Republicans: Listen Before You Talk

by Pete Spiliakos

Ronald Reagan was a “Great Communicator” largely because he was a great listener. Continue Reading »

18 Feb 2014 0

Enough Talk About Entrepreneurs

by Pete Spiliakos

In the documentary “Mitt,” Romney talks about a business owner who was complaining about his tax burden. The business owner didn’t just pay income taxes. There were also the payroll taxes and gas taxes. Fair enough, but what about Romney’s infamous 47 percent comment in . . . . Continue Reading »

12 Feb 2014 0

A Defender, Not A Democracy-Extender?

by Carl Scott

Or how should we describe Mitt Romney foreign-policy wise? Is he a neo-con? A neo-neo-con? Honestly, I don’t know. I think Peter’s “Mender not an Ender” is the perfect description of the candidate domestically, “Blast from the Past , Mormon Version” is the . . . . Continue Reading »

8 Oct 2012 0

Republicans: Character Counts

by Kate Pitrone

Pete Spiliakos has been complaining about Romney’s performance at the Republican convention and about the lack of definition and specification of policy in convention speakers as a whole .  It didn’t bother me.  I figured that the next week and all through the fall, Romney, . . . . Continue Reading »

14 Sep 2012 0

Adventures In Humanizing

by Pete Spiliakos

Some examples, 1. Reagan was pretty reticent personally but I think this selection from his 1980 debate with Carter works very well: I don’t know what the differences might be, because I don’t know what Mr. Carter’s policies are. I do know what he has said about mine. And I’m . . . . Continue Reading »

3 Sep 2012 0

The Prevent Defense Is For Losers?

by Pete Spiliakos

Ross Douthat writes something that strikes me as very right (well, he often does that.) Romney’s speech last night was extremely vague on policy. If you went into the night not knowing what Romney wanted to do, you left the night not having learned much of anything. It was all personality . . . . Continue Reading »

31 Aug 2012 0

Thoughts On Last Night

by Pete Spiliakos

1. Romney gave a win by default speech. The theory seems to be that what is holding the marginal voter(s) back from supporting Romney is that they think he is a guy who doesn’t care about anything but making a buck for himself and that “humanizing” (I hate that word) is the key to . . . . Continue Reading »

31 Aug 2012 0

Two Big Factors

by Pete Spiliakos

So I was watching William Kristol and he said that this Romney ad on Medicare shows that the Romney campaign has embraced one “big fact.” The Medicare cuts in Obamacare have made Obama vulnerable on both the Medicare issue and the broader health care issue (and it distinguishes . . . . Continue Reading »

14 Aug 2012 0

A Message Pick Vs. A No Message Pick

by Pete Spiliakos

When looking at how much “risk” Romney wants to take on in picking a running mate, it helps to look at what kind of positive message Romney wants the public to hear in the fall campaign (that is distinct from the obvious negative message that Romney will run regarding economic . . . . Continue Reading »

3 Aug 2012 0

A Jindal Campaign For Jindal

by Pete Spiliakos

So the NRO crew has been writing a lot about the possibility of Romney picking Bobby Jindal for Veep.  Rich Lowry is for it.   Andrew Stuttaford worries that the Jindal exorcism story from back in his college days could turn into a major problem.  Ramesh Ponnuru has suggested a big . . . . Continue Reading »

18 Jul 2012 0