On Facebook today, Nicholas Kristof writes:
Mitt Romney has had his share of flip-flops in his career. But I'd like to see one more: a reversion to the moderate pragmatist that he was for most of his career, the kind who probably wouldn't vote for today's Mitt Romney. Read the column and tell me if you agree.
So go tell him. You might have to subscribe to add your sentiments.
I have to say, I should not be surprised -- he is a "serious" person and a "professional" journalists and all -- but I can't help but be flabbergasted and annoyed that we're recycling the bring-back-my-GOP-mancrush genre for Mitt. It was ridiculous that we went through it with McCain, but it's positively offensive to our intelligence to be going through this with Willard Mitt Dukakney. Why would you care which version of Willard you get? All Willard cares about is Willard and his one-percenter pals.
Mr. Kristof references factcheck.org, pointing out "some" of the Democrats' assertions about Willard's flip-floppiness are stretching the truth. And? SO WHAT?! The man should be leader of the free world because he's merely a big flip-flopper as opposed to a gigantic one? That some of the flip-flopping was merely truth-shading ... ? Sorry to engage in my own revisiting of 2004, but where was the media's sober analysis when the pants-on-fire assertions about John Kerry were flying?
He completely avoids the very indelicate subject of Willard's status as a complete liar, of course, as it is gauche to point out that a Repug lies.
And what is it exactly Mr. Kristof wants? For Willard to grab the nomination by deceiving the far-right Repug base so that he can run as a center-right candidate in the general? There's already a center-right candidate in the general: his name is Barack Obama. And if Mr. Kristof, Mr. Friedman, Mr. Brooks, and the rest of the Broderites With Daddy Issues would pull their noses out of their respective navels for ten seconds, they might see that Obama has governed by and continues to campaign on essentially the policies they want us to think no one has ever thought of before.
Ha! But there I go -- not calling liars for what they are!
I am really pissed about this ultimately because I believe Mr. Kristof to be someone who "gets it" and cares deeply about issues in the developing world and especially women's rights, as evidenced by his deep and powerful work in Half the Sky. But I guess it's fine and dandy with him that Willard is willing to campaign against women's health and reproductive freedom -- literally, playing underclass women as cards -- stomp on LGBT interests, and lie baldly about every issue of significance from the past decade -- all will be forgiven if Willard will just go retro and relive those oh-so-moderate early 90's!
Well, I'm not going to forget the scorched earth left by Willard and the rest of the current Repug establishment. I guess what I owe Mr. Kristof is a big wet kiss and a thank-you for reminding me who the elites are, and that the answer is More Better Democrats.
Ironically, I share Mr. Kristof's hope that Willard will flip-flop-flip back to a moderate tack -- so that swing voters will have no reason to switch, and the Tea-Bagger-Evangelical axis will have no reason to show up.
Brothers and sisters, we have to win this thing, and we have to take back the People's House!