i prefer the smell of my old catcher's mitt...

Josh Marshall summarizes the former governor of hereabouts fairly tidily:

My views don't matter much about Republican presidential candidates. But I have a question I'd like to hear people's views on. When I hear Mitt Romney talk he sounds like a complete phony. Analyzing his record I think there's a very strong case that he's a serial flipflopper and a real opportunist. But that's not what I'm talking about. His manner and voice and what he says ... everything sounds extraordinarily canned and contrived. And in a class in that respect way beyond anything John McCain or Rudy Giuliani say.

Am I alone in this?

No, Josh, you're not alone. For starters, ol' Mitt grew up in Michigan and should have been governor of Utah. But somehow he became governor of Massachusetts, despite being a Republican. Maybe it was because he was oh-so-pro-choice and even gay-friendly. Oh wait! That's probably why he didn't become governor of Utah.

Anyway, that was then. Now, he's figured out the way to run for the Republican nomination is precisely how he ran for governor of Massachusetts: By selling his soul! My only question is whether he sold it this campaign season or back when he ran for Senate against Uncle Teddy, and is now taking out a second mortgage.

Gotta wonder what the Devil can get outta that kinda deal, eh?

Waaaaaait a seconnnnd... Now bear with me here, this thought just occured: He knew America today would never vote for a squirrel governor from Utah. Can you imagine? Massachusetts, in the last 20 years alone, sends up two spineless dildos, named Dukakis and Kerry, to get the nomination -- only to crash & burn -- and Romney still thinks he has a better shot to win the presidency as the former governor of Massachusetts and not Utah! Hah! That is fucking great!

But as to whether he'll ever become president, I can't be bothered with it. The right-wing Christianists hate Catholics and Mormans more than they do Atheists, and ol' Mitt ain't never gettin' outta the Republican primaries alive. Take that to the bank.

Meanwhile, you say "opportunist"? Keep in mind that as he'd once been the lead representative of Massachusetts, he now sees no problem in repeatedly running down the Bay State to a bunch of red state troglodytes.

"Serial flipflopper"? Try "serial scumbag".