Foster's Daily Democrat

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Mitt Romney: Best suited to be the GOP's standard-bearer

While making our endorsement in the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary, Foster's Sunday Citizen is not going to spend endless words addressing much of the myth and mythology which has been used to attack Mitt Romney, who we believe should be the Republican nominee for president of the United States.

Our recommendation comes from taking much of what has been said and written in news coverage and slanted blogs with a grain of salt. Instead, we have chosen to read what former Gov. Romney has written. We have sat across the table from him, looked him in the eye and asked some pointed questions. As a result, we like what we see in, and hear from, candidate Romney — thus our endorsement.

Our trust and belief in the governor comes from years of knowing him. Since his last run for the Oval Office, Gov. Romney has grown and matured, as have his positions on the issues and his optimistic view of our country's future prospects.

Foster's refuses to concede the notion that positions held by Romney years ago should have been written in blood, never to change. In fact, just the opposite should be judiciously true. (See today's Kathleen Parker column.)

Today, more than ever, the United States needs a president willing to listen to the electorate, a president willing to adapt to today's demands for governance, not remain married to methods because they are from a simpler time. By the same token, Foster's wants a president who has core values.

Instead of just listening as the national media and others dissect Romney ad infinitum, Foster's has read what the governor and businessman has written.

For a short read, we would direct primary voters to his 160-page jobs and economic growth plan — Believe in America. For a more in-depth look we suggest Romney's book, "No Apology."

Given what comes a president's way, it is impossible to write enough in advance or speak enough words to cover every possibility. However, "No Apology," certainly offers a look at the foundational building blocks of the candidate, what he believes and why.

None of what is written here should suggest that Romney's past and years of experience should play a secondary role. Just the opposite is true, much of which will be key should he be elected president.

There is his time at Bain Capital where he learned the whys and wherefores of the business world and the keys to job creation. It was a place that formed much of Romney's philosophical roots that should help grow the county's economy should he be elected.

Then there was his time as Massachusetts governor. Some voters of a more conservative bent may hold that against him. We don't. To the contrary, his ability to win office and improve the business climate in the Bay State is seen as herculean in an otherwise one-party Democratic oligarchy.

This brings us to the health care program Romney supported and for which he has been roundly criticized. We are not going to get mired in a debate over Romney's plan versus ObamaCare. Rather, after careful reflection, our editorial board accepts the governor's admonition that ObamaCare for the nation is bad medicine and must go.

And lest we be remiss in crediting Romney's accomplishments that make him better suited than others to be the GOP nominee, there is his turnaround of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games in 2002. Voters must not forget that Romney did, indeed, make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Beyond all this, Foster's is endorsing Mitt Romney because he offers a certain moral fortitude we admire. His faith in family, God and country is strong and well rooted. This, combined with a wealth of experience in private enterprise, his time as governor and countless hours listening to voters' concerns, make Romney the most well-rounded and well-qualified to represent the GOP in next November's presidential election.

NOTES:
The paper endorsed Giuliani and Clinton in 2007. Editor Paul Dietterle summarized Foster's process thusly:

Foster's editorial board is comprised of approximately a half dozen members of the editorial/news staff and management, many of whom have been involved in past presidential primary endorsements - some here at Foster's and elsewhere.

Leading up to the endorsement of Mitt Romney in the New Hampshire First-in-the-Nation primary, Foster's met with Romney as well as (in no particular order) Fred Karger, Buddy Roemer (twice), Rudy Giuliani, Rick Santorum (twice), Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Gary Johnson. We attempted to set up meetings with Michelle Bachmann and Sarah
Palin but did not receive replies, even working through local contacts in the case of Bachmann

In addition, we have covered each candidate as they made campaign stops inour region.