Burying Mitt

It's a sad day in America when only the 'true' conservative Republican candidate, Mitt Romney has to bow out of a history making Presidential race. I'm ashamed so many so called republicans continue to gray the lines of the party. Just remember, once you step off the side of the right, you can never go back to neutral ground. I hope the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train!! Until next time Mitt, we will be waiting in 2012.

People say they want change in Washington. Many Republicans apparently just want to talk about it, but are afraid to vote for it. Many say that the biggest problem is that Washington politicians take the truth, and twist it into some fabrication that is far from the truth. We saw obvious evidence of that with McCain's claim that Romney supported a "timetable for withdrawal". Yet, as a party, we apparently have come to respect such deception, and expect it as par for the course--to the extent that the absence of it makes us uncomfortable.

One of the reasons voters have not gravitated to Romney is because he has the integrity to refrain from making false claims. While he has criticized his competitors, his claims are valid. For those who haven't noticed, Romney does not make campaign promises that congress may prevent him from fulfilling. He is running strictly on character and ability--not empty promises. You see grossly exaggerated promises from many of the candidates. McCain is the one who promised (among other things) to have us off of foreign oil in 5 years, which all experts agree is impossible. Apparently, while Americans say they want the truth, they must not really want it because they always seem to elect those who twist the truth into a fictional fabrication that is far from the truth, but is what they want to hear.

This kind of deception is simply not in Romney's character, and sadly, that cost him the GOP nomination. People are so used to being lied to by politicians, they automatically assume that everyone in the race is deceitful, and they're not comfortable with a candidate until they have found the deception. As a result, you see many who say they just don't trust Romney, but can't tell you why. Since they assume that everyone is dishonest, they conclude that Romney is just the best at keeping it hidden, making him the biggest deceiver of all in their opinion. Trustworthiness in a person breeds distrust in others. People have been burned before, and can't accept anything or anyone at face value any more. People saying they don't trust Mitt Romney does not make him any less trustworthy, it just breeds more distrust in others.

What does it say about the future of our great Nation if the best people are unelectable because people can't trust those who really are trustworthy?

People say they want change in Washington. Many Republicans apparently just want to talk about it, but are afraid to vote for it. Many say that the biggest problem is that Washington politicians take the truth, and twist it into some fabrication that is far from the truth. We saw obvious evidence of that with McCain's claim that Romney supported a "timetable for withdrawal". Yet, as a party, we apparently have come to respect such deception, and expect it as par for the course--to the extent that the absence of it makes us uncomfortable.

One of the reasons voters have not gravitated to Romney is because he has the integrity to refrain from making false claims. While he has criticized his competitors, his claims are valid. For those who haven't noticed, Romney does not make campaign promises that congress may prevent him from fulfilling. He is running strictly on character and ability--not empty promises. You see grossly exaggerated promises from many of the candidates. McCain is the one who promised (among other things) to have us off of foreign oil in 5 years, which all experts agree is impossible. Apparently, while Americans say they want the truth, they must not really want it because they always seem to elect those who twist the truth into a fictional fabrication that is far from the truth, but is what they want to hear.

This kind of deception is simply not in Romney's character, and sadly, that cost him the GOP nomination. People are so used to being lied to by politicians, they automatically assume that everyone in the race is deceitful, and they're not comfortable with a candidate until they have found the deception. As a result, you see many who say they just don't trust Romney, but can't tell you why. Since they assume that everyone is dishonest, they conclude that Romney is just the best at keeping it hidden, making him the biggest deceiver of all in their opinion. Trustworthiness in a person breeds distrust in others. People have been burned before, and can't accept anything or anyone at face value any more. People saying they don't trust Mitt Romney does not make him any less trustworthy, it just breeds more distrust in others.

What does it say about the future of our great Nation if the best people are unelectable because people can't trust those who really are trustworthy?

Look, if one want to call Romney a phony and/or that he waffled on the issues, why then this mantra must be cast to all candidates. Regardless of conservative talk shows, or drive by media, or all of the 'perverbial" political experts, clearly Romney brought a great deal of "real world" experiences. McCain is as he appears, a crotchy old man who is a career politican. What have we ever garnered career politicians! The badge of honor McCain wears is that he was a POW. He deserves a great deal of appreciation because of his service to his country, but that alone is not enough to get me to vote for McCain. He looks, sounds and acts like a geriactrically challenged Popeye. Take a close look and you'll see what I'm talking about. McCain is clearly not what I consider presidential material and that includes where he stands - or waffles - on the issues as well. Romney brought a level of sophistication and business savey the hallowed halls of the White House of not see in a good long time. What a shame. .

Sad to see Mitt fail. I believe he has the answers to many of the problems that face America. Looking and listening to some of the other "Conservative" republicans I don't feel that they have this same grasp. To be honest I feel that Obama is more conservative than Mac is, and that is going to hurt the republican ticket. Personally if it boils down to a choice between Mac and Obama I will choose Obama, it it is between Clinton and McCain I will choose McCain. If McCain is smart he will try like crazy to get Clinton on the ticket, or else he is toast. I have friends that are personal friends of Mitt, he is a class act through and through, he ran a good tough campaign and should come away with knowing that he did his best.

To begin, I think it's a bit harsh to characterize Mitt Romney as a "soulless throat-cutter," even in a hypothetical sense. I don't believe he possesses that sort of ruthlessness, nor do I think his motives generated from any malice in his heart. That said, while the candidates in both parties have changed their stances on issues, Romney's were by far the most egregious and sweeping. Genuine conviction didn't have much of a shelf-life in his campaign as he re-invented and re-re-invented himself to an extent that would make John Kerry blush. It was obvious to the point of insulting, and to no surprise his candidacy was rejected resoundingly on Super Tuesday. This country needs a president willing to make hard choices, potentially very unpopular ones, to right our listing ship-of-state. Romney's pliancy, pandering and vacilation in the face of voter trends clearly demonstrated that this man, however intelligent, lacks the political courage to do this.

