By: Kaitlyn Walker
Mitt Romney has everyone fooled.
The Republican presidential candidate has been called many charming names throughout his campaign, ranging from the comical, “robot”, to the more austere, “plastic.” Americans almost universally agree that they dislike Romney, but for reasons less concrete than, say, marital infidelity. Yet it is Romney’s lack of personality that will win him the presidential nomination, and possibly land him in the White House come January.
First it is necessary to examine why Americans harbor such discontent for all things Romney. Perhaps the confusion and animosity stems from the mystery of the man himself. America has such a corrosive reaction to Romney because it simply cannot find a way to relate to him. Basic psychology dictates that people are trained to make value judgments about other people, and then they mentally sort like-individuals into the “in-group” while those who are dissimilar are relegated to the “out-group.” The reason America struggles so desperately against Romney is because it cannot sort him.
People prefer individuals, and by extension, candidates, who they can easily explain. The most obvious foil to Romney, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, is loud at times to the point of abrasiveness and has had more “on the side” relationships than Tiger Woods, but the man is relatable because all of his flaws make him human. Gingrich struck at the heart of the issue in an interview with CBN where he argued his affair “may make me more normal than somebody who wanders around seeming perfect and maybe not understanding the human condition and the challenges of life for normal people.”
Gingrich hopes that being “more normal” makes him more electable, a mistake that has been slowly tilting America in Romney’s favor.
Consider what makes a candidate “electable.” In the most basic of terms, a candidate must be able to set him or herself apart from their competitors. Romney’s more formalistic approach serves him well on both the nomination level, and the presidential level. In terms of the Republican race, which has narrowed realistically only to Romney and Gingrich, Romney provides a noticeable contrast to his counterpart. Gingrich is often too quick to resort to insults against his opponent, calling him both a “liar” and a “fraud.” Even if every word Newt Gingrich said was true, his passionate outbursts appear overzealous, if not absurd, when he stands next to his composed opponent. By maintaining his steadfast demeanor, all Romney has to do is sit and watch Gingrich press his own self-destruct button.
Although the Republican nomination will likely not be made until late in the year, I am willing to predict that Romney’s discipline will serve him similarly well against President Barack Obama.
There are two strategies Romney could adopt against the President, but only one that relies on Romney’s strengths can garner him a victory.
Candidate Romney could attempt to make himself a more likeable candidate. He could kiss babies, bake cookies, appear on Oprah, or whatever it is that Americans envision a likeable candidate doing. The problem with Romney asserting his likeability this late into the race is twofold. Firstly, such an extreme shift from his usual aloof behavior would likely be perceived as an insincere attempt to win votes. Secondly, Romney is simply no match for Obama in terms of charisma. Obama’s oration skills are virtually unmatched by any of his contemporaries, and any campaign strategy to fashion Romney into an impassioned speech-giver would be wasted against a man with far more experience and innate rhetorical talent.
In truth, Romney’s best strategy against the incumbent president is to distance himself from Obama as visibly as possible. With Obama’s approval rating at a low and dropping 44.4%, the election will ultimately come down to whom Mitt Romney is not, a circumstance that bodes well for the Romney camp.
As for who the man behind the mask truly is, America may never know. If Romney’s recent primary success is any indication, America may never need to find out.
It would be wise for the Romney camp to perpetuate the mystery, and meet any complaints with the mantra of the Wizard of Oz “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”
