I THINK MITT THINKS HE DOESN'T HAVE TO EARN IT
So I'm trying to figure out the reason for Mitt Romney's gaffe-a-minute day in London. Earlier today I took a stab at trying to explain why he got himself into such trouble, but I'd like to elaborate further.
I think Romney just believes a guy like him couldn't possibly make serious mistakes on a trip like this. I think he believes this in part because (as I said this morning) he's been the alpha dog in his world for decades -- but he also believes it because he believes his own campaign's rhetoric, and the rhetoric of his party.
Think about the way Republicans talk about themselves relatives to Barack Obama. Obama is the epitome of everything that's harmful to America. He hates freedom. He hates America. He apologizes for America. He loves our enemies and hates our allies.
Concentrate on that last one: Obama hates our allies. All Republicans believe this. And all Republicans believe they are the antithesis of Barack Obama. Everything he is, they're the opposite.
Mitt Romney may not be a true wingnut ideologically, but when he says things like this about Obama, he really says them with relish. He really seems to believe them. He's really internalized the notion that Obama is lethal to America in every conceivable way and he, by dint of being a Republican, is the exact opposite.
So Romney goes to visit one of our allies -- remember, Obama hates our allies -- and Romney just figures it's categorically impossible for him to say the wrong thing. He loves freedom! He loves our allies! He hates our enemies! So he doesn't have to prepare! He doesn't have to weigh his words about the Olympics, or learn the diplomatic nicety that, if you've been meeting with the head of MI6, you don't say so out loud, or make sure he knows the opposition leader's name and job! He is the anti-Obama! Therefore by definition he cannot offend our allies!
I really think Romney went on his overseas trip believing something like this. I really think he's swallowed his own party's malarkey about the innate treasonousness of Democrats and innate, intuitive rightness of whatever Republicans say and do and think.
Or he may just be a colossal dick.
ReplyDeleteI think he thinks he's just gonna waltz in there and the queen will spread her legs. I don't think he will come back as the "presumptive candidate".
ReplyDeleteSteve, wanna talk about a brokered convention, or the fact that Ron Paul has enough delegates to fall into a bucket of rose water?
I'm starting to wonder if Ten Bears isn't right about a brokered convention.
ReplyDeleteBut then I remember the ability of Conservatives to delude themselves into thinking inept idiocy is the very height of competency.
Mitt is, not unexpectedly, making an ass of himself, on the international stage.
He's starting to make W look like positively diplomatic in comparison.
Of course, one can't discount the Conservatives ability to double-down on the stupid, and make oneself like the moronic and unlikeable simply because those on the left are mocking the laughable idiocy of their candidate.
Who better to represent the Conservatives in this country than the man who wrote a campaign book called, "No Apologies," and has to start his international tour, to show his foreign policy chops, making apologies?
His apologies are, after all, looked upon as little "WHITE" lies, to make the furriners happy.
You can't make this sh*t up!
I can hardly wait until he goes to Germany, and asks how the Nazi's were able to hide their stolen treasures from the world in Swiss bank accounts for almost 50 years?
Or, at a meeting with the Israeli leadership, orders a BLT with cheese, a glass of milk, and a side of lobster salad.
On foreign policy, Mitt is proving to be positively "Bushian."
And while this would disqualify a Democratic candidate, it will endear him to people who think foreign policy is best pursued with a sneer, a fist, and the ability to spit into the eye of anyone who looks at us funny.
And Conservatives will look at Mitt, a politician whose political ability makes Nixon look like FDR, and see someone the left is laughing at mocking, and try to make a Churchill out of an ant hill - like they did with W.
The only place he's vulnerable, is in Israel.
He can piss-off the rest of the world nine ways to Sunday - but he better not do anything to screw-up relationships with our 51st state.
THAT, could be a death knell. Even for a Conservative.
If Obama wins, he'll be the luckiest man since Truman. And he defeated a man who was far from a dolt. So, Obama may be the luckiest man in American political history.
Show me several polls with Obama holding a double-digit lead. Then we'll talk brokered convention. They still think he can win. (And, given the lousy economy and a gazillion Citizen United dollars, so do I.)
ReplyDeleteI think it's all of the above, plus this: Romney just thinks he's entitled to the presidency ("it's my turn"). The election is a formality; the presidency is his. And it never enters his mind that anything he might do or say could hurt his chances, because none of that would change the fact that he's supposed to be President.
ReplyDeleteI think Victor made a good point. The lumpenright base of which Mitty is terrified sees alliances as a one-way street. If some foreign policy initiative/position (preferably a war) is OUR idea, then every nation which can plausibly be called an "ally" is expected to immediately and enthusiastically sign on, regardless of national self-interest. OTOH, if an ally or allies come up with an initiative, our proper response is suspicion and resentment at lese majeste', and a refusal to cooperate unless USA-Number1! is running the show. Finally, if (in particular) Europeans seem to dislike a Prez/candidate, well, that's a plus - it just means the Prez/candidate is a real Amurkan.
ReplyDeleteThe downside for Mitty, however, is that even though he hasn't really departed from the lumpenright script with his Anglogaffes, he simply can't deliver the "screw-them-furriners" lines convincingly. Richboy androids do have drawbacks... eh, Karl?