OP-ED | McMahon, Romney and the Panic Button
by Susan Bigelow | Sep 21, 2012 10:46am
(11) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Opinion
We’ve entered the phase of the election season where the panic sets in for flagging campaigns. Mitt Romney’s been having a rotten month, and Republicans everywhere are nervously edging toward the exits. And yet here in Connecticut, Linda McMahon, a candidate who is very much like Romney in many ways, is enjoying an autumn surge.
Chris Murphy, the once heavily-favored Democrat whose supporters are suddenly panicking, is facing a surprising turn of events given that the news media and much of the political establishment have been writing off McMahon for years.
It turns out that Linda McMahon learned some important lessons from her listless 2010 disaster, while Romney doesn’t seem to have learned from 2008 at all. McMahon has leveraged a softer image and nearly eighteen months of nonstop campaigning into the kind of upset-in-the-making that has Democrats suddenly worried. Another sign of the new, more politically adept McMahon was her quick denunciation of Romney’s “47 percent” comments. Never mind that back when she launched her 2012 campaign, she used a very similar talking point, saying “I’d like to see everyone pay their fair share . . . Forty-seven percent of the people today don’t pay any taxes, so let’s have a fair tax code where everybody pays their taxes.” She also uses a lot of the same “job creators” language that Romney uses, and parries attacks on her unsightly corporate record as attacks on success. These two relatively moderate New England Republicans seem tailor-made for one another, which is probably why she was so quick to distance herself after the Romney tape leaked.
The difference between McMahon and Romney is that her political ambition is something she didn’t inherit, and she is a lot more disciplined and tightly controlled. And yet McMahon’s plans and history suggest the same kind of contempt for the masses. The McMahons made their fortune selling thoughtless spectacle to a mass audience, what a friend of mine once called “soap opera for men.” At its height, the WWE was brainless entertainment, full of sex and violence, and both McMahons participated as caricatures in the ring. McMahon is now trying to erase that lurid past, as if we wouldn’t somehow remember how she made her money. Her economic plans, which are supposedly the reason people would vote for her, are as thin as air beyond the attractive bullet points. Her 2010 campaign had even fewer specifics, an attempt to win an election with the vague feel-good smile of a Jodi Rell. She sells the quick fix, the easy, moderately conservative solution to our economic problems. Her plans call for middle class tax cuts, small business tax cuts, deregulation of some kind, a small spending reduction every year, and energy independence. It feels good, and never mind that it doesn’t add up at all. It’s candy. It’s endorphins. It’s wrestling. And it’s fake.
That’s the big problem that both Romney and McMahon share: who are they, really? Who is the real Linda McMahon? The millionaire whose yacht is called “Sexy Bitch”? The dedicated job-creator? The woman egging on the crowds in the ring? The hard-working businesswoman who wants a better world for her grandchildren? The woman whose company has been accused of looking the other way as wrestlers abused steroids, sometimes with fatal consequences? Mitt Romney isn’t any clearer. I can’t tell whether the sneering plutocrat, the moderate from 2002 and 1996, or some other man is authentic. Maybe this is just a side effect of modern campaigns, that we never really know what untested candidates will do until they get into office and do it.
Maybe that’s an opening for Murphy, and a way for him to claw his way back into this race. He’s been in Congress since 2007, where he’s been a reliable, relatively liberal voice in the House. It’s not difficult to see where he’d come down on a huge range of issues, while with McMahon there’s no way to be sure. That assumes voters want specifics, though. McMahon is betting they don’t, which is why her campaign hasn’t been focusing on how Murphy has voted and what issues he supports. Instead, she spent the crucial time after the primary hitting him on being absent from committee meetings and his debt troubles from years past. It’s worked shockingly well.
McMahon has plenty of weaknesses, but so far she’s kept them from dragging her down again, and is in remarkably good position to become Connecticut’s first Republican senator since Lowell Weicker lost to Joe Lieberman in 1988. The irony here is that in the end she may be relying upon Mitt Romney to put her over the top. A huge margin for Obama in Connecticut may sweep Murphy into office, and with the way the Romney campaign is collapsing right now that’s more than likely. How fitting it would be if Romney, like McMahon in so many ways, was her ultimate undoing?
