Romney has it.
by Kate PitroneI am not presenting much new about the election and the political scientists here have far more information than I do, by profession. However, observing the political scene and responding to the recent posts here, I feel compelled to weigh in. I believe Romney is winning the . . . . Continue Reading »
Obama, Kind of a Jerk, Won
by Carl ScottBut not decisively—Romney always held his own. And I would only say Obama won on the parts of the debates focused on foreign policy. On domestic issues, Romney won. Romney played the gentleman and the minimize-the-exposure strategy. Also a strategic vote-gaining focus on Israel. Very good . . . . Continue Reading »
Arrogance
by Carl ScottSo we now know, if this astounding story from the Daily Mail holds up (via Campaign Spot , which quotes the key stuff), that Jonathan Tobin and I were absolutely right about the reason for Obama’s stumble: he arrogantly believed his own B.S. about Romney, and shirked his prep on the assumption . . . . Continue Reading »
A Defender, Not A Democracy-Extender?
by Carl ScottOr how should we describe Mitt Romney foreign-policy wise? Is he a neo-con? A neo-neo-con? Honestly, I don’t know. I think Peter’s “Mender not an Ender” is the perfect description of the candidate domestically, “Blast from the Past , Mormon Version” is the . . . . Continue Reading »
Another Theory for Obama’s Stumble: Arrogant Contempt
by Carl ScottIf you go to the big debate thread below, you’ll see that I offer a couple theories for why Obama did so poorly. You’ll also see that Kate has one I find worthy of further consideration. But whatever collection of explanations we adopt, Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary offers one that . . . . Continue Reading »
Rewriting the Social Contract
by R. R. RenoThe social contract in America is coming undone, and it will be revised and rewritten in the coming years. That’s to be expected. In the city of man, no governing consensus or established regime lasts forever. As James Piereson points out in the June issue of the New Criterion , although . . . . Continue Reading »
Republicans: Character Counts
by Kate PitronePete Spiliakos has been complaining about Romney’s performance at the Republican convention and about the lack of definition and specification of policy in convention speakers as a whole . It didn’t bother me. I figured that the next week and all through the fall, Romney, . . . . Continue Reading »
Adventures In Humanizing
by Pete SpiliakosSome examples, 1. Reagan was pretty reticent personally but I think this selection from his 1980 debate with Carter works very well: I don’t know what the differences might be, because I don’t know what Mr. Carter’s policies are. I do know what he has said about mine. And I’m . . . . Continue Reading »
The Prevent Defense Is For Losers?
by Pete SpiliakosRoss Douthat writes something that strikes me as very right (well, he often does that.) Romney’s speech last night was extremely vague on policy. If you went into the night not knowing what Romney wanted to do, you left the night not having learned much of anything. It was all personality . . . . Continue Reading »
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