The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Troy Senik has commanded me to write a note about the first debate—invite a man to become an editor of Ricochet and he turns into a martinet—and for the last couple of days, I’ve been scratching my head, wondering what I might say that would prove at all useful or original. The best I can do, I’ve decided, is to suggest to Mitt Romney that from time to time during the debate he would do well to display a particular trait:
Indignation.
If Governor Romney truly believes that President Obama has damaged the economy, wasted billions of dollars, and enacted a partisan, divisive, and utterly unwarranted expansion of federal power that will only degrade American health care, then his demeanor toward the president ought to indicate as much. Mitt Romney needs to exhibit authentic emotion. He needs to get angry.
Doing so would enable him to connect with ordinary people. A very rich man, Romney need never worry about finding himself unemployed or underwater on a mortgage. For that matter, he need never worry about rationing under ObamaCare—rich people can always find doctors. When he displays indignation, then, Romney will do so not on his own behalf but on ours.
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Oct '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Indignation, for sure. I'd also like to see him call Obama on every lie and falsehood he utters. Not in the "You Lie!" nature of Joe Wilson, but with an earnest, factual takedown of the lie. And maybe with the RR "there you go again" dismissive line, or something like "why do you keep making stuff up instead of standing behind your record?" I don't want to see just a "that's them, but this is us" dichotomy. I want to see Obama's record, and his inevitable lies, exposed repeatedly. Those who get their news from the MSM will be learning this stuff for the first time. Mitt needs to educate them.
But that's just me.
May '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
I think indignation would be the right tone but as you say Romney needs to express indignation that the America that Obama is creating is not the America that has stood as a beacon of freedom and hope and oportunity for over two centuries.
May '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
He needs to be himself, and if that means not being indignant or emotional, fine. Mitt's at his worst when he's trying to give us what he thinks we want.
In fact, it's possible indignation and emotion would work against him in any case. Rather than "channeling his inner Newt", he'd be better off "channeling his inner Mitch (Daniels)" -- a calm, methodical, dismantler of the Obamanomics (see Gov. Daniels SOTU rebuttal for guidance). Indignant zinger-throwers are exhilarating to those already on board, but there's a reason that Newt, the era's preeminent zinger-thrower, is also among the era's least popular politicians, while Daniels changed the world in IN and retired from politics with bipartisan love.
The trick Wednesday would be for Mitt to pull off a sort of calm evisceration of Obama such that Obama himself becomes the emotional, indignant one.
Apr '12
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
A clip I saw recently of Romney speaking was great. He said he FEELS for those people without a job and knows how to create jobs for them. He is now getting emotion in there. He is a brilliant man, and I will be very surprised if he doesn't best Obama.
I like your idea to let Romney know that he is speaking on behalf of the rest of us in letting Obama and his followers know that other people are furious at what this regime has been doing, or not doing. From what I have seen of Romney, he is more than capable of doing this.
I would like Mitt to know that he has tremendous support from even some Canadians, who will be rooted to the TV to cheer him on. :-)
Wish I could vote for him!
Sep '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
The Piano of Doom, Mitt.
Unleash the Piano of Doom.
Nov '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
For foreign policy and for economic policy, he needs to have a bunch of three-item laundry lists ready, like this:
On foreign:
On economic:
After reciting each list, he should repeat this REFRAIN:
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 1:43amNov '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Scott [roy-sir]: He needs to be himself, and if that means not being indignant or emotional, fine. Mitt's at his worst when he's trying to give us what he thinks we want.
· 19 minutes ago
The attacks on his personal character got him genuinely angry in the primary debates. That indignation did work well for him.
Dec '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
I agree with Scott above.
He couldn't have achieved success in his life without well-channeled passion and intensity. If he's himself, he'll be attractive to the undecided voter.
Dec '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
When I hear the words Romney and angry in the same sentence, I can't help but recall that dreadful moment in the primary debates when Romney scolded Santorum: "It's nothing to get angry about." That was a true face-palm moment.
