Lifelong Democrat Lee Iacocca Endorses Romney

Car guy, too, of course.

Human Events says this might help in Pennsylvania (where he grew up) and Michigan (where he worked, as CEO of Chrysler).

I hope there's an ad. Look, I hate to say such a horrible thing about our current culture, but it doesn't count if it's not on TV.

That's why half-wits like Andrea Mitchell and nerdraging estrogen junkies like Lawrence O'Donnell strut about and preen as if they're important. Because sadly, in our Spectator Culture, they kinda are.

Several days ago the Tennessean newspaper, which had endorsed Democrats since George McGovern (!!!), endorsed Romney.

Does that matter? I mean, it's Tennessee; we know we have that state locked up (and if we didn't, the election would be over anyway).

I think it does. Not directly, though. But it matters because the part says something about the whole.

We have now seen three newspapers -- the Orlando Sentinel, the NY Observer, and the Tennessean -- flip from supporting Obama to supporting Romney.

I've said this before but whenever anyone wants to talk politics with me, one of my first question to them is "What are your friends and coworkers saying?"

It's very easy to get lost in a bubble of your own making if you're only talking to like-minded people. So I like getting that occasional, very anecdotal reality check.

Anecdotal, yes. But still. It's something.

So here's the thing: Being partisans and ideologically-minded, we would naturally hold Obama's failings against him more than your typical voter.

But to what extent is the "Typical Voter" inclined to agree with us and say, "Yes, Obama's failed in his most important duties"?

That to me is the value of the Tennessean's endorsement. And the Sentinel's. And the Observer's. It tells me that even in an environment which is overwhelmingly liberal, people, when they consider this, are inclined to agree: "Yes, Obama's failed in his most important duties."

These surprise endorsements are flipping one way, and not the other.

Even if you doubt the influence of the endorsements, they are in insight into the mindset of Americans. Yes, the media are Americans too. (Technically.) And if even they, in the most Liberal Bubble atmosphere of any occupation outside of the Trial Lawyers' Bar, are flipping to Romney, I think that says something.

If liberal-leaning people are considering Romney-- even endorsing him -- then obviously most true centrists will vote for him. And obviously we will not have what we had in 2008, when the weakest conservative-leaning people actually voted for Obama. Those folks will vote Romney.

Well, maybe not David Frum or David Brooks, but at least maybe Peggy Noonan.

I mostly have conversations with like-minded people, but these endorsements are an indication of conversations between unlike-minded people I didn't participate in. I don't know exactly what their conversations were like, but I have an idea of the basic contours of it -- given that ultimately they endorsed Romney.

I know the most important aspect: They are not merely "disappointed" in Obama. I was disappointed in Prometheus, but I'm still recommending it for the amazing visuals. (Review to follow.)

No, if they were merely disappointed, they would argue we should limp along and see what else this guy can accomplish with another four-year term. Who knows. Maybe this time he'll get luckier, or something.

They're not doing that. They're arguing it's time for a change. They're saying that, based on what they've seen before, they do not want to see another four years of Obama.

They're cutting him from the roster.

There is a comforting thing here: I'm not crazy. And neither are you. We're not, in fact, just wild partisans holding Obama up to impossible standards. It is confirmed that people who actually lean Democratic, and not just lean, but are genuine Democrats have had their fill of Obama and his many failures and his even more numerous excuses, too.

He had his opportunity. He was given every chance. He had a unified all-Democratic government to rubber-stamp whatever he liked.

He failed.

And that is the conversation bubbling around America on this day, 18 days out from the election.

posted by Ace at 03:49 PM

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