Mitt Romney's Wimp Problem

Michael Tomasky thinks Romney has been awfully wimpy lately — over tax returns, answering questions from reporters, and so on — and may actually be a wimp. He wonders how the 'insecure' Romney will cope in the company of swaggersome Dubya and Reagan:

A good-looking guy doesn’t have to walk around saying, “Hey, look at me!” He knows everyone’s looking. And a rich guy doesn’t have to remind us he’s rich. When he does, something’s off. It looks insecure. Romney is the genuine article: a true wimp. Oh, there are some ways in which he’s not—a wimp lets himself get kicked around, and Romney doesn’t exactly do that. He sure didn’t during the primaries, when he strafed Rick Perry and carpet-bombed Rick Santorum (but note that they were both weaker than he). In some respects, he’s more weenie than wimp—socially inept; at times awkwardy ingratiating, at other times mocking those “below” him, but almost always getting the situation a little wrong, and never in a sympathetic way.

I think 'wimp' might be taking it a bit far, but Tomasky's right about the insecurity, the social ineptitude, and the fawning obsequiousness. Romney tries too hard, laughs awkwardly in uncomfortable situations, and rarely gives the 'straight' answer. Maybe Tomasky's right: he is a wimp.