Romney Campaign Is a Slow-motion Train Wreck

Sept. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg's Matt Dowd talks with Bloomberg's Tom Keene about the latest from the 2012 presidential campaign, and likens Mitt Romney's relationship with the Republican party to that of an arranged marriage. He speaks on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg Surveillance." 

If you had told me six months ago the state of the Romney campaign as it exists today, I would not have believed you. I mean, you really have to "work at it," to get a campaign in this state of disarray--most of which is self-inflicted by the candidate and his key campaign leadership. It's not just one thing, it's a culmination of things--and now the Obama campaign is capitalizing on all the Romney fumbles and bumbles by (mostly) "staying quiet" and acting "Presidential"--smart move.  If Obama can keep his campaign staff muzzled, and maintain his calm, Presidential demeanor through it all, my best guess today is he will be re-elected in spite of the terrible economy, unemployment rate, weak record, etc. My reading is Romney is "done"--he's (and/or his campaign) made too many mistakes, lost too much credibility, alienated too many voters. Remember his foreign trip? Insulted the British on the eve of the London Olympics, acted like Sheldon Adelson's lap dog in Israel, alienated the Palestinians and most of the Arab world, offended Putin; and apparently he wants to start a trade war with China. That's a full plate--covers everything from alienating our best ally to a war of mutual economic destruction with our biggest foreign creditor. Is this the way he ran Bain Capital?

You add to that the fact that he now appears to be trying to supplant Obama as the "Great Divider" (47% etc.), won't release tax returns, is a rich guy who was a rich kid and as a result, now appears to be tone-deaf and out-of-touch when it comes to average Americans--I could go on, but what's the point?

 Tweet    Follow @johnmpoole