Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
What were the moments you remember from tonight's debate? For me, it was when Mitt Romney responded to Rick Santorum's rather effective breakdown of some of the flaws in Romneycare. Among other problems that he cited with what became the blueprint for Obamacare was the individual mandate:
“In Massachusetts, everybody is mandated as a condition of breathing to buy health insurance,” Mr. Santorum said. “And if you don’t, you have to pay a fine.”
Mr. Romney sought to brush back his opponent, saying, “It’s not worth getting angry about.”
Up to that point, Romney was having an amazing debate. He recently hired Michele Bachmann's old debate coach and boy did it show. He was passionate and knowledgeable. He was pummeling Newt Gingrich to a bloody pulp. He did say a few things that were incorrect (he said he hadn't put out a particular ad, he said he never voted for a Democrat when he could have voted for a Republican and he said his Fannie and Freddie investments were in a blind trust), but overall he was doing great.
But not only do I know that issues of liberty are worth getting angry about, I want my presidential candidates to know that, too. That Romney doesn't is a huge flaw, even if destroying Obamacare weren't the one issue that unites much of the country.
What were the moments that stuck out for you?
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Comments:
Nov '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Newt should be called out for his "anti-immigrant" attacks on Romney, and he was during the debate. Similarly, Romney should be called out for this. Santorum 2012!
May '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
“It’s not worth getting angry about.”
That was the moment that stood out for me and by tomorrow I'll have forgotten everything else that was said except that.
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 4:48amDec '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
That's the moment that struck me, too. If I were Gingrich or Santorum, I'd be working that into my ads even now--Obamacare? "Not worth getting angry about." Keystone Pipeline? "Not worth getting angry about." Illegal immigration? "Not worth getting angry about." If Mitt Romney can't get angry about any of these, what WILL he get angry about? And so on.
That assumes that being 'angry' is sometimes a good and useful thing. I don't think Romney thinks it is. He reminds me somewhat of Bush the elder, who once said, I forget in what context, that he'd been brought up to be humble, not to keep saying "I, I, I" (how refreshing would that be?), or to keep tooting his own horn, and that it was hard for him to talk about his own success. I think Romney equates "anger" with loss of control. It appears to me that he sees disagreement as only one short step away from anger, which is why he sometimes says such stupid things and reacts so oddly.
May '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
I think Romney was cruising up until that point and had buried Newt and then Santorum reared up and drove a stake through his heart. Fun to watch and probably good for the party when the dust has settled. This is going to be a long bloody primary.
Oct '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
i knew gingrich was gonna try to deliver a death blow to romney in this debate. He can't use Bain anymore, so the next best thing is an attack on Immigration by going all "Rick Perry" on Romney.
Sep '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Wouldn't that be a possible campaign commercial?
Mitt Romney: you wouldn't like me when I'm angry?
May '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Romney surprised me tonight. He should have not waited this long to actually prepare for one of these things.
Newt stunk up the place.
Santorum needs an editor.
Ron Paul is still guano crazy when it comes to foreign policy.
And personally, I learned trying to PhotoShop a debate real time would probably work better on some sort of drug... I am exhausted!
Dec '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
At one point I was struck by the the thought, " Gee, Ron Paul seems to be relegated to the role of comedic relief" as when one watches a dramatic film and the drama is so thick, we need a moment of levity to diffuse the tension. One of the many other's is the discomfort I felt during Mit and Newt's exchange regarding the financials. I gravitate towards Newt, and while I will still vote for him, I don't feel he turned in the performance he needed.
Aug '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Oh my lord! He actually did it! How dumb is that? Isn't colluding with Nancy Pelosi against a Republican candidate quite a bit worse than sitting on the couch next to her?
Jun '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
I've retrieved my virtual coffee mug from the virtual waste basket.
Jan '12
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
It was Pickett's Charge for us Newtsters, although with far less aplomb. Romney, in a surprising show of resolution, stood with Joshua Chamberlain at the end of the Union line, and Santorum brought up the artillery brigades.
Paul led the Texans to a safe but remote station behind Longstreet's corps.
And I need another shot of Southern Comfort.
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 5:04amSep '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Romney surprised me tonight. He should have not waited this long to actually prepare for one of these things.
Nice to see the debate subroutines have kicked in, but, yes, he's waited a long time to add them. Thank goodness he did so before I added a fur lined straightjacket to my spring wardrobe collection.
Sep '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Dream Romney moment:
"Alright salamander boy, bring it!"
May '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
I think Mitt Romney won both Florida and the nomination tonight. He was simply Presidential--and you know you would love to have his wife as First Lady.
I am delighted. I was very depressed as recently as Tuesday about the polls. I don't understand what happened in SC.
Kudos to Rick Santorum as well, If I didn't think he would hurt Mitt in the general with disgusted Democrats, I would be very happy to see him as a VP; I would love to see him in some high post in a Romney administration. Wow.
PS: Even Ron Paul was likable tonight. If only more of his supporters were...
Sep '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
“It’s not worth getting angry about.”
Isn't that the problem in Romney's entire candidacy condensed into one sentence? The base is going crazy because there are some things worth getting angry about and he seems Brooks Brothers oblivious to it in public, much like when George Herbert Walker Bush allowed himself to be a human punching bag for Ross Perot through the 1992 campaign when GHWB should have dropped the piano of doom on him.
(I have no idea what the piano of doom is, but its late and I'm reaching for material).
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 5:04amMay '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
It's striking to me how much of Gingrich's appeal in debates is crowd-response dependent. Without a vocal crowd to play to, I'm not sure at all that Gingrich would "own" Obama in a debate, as so many assume.
Romney was solid. Gingrich disappointed -- largely because he's over-sold his own debating skills and therefore needs to be triumphant just to meet expectations.
Big picture: Romney needed a "rebound week" after SC, and so far he's getting it. Gingrich, predictably, got lax and off message (with this space stuff especially) after the exhilaration of SC.
Dec '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
I'm still a bit stunned, but here, to the best of my ability, what I recall:
Wolf Blitzer: "And now, let's go to our Latino debate co-sponsors, for another incomprehensible question from one in a series of slightly over-weight but pleasingly buxom Hispanic women...."
May '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
If Mitt Romney can't get angry about any of these, what WILL he get angry about?
Romney gets more disgusted than angry. If you think overt anger is going to win in November, you are mistaken. This is going to be a Big Team election. You'll get plenty of anger from Senators and Congressmen, and some from the VP Romney picks (hopefully, Rubio or West). But you don't want an angry President, and you don't want an angry candidate for President.
Mar '11
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About
Caroline: “It’s not worth getting angry about.”
That was the moment that stood out for me and by tomorrow I'll have forgotten everything else that was said except that. · 20 minutes ago
Edited 13 minutes ago
That is what spoiled, for me, what was shaping up to be the best debate Romney has had so far. It's pretty clear that he has no idea why he hasn't managed to win over the Anybody But Mitt Brigade. Obama will throw his arms around Romneycare, praising it to the skies, Mitt will beam, and the base will get depressed. Or, more likely, Obama will wait for the attack on Obamacare, do a compare-and-contrast with Romneycare, and Mitt will be dragged into one of his defenses of this malodorous albatross around his neck, thus confusing the dopey independents
May '10
Re: Actually, Some Things Are Worth Getting Angry About