Romney should Embrace Boring

 

People want to be excited about their Presidential Nominee.  Charisma is considered an important part of a nominee’s electability.  “Fire in the belly,” and the ability to “fire up the base,” is touted, but Romney is simply not particularly telegenic, and he seems to have a hard time connecting with the “average voter.” 

Now, I don’t think that Romney is very relatable to the middle class.  It’s not really his fault, he has never really lived that life, and that doesn’t automatically disqualify him from being president.  After all, despite what you may have in your preconceptions, he was the governor of Massachusetts, and he signed into law what has been called “Romneycare.”

If Romney tries to face off with Obama in terms of telegenics, and “cool” he is going to fail.  He just isn’t that guy.  He should attempt to turn his weakness into a strength, and his opponent’s strength into a weakness.  But how to convince people that “cool” and “charisma” is a negative can be tricky.

Romney will have to be self effacing, and admit his lack on those traits.  He will also want to point out that such traits can be dangerous to a democracy, because a charismatic leader can lead people in the wrong direction.  And at that point he has to make it clear that Obama has in fact leading the nation in the wrong direction.  He has to point to Romneycare as state legislation, and Obamacare as National Legislation, and make clear that he believes that there are limits to the Federal Government’s power to legislate.

He will have to point out Obama’s change in positions when it comes to things that he said prior to his election, and things he enacted and signed since his inauguration.  But the style he chooses to use will have to be one that he is comfortable with, and one that isn’t too obnoxious.  Romney runs the risk of appearing as a Mr. Burns’ type of caricature, but it will be very difficult for Obama to ridicule Romney if Romney manages to show people that he is willing to poke fun at himself for being less cool, while trying to defend yourself from being called “too cool” is tricky at best.

There is one big caveat here, and that is, why does Romney want to be President?  Somewhere in there is a reason that he has failed to really make clear.  I see it as two possibilities.  Romney, the Bain Capital mogul may want to improve things for his friends, the guys that own Nascar teams.  Or, Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts may want to make things better for Americans, hopefully by using the power of the Presidency to reduce federal intrusion and expand personal freedoms.

I do think that Obama is favored for re-election, but I don’t think it is a shoe in.  A lot can happen between now and November, but if Romney wants to win, he’s going to have to fight to do so.  If he does want it, it is going to be a very interesting, and potentially entertaining Presidential Campaign.