The Republican Olympics at The USS Wisconsin

by David J Dent

The Republican Olympics: Virginia Governor Bob McDonnel introduced Mitt Romney, hailing the moment as the time for a “Reagan-Romney” vision. Why did he have to go so far back in the Republican presidential pile up for a slogan skipping over the two Bushes?  Then came the music that made you wonder if you were in London. We saw the stiff gait of Mitt Romney making his way to the podium. At that point, you knew exactly where you were. You eventually heard Romney almost give the job he wants away (Obama made a similar gaffe when he introduced Biden four years ago)  to Paul Ryan, first introducing him as the “next President of the United States.”

His blunder aside, Romney has selected an ultimate beltway operative with strong heartland postures. The big question looming: can the Romney machine turn Ryan’s postures into a narrative reality that works in Bush-Obama America? Wisconsin has more Bush-Obama counties than any other state, which highlights one of the assets of this choice for Romney