Mitt Romney Starts to Channel His Inner George W. Bush – No Questions, Canned Speeches, Staged Rallies

Mitt Cannot Control His Off the Cuff Comments – So He Won’t Make Any

One of the less desirable characteristics of former President George W. Bush was the staging that accompanied his campaigning.  The campaign events were kept under control with hand picked audiences, and no dissenting opinions or questions allowed.  The idea was the perception ruled reality. 

Now that Mr. Romney has leapt to the forefront of the Republican race for the nomination (no Mr. Santorum's victory in three low turnout states did not change that) he is in full general election campaign mode.  And since his major problem is that when he speaks off the cuff and has to answer questions from a skeptical audience he self destructs, his campaign mode is shifting to Bush like staged events.

Out are 55-minute town hall meetings. In are 15-minute stump speeches at buffed-up rallies. There are rope lines and hot lights, giant flags and Secret Service agents with wires in their ears. The objective: appear presidential, avoid gaffes and convince Republicans that they have no reasonable option left but to rally around Romney’s winning candidacy.

Now all this will be sad, because all of us looked forward to more “Corporations are people, my friend” type of remarks.  Instead Mr. Romney will be reading from the teleprompter, answering planted questions with memorized answers and taking his cue from the polls.  Too bad, the old Mitt was much more entertaining.