Why didn’t Mitt Romney resonate with the South Carolina voters more than he did?  It just doesn’t seem like the fire was there.  Watching Newt you have no doubts about important he believes it is to defeat Obama in November.  Gingrich clearly understands the damage Obama has already done to our republic – intentional damage – and Newt can clearly articulate the dangers of giving this menace four more years in the White House. 

Does this mean that Romney doesn’t recognize the damage and the dangers?  Certainly not.  Romney is a smart guy.  He knows just how dangerous Obama is and how much more damage he could do if reelected.  The difference between the two is, I think, how they place their message in front of the voters.  It’s the businessman vs. the politician; and the differences can be stark.  Let me explain:

The businessman and the politician have different ways of motivating.  The politician has no real control over the people he wishes to influence – the voters.  To spur them to action he must resort to strong and colorful – sometimes fiery rhetoric.   The voters can’t be made to act; they must be encouraged to act.  The businessman, on the other hand, has control over most of the people he needs to get the job done.  He writes their pay checks.  He doesn’t have to hold rallies to convince these people to get out there and git er done.  The businessman TELLS them what to do, and they fail to do so at their peril. 

Romney is going to have to learn the rhetoric of persuasion.  He needs to learn how to make people WANT to follow him, rather than telling them that they must.