Who you calling artificial?
Posted on 01/25/2012 12:55:40 PM PST by no dems
"The main reason the Republican establishment overwhelmingly favors Mitt Romney over Newt Gingrich is that Romney stands a better chance of beating Barack Obama," says Jonathan Chait at New York. So it's a problem for Romney that "as the campaign goes on, this seems to be growing less true." A new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that negative views of Romney have "spiked" over the past two weeks, from a net +4 favorability rating (39 positive/34 negative) to a -18 rating (31 positive/49 negative) — very similar to Gingrich's -22 rating (29/51). The shift is most notabe among independents, who went from generally liking Romney (41/34) to disliking him by a 2-to-1 margin (23/51). Democrats (21/62) and Republicans (58/32) have soured on Mitt, too. What's behind Romney's newfound unpopularity? Here, seven theories:
1. Voters are turned off by his wealth Americans have long known that Romney is rich, but his just-released tax returns highlight just how much he earns from doing so little, says Peter Foster at Britain's Telegraph. Someone who rakes in $60,000 a day from personal investments is clearly "part of the elite – the '1 percent' that lives by different rules from ordinary Americans." But "the raw amount of money isn't really Romney's problem," says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post. "It's the exoticness of his finances" — a Swiss bank account, money parked in Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands. "There is nothing more dangerous in politics than 'otherness,'" and Romney's fortune reeks of it.
2. And he's cagey about his fortune Romney's big weakness is that "he squirms like a worm on a hook whenever someone points out his wealth," says Charles Blow in The New York Times. Gingrich has deftly exploited that in recent debates, getting Romney to make a point of "'not apologizing' for getting filthy rich" by buying and disposing of companies. These "non-apologies reek of guilt and shame, which in turn puts people's antenna up."
3. Romney has alienated Reagan Democrats Romney's support has dropped among all voters, but it has plummeted among "blue-collar whites," says Greg Sargent at The Washington Post. That suggests his "wealth, privilege, low tax rates, and generally out-of-touch persona" are becoming a problem. "A smart candidate would use this fact and retool his message," at least acknowledging that Americans don't like "massive disparities of wealth," says Jamelle Bouie at The American Prospect. "But, like a petulant teenager, Romney has gone in the opposite direction," accusing critics of envy. Way to go, Romney, says Dan Riehl at Riehl World View. You've lost us the Reagan Democrats.
4. Being a venture capitalist turned out to be a liability Voters started turning on Romney when his rivals started attacking a resume line Romney had touted as a selling point: His private-sector success at private equity firm Bain Capital. And no wonder, says AJ Strata at Strata-Sphere. Romney isn't a product of Main Street who worked his way up. He's a "corporate raider who made millions the easy way — the Haarvaaard way." That's a liability with Wall Street Occupiers and Tea Partiers. Romney's not a job creator, he's a vulture capitalist. "Vultures have their purpose in nature and economics, but they are not what someone wants in a national leader."
5. The inevitability gambit backfired If I had to sum up Romney's growing unpopularity in one word, I'd pick "entitlement," says The American Prospect's Bouie. "From his refusal to engage his opponents for much of the primary, to his transparent pandering on virtually every issue under the sun, this sense of entitlement has carried over to every inch of his presidential campaign." Voters aren't stupid: They know when a candidate takes them for granted, and they much prefer to be seen as "supporters to be won, not obstacles to endure."
6. He can't handle his rivals' attacks Romney's spiking unpopularity "coincides with a difficult period" on the trail, says Nate Silver at The New York Times. His GOP rivals have been drawing blood with "attacks against him that may resonate more with independent voters than among actual Republicans." That validates my long-held theory that Romney can't "withstand the types of attacks used by Ted Kennedy (Bain) and John McCain (lack of core convictions)," says William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection. Romney never went through the "withering assault and scrutiny" his opponents did last fall. Now that he is finally getting a taste, it's "showing up in polling."
7. Going negative hurt him After losing big in South Carolina, Romney and his surrogates started "going far more negative on Newt Gingrich," calling him a "disgrace" who "embarrassed his party," says Doug Mataconis at Outside the Beltway. The problem is, "Romney isn't necessarily very good when he goes on the attack." Worse, this "Mad Mitt Beyond BlunderDome" routine is "most un-presidential and runs contrary to the finely crafted image his army of consultants have crafted for him," says Dan Riehl. When people ask for him to show more passion, they don't mean "angrily spewing slander."
Maybe he should do an ad with Pelosi about global warming or start calling Paul Ryan a conservative social engineer to get his numbers back up. Just a thought...
8. Magic underwear
9. Fake asshat executive smile
10. He comes across as a weak little man like Obama
1-4 are the same complaint.
