Political Hotsheet
By

Brian Montopoli /

CBS News/ April 27, 2012, 7:00 AM

Can Mitt Romney make boring sexy?

News Analysis

(CBS News) Mitt Romney isn't cool. You probably don't need much evidence to back up that point, but here are a few exhibits: Romney singing "America the Beautiful." Romney posing for a photograph with money spilling out of his suit. A 23-year-old Romney, looking and sounding like Opie Taylor, speaking earnestly about his mom's Senate run.

President Obama, even his detractors admit, is cool. He can talk knowledgeably about college basketball, chat it up with the ladies of "The View" and "slow jam the news" with Jimmy Fallon. The coolness gap is reflected in the polls: Americans see Mr. Obama as more likeable and more relatable than his almost-certain general election challenger.

In 2008, John McCain's campaign tried to use Mr. Obama's coolness to portray him as a lightweight celebrity who lacked the gravitas for the presidency. The criticism didn't really take hold, however, in part because McCain fumbled the response to the economic crisis, while Mr. Obama did not.

But that doesn't mean attacks on Mr. Obama's coolness - which have already started to emerge - won't work this time around, particularly if Romney can turn his uncoolness into an asset. The argument goes something like this: President Obama has spent the past four years acting cool while failing to fix the economy. I'll spend the next four doing the unsexy work of bringing sober, steady guidance that guarantees you'll be better off by the time my term is up. If you're an American struggling to provide for yourself and your family, odds are the latter option is a lot more compelling.

One of the knocks on Ohio Sen. Rob Portman as a running mate for Romney is that he is too boring - "Vice President Vanilla," as Politico put it. But in selecting Portman, Romney would further this notion that his administration would bring to the table the sort of boring competence that he contends has been sorely lacking under Mr. Obama. That's part of the reason that despite the buzz, Romney is unlikely to tap Florida Sen. Marco Rubio - who is young, untested, and lacks executive experience - for the #2 slot. McCain udercut his chief argument against Mr. Obama - that he fundamentally wasn't up to the job - in selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate; Romney is unlikely to make the same mistake with Rubio, whom CBS News political director John Dickerson compares to Palin.

The problem with all this, of course, is that people tend to like cool guys. And that can translate into votes, particularly if a candidate can make the case that there's substance behind the swagger. Mr. Obama can point to the killing of Osama bin Laden, among other accomplishments, to argue that he is a whole lot more than a simple celebrity. But particularly if the economy takes a turn for the worse, Americans might decide that the time has come to embrace the sort of boring competence that Romney appears determined to project.

MORE:

Does Obama's "likability" factor matter?
Obama attack video: Too "cool" to be president


© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
133 Comments Add a Comment
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MariaToo says:
Here's the way it REALLY is :

Omama is cool, but he's not sexy .

Romney is NOT cool, but he IS sexy .

All he needs to do is tossle his hair a little, and wear the right outfit---and for 65 years old NOBODY can beat him -he's classic .

Obama has no hair to tossel, and all the good outfits in the world won't turn him into a classic .

Besides- who said Romney was "boring " ? Not his followers and fans. They are very excited and enthused about him and they are actually captivated by his appeal. So you know where "boring " comes from ? It was one of those smear ideas instigated and perpetuated by Obama and his campaigners. The liberal media . Romney has everything--and they all resent it , so they statrted trying to project a bad image of him. Seems like they've been pretty successful . It's horrible how those things work.

The truth about Romney is that he has had a reputation for being attractive all his adult life, and his appeal has helped him a lot to get what he aims to get . His personality and attractivness has everything to do with his successes.

He has been described as " having his father's charisma and his mother's looks " ( unquote ) "Strikingly handsome" (unquote ) In 2006 PEOPLE Magazine named him as "one of the world's most beautiful people " .
A few months ago I saw two girls at a rally carrying a big sign saying "Mitt brings sexy back to politics " . Any questions ?
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MariaToo says:
Mitt Romney is tall, dark and very, very handsome . He is a suave statesman. He has a perfect smile, and he usually gets his way . That sounds and looks sexy to me----and to all my female friends, and relatives . My 18 yr. old daughter thinks he's "a beast " (compliment )

This article was probably written by some left-wing media Obama Bozo . Romney has so much that other men don't have --that OTHER men are dying to have . Since when does a man have to be "cool" to be sexy ? What nonsense . Don't confuse being able to tap-dance, sing, or make jokes with being sexy . Sexy can be subdued, smooth, and mysterious ..as a matter of fact ,Mitt IS .
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Straightshooter101 says:
If Obama can make people see attorneys as being even somewhat honest, Romney has an equal shot at "sexy". This is one of the stupidest comments I've ever heard, "sexy" has nothing to do with being President ... and besides that in the eyes of today's American society, one man's "sexy" is another man's "******". Just ask the Secret Service and the numerous Politicians out there working they angle see.
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jay1jay1 says:
from fellow republican
"Mitt Romney is a well oiled weather vane"
whenever the poles change, his principles change....and no...that ain't cool!!
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spotmarket says:
Success with the money and life style that success provides is exceptionally cool!
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hopetrumps says:
Well, Republicans are pretty experienced at convincing at least 40% of the public that red is blue, that day is night, that rich is poor, and that the truth is a lie---so I guess they're also experienced at making boring sexy. After all, how else do they reproduce?
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twodm says:
Are Republicans anti American? America's Number One Export is Culture. America's number one Cultural Export is American Style. "Cool" "Celebrity" are things We Export in great quantity and quality. What do they think other countries like about America? It sure as hell is not "dull"...
Are Republicans anti American? They must be trying to destroy Americas greatest export.
Are Republicans treasonous? Yes, they hate America, they hate our Culture.
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23-Skidoo says:
So sorry Mitt isn't entertaining enough for libs in the media. I know that hipsters are what really impress you - like the way obambone does that little homey swagger, the way he sings Al Green songs, all that hip BS he sells you. Mitt's gonna be busy doing real work, and undoing all of obbamma's damage.
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Cru09 replies:
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Mitt is boring for everyone. It took you an entire primary to come around to reluctantly getting behind him. Don't sell me this crap.
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TimeToEvolve says:
Republicons are pathetic and I don't know what happened to them.

I'm still waiting for one of them to tell me even one good thing their party has done for most of America since before Reagan. Or one good plan they have for the 99%. Their last president was a war criminal failure at everything. Robmee is bragging about how he gamed the system for himself while getting rid of good American jobs. And that is what he and Ryan and Boner has in store for everyone.
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Zann-Zel replies:
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Republicans ARE PATHETIC!!!!!!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57423126-503544/house-passes-student-loan-bill/?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Oh those poor little Oil companies! What are they gonna do if they loose their tax breaks/subsidies???? I mean with the FRICKEN RECORD PROFITS they're having I just don't know how they could possibly handle it!

Meanwhile......women die of cervical and breast cancer!
Man this country is SCREWED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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mittromneyisatool says:
Mitt Romney's more than just un-cool. He's a total tool. A litany of evidence sits here: http://www.mittromneyisatool.com
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