Is Romney the Next Kerry?

Written by - Joseph Curl
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/1/curl-is-romney-the-next-kerry/

Everyone is familiar with John Kerry – the man who ran against former President Bush in the 2004 election and lost. Everyone is also familiar with Mitt Romney, one of the candidates in the GOP race. One may wonder what the connection is between these two men. There are in fact many similarities between them. They are both blue blood multimillionaires, recidivist flip floppers with long records of pulling 180’s, and each were running against an unpopular and beatable president. Both men have problems connecting with voters and failed to energize the electorate during the run up to caucuses and primaries. The similarities between Kerry and Romney even extend to their youth – the two attended Ivy League schools, Yale and Harvard respectively, experienced embarrassing political defeats, took the state route to power (both became governors) and ran as political outsiders. Despite the seemingly endless list of similarities, there are also some differences.

                Kerry’s campaign manager, Bob Shrum, is known for having a disastrous political record. Romney has surrounded himself with a “top notch team of battle tested political veterans.” In the 2004 election, the mainstream media hated President Bush, while Americans were not convinced. However, they just didn’t vote for Kerry because they didn’t see him as a man who could solve the problems of the country. Obama on the other hand is waging war with the US economy, and is unfortunately losing. Not only is he losing that war, he is losing his good standing with fellow democrats, independents who supported him, and a dwindling number of energized youth. Kerry ran a negative campaign, which Americans did not like. Romney, however, focuses on his belief in America and the principles that made this nation a great and powerful leader of the world.

                The real question that comes into play is can the past predict the future? Kerry and Romney are both the same and different in many ways. However, do the bad similarities outweigh the good? Although Romney is running a clean campaign with the right people in his camp, is it enough to win the nomination for Republican candidate? If that answer is yes, then the next question is, is he good enough to beat Obama? Romney is aware of the similarities between him and Kerry. Does the public realize these similarities as well? Will it influence their opinion of Romney, and will it hurt his campaign? Romney needs to continue to make sure voters understand his views and what he is trying to do for America. He also needs to work on his connection with voters. The stronger the connection is, the more voters will think they have someone they can believe in and someone who cares about them and their greater good as well. Then, as time progresses, we’ll really know whether or not he is the next Kerry.