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Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post has advice for how Mitt Romney can turn his struggling campaign around. Apparently Romney isn’t talking too long to weigh in on major issues and not using the right surrogates. She suggests he needs “John Bolton on foreign policy. New Gingrich on radical jihadism. Paul Ryan on anything. John Sununu on Obama criticism. “
It is strange enough that the lesson anyone can draw from Romney’s botched response to the events in North Africa this week is that the communications shop in Boston is being too deliberate. But even more peculiar is suggesting that Romney needs to rely more on Newt Gingrich, John Bolton and John Sununu to appeal to voters.
Although all three make very colorful copy for reporters, they are not exactly the most appealing surrogates to attract swing voters. After all, the charm of Newt Gingrich pontificating or John Sununu shouting tends to be an acquired taste. Romney definitely needs to do a better job getting his message out. After all, this is a candidate whose press shop is best known for cursing at reporters. But the best way to do it probably isn’t to unleash Sununu.
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g on September 16, 2012 1:32 PM:
New[t] Gingrich on radical jihadism..... John Sununu on Obama criticism.
What exactly is Gingrich's expertise on jihadism? Even if one charitably assumes Gingrich is an authority on something, he was always a domestic policy guy, not a foreign affairs guy.
And nice to pigeonhole the vile Sununu as nothing better than an attack dog character assassin. That's his only area of expertise.
DenguyFL on September 16, 2012 1:38 PM:
When the message doesn't resonate, yell louder and more often. Hence, the repetition of outright lies, coordinated talking points and punishment of anyone that steps out of line. This is a party that is not only losing the demographic war but the values war. They say they have the values America was founded on. America was not founded on unfettered capitalism. America was not founded on treating citizens differently. We are still working on getting to full equality for everyone but the only party is making that happen(Lilly Ledbetter comes to mind as does the struggling ENDA) . America was not founded on corporations buying elections.In fact, Jefferson argues against that regardless of what idiotic statement Scalia makes about him.
The only option now is to throw them out. With their penchant for rewriting history that is not likely to change them though (see Barton, David).
captain dan on September 16, 2012 1:44 PM:
The christian jihadism is not that different from muslim jihadism. Both versions want to remake the society to their world view! (Capital letters were not used in order to show contempt.)
c u n d gulag on September 16, 2012 1:52 PM:
Yes, do bring in John Bolton to talk about foreign policy.
That won't scare anybody.
John "The Great Mustache of Death and Destruction" Bolton is like that doctor who, after he tells you you might have cancer, gives you a list of his favorite morticians.
The man is a war-loving sociopath, who, when it was his time to serve in a war that he supported, the Vietnam War, joined the MD National Guard instead, to avoid going there - and who wrote, "I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy. I considered the war in Vietnam already lost."
John Bolton never met a war he didn't love - as long as he didn't have to fight in it.
He is a gutless sociopathic bully, so yes, by all means, PLEASE bring him out to give his and Mitt's outlook on foreign policy.
There's nothing that people love more, than an unrepentent war-monger.
gregor on September 16, 2012 1:58 PM:
You are wrong. It's a brilliantly encrypted message.
If you combine and down select some letters from the various names in the list, you get Queen Orly Taitz.
That's what will do the trick.
Celui on September 16, 2012 2:00 PM:
What expertise does any of these charlatans bring to the table, except for blustering rhetoric, falsehoods aplenty, and the strangest facial expressions ever conceived among three so-called 'authorities'? I concur with gulag's invitation: in the words of W:: Bring 'em on!!!! (Much easier to refute nonsense if the nonsensical speaker not only spiels nonsense, but looks the part.)
dalloway on September 16, 2012 2:05 PM:
Exactly right, c u n d gulag! Show Bolton in all his sociopathic glory -- and remind America that Romney has publicly favored a war with Iran. Call me crazy, but I don't think this country trusts Mr. Shoots Before You Aim to decide whether or not we should go to war.
just sayin' on September 16, 2012 2:07 PM:
hey, why not throw in Clint Eastwood as spokesman while you're at it??
