Rick Romney? Mitt Santorum? A recipe for a better GOP candidate

CBS/AP

Even the most optimistic booster of the GOP cannot deny that the 2012 Republican presidential candidates leave something to be desired. The frontrunner for the nomination, Mitt Romney, is seen as a "perfectly lubricated weathervane," in the memorable words of onetime rival Jon Huntsman, whose shifts on the issues have raised questions about whether he has a "core." His biggest challenger, Rick Santorum, just wasted a prime opportunity to take out Romney in his home state by getting bogged down in culture-war issues instead of focusing on the issue that overwhelmingly cite as their top concern, the economy.

To put it another way: Romney is too much of a politician. Santorum is not enough of one.

Obviously, the two rivals' styles are somewhat incompatible: If Romney had stuck to one set of beliefs throughout his career, there's no way he would have been able to become the governor of left-leaning Massachusetts and then a top contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. Santorum, meanwhile, would have a harder time connecting with the highly religious and "very conservative" who broke for him in Michigan had he not unapologetically embraced social conservatism throughout his career.

But certainly, each could learn from the other. Santorum actually was willing to "take one for the team," as he put it, while in the Senate - something his rivals have pointed out in an effort to slow his momentum. He backed the "No Child Left Behind" law, appropriations measures that included measures he didn't support and Arlen Specter's Senate re-election bid. But he has also long shown an unwillingness to moderate his rhetoric on issues like same-sex marriage and other matters.

Before his loss in his 2006 Senate race, Santorum wrote a book in which he suggested that "radical feminists" undermined the family by convincing women "that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness." The book came two years after he referenced "man on dog" sex in a conversation about homosexuality, and not long before Santorum suggested contraception is "harmful to women." The positions galvanized Democrats against Santorum, helping lead to Santorum's crushing 18-point defeat.

Romney would never have allowed himself to be pigeonholed like that. And he never would have made the missteps Santorum made in the run-up to the Michigan primary - calling the president a "snob" for pushing for kids to attend college, attacking John F. Kennedy's call for a line between politics and religion and generally raising doubts about his viability in a general election. If Santorum had a little bit more of Romney's political acumen, he might well right now be poised to win the nomination.

And yes, Mitt Romney is a good politician. He's had plenty of missteps during this campaign - most notably, inadvertently reminds Americans of his wealth on a regular basis - but you don't go from moderate Massachusetts governor to GOP presidential frontrunner in an era dominated by conservatism without some serious political chops. But if he had a little more Santorum in him, he might be a strong frontrunner instead of a weak one. Romney has never been able to really connect with voters, whether in Massachusetts or nationally, because he has never shown a willingness to stick to his guns despite the political risk doing so entailed. No one seems quite sure what Mitt Romney believes, because he doesn't seem to take a positions grounded in what's in his heart.

When Romney was running for Massachusetts governor, he didn't say, "look, I know this is a liberal state, but I really do oppose abortion rights." Instead, he vowed to support abortion rights as governor. Now, he is adamant that he opposes abortion rights. But why should voters believe him? His shifting stance on abortion is just one piece of evidence for the argument that he is a political opportunist all too willing to shift with the political winds. Were he seen as willing to occasionally stand up for what he believes in - even when it is unpopular - he could win the respect of even those who disagree with him on the issue.

Perhaps a stronger nominee than either of the two would be a "Rick Romney" or a "Mitt Santorum" - a candidate who combines Romney's canny political instincts with Santorum's willingness to stand for what he believes is right. Someone willing to occasionally take political risks but to keep from going far enough that he alienates too many voters to win. It's not an easy trick to pull off, to be sure. But it's been done before. And there are plenty of Republicans who wish there was a candidate in the 2012 race who could do it again.

[BakersBabe]

Thank goodness this GOP Presidential race is coming to a quick end.

What a great opportunity is coming up on Super Super Tuesday!

By the end of Tuesday only one moron will be left running for the GOP. That moron will be Mitt.

Poor Mitt. He is worried about money. Don't cry crocodile tears for this lost soul. He just makes up excuses for everything. He can't change the truth but so he takes all sides on everything. We all know he isn't broke. He makes $55,000 a day on interest. He should pay his money for votes.

Newt got $100 million from the Mafia that sleaze from Nevada. Overall the Republican Party really has had a batch of pitiful losers running for the Presidency.

[Massresident]

Their strengths as candidates consist mainly of an ability to pander to lobbies. Neither one shows any leadership ability or offers any solutions to the nation's problems. The country needs more than just good lying and pandering skills. Our current President is good enough at those things. Leadership involves getting people to support you for the good of the country rather than buying their votes. Ron Paul is the only one the Republicans have that can propose getting rid of the ethanol mandate and still expect to get votes in Iowa. The rest of them aren't even trying to lead.

[Quivley]

The nit-picking of the liberal press as it jumps on every little twitch or, in some cases, baits and set-up the candidates trying to catch them in a snare of words is, in fact, despicable. It's a wonder anyone is willing to run for the presidency. None the less, Romney is by far the Stronger, Wiser, more Sensible and more Electable candidate. This election is Not a joke, and will have serious consequences for ourselves and our children's future. It's time for all who love America and want a better American future to unite in support of Romney. If he wants Santorum in his cabinet or some other important post, that is up to him.

[twmat311]

That's a real recipe all right. Keep it out my kitchen.

