Wednesday, October 11, 2006

LA Times fellates Romney

Our governor's ability to hoodwink the national media continues to astound me. Today, the LA Times gives Mitt the star treatment [sub. req.] heaping on the praise while noting that Romney's Mormonism will be a liability in '08. And--like innumerable previous articles--this one totally misreads the significance of Romney's ability to get elected in Massachusetts.

Here's the lede:

In seeking a presidential candidate for 2008, why would Republicans look further than the governor of Massachusetts?

Tall and urbane, Mitt Romney has a prime political pedigree, an unblemished personal life and the cool confidence of a CEO. He is a conservative Republican who won easy election in a fiercely liberal state — then streamlined Massachusetts' government and enacted the country's most sweeping healthcare overhaul. [Emphasis added]

Then, a few paragraphs down:

After a breakfast here for Iowa Republicans, Romney admitted in an interview that he would have been "a lot smarter to stay in Michigan" if he had foreseen his plunge into GOP politics.

OMFG.

First off, by saying Romney "admitted" this alleged fact, Times reporter Elizabeth Mehren is basically telling us she's not going to critically assess the claim in question. That's bad enough, but MEHREN'S OWN LEDE shows Mitt's argument is bogus. By making MA his presidential springboard, Mitt got one of his big presidential talking points: I succeeded in that wacky liberal ghetto! What was Mehren thinking? And where were her editors?!?

Finally, it cannot be emphasized enough that Mitt's victory in Massachusetts is far less impressive than he claims. Republicans have had a stranglehold on the Corner Office since 1990. Why people insist on overlooking this is beyond me. Chalk it up to Mitt's Harold Hill-like powers of persuasion.

10/11/2006 10:49:52 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [3] |
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006 11:42:19 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Ah, Adam, we couldn't have maintained that stranglehold without your help! Thx for Silber, Harshbarger, Roosevelt and O'Brien!

Peter Porcupine

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 5:54:42 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Drat! I hate it when Peter Porcupine beats me to the comment board. Adam, I share your disbelief at how some of the national media have fallen for the empty suit that Romney is. I mean, don't they have the ability to fact check? Call anyone in Massachusetts and ask her/him what Romney accomplished in three years? I personally don't think he would have been re-elected if he had run again. Most of Massachusetts fell out of love with Romney a year or so ago, regardless of political persuasion. Heck, most of us have forgotten even what he looks like, since he's been "governing" thru the surrogate governor, Eric Fehrnstrom.

len stewart

Thursday, October 12, 2006 8:48:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

"then streamlined Massachusetts' government"

What the %#*#$ is he talking about? Did Mitt Romney write this article? Tell this Bozo to take a ride on the MBTA and tell me how it has been streamlined, or pay some increasing tolls (and/or gas tax) to pay for the continuously mismanaged Turnpike and tell me how our state has been streamlined.

Crime is up, people are leaving the state in droves, there's a terrible housing shortage, toll collectors make more than teachers....They don't call it LA LA land for nothing.

Patrick

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