Steve Benen asks the $64,000 question about Romney:
We’re talking about a French-speaking Mormon vulture capitalist named Willard, who used to support abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants, and combating climate change. He distanced himself from Reagan, attended Planned Parenthood fundraisers, and helped create the blueprint for the Affordable Care Act. He supported taxpayer-funded abortions and taxpayer-financed medical care for undocumented immigrants.
Given all of this, I thought there was no way Romney would coast through 2011 without facing brutal attack ads from his GOP rivals. But I was completely wrong — the attacks never came; Republican voters never heard about this record; and Romney appears well positioned to win the nomination.
The one guy to rip into Romney — Jon Huntsman — has done a brilliant job of it. But he doesn’t have the money or the cred to take on Mitt with Iowa caucus goers. Perry and Bachmann in particular ought to be blasting Romney at every opportunity using Benen’s list as a guide. Are they thinking they will be the VP choice if they kiss Mitt’s ring, or are they not thinking at all? I know that in the end the Republican Party tends to pull together during Presidential elections…but the voting hasn’t even started yet.
This might suggest that the Money Boyz have passed word about him - defeat him fairly if you can, but dirty tricks will be harshly punished.
And it says a lot about the Money Boyz that they would define telling the truth about Mitten’s biography would be a ‘dirty trick.’
As far as I’m concerned, if they don’t air that stuff ahead of the general, so much the better. It is all a matter of public record, and will play better with low-information independents if the campaign can’t claim, “We’ve been over this territory already in the primary. There isn’t anything there.”
That makes sense. For all their God talk, the Republican Party remains the Party of Mammon.
I think it’s been clear from the git-go that there was only one candidate to go with. Not sure why so many others threw their hat in the ring…cabinet appointments on the miracle that he defeats Obummer? Has there ever been a less-qualified field?
The obvious reason is books deals (Newt, Cain, Bachmann [with craziness thrown in]). Palin set a precedent here; she’s been quite successful for a last-minute ‘hail Mary’ VP nominee in a losing campaign.
Dan Staley: Has there ever been a less-qualified field?
I think the answer is probably not (at least not in my lifetime). Even in weak years (e.g., 1996), the Republican Party had significantly better people.
It is also possible that the other candidates assume that many of the voters already know about Mitt Romney, and are looking for an alternative. The challenge for Bachmann and Perry is to convince voters that they are that alternative. Unless they can do that, attacking Romney won’t do them any good.