Which Romney will show up after defeat?

[웃 910]

Which Romney will show up after defeat?

COLUMBIA, S.C. — At the end of the most tumultuous week of the Republican presidential campaign, one that threatened to upend his march to the nomination, Mitt Romney found order in a simple chore.

The South Carolina polls would close in a few hours, yet here was the central-casting candidate, a polished patrician worth upwards of $200 million, feeding quarters into a laundry machine. His wife, Ann, comfy in a yellow sweatshirt, kept him company as they sat alone in the Columbia Marriott’s guest laundry room listening to the dryer churn.

When a reporter stumbled upon them, Romney was relaxed, even whimsical, fretting over a sock that fell between the machines and extolling the virtues of Brooks Brothers non-iron dress shirts.

This was a far cry from the thrown-off-balance Romney, stammering on the debate stage trying to talk about his taxes and wealth. Or from the suddenly-humbled Romney, reaching for excuses to explain why one rally crowd was so meager — “Gosh, this is a workday, right?” Or from the fight-to-win Romney,coming alive with fiery rhetoric and stirring an impassioned crowd Friday night in Greenville, S.C.

Which of these will Romney be going forward?

Mitt Romney is a man of order. All his life, he has had a plan, and he executes his missions accordingly. But his plan to polish off his rivals in South Carolina flew out the window this week.

Now, he is bracing for a long race against a revived Newt Gingrich campaign. How Romney deals with that adversity will say a lot about what kind of man he is and what kind of president he may be.

Will he be stoic or defiant, as Gingrich was in his defeat? Will he reveal notes of humility or flashes of anger?

After South Carolina, he has just 48 hours before stepping back to the debate podium Monday night in Tampa.

He could be scrappy and passionate — something South Carolina voters said they wanted — as he was Friday night after a week of getting pummeled. By the time he reached Greenville for the 9 p.m. rally, he looked exhausted. His loafers were still damp from standing in a pouring rain to give a stump speech that morning at the muddy Harmon Tree Farm in Gilbert.

Yet as soon as Romney grabbed the microphone, he seemed to transform into a different candidate. Suddenly, he came alive. He seemed to speak from the heart — however rehearsed he may have been — telling zany new jokes and delivering tough new lines about President Obama.

On the stump, Romney likes to draw a contrast between the palatial offices of executives at Solyndra, a failed solar-energy company that the Obama Administration funneled money to, and Staples, the office-supply company Romney helped launch on the cheap.

Romney talks about the Naugahyde office chairs Staples used at its headquarters in the early days. But this time, he added a fresh quip: “Killed a lot of Naugas to get these babies!”

Romney is not a candidate used to being interrupted by cheers, but on this night he was. His overflow crowd of more than 400 ate his schtick up, reacting wildly throughout.

“We need Mitt! We need Mitt! We need Mitt!” they chanted.

“You know what?” he replied. “You’re gonna get me.”

“You guys in Greenville,” Romney added, “this is the best audience I’ve been to in a long time.”

Or ever.

It was difficult to recall a campaign event this past year where the former Massachusetts governor has made such an electric connection with his audience or where the crowd has been as pumped up as here. To be sure, Romney had some reinforcements in the form of two of the Republican Party’s star governors — South Carolina’s Nikki Haley and Virginia’s Robert F. McDonnell — who introduced him.

Still, it was Romney whom voters in the crowd said they marveled at. The man in person, some said in interviews after the rally, was nothing like the stiff, scripted and humorless politician they have come to know through 16 debates.

“I happen to believe that I’m the only guy in this race who can beat Barack Obama,” Romney said, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

“I think you have to have someone who’s had experience in the private sector, who knows how the economy works, who can bring that experience to post up against Barack Obama, a different background, different experiences, can stand up to him and say, ‘You know what? Your stimulus did not work, Mr. Obama,’” Romney continued.

“Your policies have hurt the enterprise of America. You made it harder for the economy to recover and I know because I’ve been in that economy. Your policies with regard to trade, energy, health care, taxation — they’re wrong. I know they’re wrong because I’ve been in the private sector and I’ve seen what impact they’ve had.”

After exhorting his captive audience to “get the job done,” Romney tossed his microphone back to Ann and dove into the crowd. He shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with all those people who were chanting his name.

The next afternoon, there Romney was in the laundry room, as if he didn’t have a worry in the world. He was still wearing the windowpane shirt and Gap jeans he wore that morning to Tommy’s Country Ham House, where an anticipated showdown with Gingrich never came to be.

About an hour later, he darted through the Marriott lobby, carrying a plastic bag of clean clothes. “Got my darks!” he told a reporter.

As he rode the elevator with Ann up to their room, Romney was planning ahead.

“We’re on to Florida and Nevada,” the candidate said. “And where else?”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/which-romney-will-show-up-after-defeat/2012/01/21/gIQASmO6GQ_story_1.html

[TBoneTX 46,075]

[luckytxn 2,265]

I am thinking he may let it be known that he is converting to Christiananity.

[SMR 368]

I am thinking he may let it be known that he is converting to Christiananity.

That would be odd considering he has always been a Christian.

In any case, to the original question, I think you will see Mitt move back to talking about his business acumen and leadership skill. That is where he is strong. The tax thing and the Cayman islands thing will blow over.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Loser Romney.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

That would be odd considering he has always been a Christian.

In any case, to the original question, I think you will see Mitt move back to talking about his business acumen and leadership skill. That is where he is strong. The tax thing and the Cayman islands thing will blow over.

We started this contest with what, 7 or 8 candidates, now we are down to 4. Mitt's numbers have not increased. See a pattern? 25-30% of Republicans support Mitt Romney, which is enough to look good when there are 8 candidates. If you do not look better after half the field has dropped out...you suck.

The prblem for Romney was always that he was Romney and the others were "not Romneys" Theothers had to split the I-am-not-voting-for-Romney vote. As the not-Romneys drop out it will become clear he never really had a chance.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We started this contest with what, 7 or 8 candidates, now we are down to 4. Mitt's numbers have not increased. See a pattern? 25-30% of Republicans support Mitt Romney, which is enough to look good when there are 8 candidates. If you do not look better after half the field has dropped out...you suck.

The prblem for Romney was always that he was Romney and the others were "not Romneys" The others had to split the I-am-not-voting-for-Romney vote. As the not-Romneys drop out it will become clear he never really had a chance.

That's right. Too many "I'm-not-Mitt" candidates have left the race and the anti-Romney vote consolidates. Once Santorum gets out - and he will - and provided The Newt can hold off on his own implosion - which is guaranteed to occur - long enough and at least until that point, Mitt won't win a single primary from here on out. If The Newt self-destructs prior to Santorum quitting, then Santorum actually stands a chance to grab the nomination. Yes, the GOP is that nuts. Not nuts enough for Ron Paul, though. Sorry boys.

[luckytxn 2,265]

That would be odd considering he has always been a Christian.

In any case, to the original question, I think you will see Mitt move back to talking about his business acumen and leadership skill. That is where he is strong. The tax thing and the Cayman islands thing will blow over.

No he isn't, he is Mormon. No matter how many times you say it does not make it so. To win the south one has to be Christian.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

No he isn't, he is Mormon. No matter how many times you say it does not make it so. To win the south one has to be Christian.

Mormans are Christians, except they wear magic underpants!

[luckytxn 2,265]

Mormans are Christians, except they wear magic underpants!

OK.