Trying to pinpoint the most self-destructive spokesman for the Romney campaign is like trying to pick out what's the worst Michael Bay movie; they all suck in their own special way. Eric "Etch-a-Sketch" Ferhnstrom and Ann Coulter's new devil incarnate Andrea Saul certainly have their claim to this dubious title. But for most offensive and idiotic, I don't think anyone can top John Sununu, who has come off like the drunk, loudmouthed and abusive uncle who everyone tries to avoid at Thanksgiving.
You'd think that after his offensive and, frankly, racist rant about Obama needing to "learn how to be an American" and his conspiracy theories about Obama and Harry Reid (and isn't it rich of Sununu to call anyone "bumbling?"), someone in the Romney campaign might find it prudent to put a muzzle on Sununu or at least not let him near a camera. Or maybe even cut him loose. Seriously, what do you gain for having around a washed-up politician who hasn't held elected office since Reagan's administration and left his job as Bush the Elder's COS under an ethical cloud? Because he can get you kickass flights for free maybe?
But apparently, as seem customary in the Romney camp, no one is paying attention. Because look and behold, Sununu, apparently in projection mode after Newsweek's recent "Wimp Factor" cover story on Romney, opened his big fat mouth yet again. Watch here:
Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu, known for his candor, took a jab at former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell's book, "A Nation of Wusses," and launched an attack line at President Barack Obama.
"Obama hasn't passed a budget in four years, he's a wuss," Sununu, a Republican, said Thursday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "Obama has rejected the reccomendation of his own Simpson-Bowles, on a budget package, he's a wuss. He wants to lead from behind, he's a wuss."
Wow, so we've got Reince Preibus calling Reid a "dirty liar," Romney using the term "Obamalogna" and Sununu calling the President a "wuss." Are these public figures or a gang of unruly fourth graders who won't behave for the substitute?
As usual, the incomparable Steven Benen has much to say on this issue, including a nice rundown of all the wussy behavior Romney has displayed (seriously, calling Obama a wuss lost any effectiveness when Osama Bin Laden got the bullet between the eye) and calling Sununu out for his idiocy (Congress passes the budget, not the President). But he also nicely sums up another neat problem for the right; their inability to stick with a negative definition for Obama:
But in the bigger picture, I'm struck by the degree to which the president's critics still haven't decided how to define him, and frequently contradict one another. As we discussed a few months ago, at different times over the last four years, Obama's detractors have said he's a ruthless Chicago thug and a weak pushover. He's a bystander who goes golfing too much and an activist president who engages too much. He's sticking to the Bush/Cheney script on national security and he's putting us at risk by abandoning the Bush/Cheney national security agenda. He's cutting cherished entitlement programs like Medicare and he refuses to cut entitlement programs like Meidcare. He's too mean to Wall Street and he's too nice to Wall Street.
If the right would just pick a cariacture and stick with it, their criticisms would at least be more coherent.
Pick a stereotype, GOP. Thug or wuss, you can't have both. And while you're at it, shut Sununu up before he embarasses you again.