Mitt Romney released his tax returns this week showing he made $21 million last year and paid 14% in tax. At any time in the past that would be something to be admired, even worshipped. The Kennedys made their fortune smuggling booze for goodness sakes, and we put the whole family up on a pedestal. Mitt also happens to be a dashing dark leading man. But his machismo is definitely been threatened by the inability to close the Republican deal.
Newt is channeling Bill Clinton, the comeback kid despite having had an open marriage. And the country is pissed at the press and the government (really Tim, you couldn’t show up for the Bruin’s photo op at the White House?). And Newt is lockstep with that mission. His only real problem is that he doesn’t want to be Bill Clinton he wants to be Ronald Reagan. And Mitt looks a lot more like Reagan than Mitt does.
And then there is our sitting President, Barack Obama. This week he just decided to show off and sing a little Al Green to prove not only can he run the free world, play hoops, and be a loving father and husband but sing too. Mr. President I really tried to watch the State of the Union last night, I really did. But I had it on for about 30 seconds and was bored to tears. Could be me, for sure. But somehow the rising rhetoric of hope has failed to pan out and that is a threat to your manhood Sir.
So what do you think dear readers, who in the field is the real man? Be sure to give your rationale and, of course, write-in votes are gladly accepted.
Throw your vote away on a third party candidate? Haven’t we been throwing our votes away for decades supporting a necessarily two-faced two-party system? Obama’s sane political moves do not outweigh his craven ones. It is not masculine or feminine to bait racism/homophobia, simply childish, thus no republican even comes into consideration.
I call BS. They’re all real men. Because what would be the alternative – fake men? There’s a lot of Fake in politics but I don’t see any of these men as faking their masculinity. Mitt is a masculine businessman, pretty traditional. Newt has that bullheaded risk-taking kind of masculinity. Obama has expressed his masculinity by emphasizing fatherhood, athleticism, and an interest in bridging the aisle. None of them is less real than the others. As a socially liberal, fiscally moderate-to-conservative, non-party-aligned voter, I’m interested in what a Ron Paul presidency would look like and what it would do for… Read more »
Funny, I went in the opposite direction – I used to think Ron Paul was pretty reasonable, but now I think he’s out of his mind.
I believe that a person qualifies as a real man if he lives with purpose/passion, defends and displays values that have traditionally supported humanity, and proactively mentors the rising generation. I do not know these three men very well, but from what I can tell from media it appears that Mitt is the only one that satisfies my definition. Maybe that is my problem, I am judging them through biased eyes of modern media. My gut tells me that I would think differently if I had the chance to know then on a personal level.
My first instinct is to dismiss any politician as not worthy of Real Man status, automatically. They operate by lying and schmoozing and cutting back-room deals and arguing… none of which is particularly honorable or trustworthy behavior.
There are individual exceptions, though. But the ones I know of are mostly at the local level.