Tonight’s debate in Florida continued to highlight one of the most interesting elements in this year’s Republican primary battle. While all of the candidates seem to be running to win, they’re all pretty friendly with each other at the same time. It’s almost like they wouldn’t mind losing to each other that much. Well, except to Mitt Romney.
McCain, Giuliani, and Huckabee all seem to absolutely hate the sight of the millionaire former Governor.
At every opportunity tonight, the shots were aimed squarely at Mitt, with Huckabee suggesting that Romney ought to stop spending his children’s inheritance.
McCain came to Rudy’s defense when he was being pressed: “I happen to know he’s an American hero,” said McCain of Giuliani’s leadership during September 11th.
Giuliani took a shot at Romney in his question about the idea of a national catastrophic fund, poking Mitt’s record of flip-flopping on the issues: “I was wondering if you’ve come to a position on this,” Rudy asked. Then it was Huckabee’s turn to take a shot at Romney on 2nd Amendment issues.
A NY Times article today made note of the intense dislike for Romney among his major rivals…
“Never get into a wrestling match with a pig,” Sen. John McCain said in New Hampshire this month to reporters when asked about Romney. “You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.”
Mike Huckabee’s pugilistic campaign chairman, Ed Rollins, appeared to stop just short of threatening Romney with physical violence at one point.
“What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process,” Rollins said.
…
“The glee the other candidates go after Romney with is really unique,” said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist who worked on McCain’s presidential campaign bid in 2000 but currently is not affiliated with any campaign.
A Romney adviser, Ronald Kaufman, pointed to his personal fortune and upstart status in politics as breeding resentment. “They think he didn’t pay his dues,” said Kaufman.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:35 am
Of course they hate him. He is winning!
January 25th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Romney just isn’t likeable. Imagine him in negotiations with other foreign heads of state. How many enemies will we have then?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:39 am
They hate him because he’s winning? McCain beat Huckabee in SC and Huckabee doesn’t hate McCain. It’s something else. Romney is dishonest. He lies about the other candidates’ records. The other candidates attack each other on the issues, but they stick to facts. Romney doesn’t. I’m not running against him and I don’t like him. It’s a personality thing. He’s the know-it-all we never liked when we were growing up. Romney is arrogant. I don’t want him representing our country.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:46 am
I know a lot of Republicans, including myself, who would have a very hard voting for him as the nominee.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:46 am
My classmates used to hate me because I’d consistently break the curve on tests. Romney’s going through the same thing.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaaassse… They all know Romney can go the distance. From the begining! They all tried to take him out. Romney is successful, WHY IS THAT NOT A QUALITY FOR SOMEONE RUNNING OUR ECONOMY!!!
January 25th, 2008 at 4:53 am
So, why do the other candidates hate Mitt Romney? Several reasons:
* 1. He can win. Governor Romney appeals to economic conservatives and could appeal to foreign policy conservatives based upon his understanding of the issues. Most non-partisan foreign policy wonks who have briefed the major candidates tell me that Romney “gets it” better than any other candidate — even better than those who have held high profile office for decades. Moreover, he is the candidate that the Democrats most fear.
* 2. Jealousy — from his hair to his appearance to his family to his money - these are all reasons for deep seeded, if unseemly, jealousy. This green-eyed monster makes its appearance in almost every speech or presentation, in the form of a joke, a jab or a veiled reference.
* 3. He isn’t beholden to interest groups. Governor Romney’s wealth frees him from any influence that interest groups could apply to others - especially those who lack funds or who are Washington insiders. He doesn’t need them, and that scares the interest groups and their allies. He is not of the game and wants to change it - and his personal wealth allows him to do so. He really can change Washington.
* 4. His brains - not only is he one of the smartest people ever to seek the presidency (having earned a Harvard MBA and JD simultaneously), but he understands the complexities of the issues that America faces and is able to devise workable solutions. Just look at his proposal for an economic stimulus and compare it to what the other candidates are proposing. Romney clearly can lead this country through economic challenges.
* 5. His wealth — again. While he has raised more than any other candidate, Governor Romney doesn’t need to raise the money in order to continue. Nevertheless, he understands that successful candidates must have people invested in their candidacy in order to succeed. He has learned the lessons of past wealthy businessmen who make vanity runs for the White House. The other candidates have to constantly raise money in order to continue their campaigns.
* 6. His experience. The rest of the Republican field has been in politics in one form or another for most of their adult lives. Governor Romney came to public service after having a successful career in which he directly created jobs, saved jobs, invested in new companies and turned around failed businesses. He even fixed both the Olympics and the failing state of Massachusetts. More than any other candidate, Governor Romney’s experience is most directly applicable to the average American’s situation.
