This is Mitt Romney’s big night. The people who understand American politics and make a living explaining its mysteries to the rest of us have said so, over and over, and it is hard not to agree. Governor Romney needs to go long with his acceptance speech and go into the campaign with momentum on his side. He cannot play defense. Cannot punt. And, certainly, cannot afford to fumble.
The football locutions are appropriate because this is the week when the game – the college element, anyway – returns. Tonight, in fact, while various Republican worthies are warming up the crowd, Vanderbilt and South Carolina will be teeing it up in Nashville. Kickoff is at 7:00 so if the game goes three and half hours, which many do, and it is close, then one team or another could be driving for the winning score just as Romney begins his address to the convention and, more importantly, to the nation. Less, that is, faithful fans of the Gamecocks or the Commodores or, simply, hopeless football fanatics.
