Mitt Demythologized

It was obvious that Mitt Romney has, as Americans say, a political tin ear, which has led to committing blunders, but who he really is remained unknown.Perhaps, under the mask of a technocrat who changes his views every season and who, as a presidential candidate, must constantly reassure the conservative electorate of his being a loyal Republican, there is hidden a moderate pragmatist who, when in the White House, would take care of all Americans and seek peace for the world? We found the answer: not at all.

The tapes, recorded during the Florida-held Republican convention with sponsors of Romney’s campaign, have revealed that he cares only about the half of citizens who constitute the richest voters. Specifically, he considers 47 percent of Americans to be parasites and irresponsible layabouts who expect the government to provide them with everything and will not pay taxes. The presidential candidate has also shocked the public by stating that it was Palestinians generally, not Hamas, who wanted the destruction of Israel — and therefore no use trying to mediate between both sides to achieve peace.

America was stunned. Even the oldest citizens do not remember such contempt coming from the mouth of a mainstream presidential candidate. It turns out that George W. Bush, compared to Mitt Romney, was an example of conservative compassion and broad intellectual horizons. Even foremost right-wing commentators, like Peggy Noonan and William Kristol, point to Romney’s arrogance and thoughtlessness. Republicans, in response, came up with a tape on which Barack Obama supported redistribution of wealth — which the president had said 14 years ago. The advisers tell Romney to handle his unfortunate speech carefully and to extend it, for example, into an assertion that the cure for the poor’s dependency on the government is to make the economy boom, which he as a president would do. But Mitt Romney cannot jump beyond himself; the recent straw polls reveal Americans do not believe in his ability to aid the economy over Obama’s. There remain seven weeks until the election, but the feeling that only a miracle could help Romney is growing.