Open Thread: Mitt Romney, Busybody
Posted: May 15, 2012 Filed under: 2012 presidential campaign, 2012 primaries, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics | Tags: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, busybody, Debt, Federal Deficit, gossip, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney 20 Comments
In a speech in Des Moines, Iowa today, Mitt Romney sounded like a fussy old gossip, claiming that President Obama probably has a “beef” with Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Almost a generation ago, Bill Clinton announced that the Era of Big Government was over.
Even a former McGovern campaign worker like President Clinton was signaling to his own Party that Democrats should no longer try to govern by proposing a new program for every problem.
President Obama tucked away the Clinton doctrine in his large drawer of discarded ideas, along with transparency and bipartisanship. It’s enough to make you wonder if maybe it was a personal beef with the Clintons….but really it runs much deeper.
President Obama is an old school liberal whose first instinct is to see free enterprise as the villain and government as the hero. America counted on President Obama to rescue the economy, tame the deficit and help create jobs. Instead, he bailed out the public-sector, gave billions of dollars to the companies of his friends, and added almost as much debt as all the prior presidents combined.
ROFLMAO!! Obama, “an old school liberal?” This guy is a laff riot!
At the Washington Post, Nia-Malika Henderson interpreted Romney’s odd invoking of the good old days of the Clinton administration as another effort to link Obama with Jimmy Carter. Henderson writes:
The strategy, of course, is obvious, if a little heavy handed—paint Obama as more like Jimmy Carter, rather than as a New Democrat in the mold of Clinton.
Clinton has already emerged as one of Obama’s most visible surrogates, appearing in a video marking the death of Osama bin Laden, and will likely be used to gin up support among so-called Reagan Democrats—white, blue collar workers, particularly—and Romney can perhaps mute some of Clinton’s power by suggesting that Clinton isn’t all in with Obama. (It’s a beef, not a bromance, Romney suggests.)
But by invoking Clinton, Romney risks poking the bear in some ways, and perhaps even casting himself as a version of Clinton. Praising Clinton, even in a backhanded way, isn’t exactly a way to solidify support among the religious right.
I don’t know about the reaction from the religious right, but Bill Clinton worked a few digs about Romney into his speech today at the Pete Peterson conference (why Clinton shows up for these things, I’ll never understand, but that’s for another post). According to the National Journal, Clinton said that Romney
shot himself in the foot with the broad tax-cutting budget he suggested during the primary. He said Romney should accept projections that his plan for deep tax cuts would add billions to the deficit while requiring huge cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and non-defense spending.
“If I were in his position I would, I think, use the Congressional Budget Office numbers saying my plan increased the debt and say that no responsible president can pretend an independent analysis of his numbers don’t matter,” Clinton said. “That’s, I think, his his best avenue back to the real world.”
Clinton also offered a few verbal pats on the head to Romney.
“I feel a lot of sympathy for him,” he said. “The whole primary was about finding somebody who was true conservative, but they’re going to vote for him anyway.”
Good one, Bill!
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
I suddenly realized who Mitt Romney reminds me of — Felix Unger in The Odd Couple.
Except Felix was a lot more genuine….
Yeah, he was more genuine. Thanks for putting up an open thread BB, real life kicked in tonight and boy was I busy.
No problem.
Mitt Romney appears to be throwing everything he can against the wall to see what could possibly stick.
Can we say desperate?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BwOXlGbW6Q
This is incredible: Bubba Carpenter, Mississippi GOP Lawmaker, Lauds Potential Return Of ‘Coat Hanger’ Abortions.
What an ass! I guess abortions are okay if the woman dies.
I hate these fucking people. Why do idiots keep electing bigger idiots to public office? It’s maddening.
Tell me about it! I can’t imagine who these people are who vote for guys like Bubba. Who wants a rep named “Bubba” anyway? It’s crazy.
Gallup: 56% of Americans think Obama will win the election; 36% think Romney will win.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/154670/Americans-See-Obama-Solid-Favorite-Win-Election.aspx
Mittens is just getting his magical Mormon underwear in a twist. He’ll figure out something real soon.
He brags about his role in the Olympics — ah ha — we have him to think for the current “everyone is a suspect” so lets throw that toddler off the airplane because she has a name similar to someone on the no fly list.
Krugman has called this all along, like so many other things.
Thing Falls Apart
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/thing-falls-apart/
It’s actually kind of weird. Getting ballot access in 26 states with 8 pending is a pretty impressive feat, yet their nominating threshold is 1000 from at least 10 different states, and they couldn’t meet that? Huh?
Seems no one wants what they are trying to sell. The Democrats are “centrist” enough for most people.
Yeah, but Krugman is right about the “professional centrist” class. Since they’re so overrepresented in the political/media class, well-organized, well-connected and computer savvy it’s pretty weak that they can’t even meet their own ridiculously low threshold to prevent themselves from looking completely foolish. How the mighty have fallen since the heady Perot days. 😉
I ignored Americans Elect altogether. Never once felt compelled to click the website.
@mona 3:03
me too…
Funny, I thought Mitt didn’t want Clinton back in the WH with nothing to do…