It occurs to me that Mitt Romney has been and is pursuing the very same “Inevitability” strategy that Hillary Clinton tried in 2008. It didn’t work for Clinton, no doubt in part to the quality of her opponents in the Democratic primary. But I thought up until a few weeks ago that it was going to work for Romney, because his opposition was splintered among several weak, crazy and flawed candidates.
I thought, eventually, conservatives and Republicans would settle on him just because that is what Republicans do. As a party, they nominate, almost always, the next Republican in line for the Presidency. They voted for Ford in 76 against Reagan because Ford was the President. They voted for Reagan in 1980 because it was Reagan’s turn after having failed in 68 and 76. They voted for Bush in 1988 because he was the Vice President and it was his turn. They voted for Dole in 96 because he was the next in line. In 2000, a Bush restoration was desired by the rank and file of the Republican Party as a repudiation of Bill Clinton. And that is what they got. In 2008, it was John McCain’s turn, as he tried and failed to gain the nomination in 2000. In 2012, it was Mitt Romney’s turn, as he tried and failed to gain the nomination in 2008.
But he’s an asshole. A phony. He has a Master’s Degree in Flip Floppery. He has no character, no core, no principles. He just wants to be President.
I am also shocked it was Fox News that challenged him. Usually their questions to GOP candidates involves such queries as “Isn’t this puppy cute?” and “Was Reagan the bestest Presznit ever?” and “How much does Obama suck?” That must mean he has lost the Fox News primary.