There’s no danger of mistaking TIME scribe Joe Klein for a Mitt Romney booster. Still, Klein’s latest column offers some interesting thoughts about the former Massachusetts governor’s ability to get things done if he wins the November election.
Romney may be in a better position to negotiate, for two reasons: First, he knows how to do it, having spent a lifetime as a businessman making deals and four years as a Republican governor haggling successfully with Massachusetts Democrats, passing significant legislation like a universal, individual-mandate health care plan. Indeed–and this is the second reason–Romney’s biggest advantage is that he’ll have some Democrats across the table. They tend to value government more than Republicans do; they’re more willing to compromise to keep it operating. Of course, any real attempt to engage the Democrats would probably destroy Romney’s credibility with Rush Limbaugh and the other stupendous citizens in his party.
