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Really?

It’s far-fetched to believe a political consultant told him that pushing back against cloning and gay marriage as governor of Massachusetts would be the perfect Iowa-primary pander. More likely, his staff – the core of which is conservative – told him “this is important for humanity,” and he did the right thing. ~Kathryn Jean Lopez […]

It’s far-fetched to believe a political consultant told him that pushing back against cloning and gay marriage as governor of Massachusetts would be the perfect Iowa-primary pander. More likely, his staff – the core of which is conservative – told him “this is important for humanity,” and he did the right thing. ~Kathryn Jean Lopez

So it’s more likely that an ambitious politician with his eyes on the White House took up an issue that is deeply unpopular in Massachusetts but vital for the Republican nomination out of a concern for humanity and not his own political future.  Really? 

In some ways, I wish I could possess the kind of bright-eyed naivete and enthusiasm that so infects Romney supporters such as Hewitt and Ms. Lopez.  It must be so much easier to trust politicians when you think that they are actually out to do good things and not con people for the sake of power.  Like all optimists, however, these folks have a faith in something that doesn’t exist and will be doubly disappointed when their idol fails them (as all idols of this world do). 

What a happy, bright, completely unrealistic world you must live in if you believe that politicians come around on highly controversial issues because of the profound moral implications involved!  It seems simply incredible to me that Romneyites actually think that Romney is a man of conviction, when everything we think we know says otherwise.  Yet I have no real doubt that the Romneyites are sincere.  Indeed, almost all of them are so sincere that it is painful to watch them lash themselves to the deck of Romney’s doomed ship. 

I could at least acknowledge an argument that says Romney switched positions out of political expediency, but that in difficult times it is better to have a well-funded nominal ally than a relative electoral no-hoper, a loon (that would be McCain) or an opponent as the nominee of your party.  The argument that his political views bob about like a windsock and he has a deep abiding set of principles, so we therefore should support him because he is both flexible and dedicated to the cause, makes me slightly ill.

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