What was the biggest difference between Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush? Why did Bill Clinton pulverize Bob Dole despite having personal moral challenges in his way after his first term? How did a relative newcomer to the political stage beat a the solid track record of John McCain?

The answer to all three questions is the same. One inspired people. The other did not.

Reagan, Clinton, and Obama all had the ability to make people weep. They could move a room, get people excited, and make their opponents’ blood boil. Bush, Dole, and McCain were uninspiring, but even they got more of a rise out of people than Mitt Romney.

There’s a reason why Romney abandoned his early campaign strategy of playing like a winner and attacking Obama. It wasn’t working. The soundbites were weak and the passion seemed insincere. When it became apparent that he wasn’t gaining support, he turned to the one asset that gives him a clear edge – attack funds.

With cash in hand, Romney switched gears after the South Carolina debates and outspent the field six-fold with attack ads aimed at the previous primary winner in South Carolina, Newt Gingrich. Now, the money is shifting towards Rick Santorum after his recent victories.

Romney’s inability to gain passionate supporters who desperately want him to win is the reason that he would not be able to defeat Obama. He may end up being the choice by default if Gingrich and Santorum continue to split the conservative vote and Ron Paul is unable to advance beyond his frenzied but small base. A lukewarm choice in the primaries means a loss in November.

The Republican Establishment has made another mistake in their anointment of Romney. They saw him as the safe bet, the one who could most-likely pull moderate votes. In their eyes, Gingrich is a wild card, Santorum is too conservative to pull moderates, and Paul is insane. The reality is that any of the three would have a better shot against Obama because they have the one attribute that is absolutely required for victory. They have flavor.

Romney is vanilla. That’s not to say he’s boring. He requires a topping to taste better, and therein lies his weakness. The toppings seem to change depending on who he wants to be on a particular day. In 1994, he said he wasn’t trying to return to Reagan/Bush. Now, he’s claiming to be a Reagan conservative.

Money is the only thing he has in his arsenal. It’s the only reason he took down Gingrich in Florida and it’s the only thing that can slow down Santorum’s momentum. Unfortunately for the Republican Party, it has a good chance of working during the primaries but it won’t be enough to help him in November if he gets the nomination. Obama would use the money against him and defeat him worse than he defeated McCain.

The video below shows the most passion that can come from the man. It’s clear that he felt very strongly back then about not wanting to be associated with conservatism.