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Go Home Mitt Romney’s Incredible Shrinking Biography

PLANK JULY 26, 2012

Mitt Romney’s Incredible Shrinking Biography

BY ED KILGORE

The most fascinating aspect of the 2012 presidential campaign has become Mitt Romney’s incredible shrinking campaign-relevant biography.  Seriously, think about it: his entire strategy is to keep the focus on unhappiness with the performance of the economy under Barack Obama’s stewardship, and then glide to victory after easily crossing the invisible threshold of acceptability that challengers to struggling incumbents supposedly need to navigate. 

Yet the number of items from his resume that he is willing and able to talk about in order to cross that threshold is close to the vanishing point.  His governorship of Massachusetts?  No way; it’s loaded with base-angering heresy and flip-flops.  His Bain Capital tenure? Not any more, particularly now that he can’t even establish when he left that company. His “success” as measured by his fabulous wealth? Not so long as he won’t release his taxes.  His clear, lifelong identification with a coherent ideology? Not applicable! His party’s agenda, as presented most comprehensively in the Ryan Budget? Don’t wanna go there! His values as expressed in his strong personal faith? You gotta be kidding!

What was left until this week as the one untarnished moment of Mitt Romney’s adult life was, of course, his triumphant stewardship of the 2002 Olympic Games. And now, having been talked by his staff into coordinating his obligatory pre-election international trip with the opening of the 2012 Games in London, that decision is looking hourly like less and less of a good idea. And we haven’t even gotten to the dressage competition.  

 

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12 comments

CBS covered Romney's gaff again tonight in the news. It looked even worse. How can you simply not just say "Hey, great job Britain. Glad to be here." and then move on.

- jet

July 26, 2012 at 7:13pm

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Maybe the Republican convention won't be a simple coronation after all.

- amidut

July 26, 2012 at 7:58pm

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amidut Maybe they will do one of those "Man from Hope" convention videos which will feature only Ann, her horse and their kids, followed by rolling credits.

- Nusholtz

July 26, 2012 at 8:42pm

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Once his choice for a running mate is made public, there will be opportunities for Mr. Mitt to explain why the selection is the best possible choice for America and Americans. And if his horse wins or comes close to winning the dressage competition in the Olympics, Mr. Mitt can talk about his love of animals and the care and expenses associated with horse training. Maybe Mr. Mitt can go on the radio and read things like his tax returns or selections from his favorite books. Space in this box is too limited to mention all the things left for Mr. Mitt to talk about.

- Doug12

July 26, 2012 at 10:12pm

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Nusholtz, even the poor horse is controversial.

- amidut

July 26, 2012 at 10:50pm

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Romney's success is well understood (to non-moonbats at least). His taxes and tenure at Bain have nothing to do with accomplishments. On the other hand Obama is not even smart enough to get an interview at Bain or a mid-management position at one of their portfolio companies. And now have evidence the Obama is losing his mind VIDEO TEXT: “Barack Obama On The Economy” VIDEO TEXT: “July 24, 2012” PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.” VIDEO TEXT: “It Worked?” MAN: “I had to file my own personal bankruptcy. I had to close my business.” WOMAN: “I’ve been looking for a job for two years.” VIDEO TEXT: “45 Million Americans Now On Food Stamps” MAN: “You know, it’s difficult to find employment.” WOMAN: “A year ago, I was laid off from my job.” VIDEO TEXT: “23 Million Americans Struggling For Work” WOMAN: “I have to work part-time in order to make ends meet.” MAN: “Sometimes I feel like I am a failure.” VIDEO TEXT: “Over 46 Million Americans Now In Poverty (Highest Ever)” VIDEO TEXT: “July 17, 2012” SCOTT PELLEY, CBS NEWS: “Good evening. This is the worst economic recovery America has ever had.” VIDEO TEXT: “Do You Agree It’s Working

- mr_rationale

July 26, 2012 at 11:06pm

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The horse is lovely and a horse was good enough for Caligula so... Anyway, Mr. Rat, I know you can't support a Democrat on general principle but be honest now - this guy is a disaster, would be a disaster for the country, has zero diplomatic skills and insults people right and left, here and abroad. So, maybe instead of insulting President Obama you should listen to him and urge your no-doubt GOP Congresspeople to give him a break. GOP ideas have broken our backs.

- Sophia

July 27, 2012 at 12:28am

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Very nice, concise summary, Mr. Kilgore. The one thing Romney needs to prove, is that his policies would have worked better than what Obama did, and WILL work better than Obama's policies going forward. So far, his policies mirror exactly what got us 2008 in the first place. So he's got to prove you can trust him. And so far, he's falling down on every proof. Bain Capital? Outsourced and downsized for Profit! Massachusetts? Way too liberal. Universal Health Care? He's not for that anymore. Now we've got the Olympics -- and besides the insult, he "succeeded" in landing a 1.3 billion dollar Federal Government bailout for the most expensive Olympics in history. Releasing taxes? What do you MEAN, you won't release your taxes? Even Republicans are taken aback by that one.

- AllanL5

July 27, 2012 at 9:27am

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Why exactly is the man running for President and why should we vote for him? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/23/1112034/-Boxed-in

- dubyadoubte

July 27, 2012 at 9:34am

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Ratty-boy, Obama's comment on "we tried our plan - it worked" was not a reference to his tenure as President, if you or any other Republican idjut ever cared to see his remarks in context. He was referring to Bill Clinton's upper-income tax increase from 1993, which all Republicans opposed and many of your idols claimed would lead to a second Great Depression right then and there. Of course, the period 1994-2000 saw the largest sustained economic growth and lowest unemployment rates in the US since the 1960's. That's what "worked" to create prosperity in America for anyone other than the wealthy, something that the Bush tax cuts which Romney hopes to continue and expand pointedly did not. Seriously, dude, before you cut-and-paste Romney ads onto this forum take a moment to see if their factual premises have been challenged by someone not associated with the Obama campaign. Failing to do that, you're just making a bigger fool of yourself than you already seem to be.

- wildboy

July 27, 2012 at 11:20am

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Now they're back on the business of Returning The Churchill Bust From England To The White House. Only problem is, it's IN the White House. Sigh.

- Sophia

July 27, 2012 at 5:30pm

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Rat, you insufferable jackass. Stop with the "Obama is not smart" bs. Do I need to remind you that the ONLY president that we've elected who had an MBA was one of the worst?

- austinous

July 27, 2012 at 6:24pm

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