Is There Something You Want To Tell Us?

Joe Klein writes about Mitt Romney's weird campaign. The strangest thing is that thanks to GOP primary politics, he's afraid of talking about what in a sane world would be the centerpiece of his campaign -- the universal health care plan he signed into law in Massachusetts and Romney's vision of using that plan as the basis for a federal-level plan. Instead, you get this health care page with a heading that promises universal care, a couple of very vague allusions to the Massachusetts initiative, and no policy proposals whatsoever.

Comments

The strangest thing is that thanks to GOP primary politics, he's afraid of talking about what in a sane world would be the centerpiece of his campaign -- the universal health care plan he signed into law in Massachusetts and Romney's vision of using that plan as the basis for a federal-level plan.

Romney more than any other Republican might be able to shamelessly tack back left in a general election and talk about such things in greater detail after the nomination is sewn up. But in general this type of situation demonstrates the utter paucity of creative thinking on policy (or, more accurately, utter cowardice when it comes to talking about policy) that really underscores why the GOP is such a longshot in 2008. The unity and cohesion of the Old Confederacy-based conservative movement did wonders for winning elections for a while. But these days it's looking like a decidely non-big tent strategy. Now the Republicans are held hostage by a diminishing cohort.

Posted by Jasper | May 31, 2007 3:26 PM

thanks to GOP primary politics

No, it's thanks to Romney being the most empty, ambitious individual in memory.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | May 31, 2007 3:42 PM

Evidently they think the best way to defend the Mass. plan in the primaries is to frame the uninsured as exploiters & the plan as a way to stop their high living at the people's expense. I assume he'd describe it differently in the general election.

Posted by KH | May 31, 2007 3:48 PM

Another strange thing about Romney's cmapaign. Has there even been a former governor who left office by choice not defeat who has based so much of his presidential campaign on distancing himself from his own state? The premise is generally that a governor being an experienced executive is most qualified to be president, hard to do when you spend all your time putting down your state.

Posted by Eric | May 31, 2007 4:51 PM

Gosh, you mean one of our (what is it now, 20?) presidential candidates is nothing but an empty suit who will say or do anything to get to the White House? I'm shocked, just shocked!

Posted by kafka | June 1, 2007 1:00 AM