Mitt Romney began his Super Tuesday by appearing on Fox and Friends and speaking carelessly about Bob Dole's letter of support for John McCain. "(Dole's) probably the last person I would have wanted to have write a letter for me," said Romney. "I think there are a lot of folks who tend to think that maybe John McCain's race is a bit like Bob Dole's race. That it's the guy who's next in line, the inevitable choice."
The McCain campaign immediately went into high dudgeon mode, insisting "Governor Romney's attack on Bob Dole is disgraceful, and Governor Romney should apologize. Bob Dole is a war hero who has spent his life in service to this nation and nobody has worked harder to build the Republican Party. Bob Dole deserves the respect of every American and certainly every Republican." Romney clarified later in the day that he agrees that Bob Dole is a great American.
Here are a few random thoughts regarding the campaign's latest kerfuffle:
1) Romney should have been more careful in distinguishing the Dole '96 campaign from Bob Dole the man. Bob Dole is indeed an American hero, and according to just about everyone who served with him, one of the most honorable men to grace the Senate in the second half of the 20th century. Dole's word was his bond, the kind of personality trait that became immediately antiquated when the Clintons came to town in 1992.
The Dole '96 campaign, on the other hand, was another matter. Candidate Dole made his fondness for an idealized past a major theme. Remember Clinton's "Bridge to the 21st Century?" That was a response to Dole's explicit promise at the Republican National Convention to build a bridge to a simpler and more honorable past. The 73 year-old candidate was looking backwards, while the younger candidate looked forward. The campaign was never close.
Personally, I think linking McCain's campaign to Dole's, regardless of the nominal similarities, is an odd tack to take. How many people remember enough about the Dole campaign to instantly recall that it was a very weak one? Nevertheless, if Romney wants to do so, he should take strains to make sure he's respectful of the Kansan when making the comparisons.
2) Romney's comments about Dole were needlessly personal, although almost certainly out of carelessness rather than malice. Nevertheless, this campaign has seen way too many ad hominem attacks from all of the candidates. The principals should be going out of their way to end this practice.
3) Admittedly the following comes from a Romney guy, but the McCain campaign's high dudgeon shtick is getting tired. On the merits of the matter, one can in fact speak ill of Bob Dole's 1996 campaign without by definition attacking his record as a war hero. There's also something about the McCain campaign's rage that seems a little forced. Obviously, McCain and his men can't stand Romney. But they also seem to be actively in the market for excuses to get outraged. One could easily see the McCain campaign (and other Republicans) expressing heartfelt distaste for Romney's remarks, but outrage?
4) As a tactical matter, I'm not sure how much sense it makes for McCain to go to such lengths to co-brand himself with Bob Dole. This seems like another instance where McCain's viscera is getting the better of a battle with his cerebra.
5) This is something like the fifth time that the Romney and McCain campaigns have exchanged demands for an apology. I would have counted all the times, but going through the 922,000 Google responses for "McCain Romney Apologize" got tedious. A neutral in the nomination process might want to let both candidates know that this tack is embarrassing the party. A short while ago on Fox, Greta van Susterererern (possible spelling error) referred to these exchanges as "high school." I would say grade school.
6) As Romney would say, "Goodness!" Talk about a tempest in a teapot. I received a few emails today saying that this would be the story of the day. Somehow I think the Super Tuesday voting will garner a few more headlines.
