Bravo, Ann Romney!
I don't know Ann Romney. I don't know Lee Cary, from the American Thinker, either, but I should like to buy them both dinner to thank them for making an important point yesterday, and it needs to be emphasized. Asked about some of the more counterproductive criticisms made by Republicans, Mrs. Romney replied, "Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring." My thoughts exactly.
Constructive criticism is one thing, but handing ammunition to the opposition is uncalled for. Part of the problem is that I really like some of the people making these remarks, but I wonder if they understand the stratospheric stakes in this election. To observe that Governor's Romney's remarks about the 47 percent of people who pay no income taxes were inexact or haphazardly framed is one thing. But to say, as The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol (whom I admire tremendously) did, that the Governor's comments were "stupid and arrogant," helps the cause not one bit. Instead, Twitter lit up with one liberal after another using the quote against the Republican nominee. Peggy Noonan, whose work I positively adore, picked up a rhetorical tire iron and went to work on Romney: "It's time to admit the Romney campaign is an incompetent one. It's not big, it's not brave, it's not thoughtfully tackling great issues. It's always been too small for the moment." Well, isn't that just ducky. If General Custer had been afflicted with support like this from his own side, the Indians could have taken the day off. With pay.
In his latest "G-File," the always brilliant, funny and trenchant Jonah Goldberg reminds us that it was the Tea Party and activist base of the Republican party that were most resistant to Governor Romney during the primaries, while the Republican party establishment admonished us repeatedly to please shut up and get behind the man. Now that he's the party nominee, we've rallied to him not because he's morphed into the second coming of Ronald Reagan, but because we understand that this election is for the whole enchilada. Put very simply, if Obamacare isn't repealed, if the debt isn't addressed, if America keeps sitting on her thumbs while her embassies burn, if Iran gets the bomb,…. that's all she wrote. And so the base is working its heart out to send Obama and his comrades packing,….and now the establishment types who told us to get behind Romney, are taking a tire iron to his kneecaps. "Unlike activists," writes Jonah, "it really is my job to say what I think." He immediately adds, however, that, "Still, I think the base might have the wiser take on all this. Win now, argue later." I couldn't agree more, Jonah.
Here's the thing. No candidate is perfect. Romney has areas that he could shore up, certainly. And it is not our place to sacrifice principle in support of any candidate. Encouraging him to take it to Obama in a certain fashion, or offering information that could prove useful to the campaign makes perfect sense to this observer. And if stronger admonishments are in order, perhaps utilizing private channels would be an option. But for heaven's sake, do we have to send gift-wrapped ammunition to Obama and his acolytes in the media?
Jonah is right in another respect. These people get paid to give their opinions. I get paid to move freight and operate outside the climate controlled comfort of media suites. However, I have been blessed beyond measure to offer my thoughts on Ricochet. So in the event that my opinions might coincide on some level with those of the professional punditry, here they are:
* It is my opinion that Barack Obama must be summarily thrown out of office, and that he should take every one of his little czars and minions with him.
* It is my opinion that Democrats in the House and Senate must be shown the door as well.
* It is my opinion that in all likelihood, this is our last chance to preserve America as it was intended by the Founders.
* It is my opinion that if Obamacare is not pulled up by the roots, it will sprout encroachments into the most personal aspects of our lives that will destroy every last vestige of meaningful individual liberty.
* It is my opinion that Mitt Romney is the only realistic alternative we have to the wholesale destruction of our country by an elite who disdains us, disdains our Constitution, and holds in utter contempt the moral and philosophical foundation of our country.
* It is my opinion that if we fail to defeat Obama, our grandchildren and their grandchildren will curse us and utter our names in contempt, and rightly so, because we let their liberty slip through our fingers while we nitpicked and sniped at each other.
* It is my opinion that we're better than that. It is my opinion that we are as equal to the challenge now as our parents and grandparents were in another time. Our heritage is freedom, our gift to those who follow is more of it, not less.
* It is my opinion that it is time to focus our fire on those who seek to shred the Constitution and enslave a great nation to the whims and predilections of a ruling elite.
There, does that help give the pros something to write about? Happy to help, folks. Now, if you'll kindly excuse me, I have to get back behind the wheel.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Right on Dave. Nuff said.
Jan '11
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
What does it say about such supporters that they love they guy when he's winning, and can't stand the guy when he's behind?
The candidate and what he stands for come second. It's the winning that they love.
Aug '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
I'd hope that everytime a Republican was quoted in the NYT it would mark a shameful thing . And... it does !
May '11
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Dave Carter, thank you thank you thank you.
I sometimes wonder if pundits, even the one we adore, get too stuck in the ego-gratifying habit of public criticism and analysis, especially as they are rewarded in pay and affection for their wit and insight. They seem to lose sight of the big picture. Jonah's day job is to say what he thinks, but his larger goal surely is the same as ours: Defeat Obama.
Let's all deploy some cunning strategery, as 43 would say, from here till election day.
And here's a prediction from a non-pundit: If elected, Romney will be much stronger president than many naysayers predict.
