(Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
Last night's debate was boring. I doubt it will move the numbers one way or the other, but it may stop Romney's bleeding. Let's stipulate that upfront. Mitt zeroed in Newt's baggage. Newt did his best to appear as president of trolls. However, Mitt Romney blew one answer that I suspect is going to linger in the minds of conservative activists. It was one answer where he had the opportunity to accomplish his most challenging test: to win over the conservative base. Read:
Williams: What have you done to further the cause of conservatism as a Republican leader?
Romney:Well, number one, I've raised a family. With my wife we've raised five wonderful sons and have sixteen wonderful grandkids. Number two, I've worked in the private sector. The idea that somehow everything important for conservatism or for America happens in government is simply wrong.
Romney went on to ramble about his resume, but that one paragraph right there indicates clearly he has no understanding of, and no connection to, modern movement conservatism in America. He wants to be president because he thinks he deserves it, and not because he believes in anything.
Movement conservatism was founded upon, has been, and continues to be primarily and solely concerned with government. As in, making it "small enough to drown in a bathtub" government. As in it "isn't the solution to the problem, it is the problem" government. The fact that Mitt Romney is a grandfather and had a job isn't going to be a convincing argument that he is a conservative. Saying conservatism has nothing to do with what happens in government, when it was founded for the very purpose of dismantling government, indicates a deep, abiding, cultural and philosophical disconnect Mitt Romney has with the base of the Republican Party. Conservatives see that. It is obvious to them. That is the reason why he repeatedly cannot hold on to a lead when challenged.
Mitt Romney not only needed to stop Newt last night. He needed to convince conservatives to abandon Newt. He blew it.
These points are obvious. What really shocked me was not only that Mitt Romney couldn't answer the question about what makes him a conservative. It is that he does such a god-awful job lying about it. Even when his entire six-year presidential campaign is threatened. He can't even effectively pretend to be a conservative!
He's a weak candidate, an awful politician, and a terrible campaigner. All these things should make the Republican establishment despondent because he will be the GOP nominee. But more importantly, the fact that he just fundamentally does not believe in anything except himself and his exploits as a corporate raider is exactly why the American people are increasingly beginning to conclude that he's unacceptable as president.