I previously wrote about how I thought that Michelle Bachmann was a better candidate than I was because she understood the political pivot. Intellectually I understand the pivot, but my gut is always to answer the question, so I follow my gut and forget to pivot. This morning on Meet the Press Rick Santorum demonstrated that his pivot is a beautifully executed pirouette.
When David Gregory asked him a question about culture wars, he masterfully delivered his message about economic growth and left the culture wars as a footnote. My reaction to Santorum this morning was much the same as my reaction after his Iowa speech. He has a way of connecting with people that is hand and shoulders above both Newt and Mitt.
Romney has consistently put his foot into the mouth that has spent a lifetime being fed with a silver spoon. Romney is rich, one of the richest men in the world. Romney has always been rich. Despite claiming to be unemployed, Romney has never faced homelessness or going to bed hungry. Romney is not concerned about the poor because he has no idea who they are or how they live.
Gingrich, on the other hand has one position—pissed off. He is mad at the media. He is mad at the other Republican candidates. He is mad at his ex-wifes. His is mad that his third choice for a religion can’t dictate to all women about birth control. Gingrich has burned bridges at every step in his life because he is always pissed off.
Don’t get me wrong, I would never vote for Santorum, but his rising star in the current field of Republican candidates is no fluke. He stays on message. He ducks the culture wars questions by saying that there is a difference between what he personally believes and what public policy should be. John Kerry said the same thing when he ran for president. And he smiles. Santorum is a very attractive candidate—he has a beautiful smile. He stacks the deck by bringing his entire beautiful family on stage with him at the conservative conference where another beauty queen got cheers and standing ovations because she can smile pretty.
What Palin and Santorum have in common is an understanding of how to smile and speak populace language. Mitt always looks like a cardboard cutout because he is uncomfortable around ordinary people, or maybe he is just uncomfortable around TV cameras. A local man told me yesterday that he was impressed with Mitt’s recent visit to Grand Junction because he took the time to speak to the crowd that had gathered outside the meeting room when there wasn’t room for all inside. This man was very complimentary about how Mitt treated one elderly woman during the exchange.
Santorum isn’t going away anytime soon, much to the chagrin of moneyed Republicans.
Homework:
Today’s homework is a post at Jonathon Turley’s blog about the constitutionality of the Obama compromise with the religious groups who want to deny women access to birth control. It includes a link to a segment that aired recently on MSNBC.
Employment Division v. Smith
When David Gregory asked him a question about culture wars, he masterfully delivered his message about economic growth and left the culture wars as a footnote. My reaction to Santorum this morning was much the same as my reaction after his Iowa speech. He has a way of connecting with people that is hand and shoulders above both Newt and Mitt.
Romney has consistently put his foot into the mouth that has spent a lifetime being fed with a silver spoon. Romney is rich, one of the richest men in the world. Romney has always been rich. Despite claiming to be unemployed, Romney has never faced homelessness or going to bed hungry. Romney is not concerned about the poor because he has no idea who they are or how they live.
Gingrich, on the other hand has one position—pissed off. He is mad at the media. He is mad at the other Republican candidates. He is mad at his ex-wifes. His is mad that his third choice for a religion can’t dictate to all women about birth control. Gingrich has burned bridges at every step in his life because he is always pissed off.
Don’t get me wrong, I would never vote for Santorum, but his rising star in the current field of Republican candidates is no fluke. He stays on message. He ducks the culture wars questions by saying that there is a difference between what he personally believes and what public policy should be. John Kerry said the same thing when he ran for president. And he smiles. Santorum is a very attractive candidate—he has a beautiful smile. He stacks the deck by bringing his entire beautiful family on stage with him at the conservative conference where another beauty queen got cheers and standing ovations because she can smile pretty.
What Palin and Santorum have in common is an understanding of how to smile and speak populace language. Mitt always looks like a cardboard cutout because he is uncomfortable around ordinary people, or maybe he is just uncomfortable around TV cameras. A local man told me yesterday that he was impressed with Mitt’s recent visit to Grand Junction because he took the time to speak to the crowd that had gathered outside the meeting room when there wasn’t room for all inside. This man was very complimentary about how Mitt treated one elderly woman during the exchange.
Santorum isn’t going away anytime soon, much to the chagrin of moneyed Republicans.
Homework:
Today’s homework is a post at Jonathon Turley’s blog about the constitutionality of the Obama compromise with the religious groups who want to deny women access to birth control. It includes a link to a segment that aired recently on MSNBC.
Employment Division v. Smith
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