Barack Obama seems to be having a great time hurling verbal Molotov cocktails at Mitt Romney, and I am hoping – oh I am hoping – that Romney will respond correctly.
I am so frustrated with some of the timid Republican strategists, particularly Karl Rove. You see, this political timidity is bred into their political DNA when they are moderates. They have this desire to get along, to be liked, and that is why they chart a course of moderation in political positions. Heavens, they wouldn’t want anyone to call them an extremist, and if you are tied to principle you take that risk.
Rove was interviewed on Special Report tonight and warned Romney not to fight back in kind. This is part of Obama’s objective, he said.
No it isn’t! Romney’s political instincts are to be risk-averse, to have this same timidity that is characteristic of moderates. And this is what Obama is expecting his response to be – to mildly protest when he and his team hurl all these ridiculous charges out about Bain Capital, outsourcing, etc. Democrats want Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, and Saul Alinsky off the table. Just watch how they react, Karl, when you get near those subjects. Yes, the Democrats will accuse you of being mean and will tell you that the moderates will reject you if you go there. But funny how they don’t practice what they preach. They know that attacks work. And they will scream to high heaven when you start to get effective – that’s the way to tell that you’re hitting them where it hurts.
People who follow politics closely know about all these connections of Obama’s. But a large portion of the electorate, particularly those precious moderates, don’t know about any of this. I am hoping that these over-the-top attacks on Romney will provoke counter-attacks by him that will not leave anything off the table. That is the way to respond to this.
Please, Mitt, please get some spine. You have a duty to tell the American people everything about Barack Obama. Everything. And you could help out with this, Karl.
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I got to agree that I was expecting more from Romney in reply to Obama’s assaults. I want to believe that he is saving up for September so he can build some momentum going into November.
I think timidness is more dependent on the person and not the political views. To be moderate in policies doesn’t mean you are mild mannered. I think that’s an important distinction to make.
Back on topic with Romney I don’t understand why he doesn’t just diffuse Obama’s attacks. Who cares what year Romney was with Bain? The controversy of whether or not he was at Bain has blown a relative minor issue into front page news. Honestly, if Romney was with Bain in that time period and he outsourced jobs I couldn’t care less. As a businessman he is responsible for looking after his business not for making a small impact on the national economy. He should use this as ammo for his own campaign and pledge to create a national economy and culture that will encourage business leaders to look at home for labor.
Needless to say, I trust in him and am hoping he is just weathering the storm until he’s ready to get his voice out there. Perhaps the rise-and-falls of Gingrich, Bachman, Perry, Santorum, and Cain have caused Romney to be more cautious in timing his peak.
Response by David Hall
Points well made. I have heard people who have been familiar with Mitt Romney over the years describe him as risk-averse. I do hope he breaks out of that.