Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Give us Romney. Now.
Mitt Romney hasn't spoken much lately; must admit I was beginning to drift toward Newt as the more likely candidate in '08. (Right now would be better, but we unfortunately don't have that choice.)
Granted, Romney has been busy governing a big state, with lots of corruption to dig up; and Newt has nothing better to do than to appear on TV. Still, once your hat is in the ring you really have to keep your words in the public ear.
Romney has finally found time to speak on the war, and he has outdone himself. A brief passage:
I'd like to talk about doors for just a minute.
When I was little, my boxer dog's bark meant that Dad was coming through the back door. He was finally home, and the fun could begin.
When I became a married man, walking through the kitchen door was the happiest moment in my day. Everything that had been occupying my concerns was suddenly unimportant.
...
Today, we mourn because of doors that no longer open, open to fathers and mothers fresh from work; open to sons and daughters home for dinner; open to husbands and wives waiting an evening's embrace.
Because crazed fanatics broke down the fragile doors of their Boston-based aircraft, the doors of so many, many lives are now empty and shadowed.
It is hard for our minds to contemplate a human darkness so vile that it celebrates murder and destruction of innocent lives.
The whole thing in PDF form here.
Splendid writing. He's not trying to sound like Churchill, not trying to sound like Lincoln [which Bush unfortunately tries, only to sound foolish], not imitating anyone except himself. Still, the subject and tone resonated with something I'd read before ...
This was part of a long series of ads by Nash during the war. Various subjects, various goals, but all written perfectly, and all had those eyes. Romney's father took over Nash after the war, and pulled it up from a marginal 'independent' to [briefly] overtake Chrysler as the #3 automaker.
I suppose the similarity could be coincidental, but I suspect there's a sort of cultural inheritance at work here. Connected or not, this is the type of speech we need from our leaders. Emotional, yes. Teddy bears on the fence, no.
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I want Romney, and I want him NOW! ¶ 1:01 PM
Granted, Romney has been busy governing a big state, with lots of corruption to dig up; and Newt has nothing better to do than to appear on TV. Still, once your hat is in the ring you really have to keep your words in the public ear.
Romney has finally found time to speak on the war, and he has outdone himself. A brief passage:
I'd like to talk about doors for just a minute.
When I was little, my boxer dog's bark meant that Dad was coming through the back door. He was finally home, and the fun could begin.
When I became a married man, walking through the kitchen door was the happiest moment in my day. Everything that had been occupying my concerns was suddenly unimportant.
...
Today, we mourn because of doors that no longer open, open to fathers and mothers fresh from work; open to sons and daughters home for dinner; open to husbands and wives waiting an evening's embrace.
Because crazed fanatics broke down the fragile doors of their Boston-based aircraft, the doors of so many, many lives are now empty and shadowed.
It is hard for our minds to contemplate a human darkness so vile that it celebrates murder and destruction of innocent lives.
The whole thing in PDF form here.
Splendid writing. He's not trying to sound like Churchill, not trying to sound like Lincoln [which Bush unfortunately tries, only to sound foolish], not imitating anyone except himself. Still, the subject and tone resonated with something I'd read before ...
This was part of a long series of ads by Nash during the war. Various subjects, various goals, but all written perfectly, and all had those eyes. Romney's father took over Nash after the war, and pulled it up from a marginal 'independent' to [briefly] overtake Chrysler as the #3 automaker.
I suppose the similarity could be coincidental, but I suspect there's a sort of cultural inheritance at work here. Connected or not, this is the type of speech we need from our leaders. Emotional, yes. Teddy bears on the fence, no.
-----
I want Romney, and I want him NOW! ¶ 1:01 PM