* 7. He believes that America’s best days are ahead of it, and not a memory. Governor Romney is a man of the future, not of the past. He sees America as a beacon of freedom for the entire world, and not a country limping toward its last days. His infectious optimism is informed by his business experience, his love of country and his family values. His can-do spirit is the antidote to defeatism masked as “straight talk” or “reality.”
* 8. His beliefs. When all else fails, Governor Romney’s opponents attack his religion in the hopes of sowing fear and loathing. Not only is this unseemly, but it is dangerous. We have seen this type of rhetoric before - in the 1920’s and 1930’s - from the likes of Henry Ford and Father Caughlin and others who sought to disenfranchise whole segments of the American population. Governor Romney believes in the common American faith of democracy and religious freedom, as he so eloquently stated in his speech “Faith in America.” These are the values our Founding Fathers codified in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Why do the Republican candidates hate him? Because they don’t have any answers to his challenges. They seek to undermine him by using personal attacks more worthy of a middle school playground than a presidential contest. This is politics and Washington as usual, and choosing any candidate that employs these tactics will only get us more of the same. One would hope that Americans could see beyond these base attacks and choose the candidate who is best for the country - Governor Mitt Romney.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:24 am
That was hilarious, Linda. You get a bronze medal for effort.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Austin, do tell. What’s your beef with Romney?
January 25th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Wow. I’m really impressed when our presidential candidates start behaving like Jr. High School bullies. Dude, Romney’s a nerd. Ya man, what a geek. I hate smart guys. Me too.
Romney, on the other hand, behaves like a mature adult despite the jr. high gang tackles. Sure thing, McCain is the cool jr high ring leader. What does that make Huckabee?
January 25th, 2008 at 6:32 am
tavis - exactly. Only they never own up to the fact that they hate him because he’s smarter than they are. Try this
“What a goody two-shoes!”
“Yeah, something about that dude just .. bugs me” “I think its his hair”
“Voters pet!”
January 25th, 2008 at 7:06 am
No, I think it’s more that Romney comes off like a used car salesman. You can just feel him lying to you, straight to your face.
Who let the dogs out, Mitt? Who?
January 25th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Used car salesman. Like Ned Flanders. right?
January 25th, 2008 at 7:28 am
January 25th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Right, Mitt the lier. LOL. I wonder why, if Mitt is such a dishonest person, his enemies haven’t been able to scounge up a single shady business deal? I wonder why, when the olympics were scandalized, they brought in Mitt the lier to clean it up? “Hey, I know this shady millionair who can restore the image of the Olympics!” I wonder why, with all of the scrutiny heaped on the scandal ridden olympics Mitt came off squeecky clean.
Despite the hatred heaped on Romney, to my knowledge nobody has accused him of a single ethical violation while he was in public office or in business.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
If his enemies had something better, they’d use it. You know he’s clean when they have to resort to attacks on his “nerdy” personality.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
To be honest, I don’t like a single Republican or Democrat running. Doesn’t really matter which idiot is in office because the government is going to grow no matter what. Not a single one of them is running on a campaign to curve that growth or government power.
Show me a candidate that will run on the idea of the 10th amendment, will appeal the 17th amendment, will put in the Fair Tax, protect this country from the threat of Islam, protect the boarders, and stay out of health care and business…. then I’ll show you who I would vote for.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Romney is scrupulously honest. I knew someone who had him as her ecclesiastical leader in MA. She said that he was very good man. I think most people are so jaded that they can’t believe anyone can be that rich and still be honest. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but he’s honest. Also, he’s not a flip-flopper!!!! When he ran for a STATE office he believed in homosexual rights and that abortion should be legal. At that time there was no talk of sullying marriage as part of the homosexual agenda. The record shows that Romney fought homosexual marriage tooth n’ nail. He eventually invoked an ancient law, originally crafted to prevent inter-racial marriage, to prevent non-MA residents from flocking to his state to perform homosexual marriages. As to abortion, his stance changed with experience. He’s never denied that. So wherein lie the flip-flops? Nothing more than a catchy phrase for his enemies to use (you know, the ones who spend their lives funded by tax dollars [Romney refused his gov. salary]). Romney can help us. Give him another look!
January 25th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
So tell me, how is he going to get government out of my life?
January 26th, 2008 at 12:02 am
romney made hundreds of millions by running a hedge fund - are you for real telling me that he’s a businessman? he’s as much of a businessman as george bush ever was.
if romney is the nominee, i’ll vote for obama or clinton. at least they take a position and stick to it.
January 26th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Hey, instead of doing something stupid like that, would you just stay home and not vote? Better that than one more idiot at the polls.