[nancy_naive]

A recipe for a better candidate? I dunno. Might be able to compete with a lemur though.

[longtree-2009]

my goodness but articles against obama's probable opposition gop candidate are getting more and more picky. pick, picky, picky. some are so picky it's as if they are picking fly poop out of the pepper. why not write articles that are picky of all candidates as well as obama. obama is no bargain either but writers seem to overlook it deliberately. an individual will either vote for obama or for the gop nominee whoever it turns out to be in the coming months. there are haters on both sides of the aisle. you love obama, then logically you will vote for him.

[nancy_naive]

Rick & Mitt, fly poop? Yeah, and we get milk from flys too.

[azure13]

Vote for a Republican and you are voting against your own best interests. Plain and simple.
I am moving from unaffiliated to Democrat this year. I will not ever vote for any Republican again. I will either vote Democrat or if I can't find a Dem that I want to vote for then I won't vote at all.
Go President Obama for a second term.

[Charly440]

To AZURE13: Very Very Very WELL Said. Plain and To The TruthfulPoint

[retiredgustav]

Unless you are a 1 percenter.

[esq777]

What's a Rick Romney -- a guy who likes man on dog sex with the dog strapped to the roof of a car?

[Charly440]

C'mon MittTaxPittanceRommel can you or your mules not take the truth???? Check this Original Post Out..right on the button for Rommel

Prez O is smart. He doesn't have to seriously campaign; Just let these RepublicanCrimeCartelThugClowns go public with their unacceptably criminal behavior, and Voila!!!!!

There they are!!!: All TV'd Up! Like Dracula, Frankenstein and The WolfMan; MittTaxPittance Rommel, THEGangrene and, last BUT NOT in the least, The WolfManVomitorium! YESSSSSS!!!!! First off is DRAC: aka MittTaxPittanceRommel, Who will START A WAR WITH Iran, And A very Profitable War for his RepublicanCrimeCartelCorporateMasters AT THAT!! The Count was "nice enough" to expose his taxes!! Hmmm...Let Me See Now...Drac paid 13% on $42,000,000 income EEEZZZZ MONEY: About 5million AND!!! WE American Taxpayer Victims PAID The Count's REMAINING $7,800,000 Tax Liability!!!! Thanks for SUCKING US Dry Drac!!! AND Aren't We "LittlePeople" Thrilled that The Count is nice enough to Let US have the Honor of Paying His Taxes!! He WILL ALLOW Even, the Poor, Whom HE HAS STATED He "DOES NOT CARE ABOUT" To coughUp his Tax Liability!; 'Long as they got A BloodyJob with deductions Drac can get his FANGS into their BloodMoney as small as it might be!
Then There is Frankenstein, err...THEGangrene who, with his department store mannequin "Other Half", will turn to Destructive Rage at the drop of a wrong word or moment!!! EGADZ, This SelfEntitled Creature of Pleasure will Start A War for his RepublicanCorporateMasters AnyWhere, AnyHow, AnyWay, EVEN On The Moon!, as long as there is profit and Franky gets a stipend from it!!! ANYTHING TheGangrene Touches will Putrify and Rot like what is left of OUR AmericanBodyPolitic!!! Watch Franky TRY to Come alive with "lightening" speed at the RepublicanNationalCrimeCartelConvention!!!
Now Comes The WolfMan Vomitorium... What Can be said!! Such a Goot'Lookin'Boy! Ooh Facime! What A Face!! how could he do Anything Unsavory!!! BUT When The CORPORATE SYMBOLS rise in his eyes TheVomitorium begins his hungry and Very Hairy Growling for American Taxpayer's Blood!!!!
Yes!! THERE is your victim Wolfy!! Go and Savage It WolfMan with BloodLust Fangs and All! Our American UniversalHealthCare System!! All of OUR Allys have it, EVEN the ********** Have A NationalHealthCareSystem!, This Political Beast Savaged and ALSO Struck down OUR Bill for AnAmericanNationalHealthCareSystem!!! Then, when The Killing Is Over, Out Steps The 'A nica'Boy Vomitorium; Ooohh!! How CleanCut!! Yes And so are His savage sever wounds on OUR AmericanHealthCareBill!!!!Brother And Sister American Putting these guys In Power is Having Dracula Guard our BloodBanks!!! You Saw What the Count Did......

[retiredgustav]

It would have to be a female dog, there is nothing Q*u*e*e*r about Rick Romney.

[fredricwilliams]

I think this is an excellent article. It points out the weaknesses in the two candidates. Of course, the wish for some repackaging of their strengths into a more successful candidate is just a metaphor.

But the power of the presidency is extremely limited. So what is needed most of all is a person able to put together solutions which members of Congress will employ. Nothing about either candidate suggests an ability to either find such solutions or persuade others that they are the solutions.

So when the campaign focuses on either so-called "social issues" it merely forces the candidates to play to the prejudices of the crowd (thus we have Romney and Santorum doing so with different approaches. No one notices that the president doesn't make the laws and has little influence on questions of abortion or gay marriage or other issues that raise people's passions. When more relevant issues of taxation and spending are raised, they are expressed in slogans and soundbites -- the media has no knowledge of or tolerance for serious conversations on complex issues, and neither do voters.

That is why we seem doomed to electing people who become part of the problem. Voters have no way to tell the difference.

[kansas1946]

How about we just forget about both of them.