I just read the venture capitalist reason. It occurred to me that Mitt Romney is such a boring candidate. How can any human being be so boring? (I used to think the same about AlGore, but we know now he had hidden depths beneath all the tree bark.) Maybe Mitt could generate some interest by being like the venture capitalist in the Pretty Woman movie and rescue a hooker from the streets of LA or some such.
“Romney and his surrogates started “going far more negative on Newt Gingrich,” calling him a “disgrace” who “embarrassed his party,”
The “disgrace to his party” attack came from - SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!!
Mr. RINOserious himself - Chris Christie.
Chrsitie in effect called Gingrich a crook without calling him a crook yesterday.
Christie is more of an attack warthog than an attack dog.
8. He’s finally running in conservative southern states, and people there realize he is a a northeastern Harvard liberal.
We truly are screwed. The dems have succeeded in convincing “conservatives” to use their talking points to challenge republican candidates. How the heck did “conservatives” start using class warfare to attack candidates? We are eating our own using Marxist positions, and the dems are applauding.
The cannibalism that I have seen on FreeRebublic over the last 18 months has been astounding. I remember when Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, and Laura Ingram were worshipped on this website. I remember all of the comments slamming Newt Gingrich as a sellout and a liberal. And now, he is supposedly our SAVIOR??
For the record, I am NO Romney supporter. I am just pointing out the hypocrisy and massive flip flopping of MANY Freepers. I am very disgusted with what I am seeing. The dems are succeeding. It is evident on Free Republic that the democrat’s strategy and desire to shape the conversation is winning. I think that we have cannibalized our candidates so much, that no matter who wins the nomination, we have likely set them up for failure. No one in this primary race will emerge strong. We have done Obama’s work ourselves.
Feel free to call me whatever you want, but I am right and you will have proven my point. I agree that we must have a conservative candidate, but the ends do not justify the means. These means only destroy our cause.
Well, no. The main reason the Republican Establishment favors Mitt is that he is a pork-grubbing, big-spending liar who will pass plenty of favors out to his pals.
They'd rather lose the election than let anyone win who doesn't kiss their *sses.
No mention of his liberal “moderate” position turning off conservatives, no sir, can’t be that. HA!
Who you calling artificial?
He comes off as Mr. June Cleaver in an empty suit.
8. He not only thinks banks are people, but that they are good people.
9. As June Cleaver once said to Ward, “Don’t you think you are being a little hard on the Beaver?” So it was today when Mr. June Cleaver admonished Newt for being a little hard on the MSM.
“For the record, I am NO Romney supporter.” I SMELL BS and OZONE in YOUR future!
razeislam_crushthedems been on FR since 2002 but we STILL know NOTHING about you. What do YOU have to hide?
No of course not. Apparently, it’s now that Romney is not “equal enough”. Obama must be laughing. He has convinced even Freepers that everyone including our candidates needs to be more equal. Look , he makes money...he must be bad!!! That is the new argument shaping American politics and even Freepers are buying into the lie. Let’s all just become one happy equal society so that we can all share the poverty while the Obamas live lavish lifestyles and Michelle can sport two-thousand dollar dresses.
Romney’s problems have nothing to do with his financial statement and everything to do with his left-leaning political positions.
Here is the problem stated very simply:
The Dems have been setting themselves up for Romney for at least three years. They have shaped the battlefield, and the Republican High Command remains committed to a frontal attack on this battlefield. If you want to see a perfect illustration of this, go see the movie “Warhorse.” The British cavalry attacks the German infantry’s camp, not grasping that those in the camp have made certain basic defensive plans in case of attack. As the attack develops it is seemingly successful. The supposedly surprised in camp German soldiers run toward the nearby woods. But they are not running for the cover of the trees. They are running for the cover of the machine gun crews hidden at the edge of the trees. The result for the cavalry is catastrophic. The officer who committed such troops to such a foolish attack is, to be kind, incompetent and dangerous. To allow him to continue in command is criminal.
Romney is the cavalry that the GOP High Command wants to sent into the trap so obviously laid by the Dems. It will be a catastrophe.
As F Scott Fitzgerald said "the rich are different from you and me." And Romney isn't just rich, he's very rich...and he has ALWAYS been rich.
And then, of course, there's the magic underwear. Not only is he very rich, but he doesn't cuss, drink, or smoke...and he never has.
America was, unfortunately, ready for an anti-American president from Kenya...but I don't think we're ready for an extremely wealthy extraterrestrial president from Kolob.
Not a supporter even in the least. I have lived under and witnessed it first hand socialism before and watched in creep in. I am a patriot to America. Romney is a progressive.
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