Susan Bigelow is an award-winning columnist and the founder of CTLocalPolitics. She lives in Enfield with her wife and their cats.
Tags: Linda McMahon, Mitt Romney, Chris Murphy, Senate 2012, Susan Bigelow, dh
(11) Comments
posted by: Brady0507 | September 21, 2012 3:11pm
What is it about political opinion writers that always need to make snarky comments and take cheap shots…folks want to say McMahon looked the other way with steroids but as a wrestling fan, I know they cleaned up the industry. There is a talent wellness program. It is just crazy how you can say she looked the other way…if you knew anything about WWE you would know without their wrestlers, there would be no WWE.
I am so tired of hearing about sex and violence; it is a free country people can watch what they want and we all have different tastes. If the liberals were that upset about sex and violence on TV—take a stand and stop freely accepting campaign contributions from Hollywood elites. Send them a message that your morals are so strong that until you stop making provacative and violent shows, you won’t take their money.
posted by: CitizenCT | September 21, 2012 4:55pm
Sept 21 Gallup poll of registered voters shows Obama and Romney each with 47%. On what does the author base her opinion to conclude “Republicans everywhere are nervously edging toward the exits”? Perhaps wishful thinking?
posted by: ALD | September 21, 2012 11:16pm
“And yet McMahon’s plans and history suggest the same kind of contempt for the masses.”
Susan, I have respected you for a long time but that remark is pretty despicable, typically well beneath you.
Don’t lose any sleep worrying about Chris Murphy. Even on the long shot that by some miracle, the voters of CT alive and dead, for once scream enough is enough, vote out an unproductive career politician Democrat, and vote in a Republican this election, the young Mr Murphy will be back.
There is no role for him in the private sector…. No Susan have no fear, he will one day either very soon, or latter be a CT Senator. Like a bad hang over he simply will never go away, unless the voters of CT give up drinking long enough to think clearly.
posted by: stellablu122 | September 22, 2012 12:15pm
Great post Susan. I have to say this election cycle the appeal McMahon has earned through carpeting bombing all aspects of the media is paying off and declares the offical dumbing down of white educated voters in this state. Just a visit to her website clearly demonstrates this, as she is long on conservative vision and very short on specifics.
Even it she wins the GOP will not control the Senate and her hand will be forced to work for the best of all Connecticut residents, not just the ones living in Fairfield county.
If not she will be one and one and back to drinking cocktails on the ” Sexy Bitch”.
posted by: Lee | September 22, 2012 1:22pm
McMahon is yet another “mystery-meat” Republican candidate. Once elected she will have six years to do damage to the interests of average folks and join the no-compromise GOP do-nothing, flat-earth crowd in Washington. She has no history of public service whatsoever. But she has lots of money and has redesigned her advertising image to appeal to the uninformed. Just like Etch-a-Sketch Romney has tried to do, but failed to succeed at. Her crocodile tear act of caring for real folks is lost on anyone who knows what she’s really like. The only thing that matters to her is her pocket book.
As for the polls, you have to be blind not to see poll after poll, including many Republican-symp polls, indicating an Obama landslide. Perhaps the Republican Party will wake up and realize some day that their “screw the people, love-war, welfare-for-corporations and no billionaire left behind” baloney won’t hunt.
Murphy’s earned his shot at the job through years of pulic service. McMahon is trying to buy her way in and we will all lose if her line of BS secceeds.
posted by: GoatBoyPHD | September 22, 2012 1:39pm
There are many good reasons not to vote for McMahon. Chris Murphy is not one of them.
Tell us exactly what Chris did for the 5th? Show us a piece of legislation he authored and got passed?
Unlike Paul Ryan who made something of himself in his time in the Congress we have the latest act of contempt for the masses from the Democratic Party.
The 5th (Litchfield County anyway) is in danger of becoming one of the poorest counties in the North East. Between the bleeding of money to support Hartford and the bleeding of money to support the Southern States what’s left?
When you speak of contempt consider that the voters are looking at Murphy’s record and saying “We get no respect from that party. None. Couldn’t they put forth a qualified candidate? One with a shining record of accomplishment?”
That of course would be beneath the Democrats.