Mitt's Magic Underpants on September 16, 2012 2:07 PM:
Her column is just another sign of how lazy the media are. They want a horserace and they want quick copy.
Milt on September 16, 2012 2:10 PM:
Romney: "I can't explain my ideas to you but I have these people who can." Ya, that's a real good idea.
Joe Friday on September 16, 2012 2:13 PM:
"She suggests he needs 'John Bolton on foreign policy. New Gingrich on radical jihadism. Paul Ryan on anything. John Sununu on Obama criticism'."
Bring 'em on and pass the popcorn.
exlibra on September 16, 2012 2:33 PM:
Rubin has never been the sharpest crayon in the box, but now she's just like R-money's campaign -- flaming out.
"osubcon family"? Full blown "con", in my opinion, nothing "sub" about it.
freudian slip on September 16, 2012 2:44 PM:
Ha ha ha--
Get Rick Santorum, who just said the Republican Party doesn't have the smart people in it:
"We will never have the media on our side, ever, in this country," Santorum told the audience at the Omni Shoreham hotel, "We will never have the elite, smart people on our side."
bluestatedon on September 16, 2012 2:49 PM:
Describing Rubin as "never been the sharpest crayon in the box" is liking describing limburger as "not the mildest cheese in the refrigerator."
However, from the standpoint of being a Democrat, I sincerely hope that Romney follows Baghdad Jennifer's advice. Putting Bolton, Gingrich, and Sununu front and center will certainly move millions of Democrats and independents over to Romney's side.
freudian slip on September 16, 2012 3:01 PM:
Rubin is saying to the world that Mitt Romney and his campaign are 1) impaired, 2)emasculated, 3)exposed, 4) diminished, 5)exhausted, 6)faded, 7)failed, 8)waning.
She isn't doing him or it any favors.
I can't stand her stuff anyway. How old is she? She supports them changing Medicare and Social Security with vouchers and privatization?????
Diane Rodriguez on September 16, 2012 3:09 PM:
Using Sununu as a surrogate is probably one of the campaign's smarter moves. He is the surrogate who is the loudest, most vulgar, transparent in is racism and obvious in his lies.
There's no downside. He can be dropped like a hot rock in a minute. The campaign can distance themselves and Sununu will disappear back into the bottle. He keeps the fanatics happy hurling steaming plops of shit while Romney and Ryan stay away from the smell. In the event of overload there's always the Eastwood excuse (had NO idea)or the sad/incredulous/he's a troubled old man meme. Nope I think Sununu works for Romney - not on me or those like me, but then we're not the audience.
freudian slip on September 16, 2012 3:18 PM:
Hope voters notice that House Republicans plan to adjourn with the antions business left undone.
There is a jobs bill, and other key legislation.
Where are the jobs, Republicans?
What have you done for us lately? Two months off?
Let's track how many meetings they have with constituents or how much they in bars.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/09/14/853431/house-republicans-plan-two-month-vacation-leaving-key-bills-awaiting-action/
DRF on September 16, 2012 3:21 PM:
What on earth could Rubin be thinking? Sununu does damage to Romney every time he opens his mouth; Gingrich is one of the least popular national political figures in the country (and one of the least reliable); and Bolton--even if you liked Bolton and his foreign policy views, he's far too blunt and lacking in political skills to be a trustworthy surrogate.
In any event, "jihadism" and foreign policy are not the issues the Romney campaign wants to emphasize. Romney's problem for the rest of the campaign is to try to appeal to independents and undecided voters without alienating the rightwing of the Republican Party. These three individuals are close to the last people you would want out there acting as surrogates under the circumstances. If Rubin is sincere in this suggestion, then she's an idiot.
My guess is that she knows her tenure at the Washington Post is near its end and she's auditioning for a new gig at either Fox News, The Washington Times or a rightwing think tank.
