Troy on Mitt
Peter Robinson ·
Sep 14, 2011 at 10:38am
Recording the podcast just now, Troy Senik produced a marvelously arresting formulation. What, I asked, could Mitt Romney do to convince members of the Republican base that he's one of them?
Troy's response (and I'm paraphrasing from memory here, but you'll get the idea):
Romney's problem is that he's inauthentic. To appeal to conservatives, he'd have to become even more inauthentic.
There's no way out of that box.
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Jun '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Peter: I tend to disagree with the more negative assessments of Mitt. That aside, I must disagree that there is no way out of the box.
As the French diplomat Jean Giraudoux (and who better than a French diplomat could say this?) said: "The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." (This sentiment has been attributed to others--I prefer it from a French source).
Thus, all Mitt needs is a bit more coaching on how to fake sincerity.
May '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
I am trying not to despair, Peter. You are not helping.
Dec '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Niiiiice.
Dec '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
There are reasons to be hopeful, especially considering the alternative of more Obama.
Apr '11
Re: Troy on Mitt
That is the ceiling that makes Romney a beatable candidate. He has obviously cultivated all the right connections and mannerisms to appear to be very presidential, and he hasn't committed any serious malfeasance or moral crimes.
His biggest problem is his home state, where one must be a squish to win office as a Republican, and his embracing of squishy statism, which was correctly interpreted as "inauthenticity" by his voters who voted him out despite their own statist bent after he gave them Romneycare.
Romney is "next." If allowed to ascend to the nomination, I think he will be the next McCain or Dole. Not a pleasant prospect at all.
Re: Troy on Mitt
As you of all people will remember, Katy, "Put not thy faith in princes."
May '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Peter Robinson
As you of all people will remember, Katy, "Put not thy faith in princes." · Sep 14 at 10:56am
I think of it practically every day.
My looming despair is over the political situation merely. I have no doubt that all is in God's hands. I would just be so, so sad and sorry to witness the end of the marvelous American experiment.
I want to see a dramatic reversion to our roots.
Edited on Sep 14, 2011 at 11:06amOct '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
From a purely pragmatic perspective, I think Romney is more electable than Perry. Now that Obama is clearly vulnerable, is there any chance that Mitch Daniels will run? We seem to be short on good candidates.
I'm not sure focusing our efforts on who is elected president is a good idea, anyway. We should be laser-focused on retaking the Senate and getting more "crazy Tea Partiers" into the House. If we really want to consolidate the administrative state and end economic cronyism, we're going to need Republican majorities in both houses of Congress and conservative majorities within their respective Republican caucuses.
And more than anything else, we need to have a conversation with the American people about how much (federal) government they want, how privileged should public workers be (especially bureaucrats), etc.
Oct '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Troy Cynic has a point. However, you cannot fake a record. Romney's problem is less his cynicism, and more his past. Yet another managerial progressive, to quote Dr. Rahe.
Nov '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
katievs
Peter Robinson
As you of all people will remember, Katy, "Put not thy faith in princes." · Sep 14 at 10:56am
I think of it practically every day.
My looming despair is over the political situation merely. I have no doubt that all is in God's hands. I would just be so, so sad and sorry to witness the end of the marvelous American experiment.
I want to see a dramatic reversion to our roots.
Katy, me too. I'm joining you in despair, to the same extent. It's particularly hard for those of us with young children.
Re: Troy on Mitt
Joseph, I couldn't agree more.
Jul '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Why anyone would want Romney, a committed failed career politician to be President is beyond me. And his record isn't all that impressive either. So he loses on electability and his record is dubious from a conservative perspective.
What's not to like?
May '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
The problem is not that Mitt Romney is inauthentic. The problem is you want someone who excites you. who is your hero; and you'll perform all kinds of inner-self-deceptions to find such a person--which is precisely how we got Obama.
Whatever.
Aug '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
The funny thing is that I find Perry to be inauthentic and Romney to be very authentic. Perry has the manner and delivery of the carnival barker or Chautauqua tent agitator. It's all fire and red meat, but lacks the reserved touch of reflective honesty. Romney comes across like the guy in the corporate board room who is telling you what it is just like it is.
Too many people mistake fire and passion for sincerity. It's what got us our current President, and I'd hate to see it lead to the selection of the next President.
I for one want a "manager" in office, especially if that manager is having to implement policies enacted by a Tea Party heavy Congress. I want someone who has been a "job cutter" and "outsourcer" as President. It would be nice to see the bureaucracy shrink because of "efficiencies" rather than ideology, the Dems would have a harder time stalling them.
I also get the sense that Romney might understand the Global Workplace a little better.
Does he have a troubled record? Only if you don't think the opinions of the Citizens of Massachusetts have a place.
Re: Troy on Mitt
I don't think Romney is hollow or inauthentic. I think he's cursed with a personality that sounds genuinely inauthentic. But if he was five-foot five and looked ordinary and sounded like Droopy, no one would be discussing him for President. The very persona that makes him ascend to the top is the same thing that makes people suspect him. I stopped worrying about the personality thing a long time ago; what matters now are his instincts and his plans.
Sep '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Romney lost me last go-round when he said his sons were showing their patriotism by working on his campaign. I think he interjected "in part" in his comment, but I found it quite revealing nonetheless.
Dec '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
Interestingly, I heard an interview with Ann Coulter yesterday, in which she came out strongly for Romney. It could just be that she requires a candidate to be from a northeastern state, xenophobe that she is (just kidding!).
Aug '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
The NY-29 win ought to have kept the wolf from the door, at least I hoped it would, but then I found out what a debacle Monday's CNN-Tea Party Death Haka turned out to be and now I'm right there with you.
Rob's Paul Ryan lamentation post just made it worse.
The good news, it is past noon in LA so I can start drinking now... I'll be drunk-dialing Rubio before dinner.
Apr '11
Re: Troy on Mitt
Troy Senik and Fred Savage, separated at birth?
Sep '10
Re: Troy on Mitt
I am beginning to come to the conclusion that they're both ruling class phonies.
We need to win the Presidential election, obviously, but our hopes for true reform lie in the House and Senate.