be true to thyself, mitt
by Ari Holtz
Published: January 21, 2008
With victories in the Michigan primary and Wyoming and Nevada caucuses, as well as second place finishes in the Iowa and New Hampshire contests, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has established himself as a legitimate contender for the Republican nomination. He’s done so, however, as the Fletch of the primary season, shifting identities depending on his location.
In evangelical Iowa, he sold himself as Mr. Social Conservative. In New Hampshire, he was the neighborly next door governor. When the battle shifted to the economically depressed state where his father was once governor, Mitt transformed into Michigan’s favorite son bearing promises of millions in economic stimulus. This past week in Nevada, Mitt morphed again, highlighting his Mormon faith in a state founded by Mormons.
The Terminator-esque shape-shifting occurs in front of various interest groups, as well, with Mitt talking about hunting varmints in front of pro-gun crowds and accepting Jesus Christ into his life in front of fundamentalist groups. What he fails to grasp is that his strongest sales pitch is actually his most natural and honest one, that of the accomplished financial turnaround artist and pragmatic, effective governor.
This disease of pandering and identity-shifting is typified by Romney but certainly not unique to him. Al Gore in 2000 famously ran away from his role in the peaceful and prosperous Clinton years, as well as from his own environmentalism, in favor of populism, an Earth-tone wardrobe and bizarre make-out sessions with his wife. John Kerry in 2004 was photographed absurdly hunting in more camo than an H&M salesgirl as he tried to convince red-staters that he was one of them despite his ketchup billions. In this election cycle, after Barack Obama became successful wearing the mantle of change, just about every candidate has embraced the concept like New Kids on the Block biting hip hop in ‘94 with Dirty Dawg.
What these candidates so rarely understand is that authenticity works - not the paradox of affected authenticity, but really and truly being oneself. Gore almost surely would have beaten Bush if he had owned his wonky, green, unfabulous self along with the accomplishments of the Clinton years. Kerry would have had a far stronger shot of beating an unpopular president who started an unpopular war if his true beliefs, and therefore his true self, couldn’t have been so easily questioned. Mitt Romney needs to learn this lesson.
Outside of his tic-like reflex to be all things to all people, Romney is actually a candidate well suited to our times. Concerns about the nation’s economy have replaced Iraq as voters’ number one voting issue. This should be a boon for Romney who came to prominence as a savior chief executive for failing companies. His personal fortune was built by making collapsing organizations right again. When the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics were awash in scandal and financial chaos, Romney was brought in to set things straight and did.
This is a man known for collecting information, analyzing it and fashioning pragmatic effective solutions. No, a database-loving technocrat is not sexy or inspirational. But did the victims of Hurricane Katrina need to be inspired or to have a quickly instituted plan to get them food, water, and shelter? Do our Iraq and Afghanistan war efforts need an alluring leader who we want to have a beer with or one who can evaluate efforts and be flexible to change based on progress and results? The word “corporate” has become a dirty word to many Americans, but might an effective executive in the Oval Office be just what’s called for to make actual progress on issues that we’ve been wrestling with for years? And yes, George W. Bush was our first CEO president. But Mitt’s reputation as a corporate magician is a far cry from the failed oil executive who used family connections to make millions on the sale of a Major League Baseball team.
One issue that Americans badly want to see fixed but on which government has so far failed is healthcare. The nightmares of insurance costs and availability are widely known - tens of millions uninsured, coverage that is ever more expensive while reimbursing less and less. Yet, only one of the remaining candidates for president has actually made any real dent in this national crisis.
Not Hillary, not Obama, not Edwards, not McCain. Mitt Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, developed and got through the legislature a plan to cover all state residents using private insurance companies in conjunction with government subsidies. Has the plan had bumps and growing pains? Certainly. But, it’s widely considered a success and a pragmatic, innovative solution to one of the nation’s most persistent problems.
Romney is competent. He is accomplished. His resume is rife with economic and healthcare know-how at a time when the American public has high anxiety on both fronts. So, why is he selling such ridiculous ideas such as doubling Guantanamo and tired lines about how pro-life and socially conservative he is?
The public can see through it, Mitt. You don’t need to exaggerate and reinvent. Stop focusing on the holes in your resume and on being liked by every segment of every primary state. Sell yourself, who you really are. You just might be exactly who this country needs.
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