Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Unforced Error: Romney Edition

Viewed from outside, it sure seems difficult to run for president. Not only do you have the other candidates in your own party trying to make you look bad, but the candidates of other parties are working against you, as well as the partisans of every other candidate.

That’s why it’s so strange to me that some of the presumptive frontrunners have started making gigantic unforced errors. It’s akin to Caesar going to the senate on “Bring your knife to work day.” Don’t they have enough trouble already?

The example that made me think of this? Mitt Romney and his illegal immigrant landscapers. Yes, I know, it’s actually a second party that is hiring landscapers, and Romney just employs them. I actually don’t think any worse of Romney because it turns out that a third party had illegal immigrants working for them.

What bothers me is that this is the second time that Romney’s been burned by this company at this house. It bespeaks of a lack of institutional control on the part of Team Romney.

There could be lots of reasons Romney kept using Saenz’ service to do his lawn: because they are friends from church, or because Romney’s a really nice guy who wanted to give Saenz a second chance, or that Romney is an idiot. But because one of the answers could be “Romney is an idiot”, it makes me a little leery of voting Romney for president.

He knows that the Globe is watching him like a hawk. He knows this company is a risk. Why in the world did he take this chance?

Until and unless I’m reassured that it’s not the idiot theory, I’m going to be open to other candidates.

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