Joe on September 16, 2012 3:33 PM:
Dear Ben,
(1) "Isn't talking too long"; "New Gingrich."
(2) "The result was that she was slammed as a 'fake Indian' and hurt her standing in the polls"; "the campaign can finally move forward to enable Massachusetts voters to get down to the real policy differences between Warren and Brown."
:-(
Blogging is blogging, but still!
TCinLA on September 16, 2012 4:06 PM:
There are days when I think "Jennifer Rubin" is the creation of a good satirist, sort of like "Republican Point of View" here in the comments. Today is definitely one of those days.
girl down the street on September 16, 2012 4:10 PM:
A must read, with exceptional links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/mitt-romney-libya-attack_b_1881685.html
Kathryn on September 16, 2012 4:12 PM:
I think Rommey campaign should follow her sage advice.
majun on September 16, 2012 4:19 PM:
I hope Romney listens very carefully to Jennifer Rubin and follows her advice.
I don't want there to be any doubt in anyone's mind that the vote in 2012 is an accurate reflection of the popularity of the hard right radical ideology of the Republican Party. I don't want anyone to be able to level a credible RINO charge at Romney/ Ryan.
Rip on September 16, 2012 4:26 PM:
Rubin is steadily steering into "Palin could help Mitt win this thing" territory.
I'm trying to imagine a WP columnist in 2004 proclaiming that what Kerry needs is Kucinich on Foreign Policy, Jimmy Carter on Israel, Al Sharpton on anything, and Dan Rostenkowski on Bush criticism.
T2 on September 16, 2012 4:54 PM:
Does anyone ever wonder how much money flows from the Koch Bros. Into the hand of tools like Rubin......passed in newsprint wrapped packages left in drop boxes?
rk21 on September 16, 2012 5:23 PM:
She suggests he needs 'John Bolton on foreign policy. New Gingrich on radical jihadism. Paul Ryan on anything. John Sununu on Obama criticism'."
Yes he needs these guys for success just like he needs Herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis and death. But I earnestly wish he takes her advice.
rae on September 16, 2012 6:16 PM:
After reading her blog postings for a while, I have become convinced that Jennifer Rubin is in fact a liberal plant. The things she says are so bone-headed, that I think she is intentionally trying to discredit the conservative cause. Every time she opens her mouth, she moves the country a little bit leftwards.
jjm on September 16, 2012 6:16 PM:
What a list of has-beens and soon to be has-beens (Ryan).
Prof B on September 16, 2012 6:19 PM:
Yeah, that's the ticket. More make-believe analysis. You gotta hand it to Rubin, at least she's consistent.
http://www.russellburgos.com/2012/09/protests-inspired-by-or-at-least.html
j on September 16, 2012 6:35 PM:
Seems to me I heard somewhere that Sununu is a Palestinian Arab!
Gingrich would be a good adviser on marriage - he's a serial adulterer.
Cheney sounds good on foreign policy, everything he said turned out to be wrong and he is still wanted in Europe for war crimes.
Ryan is a good budget man, he cannot add up.
Romney has a wealth of expertise to draw on.
Bruce S on September 16, 2012 6:45 PM:
"Paul Ryan on anything."
Yeah - any guy who has bridged the philosophical gap between Ayn Rand and Thomas Aquinas is obviously capable of saying "anything" - which is the Romney-Ryan campaign's "core value."
rrk1 on September 16, 2012 6:49 PM:
One can only hope that Romney takes her advice. He's clueless about foreign policy, actually the world outside his financial bubble, and surely doesn't understand that the three-ring circus of Bolton, Gingrich and Sununu would probably alienate even parts of his base.
Please, please, please, let them loose. I might even start paying attention to the fun.
emjayay on September 16, 2012 7:04 PM:
For those of you who think Rubin is bad in print, wait till you see her as a guest on a political chat teevee segment. She adds a smug, unpleasant, butting in and not ever shutting up sort of personality to the narrow minded stupidity you may have already noticed.
