Romney Shows GOP the Path Back to the Majority |
In the aftermath of the 2008 landslide, the Republican party appears to have fractured - split over where the party has to go to return to the majority. The theories range from the predictable: dumping one branch or another of conservatism to attract votes, to the far more exotic: some have suggested Republicans adopt an approach similar to that used to revive the Tory party in England.
Tags: 2012 Election, Mitt Romney
Don’t Read Too Far Into Romney’s Recent Interview |
Note:Before I begin posting, I’d like to introduce myself to all the readers here at Committed to Romney. My name is Matthew Kilburn, and in addition to managing my own website, I’ve been a regular commenter both here (as ActBlog) as well as on other sites. I’ve also been a Romney supporter since 2007, and look forward to playing a role here during the next election cycle.
David’s latest post about Romney’s interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is sure to raise a few eyebrows, but I have to caution my fellow Mittheads against reading too far into anything Romney said, for several reasons. First, we are still 48 months from the 2012 election, 24 months from the midterms, and still two weeks away from election day 2008. For Romney to announce plans now - even that he was considering a future run - would be foolish, at the least. As a leading figure within the Republican party, it is Romney’s job to act, publicly, as though the next four years will pass under a John McCain Presidency. To even hint at the possibility of a run in 2012, Mitt would have to acknowledge the likelihood of an Obama win, something that could be perceived as ambition trumping loyalty - a near-suicidal act in party politics.
Also, lets assume for a minute that Romney were to announce, or even hint at, a run in four years. What else could he possibly do this early in the game? The position the country will be in in four years is unknown, as are the main issues of the campaign. What the Congress looks like, how popular Obama will be, and what kinds of challenges the country will be confronted with are, and will remain, a mystery until much closer to election day. Even if he put together a campaign staff tomorrow, Mitt would have nothing to run on except an ambition to be President, and, while ambition is certainly necessary to hold political office, it often turns off those who might otherwise support you. True or not, Americans like to think of their leaders as holding office for noble motives, not personal benefit.
Finally, the wording of the interview doesn’t suggest disinterest in running again, in which case I might be tempted to believe it, but more a belief that the “window” won’t be open again. Romney never said that he wasn’t interested in running again, but that he believes the opportunity to become your party’s nominee comes only once. Of course, as John McCain has shown, that isn’t even close to the truth. In fact, the GOP has a history of nominating candidates on their second (or even third) try, and that is something you’ll be hearing more about from me in the coming weeks. Clearly, Romney intends to remain in politics, and, if in two years the opportunity to run is there, I have no doubt that Romney will.
Tags: 2012 Election, Mitt Romney