generalspeaking

So, What's The Problem?

He is perfectly presentable, knows which fork to use, and when, and he is courteous, and thoughtful, not likely to leave an honoured guest to his own devices in an anteroom within the White House, while himself enjoying dinner with family. He is well educated, has a conscience, devoutly religious (an absolute American requisite for high public office), has had more than ample business experience, knows what makes the economy and the markets grind along, and is well enough versed in international affairs.

He's more than passably attractive, stands straight and tall, a proud American. His credentials are impeccable, in short. Why are the wagons circled against him? And why has one daffy Republican after another been briefly acclaimed as someone whose experience, wisdom and guiding hand must be superior to his, despite the discoveries that their leaden feet and nutbar policies would spell out a dismal future for the country were they ever to ascend to the presidency - good thing none of them have what it takes to unseat the Incumbent.

He, of course, being the sole exception. It is not, it would seem, that the Republican Party is without other reasoning stalwarts whose reputations are solid and past experience useful for such a run, but they have all cautiously scoped out the battlefield and gracefully opted out. Along with the really strident, quite unsuitable candidates who prefer to egg on the clowns from the sidelines, demonstrating their Tea Party bona fides.

"He seemed genuinely comfortable in his own skin and in his own life. If there was anything he had to work through, he had already done it." Harvard Business School cohort, Howard Serkin

Mitt Romney distinguished himself at every point of his academic and later business career, garnering the respect and admiration of those who shared experiences with him. He was seen as a strategist capable of reaching decisions when others might be frozen in uncertainty, someone capable of collaboration for the mutual satisfaction of diverse interests, with the strategy of creating improvements and adding value the end result.

For someone as well-born, taught and socialized in his particular milieu, he never seemed completely relaxed in the sense that enthusiasm dwelled within, controlled from public view. His wooden exterior failed to enthuse others, while his intelligent and forthcoming solutions did. Trouble is, the electorate sees the stiff facade, and they are looking for the stuff of which showmen are made, the capability of extruding from within the kind of charisma that hypnotizes an adoring public.

"He picked good people to surround himself with, and he motivated them. He loves to solve problems ... whether at Harvard, at [the Boston Consulting Group], at Bain [Capital], heading up the Olympics, or as governor." Howard Serkin

"Mitt is a pragmatist; he's not a theoretician. The only things he seems to be zealous about are his family and his church." Harvard colleague, Howard Brownstein

"We're used to politicians who camouflage their real views about issues, or who practise fraud in their backroom financial and political deal-making, but this is something else. Romney's very public persona feels like a hoax because it has been so elaborately contrived to keep his core identity under wraps." Frank Rich, New York magazine

One very good reason may be simply that his Mormonism presents as a problem to other Christian denominations, some of whose followers seem to be of the opinion that to be a Mormon is to be rather suspect as a Christian. Mitt Romney may depend to his very core on his belief in the Mormon Church, but he has the political cautionary sense not to flaunt it in the face of this reality.

Quite apart from the fact that he is by nature not gregarious, not an extrovert.

But he is imbued with the ambition to lead the United States, to offer to his country the opportunity to give someone with all the credible and required skills acquired throughout his life through hands-on experience - to guide the country in a direction that would reflect well for the future - intent on advancing America's interests in a very complex world.

"He's a more serious person, and he thinks our country's problems are serious. So to him being a stand-up comedian is not so important."

Doesn't President Mitt Romney sound rather more convincing than President Newt Gingrich?

Labels: Human Relations, Political Realities, United States

posted by Pieface @ Thursday, March 01, 2012