In Republican and conservative circles, Mitt Romney just picked up a very big endorsement. The National Review is the magazine William F. Buckley used to launch a renaissance in conservative thinking. It remains one of the most important journals for conservatives.
Before this, Romney has battled the notion that his current positions are inconsistent with his previous positions--implying is conservative has shallow roots and will dissolve upon election. This is particularly noted on social issues that might fly in a Massachusetts general election, but don't fly in Republican presidential primaries. Well, it seems he has convinced NR's editors that he is a conservative and can win. That'll be good enough for a lot of undecided conservatives--or at least it will help... A LOT.
I liked what Hugh Hewitt noted, in covering this endorsement. He highlighted these paragraphs from the NR article:
Romney is an intelligent, articulate, and accomplished former businessman and governor. At a time when voters yearn for competence and have soured on Washington because too often the Bush administration has not demonstrated it, Romney offers proven executive skill. He has demonstrated it in everything he has done in his professional life, and his tightly organized, disciplined campaign is no exception. He himself has shown impressive focus and energy....
More than the other primary candidates, Romney has President Bush’s virtues and avoids his flaws. His moral positions, and his instincts on taxes and foreign policy, are the same. But he is less inclined to federal activism, less tolerant of overspending, better able to defend conservative positions in debate, and more likely to demand performance from his subordinates. A winning combination, by our lights. In this most fluid and unpredictable Republican field, we vote for Mitt Romney.
Bush's virtues and positions, while avoiding Bush's flaws; that is a winning combination, in my opinion.
Thanks to MBMc for pointing this out.
Thomas More
The NR endorsement is indeed a big deal, Thomas More.
Good post.
Posted by: MBMc | December 11, 2007 at 03:50 PM