Can Mitt Romney Deliver for the Republicans?

Mitt Romney is all for change.  As he racks up Republican endorsements he continues to beat the “change drum”  His recent ads and his open letter to the Republican Party both outline what he means by this:

“We can’t be like Democrats – a party of big spending.
We can’t pretend our borders are secure from illegal immigration.
We can’t have ethical standards that are a punch line for Jay Leno.
When Republicans act like Democrats, America loses.
It’s time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans.
It’s time for a change and change begins with us. “

It is not surprising that a Republican candidate would try and distance himself from the current administration and some high profile seediness (Larry Craig, anyone?).  But to build his whole campaign around veiled criticism of George W. Bush, is that who Republicans are now?  In light of the unpopular Iraq war, a raging federal deficit, and the Hurricane Katrina debacle they better be if they want to win.  In many ways, Romney’s framing of Bush’s presidency as “acting like a Democrat” is possibly the only way to win as a Republican in 2008.

Mitt Romney has been given a lot of press on his stance on abortion (currently he is against it) and his immigration stance (he is against what he calls “sanctuary cities” like Giulliani’s New York and would like to toughen America’s standards on Illegal Immigration).  One of his tag lines is “strong economy, strong military, strong families” (another way to say that is : pro-business, pro-business, and anti-gay).  He talks a great bi-partisan game about Social Security and Healthcare.

He looks like a winner (right out of central casting).  He plays well in Peoria.  Can he then deliver the Presidency?  The short answer is: Probably. 

In small groups he is a huge hit (his larger forum and debate performance has been less stellar).    He is good with the people, he’s pretty good with the issues, and he has a discipline about him that comforts people.  He’s also smart to grab immigration as an issue because it’s one that he can win on, especially in the primary.

Can he beat Obama?  Can he beat the H word?  If he frames his national election with the brilliance of his primary election then yes and yes.   On many of the issues he agrees with the criticism of the current administration but he is also answering the questions like What Do We Do Now?  Which is the most important question America is answering today.