NY Times columnist Charles Blow's latest posting Candidate Blank is a deadly weapon....the rapier point of which could and should be the blade that destroys his campaign for President.
If this is the Etch A Sketch phase of Mitt Romney’s campaign, he seems to want to freeze it the moment after you shake the toy, before you turn the knobs again: blank.
Mitt Romney wants to run as the generic candidate, the every man and any man, undefined, nonspecific, the other guy, anybody but Obama." (snip)
But how, specifically? Just make him president and all will be revealed, too late for voters to rebel, leaving time only for regret. That is the Romney strategy: Obfuscate and delay. Stay loose and elusive. Hide in the fog until the search party passes.
That is the core question facing this election....and Blow's entire commentary makes the point....
Just WHAT exactly, does Mitt Romney stand for?
And that is the core question of this election, one which Blow succinctly points to:
Unless the media presses harder for Romney to respond to questions and blasts him when he doesn’t, the country will be in danger, if Romney wins, of gambling on what the policies of the president will be. But this responsibility doesn’t end with the media. Citizens must also demand answers. It is outrageous for Romney to be allowed to worm his way out of providing them.
Romney is cheating the public out of the truth.
So let's hold the media's feet to the fire. They have started doing more articles about the fact that Mitt is studiously avoiding specifics about specific campaign issues, but they need to do more to either pin him down, or make it clear he is avoiding the questions.
Soledad O'Brien clearly did it when one of his surrogates refused to say what Romney would do about immigration.
But next time Mitt or one of his aides says Mitt's decision making once elected will be "Guided by Congress," and they don't need to tell you now what he will do....do whatever you can to drive home the dagger.
WHAT will you do as President?