2012 Essays

Does Mitt Romney Need a Sistah Soulja Moment?

Mitchell, Lincoln A.

For Romney to appeal to voters, he needs to distance himself from the far right and show the electorate that he will not be beholden to the extremists who are so visible within the Republican Party. In short, Romney needs to have his Sistah Souljah moment. Twenty years ago, Bill Clinton, then a conservative southern governor on his way to the nomination, further demonstrated his centrist credentials by criticizing controversial African American rapper Sistah Souljah. Expressing a similar statement about the Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh, the Birthers or some other visible right wing figure or group would help Romney accomplish the same thing.