Last week, Maureen Dowd complained about the “mind-boggling
phoniness of [Mitt] Romney” (“My Mitt Fantasy”). According to David Brooks,
however, “Romney’s shape-shifting nature” could in fact help him push though
Congress some sort of bipartisan reform if he were to become president. Hurray
for inner emptiness and “The Upside of Opportunism”! The funny part is that Brooks
passes for a “conservative.” The more bizarre part is that the majority of GOP
supporters – and probably some opponents – don’t seem to sense Romney’s inner
emptiness.
The American electoral process is set up in such a way
as to make it almost impossible for a neurotypical candidate to sail into the
White House. Who could survive, really, the two years of grueling campaigning and
snooping by the sensationalist media and maintain a semblance of sanity? With
all his weaknesses, Obama is perhaps the closest to a “normal” human being as
president that the current electoral meat-grinder can produce. Whether he or
anyone else could help sort out the current economic, political, and social
mess is a whole different issue.
P.S. I suddenly recalled what our daughter, now 15, said of Romney when she first saw him speak on TV a few months ago. She opined that he looked like an aged Ken – and I am afraid this says it all. I do wish she was a bit less opinionated - but then she wouldn't really be our daughter.
P.S. I suddenly recalled what our daughter, now 15, said of Romney when she first saw him speak on TV a few months ago. She opined that he looked like an aged Ken – and I am afraid this says it all. I do wish she was a bit less opinionated - but then she wouldn't really be our daughter.