Friday, August 31, 2012

Romney opens up

This buttoned-up turnaround kind of guy was choked up from the get-go in his speech, revealing a deep devotion to family, service, building that, and this country.

The most surprising part of the speech was the glimpse of Romney the man. Jim Geraghty, Morning Jolt
But the Mitt Romney we saw tonight . . . it's as if he had been saving up every bit of his inner emotional life, his soft, sentimental side, and let it all out. This was a speech that requires us to reexamine what we think we know about Romney. He might be a guy who is just spectacularly focused, and remarkably capable and adaptable. And in each objective in Romney's life -- at Bain, in Massachusetts, in his past campaigns -- he has done, and adapted, to whatever the situation requires. And so when people say he's stiff, or boring . . . remember that he's never really needed to be "humanized" before now. Or people like you and I have urged him to do it, but he hasn't really needed to do it . . . until this moment. Right around now, the casual voters start paying attention.

And then he told the story of his father leaving a rose for his mother on her bedside table every day until he died.

And then he mentioned about how he and Ann wish they could have one more day of their sons being young, and rambunctious, and all wrestling with each other. (I wonder if he was aiming for the been-away-for-his-sons-for-nearly-a-week-convention-correspondent demographic.)

And then he gently ribbed his rival...
It's refreshing to see a real leader who doesn't constantly demand high-maintenance public adulation.

It's reassuring to hear these words:
“President Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet,” Romney said. “My promise is to help you and your family.”
With jobs

Have a good Labor Day weekend. And hope next Labor Day more Americans have jobs.

Looking for that Romney revival.

2 comments:

Tregonsee said...

I recall Romney's biz school classmates commenting that when they visited, it was more like visiting their parents. Romney is in many ways a through back to the Greatest Generation, where showing public emotion was considered bad form. It indicated lack of maturity and control.

While vastly less accomplished, I am his age, also a through back in viewpoint, and if I had an iPod, it would have elevator music on it. :) So from the emotion standpoint, I feel his pain, but refuse to show it.

Anne said...

Lol. Well put.

I am probably an "elevator music" aficionado if that means Sinatra or Cole Porter:)