Since coming out in support for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on June 28th a lot has happened.

I am still in support of Romney for election in November, but a change is warranted in Romney's Ear of Corn rating.

The choice was between President Barack Obama, the incumbent Democrat, and Romney, who are vying to answer the question, "Who's Running to Be My President".

Islamic  extremists attacked the US Embassy in Egypt and the American Consultate  in Libya. The attack in Libya resulted in the death of US Ambassador  Chris Stevens and 3 others. This is a tragedy that affects all  Americans. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who  have suffered such loss.

Romney  came out early yesterday evening to make a statement about the attacks.  If Romney had simply condemned the attacks and voiced his concern and  condolences to the families, all would have been good.

But  Romney stepped on his own tongue by making the situation into a  political attack on the Obama Administration was inappropriate during a  time when the attacks were still occurring and all facts were not yet  known. Romney should have waited to make any type of rebuke of the  President's policies until more was known and the attacks had concluded.  By turning a tragedy into a moment to attempt to regain a hand up on  foreign policy issues, Romney made himself look buffoonish and not ready  for the nuances such a situation demands.

For this reason, Romney deserves a drop of 2 ears of corn in The Cornfield Standings.

This was not acting in a manner we expect from a presidential candidate  nor from one who is president. Sometimes silence or patience is the  best path. In this case, Romeny stumbled and failed.

I  still believe Romney's business accumen coupled with Ryan's financial  acumen are more suited to lead the nation over the rough economic seas  which continue to rock the ship of state.

However,  I am disconcerted with the tone of both campaigns and the utter lack of  integrity and civilty both sides are showing. This is especially true  with the ad wars being forced on American voters.

My  consternation and disgust led me to file this report: Campaigns, Super  PACs, Ads and Lies. The text version can be read here: http://fromthecornfield.com/blog1.php/ca mpaigns-super-pacs-ads-and. The video version here: http://irep ort.cnn.com/docs/DOC-826448

Romney - My Choice

2 Ears of Corn

Romney, 2 ears of corn, a decrease of 2 ears. The reason I have decreased Romney's standing is based on what I stated above.

Romney  has talked about his economic hopes and laid out a 5-point plan that is  lacking substance. Romney must be more specific. The hope is that more  details, more specifics and real discussion will occur soon. With the  upcoming presidential debates in October, Romney must do a much better  job in fleshing out his plan for America.

With  the statement last night on the diplomatic crisis and the deaths of our  embassy staff, Romney has a lot of road to make up in the next few  weeks.

Romney  still needs to be much more commanding on peripheral issues such as  reaching out more to Hispanics, GOP leaning GLBT members, and moving  more to the center. Romney needs to be firm about distractions, be  resolute in dismissing sideshows. As now the leader of the Republican  Party, Romney needs to rein in those high profile individuals to stay on  message: the economy, jobs and the unsustainable debt. While he should  not put muzzles on anyone nor expect all or anyone to all be on the same  page as to his policies, shiny object distractions need to be hidden  away not to see daylight.

Obama - No Longer A Choice

1 Ear of Corn

President  Barack Obama stays at 1 ear of corn. With the distortions, the caught  lies that the President seems to have no problem with Team Obama or the  Super PAC, PrioritiesUSA, making on his behalf, it keeps his standing  low. His convention speech last Thursday accepting the Democratic  nomination for his re-election bid, while good technically, left out any  substance. While he decried the lack of substance from the Republican  National Convention the week before, he did not provide any substance of  his own.

The President refuses to disavow personal affronts  such as the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid making patently false  statements on the Senate floor, even when debunked and proven false. The  President and his Team lie about not knowing anything about the story  in an ad that suggests that Romney is indirectly responsible for the  death of a woman from cancer, even though the story was discussed on a  conference call months ago. The President did not denounce a charge  raised of commission of a felony that was unsubstantiated. The President  won in 2008 proclaiming he was a different type of politician and to be  the most transparent President in history. The reality has shown the  current Administration one of the most secretive in history only bested  by the failed presidency of Richard Nixon.

The President can  still change my mind, though doubtful, between now and election day. As I  have stated each time I have updated The Cornfield Standings, the only  way I can say a 2nd term for the President is if there are Republican  majorities in Congress to provide adequate checks and balances. The  President has once more been found to have mislead the American people  by claiming that the Affordable Care Act would not raise taxes nor would  it raise costs.

From the Cornfield, that's The Cornfield Standings for this 12th of September.

http://marksden.com/standings.html