The problem with Romney's Republican challengers is that they could not go into full populist mode. Gingrich got hammered from the right for his Bain ads. Breaking the eleventh commandment and all that. Also they did not have as much money as Obama will have.
I also don't agree with the Bain ads. You have to assume that they were the only private equity firm in the 80s. If Romney did not do it, then someone else would have. Globalization was going to crush those companies regardless. But this is politics.
Nothing was forcing romney to do that.
My uncle used to work for Lucent as International Compensation & Benefits Vice President. After Lucent spent a lot of money relocating a few hundred employees and their families and children a few thousand miles, he was instructed from his higher ups that he had to lay off almost everyone off about 6 months later. These people left their friends and their extended families, changed their kids' schools, etc, to relocate, and they get sacked 6 months later.
My uncle ended up quitting shortly after, and that was a major reason why.
Being an executive means you have to make tough choices at times, but it doesn't mean you should be okay with blatantly ruining lives like that. My uncle worked hard to address the individual needs of each employee and his/her family, working 1 on 1 with each individual to tailor the transition to their personal needs and circumstances, make sure each family transitioned to a new home and was well-compensated for committing to move so far away and give up so much, and the people above him basically said "yeah, well, go shit on everything these families did for us, now."
Have some pride and dignity.