Was Romney's Overseas Trip = Dukakis in the Tank?

[retromike22]

But instead of being visual, it was more verbal?

[Yelnoc]

No, because visual is more damaging.

[timothyinMD]

No, it was a great trip

[Averroës Nix]

The importance of the Dukakis riding the tank is easy to overemphasize, and we interpret that moment as we do because Dukakis lost. In retrospect, it's easy to inflate the importance of a photo or soundbite because it's a pithy representation of the entirety of our thoughts about a campaign.

Anyway, with regard to Romney's trip: Of course voters don't care about what happened, but the political press does, and that's going to effect how everyone discusses this campaign.

[Torie]

No, because visual is more damaging.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

No, because visual is more damaging.

[Stranger in a strange land]

No, it was a great trip

[mondale84]

No, it was a great trip

Obvious troll is obvious.

[patrick1]

Anyway, with regard to Romney's trip: Of course voters don't care about what happened, but the political press does, and that's going to effect how everyone discusses this campaign.

Good point. The media does have a way of planting seeds in people's mind and it affects campaign. I was at a party the other week and everyone refused to believe me that Palin never actually said, I can see Russia from my house.  On this trip Romney did not build his CV in foreign policy with the media or with your average swing voter.

[pbrower2a]

No, it was a great trip

The "Comical Ali" character exemplifies boundless but unjustifiable optimism in the service of a lost cause.

Political campaigns rarely admit defeat until the concession speech, and that, alas, is all to often the finest speech that a politician ever gives.

Mike Dukakis was vulnerable to his personal image. If you were in Central Casting for "Godfather IV", Mike Dukakis would have looked the part of a gangster. He looked  more like a loan shark than like a statesman. George H. W. Bush had no such problem. Remember also that in a close race, looks can decide much. John Kennedy was photogenic, and Richard Nixon was ugly.

Mitt Romney has no problem with his appearance. His words trip him up. In a contest with one of the most eloquent politicians that America has ever known, that can make all the difference among swing voters.

[GLPman]

...Seriously? The trip wasn't "great," but it certainly wasn't comparable to Dukakis in the tank.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

No, but maybe on the foreign policy front.

[stegosaurus]

Romney had a bad round in London, and then went on to have two positive visits in Poland and Israel. 2/3 isn't terrible.

[Likely Voter]

...Seriously? The trip wasn't "great," but it certainly wasn't comparable to Dukakis in the tank.

Exactly. The main damage from the trip is that it was a lost opportunity for Romney to change the narrative and make himself look more presidential. So the damage was it didn't give him a boost, but it probably didn't hurt him. He will have more chances for a boost, most notably VP choice, then RNC, then Debate #1.