Romney Is GOP Obama-Basher-in-Chief

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright June 2, 2011
All Rights Reserved.                                         

            Making it official, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney jumped into the GOP sweepstakes, attacking President Barack Obama, much like real estate mogul and TV reality show host Donald Trump.  With Obama getting Osama bin Laden  May 1, the Republican Party lost its major point of attack for the 2012 presidential campaign:  His weak defense credentials.  Since getting Bin Laden, Obama’s watched his approval ratings climb 7%, leaving the GOP scrambling to attack the 49-year-old president.  “I’m Mitt Romney and I believe in America.  And I’m running for president of the United States,” making his announcement official in Stratham, N.H.  Romney joins an increasingly crowed field, including GOP presidential hopefuls former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former New York Major Rudi Giulliani, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

            No longer able to bash Obama on defense, the new GOP strategy attacks Obama’s economic record.  In office two-and-a-half years, Romney hopes to convince voters that the president’s economic policies caused today’s sluggish economy.  “It breaks my heart to see what’s happening to this great country,” Romney told New Hampshire voters.  “No, Mr. President, you have had your chance.”  Romney had no criticism of the economic meltdown under former President George W. Bush.  Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan called the financial collapse a “once in a 100 years event,” comparable to the Financial Panic of 1907, prompting the creation in 1913 of the Federal Reserve Board.  When Obama took office Jan. 20, 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial average stood at about 8,000.  Even with today’s 41-point loss, the Dow closed at 12,248—an over 50% improvement.

            Romney said nothing while the economy shed 8 million jobs under Bush with the nation’s unemployment rate hitting 9.8%.  When major U.S. banks ran out of cash in 2008, he never objected to Bush Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson $670 billion bail out plan to save the banking industry.  “Barack Obama has failed America,” said Romney, pandering to his party’s right wing.  “When Barack Obama took office, the economy was in recession, and he made it worse,” said Romney, ignoring rising stock market averages, lowered unemployment and improved jobs picture.  Romney knows that without the bailouts and Fed’s low interest rate policies, the economy would be far worse.  His GOP plan calls for Depression-era-austerity, requiring the government to slash trillions from the federal budget.  “Who is it that rules this great nation?’ asked Romney rhetorically, referring to Obama’s “socialist” policies.

             Fixing the nation’s epic economic meltdown was no easy matter.  Two-and-a-half years into his presidency, Barack showed no signs of backtracking on his health care plan.  Former New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani also took off the gloves, hinting at his interest in another presidential run.  “He’s been in office a very long time now and his results on the economy have been abysmal,” ignoring all the positive economic signs, including Wall Street’s dramatic improvement under Obama.  Giuliani criticized Romney, whose Massachusetts’ health care plan bore striking similarities to Obama’s.   Romney and Giuliani still show the same bad blood from their 2008 run for the GOP nomination.  Neither have the conservative credentials favored by conservative primary voters looking for strong pro-life credentials, like Palin or Bachmann, two of the favorites of Tea Party voters.

            Romney and Giuliani face tall hurdles in their quest for the GOP nomination.  Both have liberal voting records, Romney in Massachusetts and Giuliani in New York.  “The reality is that Obamacare and Romneycare are almost exactly the same,” said Giuliani, violating the late President Ronald Reagan’s cardinal rule:  Thou shall not attack fellow Republicans.  Giuliani has considerable baggage from his dalliances when running New York City.  Romney’s biggest baggage stems from his Mormon faith, something opposed by religious conservatives, perhaps the biggest voting block in GOP primaries.  While Romney has the personal wealth to finance his campaign, Giuliani does not.  Since real estate mogul Donald Trump dropped out of the presidential race May 17, it opened the door for candidates like Romney and Giuliani.  Both face big obstacles with the GOP’s conservative base.

            Attacking Barack on the economy is the last angle left for the GOP, now that Obama sought and got Osama bin Laden.  When the president begins withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan this summer, he’s likely to get some bump in the polls.  Getting Bin Laden caused a seven-point surge in Barack’s approval ratings, now standing at an aggregate 52.8%.  Reluctance this election cycle of GOP candidates indicates Barack’s strong position heading into 2012.  While the economy presents problems for Obama, the economy as measured by stock market averages, unemployment and GDP growth all show improvements.  “It’s time for a president who cares more about America’s workers than America’s union bosses,” said Romney, reminding voters that he forgets the meltdown under Bush   Trump found out the hard way that bashing Obama eventually backfires.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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