KO in Denver
In fact, the Romney who appeared in Denver to duke it out with the president is the one supporters once knew. It was the most recent Romney — the awkward, gaffe-prone Romney — who now seemed the stranger. Friends and close associates talking among themselves had been wondering what happened to their Romney — the smart, over-achieving businessman who was never at a loss for solutions.
He’s back. The dog is off the roof. Likability is now moot.
And likability, it turns out, isn’t about a winning smile or a cross-court shot. It’s about competence. Romney may not be able to perform the miracles he promises. Most presidents, once in office, discover that doing is harder than saying. But Wednesday night he conveyed a depth of knowledge as well as a level of confidence that is infectious.
Blowback
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A week late and a dollar short.
andycanuck on October 6, 2012 at 6:03 PM
BTW, what f###ing gaffes?
andycanuck on October 6, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Who said the Olympics in London had issues they were dealing with? That he didn’t want to take questions in Poland? That something something gaffe in Israel where he got on famously with Netanyahu? The “gaffe” where he said it’s hard to make the tax cut case to those who don’t pay any taxes? The “gaffe” where he criticized the Obama State Dept (roundly criticized by ALL) for apologizing for our freedom of speech after the storming of the Egyptian embassy? THOSE gaffes?
Paul-Cincy on October 6, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Parker senses that they may be wearing red at DC cocktail parties in a couple of months.
faraway on October 6, 2012 at 6:05 PM
It took how many days for you to notice that people want someone actually qualified to be President?
It’s big news to the DC-NYC chattering class.
Moesart on October 6, 2012 at 6:05 PM
Not really. Getting what you want to get done that voters voted you into office for are typically quite easy.
The problem is that they do not want to do what they said to get elected.
1995-1997 congress was going to do the Contract with America. One of the parts of that was the balanced Budget Amendment. It was popular with the voters, but it would take power away from congress to be allowed to buy votes with future tax payers’ money, instead of today’s tax payers’ money. Newt was going to force it through congress, but instead, they chose to reprimand him for doing nothing wrong and kick him from his position of power and then forget about the reason voters voted them into power.
The Republicans rode a wave of support from what Newt did get done while in power, and destroyed that good will through George Bush’s presidency by once again grabbing powers that did not belong to them. Medicare Part D, No Child left Behind, while at the same time ignoring their real duties, such as opening up more federal lands to energy production, cutting the red tape, over seeing fannie and freddie.
astonerii on October 6, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Bob Herbert Agrees:
Ooh, they’re turning on him like a pack of sharks.
JeffWeimer on October 6, 2012 at 6:19 PM
So, is KP going to vote for Obama, again?
Fallon on October 6, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Go away, Parker.
Kensington on October 6, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Read the entire Herbert piece. If you don’t want to, here’s the Clif Notes:
“I don’t care, Obama is awesome.”
BobMbx on October 6, 2012 at 6:30 PM
Barry will be singing some Al Green at the next debate…he thinks its a popularity contest.
albill on October 6, 2012 at 6:31 PM
Thread winner.
Nuff said.
Lanceman on October 6, 2012 at 6:32 PM
Parker buying into the “gaffe” meme. What an idiot.
SouthernGent on October 6, 2012 at 6:35 PM
Nah….he’s going to overcompensate. I’m expecting sequins and a cape, plus some backing vocals from The Pimps.
BobMbx on October 6, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Dumb misinformed headline. Not a KO by any stretch of the imagination.
Obama took 2 or 3 first round knock-downs from which he may or may not recover, but its a 15-round fight.
Sacramento on October 6, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Question to ponder: If Parker hadn’t been such a bunny boiler about Palin in 2008 would anyone even know who she is?
Kataklysmic on October 6, 2012 at 6:37 PM
No, dumbass, only YOU morons were thinking that.
You don’t have to be one of Romney’s “inner circle” (which, btw, Kathleen Parker is no closer to than any other random person is) to understand that. Anyone who even knows anything ABOUT Mitt Romney knows – and always knew – how sharp he is.
Just like everyone who knows anything about Barack Hussein Obama knows what what a feckless and vapid airhead he is.
No liberal is capable of comprehending this. Liberalism is subjectivism; it’s a view of the world based on how you feel about it; and it doesn’t include the concept of “reality” or a “timeline.”
Romney didn’t suddenly become smart. And Barack Hussein Obama didn’t suddenly transform into a twit – it only seems that way to you because it just now started to sink through that impenetrably dense skull of yours. Reality is what it has always been.
The problem is not that everybody else in the world is an idiot until you enlighten us; it’s that YOU were an idiot for not realizing what’s been going on all this time. And you still are, because you still don’t comprehend any of that. And you probably always will be, because you don’t even know that you don’t know that.
logis on October 6, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Well, well the ol’ weather vane is back. KP is for whoever seems to be the hot item at the time. She lacks a true solid value that she is willing to stand on, in other words she acts like a democrat.
Engrpat on October 6, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Well, well, well….look who’s back to the table since Mitt’s got the mo’. Only long-time players belong at this table; beat it, ya fair-weather ally.
thebrokenrattle on October 6, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Next week, when Romney does it again, she’ll be calling him a “bully” and a “showoff” for pummeling her boyfriend not once, but twice. She’ll say winning another debate so soundly is “unseemly” and “lacks gravitas.”
Rational Thought on October 6, 2012 at 7:35 PM
Romney’s such a genuinely nice guy that I hope his wife is the type to hold a grudge and keep these fair-weather friends off the White House guest list.
Rational Thought on October 6, 2012 at 7:37 PM
Obama was petrified once he realized he was grossly over matched and didn’t belong on the same stage as the next POTUS.
Basilsbest on October 6, 2012 at 7:53 PM
To Parker and all her ilk: It’s too late. We know who you are. We’re going to remember and you will not be forgiven. Go away while you have some dignity left.
kim roy on October 6, 2012 at 8:34 PM