Can't anyone find an intelligent and informed conservative opinionator? The WaPo should be ashamed of themselves for wasting their money and insulting the intelligence of their readers. They might as well hire Sarah Palin, and lock her in a room so they know it's really her own writing.
Actually, that sounds like a good idea.
freudian slip on September 16, 2012 7:24 PM:
One thing I was thinking is that those guys and Bachmann aren't that good at orwellian speech--they're too obvious, and fairly ridiculed, I'd say.
I am annoyed with the hidden Republicans advancing an political agenda by dealing in economic instability and fostering doubt and worry, PLUS the Do Nothing Congress misusing the filibuster and working against the common good through outright abuse of the system.
It is irritating that they have completed minimal business and instead have waged a war on womens' rights, have blocked Democrats all year, have thoroughly blocked the jobs bill--- and now are on a two month vacation.
Thisby on September 16, 2012 7:36 PM:
"She suggests he needs 'John Bolton on foreign policy. New Gingrich on radical jihadism. Paul Ryan on anything. John Sununu on Obama criticism'."
Not bad, but... it needs a tweak. How about we say, "Paul Ryan on foreign policy, John Sununu on radical jihadism, John Bolton on Obama criticism, and Newt Gingrich on zoo animals."
Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!
Dori O'Day on September 16, 2012 9:06 PM:
I wonder if it's as boring to type and retype the same vague counters as it is to read them...
dweb on September 16, 2012 9:17 PM:
Of course that begs the question of why ANYONE will take advice from Jennifer Rubin.
f. slip on September 16, 2012 10:37 PM:
One of the best summaries of Romney's week, and I lost the citation for it
"Once Stevens' death became known, the significance of what was happening overseas ratcheted up and the political context shifted. What was demanded of Romney was sobriety and a recognition that the United States had absorbed a psychic blow.
But Romney appeared clueless.
He was, no matter what, going to get questions that morning about his statement the night before. He could have had a leadership moment by forcefully dismissing those questions and stressing that it was a time for grieving and reflection."
Russ Brown on September 17, 2012 9:21 AM:
I can't figure out why the Post thinks it needs Jennifer Rubin.
bluestatedon on September 17, 2012 10:29 AM:
"I can't figure out why the Post thinks it needs Jennifer Rubin."
The WaPo likes the checks that major corporate advertisers send in each month.
BJ smith on September 17, 2012 10:48 AM:
Jennifer must secretly hate Mitt romney.
divF on September 17, 2012 10:49 AM:
This thread is starting to be reminiscent of the old joke
"Heaven is where the police are British, the lovers French, the mechanics German, the chefs Italian, and it is all organized by the Swiss.
Hell is where the chefs are British, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, the police German, and it is all organized by the Italians."
The difference is that there is no way of rearranging the names that doesn't result in hell.
LAC on September 17, 2012 11:31 AM:
A week of that lot of losers yapping on the campaign trail, Romney deficit will go in the double digits- only in Rubin's "sexy Paul Ryan" addled brain does that make any sense.
And the one time Diane Rheim had that nasty heiffa on her show was enough for me. I hope I never hear or see her on a show again.
Why does WAPO keep Rubin around? My theory - WAPO executives, trip to Mexico, undisclosed donkey sex show pictures. Or is that why Theissen is still there?
SecularAnimist on September 17, 2012 12:13 PM:
Jennifer Rubin is telling us exactly what the Ditto-Head base wants to hear from the Romney campaign: an endless torrent of Fox News bullshit. They are addicted to it. They can never get enough.
They don't really care whether Romney wins -- they just want their bullshit fix. And in fact, they would really be perfectly happy for Obama to win, since that would guarantee them another four-year supply of bullshit from the "right wing" media. They will have a lot more fun feasting on Obama hatred for four more years than they would being spoon-fed pro-Romney propaganda.