The Mitt Romney candidacy is in its own surreal way like a re-enactment of the O.J. trial. Most of the major talk radio hosts are like O.J.'s legal team, led by Mitt's John the Baptist, Hugh Hewitt. Hugh declared in his commentary on the speech that anyone who doesn't agree with him that Mitt is the Republican Savior is "not to be trusted." Trusted?
It's like the O.J. trial in one simple way: Mitt's "lawyers" are turning reality upside down in the court of public opinion. Republican primary voters are the O.J. jury and they will decide whom to believe: (1) Romniacs who believe Mitt is the conservative messiah or (2) Mitt's political record, which is the most liberal of any presidential candidate on stage – Republican or Democrat.
The biggest question after Romney's religion speech is: How long can right wing talk radio deceive Americans that Mitt is the victim of a vast right wing conspiracy of bigots attacking him for his religion? The next biggest question is: how long can Americans accept the irrational idea that Mitt is the alpha and omega of the political spectrum – John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan?
And finally, how long can this enormous political hoax that Romney is The Conservative Dragon-Lady Slayer be sustained when his Hillary-like governor's record is right out there for all to see?
When former Reagan education secretary Bill Bennett asks on radio: "Isn't Romney running on his record of being anti-gay and pro-life," he showcases talk radio's astonishing ignorance. How come radio's self-described philosopher king doesn't know Romney installed gay marriage and abortion as a health care "benefit" in America's Cradle of Liberty?
The Romney campaign is functioning like an X-ray machine, revealing the extent of corruption in the ambiguous world of 21 st century conservatism. If Romney is a Reagan conservative, why has the media glorified him, unlike Reagan who they couldn't stand?
In addition to being a political X-ray machine, Mitt's campaign has also administered a much-needed national I.Q. test.
How many believe all that is standing between Mitt and a Republican primary victory is "ugly evangelical bigotry?" Okay. How many think the problem is his used-car-salesman demeanor, alienating evangelicals and Hillary-like governor's record? The results are now in: the envelope please. They show Romney is fooling 99 percent of talk radio hosts but only 9 percent of Americans, according to political polls. He's fooling America's wise men but not the "dumb evangelicals."
Let's see how long it will take America's radio prophets to grasp the obvious: Doesn't it smell a little funny when a candidate pretends to be a man for all voters: liberal icon JFK – and – conservative hero "The Gipper?" The location of his speech, in Texas where JFK gave his "religion speech," was an obvious mind control ploy to make him look like the Catholic JFK.
Hewitt ended his commentary on Mitt's speech by calling Mitt "the great communicator," Reagan's nickname. For the love of Mitt, who is he – JFK, Reagan or a Mormon being persecuted by Bible-thumpers for his faith that he is the savior? Even Rush didn't find it odd that an authentic conservative would give a big speech impersonating Ted Kennedy's brother.
For us, Romney's "religion speech" invoked the spirit, not of JFK, but of Jon Lovitz's Saturday Night Live portrayal of the Great Actor – "Acting!! GENIUS!!!" Mitt gave his best 1950s-sitcom-dad imitation trying to convince us he's just another traditional, patriotic Christian-American who believes exactly the same things we all believe. Except, of course, for his beliefs that he is the reincarnation of JFK and Ronald Reagan, and the evil churchgoer conspiracy is out to get him.
The religion speech may be Romney's Last Stand to keep Americans distracted from his governor's record and focused on the evangelical Pharisees who can't see he's the Republican savior. The truth is that Romney and his P.R. agents (a.k.a. the media) have focused America on his religion. How many talk radio sermons does it take to convince us "ugly bigotry" is why Romney's poll numbers can't get above the number of his toes?
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