Friday, June 3, 2011

Romney Shuns Michigan in Announcing For President

Mitt Romney, who grew up in Michigan as the son of an auto executive and won the state's presidential primary in 2008, announced Thursday that he was running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 in a staged event far away from his Michigan roots.

Sure, Romney wanted to announce in New Hampshire because of its first in the nation primary status, apparently deciding he doesn't care that much about Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses.

But it's not unusual for candidates to double-up on the announcements, stopping at more than one place to announce the "news." But Romney made no bid to get any media in Michigan for a very good reason -- an opinion piece he penned titled, "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt."

After basically telling the state to kiss its major industry good-bye and that President Obama's attempts to aid it would spell the demise of the auto industry, Romney can't very well come back here and ask for Michiganians' votes. Especially with Michigan automakers picking up market share, posting profits, repaying federal laws early, and buying back federally-owned stock.

Now, of course, Romney is trying to take credit for the auto industry rebound, yet another Mitt flip-flop.

So as President Obama prepares to visit an auto plant on the state's borders to announce the Chrysler stock buy-back, Romney is choosing to stay away.

No comments: