Romney's Upbeat Close

Published Dec 27 2007, 09:27 PM by David S. Bernstein

The Presidential candidates are putting forward their "closing arguments" now, and Mitt Romney's is an optimistic one. In a speech he delivered at the American Credit Union Museum in Manchester today, Romney opined that "no-one votes for yesterday -- they vote for tomorrow." America faces many challenges, he said: radical violent jihadism, the need for energy independence, education in an age of globally competition, the economic threat of China, and affordability of health care. "There are some people who are pessimistic," he said (not specifying who, although I suspect that one of them rhymes with 'McBain'); "I am not."

"America is not built by people who are doubters," Romney the optimist continued. No, America is built "by people who are dream-makers."

Unfortunately for Romney, his bright vision of tomorrow won't be getting much media attention, what with Pakistan suddenly on the brink of civil war. Foreign policy has been low on the Republican radar for a while, ever since it turned out that war with Iran is not imminent. But that might now change.

The re-emergence of foreign policy is probably bad for Romney in New Hampshire, where his chief competition is John McCain -- most Republicans would turn to McCain in an international crisis long before turning to Romney. On the other hand, it might be a boon to Romney in Iowa, where his chief rival is Mike Huckabee, who, on the list of those you want leading the country in an international crisis involving nuclear weapons, ranks somewhere between Jamie Lynn Spears and the Taco Bell chihuahua for most voters.