NOT NO, BUT HELL NO.

I read a story just now about how Mitt Romney is going to be the darling of the Republican Party 2016.  I’ve been reading things like this from time to time for months.  Lest this horrible idea get out of hand, I’m going to crush this stupidity now.  HOPEFULLY in the process I’ll restore a few diehards to something resembling sanity.

My simple complaint?  Romney didn’t fight.  I don’t know if he doesn’t know how, or if he was unwilling, or if he hired people who he allowed to “hold him back.”  There is simply no excuse good enough for his performance.  Perhaps the meek will inherit the earth.  They aren’t going to win the Presidency. Not in 2016. 

People have seen President Obama petulant, smarmy, smug and unwilling to commit any act that looks like leadership for far too long now.  He’s obviously decided to take his ball and go home, ALONE, for the rest of his term while ignoring any responsibility that he’s not fond of.  That’s not leadership. It’s the antithesis of leadership. There is a real opening here IF WE ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Do you remember?  It was as if Mitt assumed that the Presidency was his birthright!   As if he thought he was so damn well connected that he didn’t have to convince anybody!  All the way through the campaign I was screaming in my head “FIGHT GOD DAMN YOU! FIGHT!”  But no – soft spoken wimpyness was the order of the day.

That is NOT how you win an election in America.  Candidates must show that they can fight for what is right, and get people fired up to fight with them.  They must convince the people that THEY are the best choice even if the people don’t want to be convinced.  Most important, they must continue to inspire – every day, from the time they decide to run until the time they leave office.  Mitt Romney allegedly had to be talked into running by his family.  That’s sweet, but hardly inspiring. 

When Candy Crowley jumped into the debate and said he was wrong, did he invite her up on stage since it was 2-on-1 anyway?  No.  Did he even say “No, I’m right?”  No. He gave up.  HE WOULDN’T EVEN DEMONSTRATE THE CONFIDENCE TO STAND BEHIND HIS OWN WORDS.  I’d have accepted it if he’d done it badly- but he didn’t even TRY. 

And that’s more or less the story of Romney’s whole campaign.

Do you want to have him mess up ANOTHER election?  No. He had his shot and frankly, didn’t take it.  We need someone else.