Mitt's 'Damn-the-Torpedoes!' Decision

[mikesilvia]

Mitt Romney's decision to select Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate speaks well of the man who made it. Indeed, it seemed less like the moderate man we have come to know than Adm. David Farragut in Mobile Bay:"Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!"Facing sinking polls, endless attack ads on his tax returns and Bain Capital record, and venomous lies that he was culpable in the cancer death of the wife of a steelworker seven years after he left Bain, Romney decided to convert this dismal campaign into a stark choice of philosophies and policies. Picking Ryan, Mitt shoved his...

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[habsheaven]

Picking Ryan was an act of desperation. Romney sees his campaign sinking and decided to "go all in".

[pghin08]

Picking Ryan was an act of desperation. Romney sees his campaign sinking and decided to "go all in".

Eh, I dunno. John McCain picking Sarah Palin was an act of desperation. I don't think this is. From what I understand, they've become fast friends. I guess on April 1, Romney was supposed to speak at a pancake breakfast or some event, and Paul Ryan was there to introduce him. So Ryan goes about his introduction, and Mitt Romney came out from behind the stage and started smiling and waving...except there was no one there, it was a totally empty room. Ryan had made the event up entirely. I don't care what side of the political spectrum you're on, that's a classic prank.

Anyways, I digress. I don't think Ryan was a desperate choice.

[AUTaxMan]

Picking Ryan was an act of desperation. Romney sees his campaign sinking and decided to "go all in".

Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I thought it was a shrewd move. Shifts the focus of the debates to national finances and overall ideology. Obama doesn't want to have those discussions.

[pghin08]

Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I thought it was a shrewd move. Shifts the focus of the debates to national finances and overall ideology. Obama doesn't want to have those discussions.

If I were Barack Obama right now, I'd adopt the Simpson-Bowles plan and start running on that. Beat the Republicans at their own game (kind of).

[habsheaven]

Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I thought it was a shrewd move. Shifts the focus of the debates to national finances and overall ideology. Obama doesn't want to have those discussions.

Differences in overall ideology is the main theme of Obama's campaign. He is salivating at making that the focus of the debate. When independants get to know Ryan, they will be running in the other direction.

[AUTaxMan]

Differences in overall ideology is the main theme of Obama's campaign. He is salivating at making that the focus of the debate. When independants get to know Ryan, they will be running in the other direction.

I respectfully disagree. Obama is on the attack with negative ads because he has no platform or record to run on. His overall philosophy IMO does not resonate with the American people. The only reason he won in 2008 is because the country was so ready to get rid of Bush that they didn't really care who the opposition was (or what his core beliefs are).

[tpeichel]

I don't get the desperation argument. Ryan is very popular. Even in very liberal Wisconsin he crushes his competition. I think 57% was his lowest winning total in his first year and in 2008 when Obama was sweeping the country, Ryan won 65% of the vote in Wisconsin.

[habsheaven]

I respectfully disagree. Obama is on the attack with negative ads because he has no platform or record to run on. His overall philosophy IMO does not resonate with the American people. The only reason he won in 2008 is because the country was so ready to get rid of Bush that they didn't really care who the opposition was (or what his core beliefs are).

I am not seeing anything but negative ads from Romney as well. That's politics. I guess we will have to wait and see which candidate's message resonates with the American voters.

[Wickabee]

I see it as pandering to the right side.of the party. They like Ryan but put up with Romney.