Mitt Romney: I Really, Really Want The Base To Vote For Someone Else

Absurd statement, as usual.

"It's very easy to excite the base with incendiary comments. I'm not going to light my hair on fire to get elected."

I'm not sure which "incendiary comments" he might mean. But I think he might be thinking of Rick Santorum's oddly base-pleasing claim that Obama is a "snob" for agreeing with 94% of the public that it's a good thing that their kids should aspire to college.

I get Santorum's point -- I've made it myself a lot. This idea that everyone should go to college is just dumb.

And yet... calling an aspiration so widely shared simple "snobbery" makes a good point in the most dopey, vote-losing way possible.

Santorum's problem, again and again, is that he doesn't want to make a positive uplifting case for things. He might have given a speech encouraging a newfound, recovered respect for the trades. He might have given a speech about the positive virtue of sweat. And it's importance in America.

Instead he just brands those who wish their kids to go to college "snobs." Yes, he said Obama was a snob; but a snob for expressing this desire (which he actually didn't; as Newt notes, Obama also called for training in the trades). Thus calling anyone who agrees with the sentiment a snob in turn.

He continues believing, as Jesus said, "I have as a sword" to divide people.

That's not the goal in politics. The goal in politics is not to champion a minority above all else. That's a sure ticket to losing. The goal is to state propositions in terms that 51% -- a majority -- can agree to.

posted by Ace at 04:33 PM

| Access Comments