So, Governor, where were YOU on Friday???
This past weekend, former Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist endorsed President Obama and was announced as a speaker at the Democratic National Convention next week. Here in Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder seems to be keeping out of the limelight with the Romney campaign, as well. At the last two Michigan stops by the Romney campaign, including one last Friday in Commerce, Michigan, our Republican governor was notably absent from the public view. He skipped a rally in June, as well, attending a meeting of business owners only.
Why is that? Heck, even disgraced Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger spoke at the Commerce event.
Is it because the Romney campaign has become too extreme for even our conservative governor? Recall that Governor Snyder pushed hard for the formation of a state-run health insurance exchange, only to be defeated by the tea party contingent of our state legislature. Meanwhile, out on the campaign trail, Romney and Ryan don’t miss a chance to deride what they call “Obamacare”. The state-run exchange would benefit as many as a half million Michiganders without health insurance.
While I’m reluctant to call Snyder a “moderate”, his particular brand of extremism seems to focus on the formation of corporatocracy in Michigan rather than appealing to and appeasing the radical tea party element that cheered so loudly after Romney’s birther comment last week. Perhaps he doesn’t want to be part of those types of sound bites and wisely stayed home.
Crist put it very well in a Sunday op-ed declaring his endorsement:
As Republicans gather in Tampa to nominate Mitt Romney, Americans can expect to hear tales of how President Obama has failed to work with their party or turn the economy around.But an element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they’ve proven incapable of governing for the people. Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims.
The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve.
MoveOn.org’s plane banner flies over Romney/Ryan rally in Commerce, Michigan
The Bromance in Michigan
By the way, if you want to see how extreme the Republicans have gotten, watch Chris Matthews completely destroy RNC Chair Reince Priebus on Morning Joe this morning for continuing to make Obama seem foreign, what he called the “foreignization” of the president:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yiet_fyN_ng
It is an embarrassment to your party to play that card. This stuff about getting rid of the work requirement for welfare is dishonest — everyone’s pointed out it’s dishonest. {…}And you are playing that little ethnic card there. You can play your games and giggle about it, but the fact is that your side is playing that card. {…}
What? Where do you get this from? This is insane!” Matthews interjected. “You mean the Keynesian fiscal policy — you mean the fact that every president we’ve had that has tried to offset the economic cycle with stimulus going the other direction is somehow European?
“What’s this got to do with Europe and this foreign-ization of the guy? You’re doing it now! Saying he’s influenced by foreign influences! You’re playing that card again. What’s this European thing of yours? What are you up to with this constant that he’s not really domestic?”
Reince Priebus has got to be the least convincing defender of Mitt Romney in the Republican Party. “Moment of levity”? Matthews was completely right to ask him, “What was the joke?”
How can this race be this close?
[Photo credits: Anne C. Savage, used with permission]
