“If he was a turn-around artist, he would be president-elect right now”
There was, to my mind, only one qualitative argument generally made in favor of Romney: that his management experience made him uniquely qualified to be president. He was a “turn-around artist.” A “genius CEO.” Now even the claim that his private-sector ability to master organizations and rescue them was a variation on process. And it always struck me as a little dubious. For one thing, it’s not immediately clear how the skill set of the private-sector executive transfers to the job of managing the executive branch of the U.S. government. CEOs say jump and everyone around them says how high. The president says jump and half of Congress tries to countermand the order while getting him fired and the other branch of government gets to decide whether jumping is even theoretically allowed.
But at least this was a falsifiable claim. And the fact that Romney could not master even his own campaign organization in order to win an incredibly winnable election demonstrates–incontrovertiably–that it wasn’t true. If he was a turn-around artist, he would be president-elect right now.
Most political campaigns aren’t invalidated by a loss. A candidate puts forward an idea or a worldview and it can stand whether or not it’s embraced by voters. It has its own truth. But in the wake of his loss Romney’s campaign now looks ludicrous. He simply can’t be a “genius” of managing and salvaging and not win. (Orca.)
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Uh, he did turn his campaign around and was kicking O’s tail.. then Sandy hit.. to use the turnaround argument against him is just silly..
gatorboy on November 8, 2012 at 8:55 AM
He was willing to fire people when he turned around the Olympics, but he wouldn’t fire his core group in Boston, especially Stu Stevens. Stevens was responsible for the convention planning, among other things.
Wethal on November 8, 2012 at 8:56 AM
He was not omniscient enough to account for the 0bamaphone vote.
Sekhmet on November 8, 2012 at 8:57 AM
romney the Massachusetts governor could have won, but the romney the ring wing panderer with flip flops as program was an handicapped candidate.I still think one of his main issue was credibility. Obama, despity his faults, he way more stable ideologically than Romney.
nathor on November 8, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Let’s all hate on Mitt Romney. While we’re doing so, let’s remember that the election was D+6. D+3 or better we would have won. If you’re looking for blame, blame the RNC for a pathetic GOTV effort.
SAZMD on November 8, 2012 at 9:04 AM
He really didn’t turn it around, though. Think about the polls. I totally bought into the idea that the polls were wrong, but after Tuesday it’s clear now they were right. Romney was never really ahead except for brief periods in October and some statistical blips. Obama almost always had the lead.
The question I have is did the Republicans understand they were losing and just set up a spin machine to help GOTV and deflect criticism of the Romney campaign, or were they really as gobsmacked as they appeared?
Doomberg on November 8, 2012 at 9:06 AM
This is complete and utter bs. The man started and ran his own company as well as saved the Salt Lake games, both of which turned out to be very successful. To take that away from him because he lost this race is just dumb. Anyone asking Jonathan Last to start or run a damn thing? Didn’t think so.
If I have any complaints about the campaign he ran, it would be that the ads were largely forgettable and didn’t do enough to impress upon people the dire straits we are in. And the convention was largely a waste, though I wonder how much the hurricane impacted what they were planning to do. Beyond that, though, he laid out an optimistic agenda for his term and pounded away at Obama’s record. I volunteered to take part in ORCA and have no complaints…my precinct, in fact, DID get more voters out for Romney than had come out for McCain. The Obama campaign had no presence there whatsoever, save for one lousy sign. The campaign worked to drive up turnout in red areas as well as convert indies and Dems in blue ones, but the bottom line is Obama got his people out. End of story.
changer1701 on November 8, 2012 at 9:07 AM
I am ready his article, and am agreeing with it. I feel guilty agreeing, but I agree none the less.
portlandon on November 8, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Obama was hiring scores and scores of organizers here in VA and had a top-to-bottom organization. Some left-leaning community organizations were paying handsomely for entry-level workers in the Hampton Roads area, C-ville, and Northern Virginia. Not a bad chunk of money for a college kid looking for political and campaign experience.
It was really something.
The GOP has to start getting serious about organizing and spending the $$$ to create political infrastructure and the next generation of political activists. We need a professional Right to take on the very well-organized and well-funded professional Left if we are going to beat them.
