Image Questions: Dr. Romney and Mr. Bain

Will he be the winner of the Republican primary? Nothing is less certain. Anything is possible in politics. However, many do think that Mitt Romney will be the Republican candidate who will confront Barack Obama in the final race to the White House on November 6.

Which gives us even more reason to closely scrutinize the image, the speech and the balance sheet of this curious candidate. His image is nearly impeccable. A handsome man, radiant in his sixties, looking like the “Mad Men” of the 2000s, Mitt Romney possesses an impressive track record for those who admire self-made men, those giants who started from almost nothing– his father was, nevertheless, president of American Motors at the end of the 1950s, then governor of Michigan – giants who have succeeded in building empires and amassing colossal wealth. A very iconic position in the collective subconscious and one that is popular with Americans.

As founder and president of Bain Capital, which he left in 1999, Mitt Romney, if elected, would automatically be one of the richest U.S. Presidents in history. Indeed, his personal fortune is estimated to be between $200 and $250 million by Forbes magazine. In comparison, Mr. Obama seems “poor,” with a personal wealth estimated at a meager $7.3 million.

But outside of this ideal image, we can see in his personality and background some elements that are capable of damaging his flattering “Hollywood” portrait, both politically and economically.

Is a robber baron hiding behind the Mormon with a pure and brave heart? Many analysts and observers believe so, after examining the career of the businessman who, it seems, is more interested in building his personal fortune, and those of his shareholders, than ensuring the success of his clients. Furthermore, his time at Bain Capital did not make everyone happy. Taking over struggling businesses to sell them after four or five years—and then not always in great economic shape—meant losses and layoffs in the thousands, with few scruples on Mitt Romney’s part. In other words, apart from a few successes, the number of bankruptcies caused by the erratic management of Mr. Bain is quite impressive.

Lots of ambiguity in his words and actions suggests that he engages in doublespeak. When he stepped down as governor of Massachusetts in 2007, the State’s economic performance was ranked 47th. Not very good for a business fixer-upper! This fact casts doubt on his true ability to lead the largest economy on the planet, especially when it is experiencing some of its worst difficulties.

Ambiguity is also evident in his political discourse. This is what upsets the most conservative members of his party. Much more time is devoted to words than to acts, and he has developed a reputation as a weather vane that has a tendency, as some say, to speak out of both sides of his mouth. It is true that in comparison to his opponents in the primaries, he enjoys an evident sympathy from moderate Republican Party supporters and could, if necessary, seek the votes of those “disappointed” by Obama.

But we’re not there yet. The games have not been played. According to a recent poll, Barack Obama has a solid enough approval rating among Americans. Indeed, he can count on 45-47 percent of the vote this November. Even if he has points to recapture, he has a more than real shot at re-election.

The Republican primaries show that this party is, however, experiencing the worst kind of heartbreak. There are many open divisions among religious conservatives, the radical right and the populist followers of the Tea Party. In this respect, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachman and Ron Paul have clearly shown their incompetence as potential leaders of the United States of America. This puts an enormous weight on the reputation of the Republican Party, which has clearly not recovered from George W. Bush’s disastrous move to the White House.

And thus, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will be very hard to forget.