Romney's "Change" Message Examined

washingtonpost.com: GOP Hopeful's Speech Raises At Least As Many Questions As It Answers

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Dan Balz in washingtonpost.com's blog The Trail.

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Mitt Romney has gingerly picked up the challenge that was laid down to all the Republican presidential candidates recently by Newt Gingrich. In a weekend speech in Michigan, Romney sounded a message of change, telling Republicans they must clean up their own house before they can expect to win back public confidence.

Gingrich believes Republicans will lose the White House next year unless the party's presidential nominee makes a clean break with President Bush and the state of affairs in Washington. Romney's speech -- buttressed by modest newspaper and television advertising -- marked the first attempt to rally support by suggesting just that.

But the new speech raised at least as many questions as it answered, not least of which is whether it delivers on the Romney promise of real change.

Romney's appraisal of his party was hardly a slashing critique of the president himself. When he mentioned Bush specifically, it was to praise him for keeping the country safe and restoring dignity to the Oval Office. But threaded throughout was a critical assessment of what has happened in Washington during Bush's nearly seven year in office.

Romney offered a familiar, if incomplete, litany of Bush's mistakes. They include the administration's woeful response to Hurricane Katrina, the failure by the president to use the veto to check rising federal spending, even the government's failure to prevent the subprime lending crisis. He also scored Washington Republicans for their ethical lapses -- a criticism of the party's congressional wing.

"At this critical time in our nation's history, Washington is failing us," he said. "I think we'd have to admit that the blame doesn't all belong to the Democrats. We Republicans have to put our own house in order."

Romney's takeaway line, which he has used in newspaper and television ads since, is that "change must begin with us." It is based on the campaign's assessment that Republican voters in particular believe the party has lost its way under Bush.

"This message speaks to an understanding among Republican activists that we have to refocus our efforts as a party on our core policy principles and start acting like Republicans again if we're going to win in 2008," Kevin Madden, the campaign spokesman, explained in an e-mail.

He said Republican activists are "frustrated with the way Washington has been conducting business on the core issues of spending, border security and ethical standards."

One unaffiliated GOP strategist said he was impressed with what Romney had to say over the weekend. "Romney is doing the best job developing a message for the GOP to move beyond the Bush era," he wrote in a message. "No other GOP campaign has this strategy as an integral part of their quest for the nomination."

Other Republican strategists were far less complimentary, saying they found the message either confusing or contradictory. One wrote in an e-mail, "Truthfully, it's hard to assess whether this will be an effective message or not because I just really don't get it. I'm not sure what they mean by that phrase and how the campaign might demonstrate it or make it real to people."

Another strategist was even more critical, saying it could become fodder for one of Romney's rivals for a devastating ad turning the change message on its head by reminding voters of Romney's various flip flops on issues. "All his flip flops into one giant change ad," this strategist said.

Romney has adapted his change message to win over Republican voters. Whether he can broaden it for a general election audience -- which would be his goal if he were to win the nomination -- is more problematic.

Like many politicians, he decries the partisanship in Washington. He calls for a return to civility in the political discourse and says he's ready to work with "good Democrats" to change the capitol. "The political atmosphere in Washington has become so toxic, we are in danger of weakening ourselves from within," he said in Michigan. "America needs unifying leadership."

What is his solution? Apparently through brinksmanship and confrontation with those "good Democrats" over spending. "If I am elected President," he said, "I will cap non-military discretionary spending at inflation less one percent. If I get appropriations above that amount, I will veto them. And I like vetoes. I've vetoed hundreds of items already. Let's put some fresh ink in the Presidential veto pen!"

Notably absent from his speech was any mention of the central challenge before the country and the biggest issue of Bush's presidency. Scour Romney's prepared text and you cannot find the word "Iraq" anywhere in it.

He focused on the threat of Islamic jihadism, but offered neither a critique of the administration's management of the war nor any blueprint for the future of Iraq. His silence on that issue -- and his ringing call for victory over Islamic terrorism -- implies a stay the course strategy for Iraq.

Why did he ignore the war? "Iraq is the central front in the war against terrorism and radical Jihad," Madden explained. "Governor Romney purposely talks about the global conflict we're facing as a way to underscore that the threats we face from terrorists are not just limited to Iraq and Afghanistan."