As much as I wanted a not-Romney to get the nomination, now that we're stuck with him, I'd prefer he just be himself. If he's genuinely angry, fine, let it come through; if he's not, it will fail miserably. He just doesn't do not-Romney well. (To his credit.) Bush-41 had the same bug/feature.
May '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Mitt also needs to be on offense at every turn.
The thin-skinned Obama has not once -- not once! -- been pinned down and forced to defend the indefensible (his record, that is) by the press, in any sustained, relentless sort of way.
A reckoning, finally, is what Romney must force upon him.
Mar '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Scott [roy-sir]: .
A reckoning, finally, is what Romney must force upon him.
Something like the British Parliament Prime Minister's Question Time would be great (ain't gonna happen).
Apr '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Think what he needs to do is ignore advise about what he needs to do.
It is late to give advice and I am tired of reading and hearing about it.
Hope it hasn't reached his ears. He needs to be what he is and let people see that...period.
The rest is what we want to say to the President, and most of that wouldn't clear the censors.
Feb '12
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Scott [roy-sir]: Mitt also needs to be on offense at every turn.
The thin-skinned Obama has not once -- not once! -- been pinned down and forced to defend the indefensible (his record, that is) by the press, in any sustained, relentless sort of way.
A reckoning, finally, is what Romney must force upon him. · 15 minutes ago
I agree. Mitt needs to aggressively call Obama out on every misrepresentation he makes about his record (and there will be many) and then Mitt needs to explain how his plan/approach is different and will lead to more jobs and a stronger economy. If there's some indignation in the call outs, I'm fine with it.
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 2:20amJan '12
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
For some detailed ideas for our candidate, Mitt Romney, see Clark Judge's excellent article at Townhall,com., today, under Hugh Hewitt's blog.
Let's hope he reads it...
Oct '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
What about this notion that the debates don't matter? My sense is that this rule does not apply this year, but I may be fooling myself.
Sep '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Romney needs to leave the voters disillusioned - seriously, many voters are immersed in media illusions and they need to be shaken awake. The economy is not getting better and will get much worse if Obama is re-elected. Democratic politicians did well in the Great Depression. Average Americans went hungry, year after year. But, FDR won four terms, got the Supreme Court he wanted, changed our society permanently, and his legacy is highly regarded today.
Obama (who’s having a lot of fun in the Whitehouse) doesn’t see much to gain from an improved economy, and quite a bit to gain politically from a further downturn. All Obama wants to do in this debate is to look and to sound empathetic with suffering people. Obama is no Clinton when it comes to striking this pose, but he will try. Romney needs to slap this down, and hard.
Feb '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
"You know that's not true. And so do the American people."
May '11
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
Romney should use Haley Barbour's line. He should begin each response with, "Mr. Obama, you can't run on your record so you have to run on half truths and promises." Follow that with, "Here's what you promised [blank]. Here's what you did (or didn't do) [blank]. Here's how I will fix your blunders [blank]. Obama will get so furious he'll blow the whole thing.
May '10
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
The key to success is sincerity. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.
(Posted without implying that Romney is insincere, but merely that he is perceived so.)
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 3:17amAug '12
Re: The First Debate: What Mitt Must Do
I want Romney to do his impression of John Adams from 1776 (alas, can't find the clip on YouTube) when Mr. Dickinson wants to make peace with England. Fill in the equivalent points.
"Good God, man, why can't you admit what already exists? It has been more than a year since Concord and Lexington. [CoC] man, we're at war! Right now!"
Maybe "It has been more than a year since job growth exceded population growth. We're in recession! Right now!"
or "It has been more than a month since Benghazie and Cairo and Yemen and Nigeria and... and Camp Bastion. We're under attack in the Middle East. Right Now!"
or "It has been more than a year since you shoveled guns into the hands of the Cartels. It is a bloody debacle. Right now! And has been from the start!"
Edited on October 2, 2012 at 3:22am