Sunday, April 15, 2012

Romney's Looking Glass


Rick Santorum's win in Louisiana reiterates concerns that people are not ready to coalesce around Mitt Romney, even though, Romney won 27% of the vote in Louisiana compared with the 49% that Santorum won. In fact, several of Romney's opponents have pointed out details about him that would compel voters to vote against him in the general election. For example, when he was still trying to get the G.O.P. nomination Rick Perry accused Mitt Romney of "vulture capitalism;" Around the same time Newt Gingrich criticized Romney's Cayman Island accounts; and recently Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's own political advisor, said that the former Governor of Massachusetts' campaign will be like an Etch a Sketch when it transitions to the general election. Nate Silver, the blogger who makes projections based on polls, makes an interesting point that as voters get to know Romney they like him less, therefore, Silver's comment implies there is still "an anyone, but Romney" candidate people want.