Looks Like A Home Run

So did you guys read or watch the speech? What were your feelings on it? I caught about half of it before I left for work yesterday. I even came in late to work because I was entranced by Mitt. If nothing else, did he not look entirely presidential? I've heard that word thrown around a few times regarding this candidate or that one, but yesterday is when I really felt it the most. Aside from being just a handsome and stately looking man, he was articulate and spoke with passion that he seemed only barely able to restrain. It was a really good speech and should generate nothing but positive press for him. There was a lot of debate about whether or not he should even address the issue of religion. I think there were probably more yays than nays regarding that topic, but the consensus seemed to lie with the fact that it just seemed so difficult to pull it off without any negative blowback. I'm going to link to various reactions, and then I'll quote a few directly. Here is one post, another one, and still another courtesy of Hugh Hewitt. One from Dan Riehl here. One from Laura Lee Donoho here. This is from the editors at National Review. And this last one from the guys at Powerline.

This is from Donoho's post:

After viewing the speech, I have a new found respect for the good man, Mitt Romney. He delivered the speech brilliantly, sincerely and with grave respect. As I watched the speech I could picture Romney delivering it from the Oval Office. Romney has always seemed to have all the right qualities and stature to be the Republican nominee for 2008 but for some reason came off a little too slick. He doesn’t now.

The best neighbors our family ever had were Mormons. We are still in touch with this wonderful family and because of my upbringing and our experiences with this particular group of believers I have never made the judgment that I would not support a man (or woman) because they were members of the LDS Church.

This one is from Hugh Hewitt:

Mitt Romney threw a long ball today and scored. There can be no objective argument against that conclusion. Why? Because Romney is running for the GOP nomination, and his remarks, both in delivery and substance, were lavishly praised by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Medved, and James Dobson, not to mention Mark Steyn, Fred Barnes and Charles Krauthammer -and these were just the seven people I heard on a long drive south to San Diego and then in a hotel room before leaving to post this and give a speech. I am sure when I get a chance to review the blogs more widely late tonight, there will be many others, though in fact every single one could denounce Romney and it wouldn't matter given the line-up of assessments just listed, to which I add mine from earlier today.

Here are seven of the most influential conservative commentators in the U.S., and their opinions on the Romney success are all aligned with mine. Thus, objectively, the speech cannot be judged as other than an extraordinary success for Romney. It does not, of course, guarantee him the nomination, but no other Republican has had a comparable day since the campaign began, and Romney's triumph comes four days before the absentees are available for casting in New Hampshire. Romney's success
today has also clearly panicked Mike Huckabee who was on with Glenn Beck tonight warning that the "ruling class" in America is growing more distanced from the people --the sort of arch-populist class warfare nonsense which has never had a home in the GOP mainstream.

And this from James Dobson:

Gov. Romney’s speech was a magnificent reminder of the role religious faith must play in government and public policy. His delivery was passionate and his message was inspirational. Whether it will answer all the questions and concerns of Evangelical Christian voters is yet to be determined, but the governor is to be commended for articulating the importance of our religious heritage as it relates to today.