Struggling Romney Needs an 'Oprah Moment' to Win

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It's not so much a question of "feeling your pain." It's a question of showing that you can solve the specific problems people are facing.
Here's a typical scenario for Romney: A blue-collar worker in Michigan loses his manufacturing job, because his factory closed due to foreign competition. That means the worker is facing the loss of his health insurance for himself and his family.
OK, now under a Romney Administration, that worker will be able to....what? Get a new manufacturing job? But how can you revitalize manufacturing in the face of foreign competition? Or will he get affordable health care even without a job? Or will he get retraining for a job in some other industry? But how can he afford the tens of thousands of dollars to go back to school if he's unemployed with a family to support?
Romney keeps tossing around economic statistics from the Bureau of Economic Statistics. But those statistics are averages or medians. By definition, half of all Americans do worse than the average. What does Romney propose for them?

Steve of MA 10:43AM January 10, 2008

Adam Smith believed that an invisible hand operated in capitalistic societies to bring order and general welfare from the selfish interactions of individuals in the marketplace. However, headlines about corporate CEOs making obscene salaries and big corporations making obscene profits while many find it hard to make ends meet suggest that that modern capitalism has been untethered from the Protestant ethic to which it has always been connected. Mitt Romney is seen as a man who believes that greed is good and who would continue the reign of capitalism without conscience. Mike Huckabee's decade as a pastor shows he has that compassion and his successful tenure as a governor shows he has the executive ability to lead the country. Romney should withdraw from the campaign. Huckabee should be elected President.

David E7 of MD 5:12AM January 10, 2008

Let's see, McCain is getting bravos from the MSM for telling the auto industry "the truth" about wanting higher gas mileage, etc.
Romney tells the people "the truth" about the economy, tells us to buck up and there will be no recession and you think he should pander to them instead, giving us false expectations as to what to expect in the next twelve months.
If Romney is still around in six months, when the economy is in the tank, Romney will be viewed in a different light. People think the war is the big thing. Well, it won't be the big thing come voting time in November.
But hey, lets just vote for the "my man"candidate who only knows how to lead a platoon.
Or better yet, lets elect the "Former Ordained Evangelical Southern Baptist Preacher" with his half theology degree, because we are of the same faith!

J. Scott of UT 8:22PM January 09, 2008

Why exactly is Romney "struggling"? Why does he need a win in Michigan in order to continue his campaign? He still holds the greatest number of pledged delegates and cumulatively has the largest percentage of votes (and most widespread appeal) among the other GOP candidates. (He only lost to McCain 37% to 32% - a mere 5%.)
A second or third place finish in Michigan would still put him in an excellent position. No one candidate has the clear majority thus far - Romney may the compromise candidate that everyone is willing to elect.
He is a wonderful man and an excellent choice for conservatives. As a Massachusetts conservative, it has been hard finding a truly conservative Republican - Mitt is the one. He completely reformed the economy in MA and brought about an innovative universal healthcare initiative. He actually DOES what he says he will do.

Carol of MA 8:18PM January 09, 2008

The guy has been working with big picture issues for so long that it probably doesn't even occur to him that he is neglecting this aspect of his campaign. Any jackass can ACT like he cares or have an Oprah moment, kiss babies etc. It's too bad that he is expected to be all things to all people. That's the job Huckabee is trying out for - so long as he's not dealing with Mormons. Personally I think Romney's campaign would benefit from a little friendlier show but it doesn't bother me a bit that he seems focused on big picture stuff. I will not be having him over to hang out after he is elected so that I can cry on his shoulder and tell him about my hard times. I expect him to run the country effectively and efficiently. THAT'S part of the job description.

TX Soldier of TX 7:21PM January 09, 2008

Look at the exit polling. McCain won in uber-liberal areas and areas under economic pressure. Romney won in successful suburbs filled with conservatives. Romney lead amongst conservatives 38 to 31.
The REASON why exit polling showed that people who voted for McCain were most interested in the ECONOMY, but so few that were interested in NATIONAL DEFENSE voted for him, is that his base was LIBERALS.
Liberals care about the Economy but NOT about National Defense, hence, the exit polling showed not that McCain is better on the economy, but that LIBERALS WERE VOTING FOR HIM.
It is unfortunate that two of our first Primaries are of the "open" type, allowing libs to cross over and affect our nominee selection. I expect this effect to be even worse in Michigan since there is no Dem Race there at all.
CONCLUSION:
Romney's problem is NOT that people trust McCain more on the Economy, it is that Liberals are trying to monkey-wrench the Republican Nomination by crossing over and voting for the most liebral Republican Candidate in the open primaries.

Bill Mitchell of NC 6:52PM January 09, 2008

Look, no reasonable conservative could vote for any of the four stooges if they were aware of their records. They are ALL RINO's;
Candidate Research - Know Who You're Voting For ( The Easy Way )
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry/candidate_research_know_who_youre_voting_for/

Chris of CO 5:55PM January 09, 2008

This is a bunch of biased bull!
What do you want? false promises that Romney is going to help double the price of their homes? and that he is going say I feel your pain because i lived in a trailer even when I was a governor? BULL !
I thought that, off the cuff, This was a pretty DARN good analysis of the current state of the economy with respect to housing and its perceptions! Remember he has run a business, which is more than writing a lousy one sided column! uPi have to do this when you are on CNN Money - off the cuff!
On the "hint" to Mike Huck-I'm-poor, let me remind you that Buchanan never got elected ... I don't know how you missed that! so your populous message is useless!
But you see - that's just political retoric that tryes to build false sense of hope in a leader that will not deliver to the expectations built. I don't care that he came from a town where there were school yard kids hurting "We need to let them know we know they're hurting" I want to know if he has the smarts on how to fix the larger problem! Otherwise you just have a poor guy getting pretty darn good treatment in the White House. The source of corruption.
See you proved my point by quoting Romney. He knows that the economy is in trouble and how that affects perceptions of people. He also says that we need to measure against ourselves not keep up with the Jones's. You see that has been the source of this mess, people "living outside of their means" just to feel a sense of worth. Now you are losing your house because you could never afford it in the first place. "I hope that we as a people are most concerned about whether we are doing better than whether someone else is doing better than us". But I am sure you missed that as well even though it was you whom he was talking to.
Romney '08

Jim of MN 5:54PM January 09, 2008

If Romney "connects" with the people, everyone will call him a phony.
If he doesn't "shed a tear or two" is because the guy is a financial genius and he is who he is.
What is best: a sensitive candidate who aparently feels the pains of the people and doesn't have the knowledge and the experience to correct it , or some one who knows how to fix it. And just because he doesn't show a lot of emotions, it doesn't mean that he doesn't have it.
If America wants a president who shows all kinds of emotions and "connects with the people, America should vote for Dr. Phill.

Fabio Sagebin of UT 4:51PM January 09, 2008

If Romney "connects" with the people, everyone will call him a phony.
If he doesn't "shed a tear or two" is because the guy is a financial genius and he is who he is.
What is best: a sensitive candidate who aparently feels the pains of the people and doesn't have the knowledge and the experience to correct it , or some one who knows how to fix it. And just because he doesn't show a lot of emotions, it doesn't mean that he doesn't have it.
If America wants a president who shows all kinds of emotions and "connects with the people, America should vote for Dr. Phill.

Fabio Sagebin of UT 4:48PM January 09, 2008