesday.
McCain Derangement Syndrome. Save us.
BINGO!
He came across as a soulless, yet competent, CEO. The kind who focuses on the balance sheet but will throw you to the PC wolves just to get along.
Don't get me wrong, Mitt can be likable and would make a better prez than the rest of the field. However, saying he had to lean left in Mass is not enough.
He was still leaning left 3 months into the end of his term when he knew he was leaving office and headed for the national election. (I guess he figured: gain Mass votes, no one will know outside Mass).
He saddled Mass with a lousy "universal health care" for one reason only: to run on it nationally vs the Dems.
On gay marriage and illegals, he became "tough" his last 3 days in office. Talk about insulting my intelligence.
Sorry Mitt, but as smart as you are are, can't switch to "conservative" overnight.
Romney is like many conservatives who are ROCK solid in their family values and conservative faith-based beliefs, but occasionally feels the need to say "accepting" things in public just to prove we are not these 'monster' O bigots who only relate to white heterosexual males.
I'm serious.
I get so entrenched in my right wing beliefs that I occasionally feel the need to admit that I can "accept" someone with whom I would vigorously disagree on moralistic issues.
Unfortunately for Romney, he was trying to prove to the voting public in 1994 how "tolerant" he was, and thus made a few pandering statements in search of votes.
Same in 2002 during the Governors race when he felt the need to prove he wasn't this straight-laced uber-Mormon that everyone made him out to be.
I do the same thing occasionally at work when I make an off-the-cuff statement about "accepting gays" when in fact I don't want them within 10 miles of me or my kids.