Very perceptive column IMO. I lked Romney's father and was prepared to like him but he just never came across as genuine to me.

'shoes

Mitt Romney lost because he kept regurgitating the same tired neocon mantras that George Bush used to get elected, and the same tired neocon rhetoric that Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity spew forth ad nauseum 24/7. You can holler about lower taxes and less entitlements all you want. But when you are racking up an 8 trillion dollar debt at the same time, most Americans can see through the smoke screen.

This is the end of the neocon movement, and it couldn't come too soon.

Please stop the stupidity press!! Am i the only one that remembers Pres. Reagan was a DEM then switched parties to REP! And Gov. Romney is a "flip-flopper"? Bet you never hear about that when refering to Reagan.
"Rest in Piece"? Wow, the press never ceases to amaze me. With raw, pungent hate, the broadcast news held Gov. Rommey in its amazing that horns were not photoshopped to his head during debates. But be warned and remember the past. Ronald Reagan also lost his first bid for the White House....Go Hillary (Carter).

What a sad day. I think we all needed Mitt Romney a lot more than he needed us! He may have been the one and only candidate that was actually qualified to bring this country out of a recession. I hope we all remember this when the real problems hit us.

I totally agree with you teeter! Who wrote this is an idiot. He lost because Americans are scared of what they dont know. If he was anything but a mormon, he would have captured the nom long ago. He was the only candidate who couldnt be bought, the only one running for the good of America and not his career. I do see the bright side to this, he will let the Dem's stomp McCain, ruin our economy, then America will be begging for him in 2012.

Howard,
Will you please try to be the honest one in the bunch and SPECIFICALLY list those critical positions that Romney has changed simply as a matter of convenience? I have yet to read any national pundit list ANY issue other than abortion. As a conservative, I'm am certainly not going to complain when someone decides to fight for life rather than support abortion rights. As a pro-choice liberal, you will always have a problem with it. What other positions has Romney abandoned? Don't say, "and things like that", or "and other issues", or "on so many issues", or "many positions", etc.

Stop perpetuating the smear and be honest...if you can.

Fineman can be myopic when it comes to reporting on politics. To say that Romney was phoney gives the rest of the pack a pass. There are volumes of books on Hillary Clinton's duplicity and Obama's MLK cadenced, theatrical delivery is beginning to sound like shtick. McCain looks like a capped volcano and Huckabee has reinvented himself from his days as Gov or Arkansas. Ron Paul - well, it is what it is. I suppose the least phony candidate we have had in the past few years is Ralph Nadar, who stays on message ad nauseum. But Mitt Romney is no phony. It's just that decent men are not encouraged to run for President either by the media or the electorate these days. So if they don't show up to run with horns and hooves, they normally don't make it. What Romney said today as he exited the campaign was pretty classy and right on the money.

I will never vote for John McCain.
Most real Republicans will just "sit-out" the general election because we don't have any candidate that we can say represents our convictions.

Your article is right on the mark. In Massachusetts he became Gov. at a time the state was in financial crisis by selling himself as a nationally tested organzational and financial leader who could bring sensible business practices to the management of people's money. As governor, his conservative financial policies and moderate social policies were generally well recieved. If Mitt had styed true to these ideals he would have out McCained McCain. His failure had nothing to do with his religion and everything to do with trying to turn himself inside out and appear more conservative than anybody else in the party. Only funny thing happend on the way to the ballot box, he went "right" off the poliitcal edge, and lost all credibility and the stong identity of his core strengths. A $30 million lesson hopefully well learned.

It is truly a sad day for the cause of conservative values. With reportedly less than half of McCain's supporters calling themselves 'conservative', it is truly amazing McCain is doing as well as he is. I use the word 'amazing' in place of the word I'd first though to use - baffling.

Unfortunately, it is not 'baffling' that McCain is ahead. The liberal media have done their job, and have done it well. They have amplified McCain at every opportunity, while attenuating Romney at every turn (eg. this ridiculous article). When Romney missteps, the media pounces; when McCain manipulates and distorts you'd hardly know it happened because the media gives him pass.

Today I feel ashamed of my [republican] party. We've been duped; our ignorance exposed. We've allowed a great opportunity to pass us by.
Today I'm impressed by the other party. They too did their job well. Through the media they've - ever so discretely, elevated McCain. They know having McCain as the republican presidential candidate serves only to increase their chance of election.
Today I???m disappointed in Huckabee. His real intent was not as well hidden as he might have thought. You performed well, Mike. You succeeded in defeating our party's choice. You can go home now.

Willard Romney had to leave the campaign because the good people of America could see he was the king of flip floppers not knowing his position on anything until he read all the polls for the day. He was the worst thing to happen to MA government and it is great for America that he dropped... let's face it after spending more than $35 million of his own money he could not garner more than 16 percent support... great day for America that the big liar is now out of the race

Howard is one of the poorest judge of true character amoung the Polical commenters that have the attention of the national media. Having watched McC in Arizona for 20 years, he is one of the most disengenuous people there is in public life. America has passed on one of the most capable leaders in our generation. What is most distressing, is to see the pent up hate for Mormonism amoung so-called evangelical "christians" (with a small c) has become an issue. You have to be carefully taught by your parents, your minister, and your sunday school teacher to hate that which is perceived to be different from you.

I think the author of this article is a moron... who has been off in in lala land during this election. Mitt was really the only candidate who was geniune. With both McCain and Huckabee conspiring behind closed doors and trying to be something they are not. McCain is certainly not a conservative and Huckabee is a freaking snake.