Romney’s France strategy?
Slate’s Bruce Reed is reporting on Mitt Romney’s Brand Mormon strategy, which includes this quote from a Boston Globe story on a 77-slide PowerPoint put together for Romney’s campaign:
“Enmity toward France, where Romney did his Mormon mission during college, is a recurring theme of the document.”
Both the Globe and Slate have a history of bias against Romney so we should take their slant on things with a grain of salt. Romney’s spokesperson, who wouldn’t confirm the plan’s authenticity and points out that most of what’s in there is conventional wisdom. However, if you click on the slide that the Globe reproduces, France is clearly shows as a target.
I am honestly agnostic towards the Romney candidacy. Indeed, I won’t be voting in either the Republican or Democratic primaries and don’t plan on making up my mind or even seriously studying candidates until the Presidential election. But I am interested in how Mormonism is portrayed by the media and by high-profile Mormons. Obviously, everybody’s mission experience and how they feel about where they served is different. And France has a difficult relationship with American and with the LDS Church.
Even so, my knee-jerk reaction to this idea was “you don’t do that to the place you served, man.” Yeah, France as a government has persecuted the Mormons and I would imagine that many French citizens have not treated members and missionaries very well. But France isn’t just that — it’s also all the people you knew and loved and even perhaps a culture you fell in love with.
If Romney had served in Romania, and it was on the PowerPoint instead of France, I would be firing off an e-mail to his spokesperson right now. So here’s my question (and I fully recognize that people’s politic stance in relation to Romney and/or attitude towards France is going to come in to play here, but let’s try and minimize that if possible):
What do you think of using one’s mission experience as a negative tactic in a political campaign? I’m trying to get beyond my knee-jerk reaction and finding a lot of muddled analysis and feelings so I have no final answer yet.
I loved my mission in France circa late 1970′s, but it was in the South of France, not Paris, which is almost a different country. But I’ve since been to Paris several times, and to this day, I think the whole of France is a great country. But I don’t think Romney’s tough mission has anything to do with Team Romney’s strategy. It’s an America first message, nothing more. The emnity between France and the USA is because we’re both very nationalistic peoples who put our countries first. A US pres candidate who doesn’t (ie Kerry) is doomed.
Comment by Steve EM — February 28, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
I think Romney has an uphill fight. The latest WaPost/ABC Poll has Romney at only 4%. Most people think McCain is in serious trouble. Right now, quite surprisingly, Giuliani leads. However at this date it might mainly be name recognition.
Comment by Clark Goble — February 28, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
BTW – Romney is already lowering expectations on the poll numbers.
As to Romney’s use of his mission. I find it more than a bit disturbing. On the other hand given the odd love/hate relationship between France and the US (especially among conservatives) I can see him trying to deal with it. Personally I’m just happy we have a potential candidate who can speak a foreign language.
It’s odd to me that Americans (or at least a significant number) want our Presidents to be somewhat uneducated. Clinton, who for all his problems is very intelligent, played up the “southern bubba” routine. Bush, who was reasonably well spoken prior to the election, played up the regular Texas bit. (Although arguably Bush isn’t too intelligent)
That “leaked” Romney memo suggests they are going to play up the Romney as intelligent. However the whole France bit doesn’t make sense in terms of that.
BTW – most people I know think Romney leaked this PPT presentation intentionally.
Comment by Clark Goble — February 28, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
William,
I’m not that familiar with the church’s relationship with the French government. Can you share with me some examples of this enmity?
So would I, seeing that I am Romanian and served in Romania on my mission! No deriding my country man!
I think Clark said it best. This particular point in Romney’s strategy actually has nothing to do with France. Seriously, from a foreign policy perspective, at this moment in time, what good does it do to pick on France? They’ve actually been quite helpful with Lebanon and Iran lately. Picking on them makes no sense from a foreign policy perspective. However, as Clark said, this has everything to do with right-wing politics. Romney is trying to fashion himself as “one of the guys,” not an “internationalist” like Kerry (even though he is probably more like Kerry than he wants to admit), and all for “freedom fries” (even though of course French Fries are really of Belgian origin). The point of it is the domestic right-wing. This is Romney’s attempt to BRT with them. And in all honesty, what right-winger doesn’t love a good crack at the French?
Comment by Dan — February 28, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
Hmmm. I would be rather disappointed if Giuliani wins the nomination. Perhaps I should register as Republican so I can vote in the primaries. Of course, it’s early yet.
——
I understand the political reasoning behind the France bashing/distancing or whatever. But I agree with Clark that it seems very odd. And I feel that culturally, as irrational as this may be, that one sort of owes something (and we can argue about exactly what) to the people and culture that you served. How that translates into political talking points, I don’t know.
