The Morning Plum: Is Romney finally set to get specific? Nope.

[ProSense]

The Morning Plum: Is Romney finally set to get specific? Nope.

By Greg Sargent

The Romney campaign spent the weekend dealing with press accounts about internal infighting and discord amid mounting questions about its fundamental strategic direction. As one longtime Romney friend put it, his campaign still has yet to “come up with a compelling, policy-backed argument for credible change.”

So the Romney camp is now vowing a strategic shift that would place renewed emphasis on the specifics of his plans and vision for where he wants to take the country. Aides are promising new speeches and commercials more clearly spelling out his policy proposals.

Exhibit A: The Romney camp is out with a new ad that’s entirely focused on his plans, without no mention of Obama. The ad features a close-up of Romney calling for getting tough with China, cutting the deficit, and slashing regulations. “My plan,” says Romney, is to “have tax policies, regulations, and healthcare policies that help small business. We put those in place, we’ll add 12 million new jobs in four years.”

Thirty-second ads are hardly the place for extreme policy specificity. But come on — in the real world, there is unlikely to be any genuine strategic shift in the direction of specificity. This ad just rehashes the five point, one-page plan for the middle class that Romney released in early August, the last time he was being faulted for insufficient detail. The ad’s claim that his plan would create 12 million jobs has already been challenged: Moody’s Analytics has already forecast that the economy will create 12 million jobs over the next four years, with or without any Romney proposals.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/the-morning-plum-is-romney-finally-set-to-get-specific-nope/2012/09/17/9b7cb3a2-00b2-11e2-b257-e1c2b3548a4a_blog.html

Desperation isn't a strategy. Mitt's campaign is flailing.

Romney's New Strategy Turns Right (LOL!)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021360228

[el_bryanto]

1. Well there maybe some value in pretending to be substantive even if you aren't actually substantive

I mean right now he's dinged for being too focused on Obama and tearing him down rather than explaining why his plans are better. So a shift in tone might help him.

But I don't think t will be enough.

Bryant

[CanonRay]

2. Their whole campaign is smoke & mirrors. And lies.

That's it, that's the whole enchilada. There's nothing behind the mask.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Think he's in a hard position (poor guy). All his stuff is based on the negative. Cut this, build

a fence, stop gay marriage, cut women's rights, etc.

As far as how he can fix the economy, I honestly think he doesn't know. Just thinks his over-inflated ego is telling him he is smart enough to do it.

I just hope he doesn't go strong on "Obama's a nice guy but he doesn't know how to fix" This to me, is the most effective argument. But, if he can't tell us exactly how...

He's also in a position where he's trying to go back to what failed before

[Spazito]

4. There is the saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression"...

Last edited Mon Sep 17, 2012, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)

and I think that is very true when it comes to the Romney campaign's repeatedly inept management. The public has had many opportunities over the last months to get a 'first impression' of Romney and, more recently, Ryan and that first impression has been quite negative as seen in the polls as to whom the public trust more on many issues, President Obama comes out ahead for good reason.

The first impression Romney has made has been: someone who is hiding something (tax returns); flip-flopping (Obamacare/Romneycare); siding with the birthers (the "nobody has asked me for my birth certificate); a craven opportunist with no sense of appropriate behavior (the press release/conference on the attacks in Libya and Egypt).

Once one has their first impression of someone, it is exponentially harder to shift that impression because everything they say and do from that point is viewed through that 'first impression' lens.

Romney shifting his strategy, shifting the focus of the ads will have little effect on the public that has already formed their opinion of him, imo, because it will be viewed through the lens of -he lies, he will say anything yet stands for nothing, etc.

[NEWYORKDEM]

5. Romney not fit to be POTUS

If Romney is this close to the election, and he is searching for a "message" to deliver to the American people, he does not deserve to be President. Sincerely wanting to be President for the good of your country and all the people in it, needs nurturing of ideas from within, a clarity of vision that is not pulled out of the grab bag 2 months before the election. It is being truthful to your people you represent, it is getting down into the trenches with the ones who are suffering. He and Paul Ryan never did take the opportunity that the nuns on the bus offered them, to go into the inner city to see exactly what life is like for people living there. He is haphazardly..per usual for him..trying to pull a gold nugget out of the grab bag. Mitt Romney....life is not magical for most of us. You need to take your lumps. You are not fit for the Presidency.”

[PotatoChip]

7. Welcome to DU!

Great first post!

[NEWYORKDEM]

8. Thanks!

Thank you so much! I am still learning to navigate around the website, but I do enjoy the articles and comments so far.

[RobertEarl]

9. I am one of Romney's 47%

And he has been specific in truthfully saying that there is no way in hell he will get any votes from his 47%ers. He doesn't stand a chance anymore. He might as well just tell us all that he hates us, and be done with it.