The debate about Romney

Over the last day several readers have disagreed with my stringently negative view of the Republican convention and Romney’s soft approach to the campaign. They’ve said that the Romney-GOP way of of extravagantly flattering the women of America and avoiding sharp attacks on Obama—and in particular the idea that Obama’s not bad, but he’s failed, and therefore, as Clint Eastwood cleverly put it, we have to let him go—is exactly what is needed to win the election. Mainstream Republican commentators have said the same. These are reasonable arguments. They may be correct. At the same time I continue to have my view.

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September 1

James N. writes:

I don’t think that a serious disagreement has developed. You are correct, and most VFR readers no doubt agree, that the election of Romney does not further, and may retard, progress towards a restoration.

As you have said, again and again, “The only way to win in the long run is to take the principled and true stand and stay with it”.

I do not disagree with this—not a bit of it.

However, the long run does not concern me right now. The election is in two months. We are in for pain, whatever happens. It’s my assessment that the pain will be less if Obama is not reelected. Therefore, those things that, over the next 60 days, decrease the chances of Obama’s reelection are things I support.

Whether or not Team Romney is operationally correct about the best way to take Obama down or not is, of course, an open question. I have to believe that the best advice money can buy is, all things being equal, more likely correct than the “chase the Kenyan Muslim out before he turns the U.S. Communist” approach that would gratify my inner self.

Should Romney be elected, of course, we will still have enormous tasks in front of us. But at least we will be able to breathe.

That’s how I see it, anyway. I would only disagree with you if you held the view that a tradcon would be more likely, IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, to defeat Obama that Romney. I do not believe that is the case.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 31, 2012 10:16 PM | Send