Tight Republican race exposes liabilities
US: A rich guy with a tin ear and a culture war extremist; Mitt
Romney and Rick Santorum have reinforced these unflattering narratives
as the battle for the Republican nomination heats up in Michigan.
Romney's problems connecting to working class voters hit the national
media again after he told a reporter at the Daytona 500 Sunday that
while he doesn't follow car racing closely, "I have some great friends
who are NASCAR team owners." It came a day after Romney told a crowd in
hard-hit Detroit that his wife drives "a couple Cadillacs" -- costly
luxury cars that are out of reach for most Americans.
Santorum, meanwhile, took heat for calling President Barack Obama a
"snob" because he wants everyone to go to college and for saying that
watching beloved former president John F. Kennedy talk about the
separation of church and state made him want to "throw up."
The negative, gaffe-ridden race to become the Republican
standard-bearer is providing ample fodder for Obama as he prepares for
the November 6 election amid an improving economy and rising job
approval ratings.
It has also pushed the normally more cautious Romney into murky
culture war waters as he woos the party's conservative base -- a move
that could hurt his chances of winning over vital independent voters in
the general election.
If Romney is able to win a decisive victory in Michigan and Arizona
on Tuesday -- and do well next week when 10 states hold nominating
contests -- he may have time to reset voter perceptions and shift back
to center.
AFP
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