September 5, 2012
Convention Wrap and Onward to Victory
I’ve had the honor to participate in the last four RNCs in professional staff roles executing message. Without a doubt, our 2012 nomination of Gov. Romney and Cong. Ryan was the best and most effective convention of the four. Our party had a critical mission and that was to humanize a man who is more than human, but had been vilified via class warfare by the that Obamanation of a campaign that continues to lie about his past and reputation. Even the traditionally hateful media ended up coming Romney’s defense over the last few months on many of the Bain Capital misstatements. By the way, when did it become evil to make a fortune by working hard and building a foundation in this country? Romney started with nothing and has achieved the true American Dream. We should be praising him for that.
Never the less, while network television is only carrying 3 hours of each convention; the RNC achieved its mission. Over the last week I’ve spoken to many different people who are by no means political nor are they self-describing conservatives and asked them for their open ended thoughts. All of them responded in like that they saw and believed in the true side of Romney. My best exchange was with an immigrant cab driver in Tampa. He told me that he votes with his pocketbook and while he’s neither a Republican nor Democrat, he’s not conservative. He doesn’t want to vote for Obama again either, but he was concerned about whether Romney really cares about the little people and small businesses. He watched much of the coverage and saw the personal stories shared about Romney and as a result, Romney has earned his vote. I asked him about other non-convention fares and he said that he heard the same from many others including from one reporter who was talking with his editor and expressing frustration about the convention’s success in showing the human side of our next President.
What does this mean? I believe that we’ve taken the wind out of the “Romney is a rich evil Republican” sail and now Obama and his party will have to start the process of TRYING to run on the issues and explain to voters how America is better off than four years ago (Ah, duh, good luck). Polling over the next few weeks will be interesting. Also interesting will be the perspectives shared this week at the DNC – do they construct a real message? Does hope and change reappear?.
While the GOP didn’t get a huge bump nationally, Many didn’t anticipate one. What matters are the swing states. We must win Florida and Ohio. We must win North Carolina and one more like VA or WI. And in the swing states the gap continues to close and Obama’s lead is well within the margin of error or in NC’s case, behind. The convention was a huge success from my viewpoint. The only question is what sort of message the Dems send this week and if they get a bounce as well. My guess is there isn’t much of a budge either way.
If we essentially stay within this margin by the end of next week, then the GOP will move towards election day with a full-fledged frontal and flanked assault and take back our rightful place at the helm of managing our nation. And quite candidly, it’s not just something we need to do, it’s something we must do in order for our nation to survive through the coming global debt crisis.
STORIES OF INTEREST
Secular Shifts Greater than Votes
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Earlier in August a British financial magazine interviewed me regarding my experiences and perspectives on the 2012 cycle and Governor Romney. I’m sharing this piece because it’s interesting to see an outsiders non-American and non-political view of the American presidential election and what or how relevant is the battle for the presidency. Vanessa Drucker attack’s several issues in her piece but they can basically be summed up as; 1 – Most people are inherently partisan and are swayed by very little; 2 – Leadership changes don’t necessarily change the governing dynamics substantially; 3 – the global crises of the last 12 years will continue and that ultimately guides the bigger picture of electoral politics more than anything.
I don’t necessarily agree with her perspectives in this piece (aside from also being misquoted – I said Governors in general don’t ask for special treatment and Romney was as humble and genuine as the best of them), but it’s still an interesting read.
FROM Fund Web:
If voters’ choices are largely predetermined, why bother to run campaigns at all? Although you are unlikely to read this observation in most newspapers, political scientists espouse a quiet truth: party loyalty is the strongest determinant as to how somebody will vote. Be wary of those who claim to be independents. “Only five to 10 per cent constitute true independents and those typically represent the most ignorant part of the electorate,” says Alain Sanders, a political science professor at St Peter’s University.OF ALL the organisations that serve America’s poor, few do more good work than the Catholic church: its schools and hospitals provide a lifeline for millions. Yet even taking these virtues into account, the finances of the Catholic church in America are an unholy mess. The sins involved in its book-keeping are not as vivid or grotesque as those on display in the various sexual-abuse cases that have cost the American church more than $3 billion so far; but the financial mismanagement and questionable business practices would have seen widespread resignations at the top of any other public institution.A FIFTEEN-DAY, 2,700-mile bus tour came to a sweltering end at noon on July 2nd over the street from the United States Capitol. The bus carried a group of nuns from Iowa who led prayer vigils and held rallies to protest at what Sister Simone Campbell, at the final rally in Washington, called a “budget that rejects church teachings on solidarity, inequality, choice for the poor and the common good”.
Read More…
The Catholic Church in America
WHY THIS MATTERS: In the last letter I discussed why the American Catholic Church should or may be adjusting its attitudes relative to influencing our government through lobbying and other avenues of expressing influence. As I suggested, they are finding that their traditional base of NE liberals (aside from not sharing their intrinsic social values) just aren’t able or likely going to be there for them in the future as the demographics of the Church in the United States continue to shift. They are shifting due to the influx of socially conservative immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America. This creates a huge opportunity for the GOP to get another crack and cooperating more closely with the largest single non-race based constituency in the United States as well as an opportunity to repair the party’s damaged reputation in the American Hispanic community of the Central and SW United States.
This piece in the Economist is an extensive review of the current American Church and its status in our society and the troubles the Church faces within its complex structure. As a Catholic, I found it fascinating. As a Republican, I see more opportunities opening for our party to work more closely and quietly with the Church and it’s many auxiliary organizations.
Finally, since many of those at the RNC may have missed this, Cardinal Dolan (the head of our American Church) gave the closing benediction last Thursday. He will be giving the closing benediction at the DNC, but he wasn’t invited until after the RNC announced he’d be at our convention.
FROM The Economist:
OF ALL the organisations that serve America’s poor, few do more good work than the Catholic church: its schools and hospitals provide a lifeline for millions. Yet even taking these virtues into account, the finances of the Catholic church in America are an unholy mess. The sins involved in its book-keeping are not as vivid or grotesque as those on display in the various sexual-abuse cases that have cost the American church more than $3 billion so far; but the financial mismanagement and questionable business practices would have seen widespread resignations at the top of any other public institution.A FIFTEEN-DAY, 2,700-mile bus tour came to a sweltering end at noon on July 2nd over the street from the United States Capitol. The bus carried a group of nuns from Iowa who led prayer vigils and held rallies to protest at what Sister Simone Campbell, at the final rally in Washington, called a “budget that rejects church teachings on solidarity, inequality, choice for the poor and the common good”.
Read More…
It’s after Labor Day so with our efforts in full force, let’s win back America for our all of our futures sake!
Anthony Welcher |
