It is a commonplace that Mitt Romney is a much improved candidate since he began his quest for the presidency back in 2007. He did much better in the debates against fellow Republicans earlier this year and did very well indeed against President Obama this fall. (To be sure, as both Jennifer Rubin and Peggy Noonan have pointed out, Obama’s essential arrogance, humorlessness, and disdain for those who disagree with him shone through in the debates when he had to be without prepared text and teleprompter).
Romney has also greatly improved as a campaigner. He is no FDR, with that magical rapport with the American people that was so remarkable for a Hudson River aristocrat. Nor is he a Bill Clinton, a born glad-hander who just loves—and draws energy from—a crowd. But Romney is now much more comfortable in front of an audience than he used to be and even seems to be enjoying it, which certainly didn’t use to be the case.
He spoke in Ohio yesterday in front of a big crowd that was enthusiastic to say the least. Power Line has the whole speech and I would recommend listening to it. Poll numbers and punditry are all very well and good, but the rapport between the candidate and his audience, the vibes that you can feel, tells you a lot too about how a campaign is going. And Romney’s campaign is obviously going very well indeed. It bears no resemblance to the dispirited McCain campaign of four years ago.
There is something to a candidate being seasoned and perhaps losing from time to time. When Mr. Romney lost to Mr. McCain four years ago, Mr. Romney emerged stronger and more focused. We are seeing those results now. n nSomeone said (I forgot who) that Bill Clinton won his party's nomination too early. Had he lost and gone through the process a second time, Mr. Clinton would have been a better president. As it was, the nation suffered through his impeachment. n nSometimes losing paves the way for a winner later.
I'm afraid Romney, despite my strong hopes otherwise, is going to lose. His momentum seems to have flattened and Obama is maintaining a slight lead in most swing states, which is widening a tad in Ohio. Pardon my language, but I hope like hell I'm all wet here.