How Mitt Romney’s Campaign Resembles the New York Jets’ Season

[DonViejo]

Oct 2, 2012 4:45 AM EDT

They both bet on (but coexist awkwardly with) evangelicals, take defensive approaches to their campaigns, and rely on a tough guy from New Jersey. Dan Gross points out the similarities between Romney and the Jets.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has repeatedly expressed his affinity for business owners. When asked if he was a NASCAR fan, he responded that he was friends with some NASCAR team owners. Romney similarly finds support among the elite class of professional sports franchises owners. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, for example, is the chairman of Romney’s New York campaign, and a major fundraiser. So it comes as no surprise that the Jets, who just endured a humiliating 34-0 loss on Sunday to the San Francisco 49ers, bear certain resemblances to the Romney campaign. Let’s count the ways.

Both are occasionally overshadowed by franchises based in Wisconsin—the Packers for the Jets, vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan for Romney.

Both have relied on a blustery, plus-size, New Jersey-based, media-hogging, tough-talking guy with an over-inflated sense of his own competence as a frontman and spokesperson: head coach Rex Ryan for the Jets, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for the Romney campaign.

Both have placed bets on evangelicals but coexist awkwardly with them and hold back from letting them hold center stage. Romney’s brief history as a moderate, and lifelong history as a Mormon, have contributed to an uneasy relationship with fundamentalist Christians. At the Republican convention in Tampa, few were given primetime speaking spots. The same might be said of the Jets, who brought in Tim Tebow, the Bible-thumping, knee-taking quarterback from Denver in the off-season. Tebow has been a fish out of water in the Jets’ offense. Even in Sunday’s debacle, as incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled, going 13 of 29, for 103 yards, with one interception, Tebow remained anchored on the bench. He threw one piece (complete) and carried the ball twice.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/10/02/how-mitt-romney-s-campaign-resembles-the-new-york-jets-season.html