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“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire to . . . run,” said Tagg, who worked with his mother, Ann, to persuade his father to seek the presidency. “If he could have found someone else to take his place . . . he would have been ecstatic to step aside. He is a very private person who loves his family deeply and wants to be with them, but he has deep faith in God and he loves his country, but he doesn’t love the attention.”
And if you're believe that, then you'll probably believe that the Detroit Tigers never really wanted to win the World Series!
Tagg has some issues, doesn't he? He's the guy that wanted to "take a swing" at President Obama because, apparently, Obama invented the concept of criticizing ones political opponent, and if there's one thing Tagg can't handle it's anyone criticizing Daddy! Now he's desperately trying to rationalize Daddy's loss!
Newsflash, Tagg: 42 year olds shouldn't be having public tantrums and acting like spoiled juveniles!
For sure, Mitt Romney wanted to be President. He may have had some initial reluctance in early 2007, but he wanted the job very, very much. He never showed the slightest inclination to support anyone else for the 2 years previously. Romeny is a true believer in his faith, and I think he saw his run as a larger mission for his church at least as much as his desire to govern. I also think that part of it was to accomplish something that his father failed to do.
The article really detailed all of Mitt's personal conflicts as a candidate; he refused to allow very much of his private (and real) nature to be used, didn't want his business credentials to be used, and could not use his past record as Governor because much of it would alienate the Republican base. With his reticence in all those areas, he allowed himself to be defined by all his primary opponents first, and then by the Democratic team. He compounded his troubles when stuck his foot in his mouth all too often and all to obviously. When some statement during the primaries was critical in getting folks to like him, he would say exactly the wrong thing or give the wrong response time after time. No candidate should ever bet another candidate $10,000 during a debate! No candidate should ever mention the worst things he thinks about the other party to any group outside his closest circle, private or public!
Everything else in his loss was a combination of bad leadership by his campaign advisors, too much hubris, and the difficulties of trying to get a split party behind one candidate. This election showed that any candidate cannot run and expect to win on his own terms anymore.
It also showed where the real power has always lain- in direct face-to-face close contact to a party's base. This has to start earlier than it did back in the old days, and has to be more sophisticated than when this was the only way to win a Presidential election, but it is no less vital now than it was in earlier times.
The importance of close, personal and steady contact is a thing that will not help the Republican party in the future, though, for as long as it's base is so divided. Any ground campaign worker who worked for Romney had to deal with part of their contacts opposing him strongly, especially among the Ron Paul, Gingrich and Santorum followers. The party was not willing to put its differences aside after the convention and get behind their man 100% this year. As long as they continue on their current path and hold to their divisions, none of their candidates have much chance of winning.
Tagg is his father's son. Any good son will shoulder the blame of a father's defeat, but he's also a product of his father's nature. He is as blind to Mitt's shortcomings as Mitt is.
That article made a very interesting mention at the very last. Romney is a numbers wonk to the bone. He has made his living dissecting all the internal faults of every company Bain Capital ever took over, and he will do the same with his own campaign. What comes may be a very accurate road map of what his party must do to win.
Whether his party will take what he gives them seriously and puts it to use is another matter. The party members in the House were willing to let their leader dangle in the wind kicking his feet last week when the chips were down. John Boehner has been the largest single voice and personality in the party for the past 4 years. That they were so willing to hoist him up on his own spear shows how much trouble the party is really in.
I keep seeing a lot of blather about Obama and a 3rd term here on C-D. The fact is, the Democratic Party will win 2016 with a speckled puppy as its candidate if the Republicans stick with this behavior for very much longer.
Last edited by banjomike; 12-23-2012 at 01:02 PM..
I think this was a case where he didn't want it at first, but of course after the Obama election he certainly did. To be honest it's a stupid assumption. Anyone who run's wants to be president. Maybe they aren't so sure about it but I think they'd want to do it. Granted I do think Romney wouldn't have been anything special. I'm a middle class GOP member and i'll probably support Marco Rubio in 2016. Mitt was just too bland and it was kind of dumb to run an upper class twit in a year where the economy still sucks.
And if you're believe that, then you'll probably believe that the Detroit Tigers never really wanted to win the World Series!
Tagg has some issues, doesn't he? He's the guy that wanted to "take a swing" at President Obama because, apparently, Obama invented the concept of criticizing ones political opponent, and if there's one thing Tagg can't handle it's anyone criticizing Daddy! Now he's desperately trying to rationalize Daddy's loss!
Newsflash, Tagg: 42 year olds shouldn't be having public tantrums and acting like spoiled juveniles!
No,darlin, he wanted to be president, but he thought that any White trashy thing=him, could gain president..he insulted all races. I think he wanted it bad like a hard to reach itch. But he true colors came out it had to..."rape can be define categorically...Please.
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