In the words of an ancient Tao aphorism (I'm paraphrasing):
How many times does shit have to hit the fan before the very serious people notice the rich man's stench?
As the growing handful of followers of Upper West Trade Index know, the Mitt Not the Nominee (MNN) (TM) Index has fluctuated wildly in the last month, as the putative Republican nominee has been battered by one Tysonian blow to the head after another:
First there was the "Lost Bain Years" debacle, a Twilight Zone episode in which the years 1999-2002 vanished, like Brigadoon, in the mists of conflicting SEC and FEC filings, and Bain itself turned from a model citizen in 1998 to a Rogue enterprise as soon as Mitt "left" the next year.
Then there was the wretched "Weekend at Boris's" in London, in which Mitt would have done infinitely better propped up as though dead like Bernie in the nearly eponymous movie.
This was followed by the "Culture Club" fiasco in the Holy Land, where "Boy Mitt" went all Bell Curve on the Palestinians (as well as the Mexicans and Ecuadorians), while at the same time executing a vaguely anti-Semitic pivot about Israelis and money. Not easy.
Return to the States provided no respite at all, as Mitt was greeted by Harry "I don't give a shit" Reid's charge that his source said Mitt paid no taxes for 10 years.
And now, comments on MA healthcare by poor Andrea Saul (i.e., Mitt's Hilary Rosen) have touched off an epic tantrum among the lunar-baying right, unleashing no less than
The Grey, a/k/a Ann Coulter, in all her vicious, spittle spewing glory, urging donor insurrection: "if Andrea Saul isn’t fired and off the campaign tomorrow, they are not giving another dime, because it is not worth fighting for this man if this is the kind of spokesman he has."
Whew!
And yet, in spite of all of this, the MNN (TM) has failed to breach the 50% mark so far because the various Mitt disasters have had a relatively Teflon effect, at least measured by polls showing a tight race (at least nationally).
Now, though, recent polls are finally reflecting recognition by increasing numbers voters that Mitt is at the very least, grossly incompetent, and should not be let near the Oval Office.
And last night, all hell broke loose, with Eric the Red and Ann the Lupine screaming for blood as the scales fell from their eyes and they once again beheld Mitt as the squishy, Bush I false conservative they always suspected he was.
Based on all of the above, the MNN (TM) has been raised to 48%.
To express your perception of the MNN, take the poll below.
Disclaimer: Upper West Trade (TM) is a personal index created by Upper West for the initial purpose of tracking the odds of Mitt Romney not getting the Republican nomination for President. None of the information contained on Upper West Trade (TM) is an offer or sale of or the solicitation or invitation of an offer to buy any securities of Upper West Trade (TM) in the United States or any other jurisdiction.
The NNM Index (TM) is the percentage possibility that Mitt will Not be the Republican Nominee.
Upper West Trade (TM) is not and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or under the securities laws of any state of the United States.