Comment by William Morris — February 28, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
The problem William is ultimately with the electorate. And, as I said, it’s not just the conservatives. There is a strong anti-intellectual streak in American politics. Although I think in practice it’s because those who value intellectual approaches to problems largely have their minds made up regarding voting patterns. So the “swing vote” are the 20 – 30% who vote largely out of irrational reasons.
Comment by Clark Goble — February 28, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
“You don’t do that to your mission.”
Yes, exactly.
I would also add that you don’t do that to your home state either.
I really don’t appreciate Romney’s cracks at Massachusetts. I don’t care if you think Bostonites are nutso or not. Taking pot-shots at the state you served as governor is tactless. Think how the people there who elected him and supported him feel right now.
I actually have a lot of loyalty to my religion – and Romney, I will admit, had positive marks with me just for being Mormon. It helped that I served as a volunteer in the Salt Lake Olympics and was very impressed with him then.
My goodwill is evaporating.
Romney is fast painting a new image for me:
A sycophantic toady willing to embrace any reprehensible political position, whether he believes it or not, to curry favor with certain voters. Where is the moral foundation?
He’s not completely there yet. He can change my mind. But he’s running out of time. If I were to vote now, I’d take McCain or Obama over Romney.
What is it with this Mormon impulse to kiss up to the Christian Right in an attempt to pretend we’re part of the American “in-crowd?”
Because no matter how many playground wedgies we dish out, and taunts we shout, we’ll never be “one of them.” So why are we even trying?
Comment by Seth R. — March 1, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
Now, now Seth. Let’s be honest. Would you ever have voted for Romney? Realistically?
I will say I’ve become fairly disenchanted with him of late though. Sounds like a lot of other people have. Guiliani is the posterboy at the moment, but I can’t see that lasting. He has a lot of skeletons. Further he’s trying to portray himself as the libertarian Republican when he really doesn’t seem terribly libertarian. (He’s pro-gun control for heavens sake) McCain is dying even quicker than Romney. Although McCain has farther to fall.
So at this stage it is looking like Gingrich although I just can’t see him being electable despite a lot of conservatives liking him.
There is a draft Fred Thompson move afloat. (You know, the guy from Law and Order?) I was actually pretty impressed with him before he returned to full time acting. If he ran he’d be my pick.
As for Obama, he’s even less experienced than Bush was. And we see what happened the last time we put someone with few skills in power. Clinton is nearly as bad to my eyes as re-electing Bush. (Not quite, but still pretty bad) Richardson from NM would be my Democratic choice but I know he doesn’t have a chance.
Comment by clark — March 2, 2007 @ 1:33 am
Not so Clark,
Reagan was almost as inexperienced as Bush.
Now I don’t particularly like Reagan. But even I recognize that the guy was a rather effective leader. Leadership has a bit to do with experience, but it’s not everything.
Yes, I probably would have voted for Romney in the Massachusetts senatorial election and gubernatorial election. If he’d stayed on track, he would be a contender now. But it doesn’t look like he’s going to recover on this one. Seriously, what on earth was he thinking in proudly laying hold of the Bush legacy?
Comment by Seth R. — March 2, 2007 @ 5:52 am
Dick Polman has a good take on Romney’s pot shots at the French.
Comment by Dan — March 2, 2007 @ 6:50 am
I don’t agree with that. First Reagan had been a successful person in the various jobs he was in. He was leader of the screen actor’s guild for instance. Then in the years prior to running for President but after being Governor of California he spoke extensively of various policy issues for a radio show. They were collected in a book a few years back. I read them and was quite impressed with his knowledge of foreign policy and domestic policy even if I didn’t always agree with him. Contrast this with Bush.
Comment by clark — March 2, 2007 @ 11:43 am
Joshua Marshall is watching CPAC conference and wondering why Romney is making fun of his old state….
How much of a sellout is Mitt Romney going to become? I mean, first his goal is to pick on France, (where he served a mission), and now he’s picking on Massachusetts (where he served as governor). Are we to expect Romney will crack jokes about America after he’s moved on from being president?
What a fool.
Comment by Dan — March 2, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
Low-class is the word that comes to mind.
Comment by Seth R. — March 2, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Seth,
I think it speaks volumes about the party he is pandering to, where they don’t mind that he denigrates the state he just finished serving…..
Comment by Dan — March 3, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
I don’t think it says anything about them.
They haven’t voted yet, have they? We’ll see at the primaries whether they were impressed or not.
Comment by Seth R. — March 3, 2007 @ 4:19 pm