Hypothetically, a people coach for Romney

[nancylebov]

Romney would like to be president, and he presumably has a team of people helping him to become president.

Presidential candidates have coaches.

Romney seems to be incapable of imagining that there are people who have a lot less money than he does, and when I say a lot less money, I'm not even talking about poverty. Ordinary middle class and upper middle class life doesn't seem to be on Romney's radar.

So, I was wondering... what might a coach who would be trying to help Romney avoid such faux pas say to him?

Comments

[siderea]

"For a start, do not say anything about your personal life without vetting it with me, first. Do not talk about anything you own, any locations you habituate, any products or services you buy. Now that I've saved you from eating your shoes, here's a little slideshow about how the other 98% live."

[st-rev.livejournal.com]

"Okay, how much gold does Brightshield have in his pouch? Ten gold pieces? Brightshield can't afford the axe, Mitt."

[supergee.livejournal.com]

The Bushes didn't need that sort of knowledge. Romney figures he doesn't either.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Were the Bushes quite as blatant about their ignorance?

[supergee.livejournal.com]

George the Elder expressed wonderment at a supermarket product code reader when they ahd been around for years.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

I know, but I don't think he kept doing that sort of thing. I also remember that incident every time people complain about politicians not being spontaneous.

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

That's widely believed, but Snopes says he didn't. (http://www.snopes.com/history/american/bushscan.asp)

[ndrosen.livejournal.com]

I'm tempted to say that Romney needs a consistency coach, but then I remembered that he has had a pretty successful political career by shifting with every breeze.

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Are you thinking of applying for the job?

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be worse at it than whoever they've got.

[sethg]

FDR and the Kennedys were from the patrician class, and they seem to do all right (as politicians, at least) relating to people with less money.

I don’t think Romney has a problem with bad manners (which the term “faux pas” implies); I think the problem is either one of will (it is inconsistent with his ideology to believe that certain money-related problems are salient in many Americans’ lives) or of general social skills (which you need a fuckload of to be a Presidential-scale politician, and Romney... is no Reagan, and not even a Bush II).

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I really don't think anything would make a dent except having him live an ordinary person's life for some period.