Tonight, watching Mr. Romney's Illinois primary victory speech, my attitude toward the former governor changed abruptly.
I no longer find him funny or endearingly pathetic. I find him hateful.
I listened as he mocked a man because he chose to serve his community and teach constitutional law for twenty years instead of destroying people's livelihoods for private profit. I listened as he likened his predatory vulture capitalism with the innovative mind of Steve Jobs. I listened as he made the impossible pledge to reduce our children's debts by lowering taxes on everyone.
And I listened while he pledged to pull the safety net from my country's neediest. While nakedly calling for his class, the most fortunate, pampered people on the face of the earth, to give less and get more.
This man is no longer funny to me. He is loathsome. And I vow to do everything I can to make sure he never holds another position of political power in this country.
His vision of unbridled wealth triumphant is the epitome of the philosophy that has driven the American ideal of shared sacrifice and shared hope nearly to its death. It is a vision of cynical greed wrapped in glib, faux patriotism. "Freedom!" he and his like chant, adding, under their breaths, "For me."
And for thee, nothing. Just a myth of "opportunity" that means nothing in a country where pampered sons can buy your job and crush it to dust to buy themselves a new mansion.
Mitt Romney, you are no longer my clown. You are my enemy. And I vow, here and now, to destroy you and all your hopes of vindicating your father's failed quest for power.
It's on, Mitt. How you like them trees?