Conservativa

Between now and the September convention, Republicans will be choosing their nominee. I endorse Mitt Romney.

THE REASONS
Are you looking for someone electable in the general election? He got himself elected as a Republican in Massachusetts.

This irritates people who point to McCain’s crossover ability. I claim that most people will vote not so much for their party “no matter what” but for the candidate they like best. Romney has proven himself able to win some Democrats and Independents, or he would not have won in Massachusetts.

This irritates people who point to McCain’s crossover ability. I claim that most people will vote not so much for their party “no matter what” but for the candidate they like best. Romney has proven himself able to win some Democrats and Independents, or he would not have won in Massachusetts.

Are you looking for a smart presidential candidate? You won’t find a smarter one. Last July he was in town to accept the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. I saw Romney take all questions and handle every question well. You can catch similar events, “Ask Mitt Anything,” on CSPAN. Not only is he smart, he gets the opinions of other smart people before he makes his decisions.

This irritates people - they want an uber-decisive leader, like McCain! (Everyone please ignore the fact that the same people can be heard bemoaning Bush’s “stubbornness”).

Are you looking for someone who not only promotes family values, but who does a pretty good job of living family values? You will like Mitt Romney.

This irritates people - people who would rather have a leader who apparently doesn’t hesitate to swear at his fellow party leaders - “F*** you!” - “Chickens***” - than use corny language like “Baloney!” to describe an opponent’s position which he doesn’t like.

Are you looking for a leader to elevate the tone of debate in Washington? Someone with a cool temper? Then you will like Romney.

This irritates people - people who would rather follow someone who sports a “victory snarl“. Why, we simply can’t have a cool and elegant character leading our nation! Our position in the world is delicate. We need to “improve our image” overseas. So we should hire the guy with the victory snarl to do that?

Are you looking for someone with extensive experience in business? Someone who understands how to make a dollar and make the dollar grow? And has a smart tax plan? Then you will like Mitt Romney.

Hard as this is to believe, this irritates people. In this country, if you are good at making an honest dollar, isn’t that supposed to be a good thing? Don’t jobs come from businesses? So if you can grow a business, aren’t you creating jobs, as a general rule?

Are you looking for someone who is good on national security? Then you will like Romney. He does have less experience there than McCain. But look at the advisors who have signed on to his campaign - Andrew C. McCarthy, Liz Cheney, etc. (The people irritated by this are mostly Democrats). Romney also understands that border security is part of national security. Speaking of that, are you looking for someone to do something about immigration? You will REALLY like Mitt Romney. Among the four leading Democratic and Republican candidates for president, Romney is the ONLY candidate who will actually DO something.
This irritates people - people like Juan Hernandez. Please click on those links and wonder why McCain chose that person.

Now for some more criticisms of Romney:

• “He’s a flip-flopper!” He has changed his positions over the years, notably becoming more pro-life. And, which of the four leading presidential candidates hasn’t appeared to shade his or her language when talking to various groups?
• “He’s too slick - he’s like a Ken doll.” That’s a matter of style. It’s not a bad thing. And, I think he will let down his hair more, so to speak, as the campaign goes on.
• “He’s Mormon.” As Governor of Massachusetts, did he govern in an overly “Mormon” style? Okay then.
• “He sure is spending a lot of his own money to get elected.” Yes, and he sure is bringing in a lot of donations from other people. (McCain numbers here).

Consider the what the candidates say, and compare that with their actions. And vote for Mitt Romney for President in 2008.

THE DISCLAIMER
Disclaimer - do not take anything I have written as being McCain-hate. Compared to Clinton’s or Obama’s experience, McCain’s experience and accomplishments put him well ahead, especially in national security matters. If he is the nominee, I will carry my misgivings to the polls, but I will not hesitate to vote for him. So I do not write this piece to say that he is completely unacceptable, but to state my belief that Romney is a better choice.

Photo details: Photo taken July ‘07. Nikon D80, ISO 800, 50mm, 1/80 at f/2.8.