Romney's speech offered an affirmation of the party's conservative values. In that sense, he is no different than the other leading candidates in trying to appeal to the party's base. The language and sound bites in the speech boldly aim to make Romney distinctive within a jumbled GOP field. The specifics make him still one of the pack.

[getloud1]

**** TAKE AMERICA BACK ****
**** STOP THE WAR & Corporate Corruption****

He has NEVER voted:
* to raise taxes
* for an unbalanced budget
* to raise congressional pay
* for a federal restriction on gun ownership
* to increase the power of the executive branch

He HAS voted:
* against the Iraq war
* against the inappropriately named USA PATRIOT act
* against regulating the internet
* against the Military Commissions Act

He will eliminate the IRS, Wasteful Government Spending & Stop The Iraq War Immediately!

Most importantly, he voted NO on anything in Congress that is not allowed by the Constitution.

He is the only candidate not a member of the CFR!

Shouldn''t ALL members of Congress uphold the Constitution? Aren''t they SWORN to uphold it? You can bet Paul WON''T call the Constitution "just a G**D***ed piece of paper" like George Bush is reported to have.

If you want a candidate you can TRUST due to a proven track record, visit www.ronpaul2008.com and get busy spreading the word. The Mainstream Media is Blacking Out The Truth Spoke By Ron Paul!

Join The ReVoLuTiOn In Your City Stand Up America:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/cities/

Also checkout http://www.youtube.com search for: RON PAUL

[antoniof123]

Its funny when one group sends out its attack dogs like the GOP did for years the GOP''ers said that was OK. Remember Swift Boat for Justice group the GOP Senate did nothing now the GOP is crying foul because they are on the defense and don''t think it is fair, too bad you brought this on your selves your divide and conquer philosophy did this to you. Did you believe that Americans wouldn''t come together for other Americans. You should have though before you acted now you must pay the price. Let this be a reminder to you the next time and when they stop doing it to you because if you do it again then you will pay the price.

[kansas1946]

What''s the problem. Romney has always been about change. He changed his mind on abortion, he changed his mind on stem-cell research, he changes all of the time.

[undermyboot]

One thing Romney will NOT change is his support for continued movement toward a surveillance police state where privacy and the Constitution are a thing of the past.

For six years, Bush has authorized the NSA to conduct dragnet surveillance on communications of millions of ordinary Americans with no warrants or oversight. Bush outsourced a lot of that work to telecommunication companies - letting them break the law instead of him.

Yet instead of reining in this attack on our Constitution, the Democrats caved to the president''s demands for even MORE spying authority by passing the so-called "Protect America Act" in August. Now Bush wants to make its power grab permanent, prevent any court from stopping the illegal spying, and let companies like AT&T off the hook for breaking the law.

The time is NOW to demand a strong, clear commitment from your representatives to protect your rights. Congress will begin assembling legislation next week. We all need to take action:

http://www.stopthespying.org/

Call or write and tell them to say "NO" to spying on all Americans.

[micma-2009]

Romney is just polishing the same old Republican turdd. His advisers and focus groups told him to run on change so he''''s running on change. He''s flip flopped so many times on key issues that it''s hard to take him seriously. Like most of the candidates in this race, he''s all ambition and no substance.

[perception5]

Mitt Romeny takes a lot of credit for the programs Ted Kennedy''''s influence brought into Massachusetts.


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Posted by marcodele at 02:31 PM :

....marcodele, a great leader gets the work done. Mitt got the work done by working with Democrats. That''s why he would be America''s best choice in 2008. Any of the other candidates are going to bring us the same thing we have today........nothing.

We need a president that has proven that he can work with the other side, not just "talk" about it.

Mitt''s that guy the record is there to prove it.

[jonny_chaos]

marcodele are you saying Mitt claims a liberals ideas are his own? well, since he''s nose deep in Bush''s seat, and not offering much in the way of anything new, (nice hair though, he ought to talk to edwards) why would this be a surprise? he really does have nice hair though...

[jonny_chaos]

Ron Paul, who is that again? didnt he swap parties or something? why is he so great? straw polls where? so what? like all the other candidates, he makes the place smell funny.

[marcodele]

Mitt Romeny takes a lot of credit for the programs Ted Kennedy''s influence brought into Massachusetts.

[robert1]

To perception5
I''m sorry that I have been off the subject...I am logging off now with all my useless posts to cease. I agree with you that Mitt would make a very good candidate for President. He brings common sense, and a good business acumen as credentials.