Romney To Politico: Do You Want Personal Appeal Or Confidence?

by William Teach | August 27, 2012 7:06 am

Romney makes the point many times during his interview with Politico[1] that he isn’t running for president be a rock star, a celebrity, Mr. Cool, Mr. Party, he’s running to provide the United States with excellent leadership and high quality management skills, to Get Things Done

Mitt Romney conceded President Barack Obama has succeeded in making him a less likable person, but he offered a defiant retort to those hoping he will open up this week: “I am who I am.”

Romney quoted that Popeye line three times in a 30-minute interview with POLITICO about his leadership style and philosophy, swatting away advice from Republicans to focus on connecting with voters in a more emotional, human way at this convention. Instead, he vowed to keep his emphasis – in the campaign and any administration to follow – on a relentlessly goal-driven, business-minded approach that has shaped his life so far.

“I know there are some people who do a very good job acting and pretend they’re something they’re not,” Romney said. “You get what you see. I am who I am.”

“I don’t think everybody likes me,” Romney said. “I don’t believe that, by any means. But I do believe that people of this country are looking for someone who can get the country growing again with more jobs and more take-home pay, and I think they realize this president had four years to do that. … He got every piece of legislation he wanted passed, and it didn’t work. I think they want someone who has a different record, and I do.”

That’s a nice little dig at Obama, who did a great job at pretending during the 2008 election season, and look at what America is facing now. Things are not good.

His language, his approach, his mannerisms convey: I am not asking you to trust me to see into your soul, or to feel your pain, or bring you hope and fuzzy change. I will bring you concrete, measurable, profitable change – the kind you can authentically take stock of, and even measure in your family’s bank account.

At your job, are you more concerned about your boss being (or if you’re the boss) being touchy feely or about them being able to get the job done so that you can succeed? Do you care more about your boss’ big party and which celebs he/she hung out with or whether he/she has a reality based plan that will address issues your business faces?

He would take a hands-on, CEO approach to the job. “I likewise do not like having a solution presented to me for approval. Instead, I’d much rather dig into the issue myself and hear alternative viewpoints on the issue and be able to reach a decision.” This sounds very similar to Obama’s decision-making preference – and one that White House veterans say is virtually impossible to implement because of the dizzying number of decisions a president makes each day.

Whew! That’s some interesting spin, as Obama’s preference is more about saying here’s my way, get someone else to handle it. There’s little evidence that he ever listens to the other side. Delegation denotes inspecting what you expect. Obama doesn’t seem to really care about outcomes. As for being “virtually impossible”, well, yeah, when one is playing tons of golf, hanging with celebs, partying, and constantly campaigning, it’s difficult to address all those decisions. Can you see a President Romney doing all that? I can’t. Could you see him failing to meet with his economics council and advisers for most of the year? I’d imagine that when you look at a Romney presidential schedule, it will will be full all day long, just like when he was busy running a successful business and the Olympics.

Do you want touchy feely pandering or competence and a strong work ethic? Someone who delivers soaring rhetoric or someone who delivers results that help? Those are your choices.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove[2]. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach[3].