Punchenko on November 8, 2012 at 9:13 AM
You what I have admired about the libs so far after this election? What UBER gracious winners they are! (SARCASM)
djl130 on November 8, 2012 at 9:13 AM
oh please, he was a governor of Massachusetts, so not just an executive, and..even sitting presidents lose elections, by his definition, that should not happen, ’cause he won once already.
runner on November 8, 2012 at 9:14 AM
Yes because politics is just like business.
Cindy Munford on November 8, 2012 at 9:14 AM
The truth is Romney underestimated the enemy.
the_nile on November 8, 2012 at 9:14 AM
No amount of skill or experience will ever overcome a sufficient volume of sheer stupidity, self-indulgence, and uselessness.
And 50+ % of America is inflicted with those “values”; the Modern American Left cultivates and depends on them.
clippermiami on November 8, 2012 at 9:15 AM
Preibus had a mess to inherit. He had to raise money to make up for Steele’s mismanagement, and didn’t work on the ground game. Left that up to Romney to put together. Too late to match four years of Dem planning.
Wethal on November 8, 2012 at 9:17 AM
It’s amazing how Obama fails on almost everything but elections.
the_nile on November 8, 2012 at 9:17 AM
Two words that explain the difference? Sarah Palin.
ShainS on November 8, 2012 at 9:31 AM
We’re not supposed to remember that.
the_nile on November 8, 2012 at 9:35 AM
If Johnathan Last was a decent writer people might actually read his blog.
KS Rex on November 8, 2012 at 9:36 AM
The media. In the tank for four years.
That’s the whole ball of wax right there. All the rest of it worked for Obama because the media told the stories the Democrats wanted us to hear about both candidates.
tbrosz on November 8, 2012 at 9:46 AM
I’ll take his record over the idiot in chief’s any day of the week.
Red Creek on November 8, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Romney and many, many others did not factor in the strength of the media’s power to ignore stories that should be front and center. Plus huge numbers of sadly ignorant people being given free stuff for months before the election.
The world envisioned in the film, ‘Idiocracy’ isn’t just arounnd the corner. Or a generation or two off. It’s here right now!
I spent two hours in line to vote in predominantly black PG County, MD.. And was astounded at how pitifully and miserably uninformed those around me were.
Don’t blame Romney! The RNC and its many pundits and poobahs. As usual, were outmanned, outgunned and out generaled!
Jack Deth on November 8, 2012 at 10:01 AM
The problem is we have more takers than makers, and you’re giving them free stuff.
John the Libertarian on November 8, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Does that comfort you? It’s not true, but I guess whatever it takes to keep you warm at night.
You people are just crazy meme freaks. You didn’t build that meme!
tommyhawk on November 8, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Candidates have to run as who they are. Paul Ryan knew this, went to Florida to pitch his Medicare plan, and even though Medicare changes usually turn off Grandma, Ryan kept the grandma vote. He was sincere, smart, and knew exactly why he was doing what he was doing. Romney never came off as sincere. Politics isn’t really about policy, it’s about persuading people that you have what it takes to be a good leader. Romney didn’t do that enough. He came close, but it wasn’t enough.
alwaysfiredup on November 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM
I love how the SoCons just imagine that they haven’t browbeaten the sinners enough, and if only they could denounce more loudly and force their beliefs on others more forcefully victory would be theirs!
Verloc on November 8, 2012 at 11:59 AM
If one data point is enough to prove something, it makes just as much sense to say “He turned around the Olympics” or “He turned around MA as Governor” and use that as incontrovertible proof that he is a turnaround artist. That would be a weak argument. Likewise, arguing that one lost election is proof he’s not a turnaround artist is a weak argument.
Also, anyone that thinks that a CEO says jump and everyone says “How high” has likely never worked in a large company before. The politics in a large company can be even more vicious than national politics with people that are building fiefdoms and running their own angles. Not only do CEOs have to keep morale up (or people stop working efficiently) they also have to answer to the board, to investors and to a million government agencies.
A President Romney would have done an amazing job turning around the economy and then, after 8 years (with the economy booming) he would leave office being demonized as a heartless creature that didn’t care about anyone (just like Reagan) because the things you have to do to turn around an economy are often painful. But, at the end of the day, things would have been better for all of us.
JadeNYU on November 8, 2012 at 12:14 PM