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[MetalSlimeHunt]

See, the thing is that he's not really that far-right but he has to pretend to be.

So the conventional wisdom says.  But what evidence exactly do we have that he isn't as right wing as he acts?

His entire political history as a moderate, and sometimes even liberal Republican, which completely vanished as soon as this election cycle started and was replaced by Guns, God, and Gays Romney out of nowhere.

[mainiac]

His political career as a moderate republican was a 4 year stint as governor.  He's been doing this hard right posturing for more then four years now.  I'm inclined to think the moderate as well but why is the past evidence more reliable then the present?  Wasn't he just pandering back then too?

[MetalSlimeHunt]

All politicians pander, but back then he was pandering to a smaller base. Right now he has to pander to the whole of the GOP, its party leaders, and as many independents as possible. It does not help that all three of those groups want different things, but the party leaders have the most power over him so that's why we're getting far-right Romney.

They seem to be banking on everyone else supporting him based upon the "Not Obama" qualifier. Not a good plan.

[palsch]

So an individual who leans conservative but not hardline Republican, who is pretty cynical about politics in general but also fairly mainstream in his views, responded to the Romney statement with this, basically dismissing it as business as usual.

I personally think that the Romney statement is a bigger deal, as it shows far greater contempt for those it is discussing while also being a grotesque lie, as deconstructed here. Obama didn't write off the individuals he was talking about as worthless or not deserving of his attention; he described them as misguided. Romney dismissed nearly half the population as beneath his notice.


EDIT: I swear I didn't see this before I posted.

[Mego]

All politicians pander, but back then he was pandering to a smaller base. Right now he has to pander to the whole of the GOP, its party leaders, and as many independents as possible. It does not help that all three of those groups want different things, but the party leaders have the most power over him so that's why we're getting far-right Romney.

They seem to be banking on everyone else supporting him based upon the "Not Obama" qualifier. Not a good plan.

Either that, or banking on a lot of Americans being bad voters and not giving much thought about who they vote for. A lot of people follow this line of thinking:

1. I'm working at a sucky, dead-end job (or have no job at all).
2. Obama was elected in 2008.
3. Back in 2008, I was working at the same sucky, dead-end job (or a similarly-sucky, dead-end job, or also unemployed).
4. Obama isn't fixing my life.
5. Romney 2012.

[RedKing]

It's quite possible that he is right-wing and was pandering to the overwhelmingly left-wing electorate in Massachussetts just to get elected Governor. Just sayin.

Had a bright spot the other day. We were visiting my wife's parents (both Republican) and her brother (Libertarian). Apparently, all three are avidly supporting Obama. Granted, they're Yankee transplants so they're Northeastern Republicans (fiscal conservative, social moderate) as opposed to good ol' boy Republicans. But still, it's nice to know that this year we won't be essentially neutralizing their vote, as we were in 2008.

I'm hoping that there are a lot more transplanted Republicans who share their distaste for Romney and their digust at what the GOP has become, especially at the state level here in NC.



Polls are looking favorable for Obama. He's up by around 3 points nationally in every major poll in the last two weeks, with the exception of one from Rasmussen, which has Romney by 2.

And at the state level, numbers are trending for Obama in Florida, Virginia and bigtime in Ohio. Wisconsin appears to be a tight race, and North Carolina is probably going back to the red column (and a Republican governor, and a Republican legislature....gods help us all)

[Zrk2]

Seems that Romney has done a good job of driving off the social moderates (I know I'd vote Obama if I were American now).

Of course for me it's also because he can't hold a position without contradicting himself on it next week.

[mainiac]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/18/mitt-romney-will-probably-get-95-electoral-votes-from-moocher-states-obama-will-probably-get-5/

Maybe Romney was onto something and didn't know.  When you grind the poor into dust long enough, they stop being able to contribute to society and your state turns into a backwards hellhole.

Interesting that New Mexico is in the top 10 though.  The other 9 are 7 deep south states with bad economies, Texas which has really been screwing the poor lately and Florida where the elderly swell the ranks of non-payers.  New Mexico seems out of place to me, I never thought of it as much of a basket case.

[Moghjubar]

Seems that Romney has done a good job of driving off the social moderates (I know I'd vote Obama if I were American now).

Of course for me it's also because he can't hold a position without contradicting himself on it next week.

Or the next sentence even? http://bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2012/02/romney-contradicts-himself-in-two-sentences.html

[MonkeyHead]

I serisouly hope that you lot over there do not elect Romney. For me, (in my admittedly stilted knowledge of your political nuances) he embodies pretty much everything I was hoping the USA was moving away from when electing Obama.

[darkrider2]

I serisouly hope that you lot over there do not elect Romney. For me, (in my admittedly stilted knowledge of your political nuances) he embodies pretty much everything I was hoping the USA was moving away from when electing Obama.

I'd put money on Obama winning.

Its the election four years after this one that scares the piss out of me. Cause if this is the guy they pile on for an incumbent president, I wonder what will come out of the works when its all out up for grabs.

[MonkeyHead]

Hilary Clinton FTW.

[Nadaka]

Hilary Clinton FTW.

Ugh. She will not make a good president. She was involved with the attempt to ban mature video games, among other things.

[RedKing]

I'm still thinking Brian Schweitzer (Gov. of Montana) as a potential dark horse. He's another centrist Democrat in the Clintonian "Third Way" mode, but dude's got balls and a low tolerance for bullshit. (which means he probably has no stomach for being President, unfortunately)

[Jervill]

Huh, I thought I would be the first to bring up Schweitzer.  Although I would prefer someone more progressive, I would rather have someone with a chance of winning the Presidency.  Probably a bit of regional bias in my preference for Schweitzer since I prefer Populists over, say, some worthless opportunist like Andrew Cuomo (Gov. of New York).  Of course, some like to advance Amy Klobuchar (Dem senator from Minnesota), but she is probably too cautious for nationwide runs.