Twitter, the ultimate form of social networking in this ADHD world of ours, is not without its pluses. But at times, I sense some (myself included) are not quite prepared for the rapid fire, press conference-like exchange of opinion and lame repartee that can, by turns, overwhelm that particular site. Perhaps Twitter is best for promotional purposes. I don't really know just yet.
But apropos of my Twitter-izing about Mitt Romney and the GOP field of candidates, let me add this addendum. I did not write that Romney is a Ken doll. He is anything but. And the sooner Democratic political operatives agree on that, the better for Obama. I referred to that iconic retail figure to highlight those types that are lean of frame and square jawed, like Romney, who seem to hold the public's attention more easily. Something starkly visual that either aids a candidacy or rarely hurts it. Especially where the candidate is a male. Comments about Sarah Palin's beauty were punted around in the political media, but it was a double-edged sword that cost as much as it benefited. Especially with other women, oddly enough.
Romney is a serious challenge to Obama. He is wealthy, so he can pay for his own helicopter to his kid's ballgame. He lacks any of the abjectly feral, political hit man quality of, say, Gingrich. He is a decent speaker, and will only improve if his GOP handlers are as Pygmalionesque as they have proven in the past.
More importantly, Obama is still someone that many Americans have chosen to withhold their deepest feelings of admiration and affection for, in spite of the fact that he got bin Laden's scalp, contributed to saving the US auto industry (at least for now), and coughed up his birth certificate to silence all of that Swift-boating, election-nullifying trash out there. He appears to be a very bright, sober, hard-working, deeply caring man. A husband and father.
Obama is lean of frame and square of jaw and loves his country, too. Obama and Romney even share some opinions on matters of urgent domestic policy. Yet, in some people's eyes, Obama lacks something.
I wonder what that could be?