Would I rather have McMahon or Murphy fighting for funds for the 5th and for CT? Sorry. We can’t afford more Murphy. It’s like sending a go-along-with nerf ball to Washington.
posted by: SalRomano | September 23, 2012 3:34pm
Lee: Why are you crystal-balling Linda McMahon as a loser - because ahe has money when Chris Murphy has been stealing his payy from our deficit federal treasury for six years—by helping put us into a Pres. Barack Obama led $5.2 trillion dollar federal deficit in only the last 46 months. CitizenCT is correct saying the author is guilty of wishful thinking condemnation of Republicans. She finds weaknesses in Linda McMahon—but closes her eyes to the inept performance of Chris Murphy—“who in the wild western days, would have been tarred and feathered—and kicked out of town” for continually stealing a weak’s pay from taxpayers going broke to support him for being a complete failure—as a public servant. I like Susan Bigelow - but she has closed her eyes to the dire reality of the critical state of our failing leadership and policies that spent $5.2 trillion dollars in less than four years—without addressing jobs for our 23 million unemployed workers. Susan Bigelow, however, appears to have a job—and is oblivious of out national demise by being sympethetic towards the elected officials who have failed us. Stallablu122 is apparently drinking a very strong tea, and wants you to believe that Linda McMahon is drinking the same. Why isn’t whe concerned with Chris Murphy’s drinking? Murphy must have plenty of time to booze, in missing so many congressional sessions.
posted by: ocoandasoc | September 23, 2012 4:24pm
After getting Blumenthal in the Dems figured any empty suit could beat McMahon—and they had a few to choose from. Murphy is an awful candidate; McMahon will be an awful Senator. Nice choice CT’s major parties have given us. There’s a similar situation in MA. Problem is, a vote for Brown or McMahon is also a vote for a Republican Senate led by Neanderthals with a prehistoric agenda. Murphy better hope that he wins the debate (and that someone’s watching!) or that Obama’s coatails are long enough.
posted by: stellablu122 | September 24, 2012 6:31am
Sal I think it does not matter if you are a progressive or a teabagger Federal spending has to be reigned in. Its just for the first half of the Obama’s Administration the GOP only focus was stopping Healthcare reform and when that failed then it was the deficit. I mean honestly your argument is full of holes. Where is your outrage against a decade of out of control government spending lead by Republicans? GWB was not invited to the GOP convention in Tampa for a reason sir.
Austerity is not working in Europe and slowing economic growth and we can not think that it will work hear. A more balanced approach which will included wealthy individuals and successful corporations kicking in more. They have all benefited from the Great Recession and are wealthier now than before.
Linda McMahon epitomizes that.
posted by: SalRomano | September 24, 2012 10:42am
stellablu22: Don’t keep blaming former Pres. George W. Bush, as the DNC has programmed you to do—as a true-blue Democrat, Pres. Barack has already outspent Bush by in less than one-half of Bush’s two terms in office—and all other President’s in our history. You have been programmed to keep blaming Bush by the DNC, as a loyal Democrat and you find that Obama’s $5.2 trillion dollar deficit spendiong spree in the past 46 months—was worth it as long as Obama gained some votes for it - “and was able hang on to his deficit spending voting slave in U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy—who would now like to bury this country in the U.S. Senate.” God bless America.
posted by: CT Jim | September 24, 2012 3:54pm
I see Sal is still peddling all the Elephant crap he can. So Sal Isn’t it true that Bush had a projected $5 trillion surplus when he took office??? Gee I wonder what happened to that?? Could it be that he gave huge tax breaks to wealthy to trickle down low paying jobs on us then got into not one but 2 unpaid for wars that he left Obama the invoice for on the desk in the oval office?? Not to mention the policies that ran the country into a recession almost as large as the great depression losing some 800,000 jobs a month right into 2009?? So lets see Obama passes a health care bill, Saves GM, passes the Lilly Ledbetter act. Repeals don’t ask don’t tell, passes wallstreet reform. repeals don’t ask don’t tell. Ends the Iraq war and nails Bin Laden. And goes some 32 straight months with job gains and he’s the failure??? Sal it may not be bull dung but it sure looks and smells like it. And now you expect the american family to vote for a tax avoiding elitist rich guy that doesn’t care about half the country??? Dream on delusional man.