However, no matter how you slice it, it was the run for second place as the five other candidates continually took aim at Mr. Romney - his positions and his record. Newt Gingrich initially sniped that the red light (stop signal for answering a question) didn't apply to the frontrunner and then took every opportunity he could find to take the Governor down a notch or three, leading into the New Hampshire primary, calling him a Massachusetts moderate and pointing out that Massachusetts had the 4th worst jobs record while he was governor.
And speaking of which, why didn't Mitt Romney run for re-election? His answer, not well presented, explained that he wasn't a career politician and that he came to Massachusetts to fix and problems and the get out. Every politician, at any level, wants a second term, maybe not a fifth or sixth, but definitely a second. He said that running for a second term would then be able him. Well, the selflessness is stunning... and unbelievable. And Even if you know you think you may not win, you still go after it unless you're not built to lead. Perhaps that is Mitt Romney. We now know it's not Sarah Palin. Mr. Gingrich surmised that the reason Mr. Romney isn't a career politician is because he lost. It is the more accurate assessment to be sure.
Most assuredly, the gloves did indeed come off in this last forum before the first primary. Mr. Santorum stated that Ron Paul has always operated on the margins, having sponsored over 600 bills with only one ever becoming a law, and therefore was not fit to lead in bringing a new tone to Washington and its dysfunctional ways.
Mr. Paul's views on citizens' rights sound idyllic in that he doesn't believe in designators of rights - gay rights, minority rights, affirmative action, civil rights and that we should just focus on the rights of liberty. However, practically, in this country, that doesn't work. This philosophy negates the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which was essential in the societal progress of the United States.
We take it on its face that the candidates are serious people and are serious about what they believe on how to lead the United States. However, among all these debates and this morning's Meet The Press debate was no exception, there is a thread of silliness running through them. It's comes through the continual contradicts.
For example, this morning, Governor Perry said that he was a 10th amendment guy - this is his more reasoned stance on secessionist comments he had made before entering the race - and that more decisions should be pushed to the state level. However, when asked about 'right to work' and the outlawing of mandatory union dues (essentially breaking them) should be a federal law.
Mr. Santorum said that the difference between North Korea and Pakistan having nuclear capabilities versus Iran having them and how we deal with these countries is that Iran is a theocracy. It is because of this and Iran's Islamic doctrine (his interpretation of it) that make air strikes a real necessity. Mr. Santorum says he's for an individual's rights, but does not agree with changing laws to reflect the recognition of a particular groups rights. The operative example from today's debate would be the rights and gays and lesbians to marry or adopt children.
Mr. Romney, in his defense or culpability in terms of Super PAC attack ads, said that of course friends of his run these organizations but that he hasn't viewed them. Then he recited specific points of one of the attack ads against Mr. Gingrich. It's utter silliness that that these candidates can stand on the stage and continually talk out both sides of their faces. More importantly, when challenged on his conservative credentials, Mr. Romney said that all you had to do was look at his record as Governor of Massachusetts. No one called him on this at the moment of statement that he was the steward of the state's successful single payer health program.
And straight up, what kind of message did Mr. Romney send to general election voters when he said that he wouldn't have a federal government that would try to end poverty in the country? There's a reason why populist statement are called what they are. It's because the population agrees with them. By saying this, Mr. Romney doesn't fulfill a societal need in terms of being Americans, that we're all in this together and hence problems need to be solved this way.
This plays into our last example when Mr. Romney said to Jon Huntsman that the person representing the Republican party shouldn't have called President Obama a remarkable leader. To this, Mr. Huntsman directed his answer to the moderator and said, "Our country is divided, David, because of attitudes like that [*full exchange below]."
Of course this doesn't fit with the other previously cited examples because Mr. Huntsman spoke to a notion that somehow in today's Republican party is in direct contradiction to what to what they believe. It won't be surprising that Mr. Huntsman, despite staking his campaign on the New Hampshire primary, is going to get creamed on Tuesday.
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FMR. GOV. ROMNEY: I think we serve our country first by standing for people who believe in conservative principles and doing everything in our power to promote an agenda that does not include President Obama's agenda. I think the decision to go and work for President Obama is one which you took. I don't, don't disrespect your decision to do that. I just think it's most likely that the person who should represent our party running against President Obama is not someone who called him a remarkable leader and went to be his ambassador in China.
FMR. GOV. HUNTSMAN: This nation is divided, David, because of attitudes like that. The American people are tired of the partisan division. They have had enough. There is no trust left among the American people and the institutions of power and among the American people and our elected officials.
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