Jun '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
I fear that even people on Romney's side, forget, that when they're hearing from the news media--most of the media--they might as well be listening to Obama's campaign team. In fact, liberal mainstream reporters are more dangerous than Obama's campaign team, because their writing and speaking is somewhat coherent. And if you don't know any better, it's almost convincing.
Sep '12
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
God bless, Dave. From your Loooosiana lips to God's ( and the Republican party's) ear!
Jul '12
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Dave,
Peggy Noonan lost her conservative credibility when she backed Obama in 2008. I read and enjoyed her until then. In my view, she is the feminine David Frumm and should be ignored.
We must support Romney. Our very way of life is in jeopardy with the current cadre in charge.
Sep '12
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
God bless, Dave. From your Loooosiana lips to God's ( and the Republican party's) ear!
Aug '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Bravo Dave - well stated... and on point - this election is critical for preserving what little remains of the ideals for a great country the founders put into place.
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
I don't even like Mitt Romney and I'm appalled by the behavior of some of the pundit class. I don't include Kristol in this, because he's actually been consistent the whole time, but all these folks who mocked and attacked the primary voters for not being sufficiently brilliant to back Romney from the get go look like fools for attacking him now. Those same primary voters who could not have more consistently indicated that they weren't pleased with their options understand that this isn't about Romney, it's about doing what needs to be done to get rid of Obama. They have all -- all -- lined up behind Romney. And those smartypants pundits? Jumping ship now? It's ridiculous.
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
It's ridiculous and shameful. These pundits appear to be blinded to the point of not recognizing a moment of national peril. Blinded by,...by what, exactly? Care to hazard a guess?
Jul '11
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Dave, I actually think you're being optimistic :).
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
And thank you for pronouncing the name of my home state correctly!
Aug '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Dave, thank you for those thoughtful words.
I definitely understand where you are coming from. However, I think there is something about this criticism that highlights a huge difference between the parties.
Democrats are about constituencies... special interests to the core (offer this to Hispanics, that to teachers, etc.). Republicans are about ideas. When a party is tied together by a common set of ideas, it is more likely that there will be differences of opinions.
I think it is quite honorable for Kristol to speak his mind when he thinks Mr. Romney says something as ill-advised as he did. Romney is merely a politician, after all. NOT our Dear Leader.
These arguments, though in the "public sphere," are merely heard by those most interested in the political process who are all decided voters. These arguments, in my humble opinion, effect the undecided voter not a wit.
The fact that people on our side have the courage of their convictions while those on the other team will stand quietly by and continue to support drunk drivers (that result in the death of an innocent), sexual harassers, and bald face liars is something for which we should be manifestly proud.
Edited on September 23, 2012 at 3:04amRe: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Um, bartender? I'll have a shot of what my friend DocJay is having please.
Aug '12
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Bravo! Well Said! Mitt was not my first choice or even my second (Though I have become a big fan), Our nominee could be a sack of hammers and I would work just as hard. This election it is about defeating Obama and stopping the leftist agenda.
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Michael Hornback: ... Democrats are about constituencies... special interests to the core (offer this to Hispanics, that to teachers, etc.). Republicans are about ideas. When a party is tied together by a common set of ideas, it is more likely that there will be differences of opinions.
I think it is quite honorable for Kristol to speak his mind when he thinks Mr. Romney says something as ill-advised as he did. Romney is merely a politician, after all. NOT our Dear Leader.
...
The fact that people on our side have the courage of their convictions while those on the other team will stand quietly by and continue to support drunk drivers (that result in the death of an innocent), sexual harassers, and bald face liars is something for which we should be manifestly proud. · 4 minutes ago
Edited 1 minute ago
I understand your basic point, and stipulated that we shouldn't sacrifice our principles. Short of that, we have a country to save. I'll be happy to offer constructive criticism,...but I personally prefer our side to reserve the finger pointing until after the election. Fratricide doesn't win the war.
Jul '10
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
President Reagan's 11th Commandment, Anyone?
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
For what it is worth, Dave, I would criticize Mitt Romney if I thought he or his campaign deserved it, and I do not object in principle to the criticism lodged by Bill Kristol, Peggy Noonan, and Jonah Goldberg. I just think that they are dead wrong.
Romney is playing the long game, and he is doing a pretty good job of it. Right now, with the post-convention bounce for Obama waning, the polls show the race to be a dead heat, and Obama's campaign manager is already telling his troops to ignore the national polls (which means that he knows something already that we will soon find out).
Moreover, as I argued in my post earlier today, today's polls are nearly all skewed towards Obama because the pollsters are operating on the premise that the electorate will look like the electorate of 2008 (and not the electorate of 2004 or 2010). Adjust their polls to this possibility, and a new reality appears.
Feb '12
Re: Bravo, Ann Romney!
Well written Mr. Carter. I will step forward and say that Mitt Romney was my first choice for many reasons, electability the main one being. I think that as "bad" as the media portrayal of the headwinds are, he is still in better shape than any other candidate we would have nominated. Whether the criticism from our side is accurate, or not, is not the situation we need to be enlighten. All of the points stressed at the end of Mr. Carter's post are the relevant facts. We are at the point of no return.
If we lose this election in November, it may feel good to dump all blame on the candidate but the truth will be that the country was/is just too far gone.