How could Romney have won in 2012?
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  How could Romney have won in 2012?
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Author Topic: How could Romney have won in 2012?  (Read 26461 times)
Lincoln Republican
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« on: February 10, 2015, 06:58:28 PM »

What would he have to have done differently?

Please discuss.
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SUSAN CRUSHBONE
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Junior Chimp
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« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2015, 07:35:52 PM »

not being romney.
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Lincoln Republican
Winfield
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« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2015, 12:11:47 PM »

Any serious answers?
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SUSAN CRUSHBONE
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Junior Chimp
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« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2015, 01:20:23 PM »

it was a serious answer. nobody with romney's personality and romney's attitudes towards poor and middle-class people could have had a reasonable chance of winning in 2012.
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HagridOfTheDeep
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« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2015, 02:47:40 AM »

I will agree that that might have made it more difficult for Romney to win, but I think he had the opportunity to take a few specific actions that might have turned the needle in his favour.

For one, I think he should have realized that he didn't need to outflank anyone on immigration in the primaries. At the end of the day, his opponents were a bunch of fools, and Romney was going to win the nomination. Had he won it a little more cleanly, I think he could have at least bagged Florida.

I also think it was a bit silly for him to commit early to a tax plan that simply didn't work. He really botched that one. If the goal was to lay out the principles for tax reform and admit that he was willing to give and take a little in an exhibition of bipartisan compromise, he should've just come out and said it.

Secondly, he let Obama define him early and made the decision that a "final push" ad blitz in the fall would be more effective. It wasn't. I don't know exactly how the fundraising/money rules work, but I think he could have found a way to introduce himself a lot better to the American people.

Thirdly, we've got the issue of his tax returns. I'm sorry, but he should have known that they would be a problem and released a bunch of stuff much earlier. Unless, of course, there were some big no-nos in there, but I'm in the camp that actually thinks Romney is an upstanding person and probably didn't have too much to worry about if he'd just gotten them out of the way earlier.

Finally, I think he could have made a more inspiring choice for vice president. Paul Ryan didn't do any harm in terms of raw votes (I don't think), but the choice of Ryan did play into Obama's attacks on Romney and may have blunted the governor's message. Obama now had fodder for his argument that Romney was a regressive, far-right candidate. Instead, Romney should have selected someone who at the very least would have allowed him to continue casting the race as a referendum on the president's tenure. At the very most, he could've chosen a more sensational pick like Ayotte or Martinez or Rubio or Sandoval. The risk of Palin comparisons would be there for any female candidate he chose, but the reward could've been high.

Anyway, there's my answer. 2012 was winnable for Romney, but I have to agree that he just botched the whole thing (aside from maybe the first GE debate, but that was the exception and not the rule).
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2015, 02:01:46 PM »

Thank you for your insight Hagrid.

I believe you hit the nail on the head with your analysis.

I agree completely.
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IceSpear
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« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2015, 04:04:48 PM »

I agree with most of Hagrid's points, but I'll add one more: never say the 47% comment.
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2015, 06:45:31 PM »

I agree with most of Hagrid's points, but I'll add one more: never say the 47% comment.

Yes, that is absolutely true.  For the life of me, in this day and age where almost everyone twelve and over has personal recording devices, I cannot understand why any public figure, and certainly why a Presidential nominee, would think that when he is speaking to an audience that his words will remain in the room.

Following the campaign closely, it never ceased to amaze me that a man of Romney's experience, public and private, intelligence, Stanford, Harvard, business acumen, CEO,  could make so many gaffes in so short a period of time.  He turned out to be his own worst enemy.       
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Clarko95 📚💰📈
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« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2015, 10:29:00 PM »

Another point: As for Romney's campaign, running a more open one ala Rauner (campaigning in poor minority urban areas, actually talking about their problems, featuring them in ads, promising to deal with their issues) did in Illinois last year would improve his number with the moderate white suburbanites that decide elections, who are pretty open to Republican policies on taxes, spending, and general economic policy, but are still mistrustful of them when it comes to racial dog-whistling and neglecting poor urban people and turned off by the Southernization of the party.

The tone of his campaign also came off as angry, bitter, and resentful. Talking more about what he would do as President instead of generalities and just saying "this President has failed", as well as not pigeonholing himself with too-specific-yet-easily-attacked and hard-to-explain positions such as his 20% across-the-board tax cut and $2 trillion more in defense spending pledge.

As much as I wanted Romney, I will admit that his campaign was complete crap.
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2015, 09:57:32 PM »

Had Romney followed the advice of Hagrid, IceSpear, Clarko, he may very well have won the election.

About the Paul Ryan pick for VP, I do believe, however, that this pick did have some positives to it.  The pick did have appeal to the Republican base, and Ryan is someone who I believe has the credibility and ability to serve capably as Vice President, and President if necessary.

     
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MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!
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« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2015, 12:52:24 PM »


By receiving 64 more electoral votes.

You're welcome.
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Lincoln Republican
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« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2015, 04:42:02 PM »


Thanks, but I said seriousSmiley
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Flake
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« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2015, 09:03:16 PM »

Just found this great quote kind of related to the topic

They're helping to get him elected in 2012. Duh!
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