Romney Attempts to Change the Subject

Poor Mitt Romney; he has no sense of rhyme or rhythm. He has no ear to pick out the beat of the campaign and understand the Republican electorate. First, he got off on the wrong foot with women because of his failure to condemn Rush Limbaugh’s obscene remarks. Then, he makes fun of President Carter, which is not very elegant. Finally, he even managed to get on the wrong side of dog-lovers, as he found the treatment of one family dog, who had to take a trip on a car roof when there was no room inside, to be very funny. What next?

Currently, he is seeing the gay community distance themselves, not only after Obama’s declaration, but also after firing Richard Grenell, a foreign policy spokesman who was openly gay. He even had to apologize for the psychological torture of one of his peers in a boarding school for children from privileged families. And according to Bloomberg, who is rarely accused of being a tool of Mélenchon,* investors prefer Obama (49 percent) to the Republican candidate (38 percent).

No wonder he does everything he can to change the conversation.

Romney, who does not seem to be comfortable with anything, wants us to focus more on the economy than other issues. He has certainly enriched the employees in the companies of which he took control with Bain Capital, but he believes that dragging Obama into this game could help in accumulating votes in November. Romney is not at all comfortable with this kind of debate on the sexual preferences of American citizens. However, the matter of gay marriage could get out of control for the Republican: He must now defend his position by explaining that he is not just reacting to the order of the Mormon Church, but his views relate to a profound conviction on the matter.

And this Saturday, Mitt Romney will talk in front of the students and faculty of Liberty University, a “Christian” university as it defines itself, a driving force of the evangelical church and a vanguard of religious fundamentalism in the United States. It will be difficult for him to avoid talking about homosexuality and marriage. Nevertheless, if we judge by the speech that was given to journalists in anticipation of this event, we will hear a speech concerning the relationship between family and the economy. It’s safer. But Romney’s decision to avoid discussing gay marriage also means, as the Washington Post indicated, that it will be more difficult for him to join the conversation and be heard at the time when Americans, be they for or against it, are debating the issue of gay marriage, especially as Obama’s has declared that he is in favor.

*Editor’s Note: Jean-Luc Mélenchon was the Left Front’s candidate in the 2012 French presidential election.