Does Mitt Romney Have What It Takes?

Published in Le Figaro
(France) on 16 February 2012
by Véronique Saint-Geours (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Ann Marshall Thomas. Edited by Mark DeLucas.
Looking at Mitt Romney’s chaotic trajectory in the primaries, Republican experts have good reason to fear that the supposed Republican front-runner is losing ground. The New York Times and other media groups chalk it up to his “very poor” personal communication skills. People skills and talent for public speaking cannot be replaced by spending millions of dollars on campaign adds that cut down his competitors. But is Romney’s lack of charisma a real problem?

Romney is not a jubilant “hand shaker” or political personality, as were Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who both loved the campaign trail. The voters can feel that Romney is more reserved, and they don’t seem to like it.

Romney’s convictions are neither deep nor innate. He has a lot of difficulty sticking with the Republican program and does not use the party’s typical battery of arguments. He often coats his language with a veneer of poorly thought-out concepts. As one analyst said, he doesn’t speak the current Republican language.

Romney’s slips of the tongue have become more frequent. He sorely hurt his campaign when he declared, “don’t worry about the very poor,” and “[I'm] severely conservative.” Many Republicans may hold similar attitudes, but would never dare voice them during election time.

Journalists understand Romney less and less. During the 2008 campaign, he was much more accessible and often voluntarily stepped into the limelight. Ann Coulter, a conservative journalist who supports his campaign, has never been able to meet with or speak to him. When she ran into him at a fundraising reception, she reproached him for his lack of initiative. His only response was to laugh and agree.

Conservative experts find him disconnected from Republican leaders, who have very little contact with him. An editorial in the Wall Street Journal recommended that he get together with Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan and Mitch Daniels to discuss ways to overcome his painful isolation. His case might make a good brief for a psychoanalyst. But if he wants Republican voters to put him on the ballot as their choice to beat Obama, that’s another story.


Mitt Romney, le supposé front runner républicain, inquiète de plus en plus son propre camp, les experts (pundits) républicains en tête. Son trajet chaotique dans la primaire n'y est pas pour rien. Mais la presse et le New York Times, font état du peu d'appétit du candidat à en découdre et même s'inquiètent de le voir à ce point "très pauvre" en communication personnelle. Pas celle qu'on achète à coups de millions de dollars pour détruire le concurrent mais celle qu'on porte en soi parce qu'on adore ça. Vrai problème?

Romney n'est pas un joyeux "serreur de mains" ni un vrai tempérament politique. Comme l'était un Bill Clinton ou un G.W. Bush qui adoraient faire campagne. Les électeurs le sentent et Romney n'est pas bien aimé.

Romney n'aurait pas de convictions profondes et innées. D'où sa difficulté à coller au programme Républicain et à être adoubé par les caciques du parti. Et sa propension à plaquer sur son langage électoral des concepts mal assimilés. Un analyste dit qu'il ne parle pas couramment le (langage) républicain .

Romney en remet pour faire vrai. Ainsi son camp est atterré quand il déclare "ne pas être concerné par les très pauvres", "être un conservateur dur"...Toutes attitudes qui se pratiquent mais ne se disent pas si on les pense vraiment.

Romney n'a pas le fit avec les journalistes qui le comprennent de moins en moins. Pour la campagne 2008 il était plus accessible et allait au devant d'eux. Cette année, Ann Coulter, journaliste conservatrice qui le soutient, n'a jamais pu le rencontrer et parler avec lui de sa campagne. Quand elle l'a croisé dans une réception de fund raising, elle le lui a reproché. Sa seule réponse a été de rire et d'opiner.

Les experts conservateurs le trouvent déconnecté des chefs Républicains qui ne l'adoubent ni ne le rencontrent. Un éditorial du Wall Street Journal lui a recommandé ces jours-ci de s'y coller avec les Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan et Mitch Daniel pour discuter de tout ça et sortir de son isolement douloureux. Tous ces manques feraient un bon brief pour un psychanalyste.Mais pour donner aux électeurs républicains une violente envie de le mettre sur le ticket pour battre Obama c'est une autre histoire ...
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