Romney offers an easy-to-grasp explanation that speaks to white anxiety about the future.
October 16, 2012
SIDNEY, OHIO—At the Shelby county fairgrounds in Sidney, Ohio, on
Oct. 10, a jumbotron showed a bus approaching. Image became reality as
Mitt Romney’s bulbous white chariot glided into the rally of thousands.
It was an impressive entrance, for those who are impressed by RVs.
Bounding up to a podium, Romney was ready to proselytize. Thousands
of faces turned toward him in the chilly evening air. Word was that
Romney’s conquest of Obama in the first debate had infused his robotic
demeanor with passion. It was hard to see much evidence of that.
To polite applause, Romney blandly declared, “That’s an Ohio welcome.
Thank you guys.” He tried to rouse the audience with a counter to Obama
campaign chants of “Four more years,” and the crowd hesitantly recited
“Four more weeks,” their tone as flat as the surrounding farmland.
No matter. Romney dove into his stump speech. It was the gospel of
lower taxes, freer trade, stronger military, and drill, baby, drill, and
the audience was receptive. He hit all the buttons, “jobs,” “small
business,” “compete,” and “opportunities.” Some specifics drew hearty
cheers: “Get rid of the death tax,” “get that pipeline in from Canada,”
and “our military must be second to none.”
The crowd responded favorably because the ideas are presented simply
and clearly. People are hurting, and Romney says he’ll create more jobs
and put more money in your pocket. His message is he won’t do it through
welfare, like Obama, but by encouraging American values like
entrepreneurialism, strength, and self-sufficiency.
Author Thomas Frank calls this brand of politics “Pity the
Billionaire … a revival crusade preaching the old-time religion of the
free market.”
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