I am not a big fan of Mitt Romney. People wonder at that, since I am LDS, expecting me to fall in line. But I bristle at that thought. The nation’s politics are in dire straits, and I feel the times call for a solid conservative with political courage and a clear vision of what needs to be done coupled with a determination to do it. That’s why my favorite, of the declared candidates, is Michele Bachmann.
But Romney took the debate last night. That was my judgment after it was over, a judgment that was reinforced by the Frank Luntz focus group after the debate. In his sampling, there was a decisive shift in favor of Romney among the viewers.
Romney’s best moment, in my opinion, was his backing off of his defense of Romney-care, saying that it wasn’t a perfect plan, mistakes were made, and we could learn from those mistakes. I have long contended that this issue is an albatross around his neck, and he can’t continue to defend it while attacking Obamacare and remain credible.
But I still prefer Michele Bachmann. I like her spine and her clarity, and I don’t trust Rick Perry. She handled herself well last night. I was disappointed, when she had a chance to show a little sense of humor on the running mate question, that she didn’t. But I am still convinced she would make a fantastic president.
And the race is still very young. Sarah Palin has yet to make a move. If she enters the race or endorses one of the existing candidates, that could shake up everything once again.
