Objectives for the Romney Campaign
By GOP84 Posted in Blogosphere — Comments (27) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Mitt Romney is currently being referred to by the Politico as having the "best-positioned" campaign among the GOP candidates. He has said that his plan is to win the early primary states of New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina in order to carry the momentum into Super Tuesday. Fortunately for him, he has gained undeniably substantial leads in New Hampshire and Iowa, along with competitive numbers in South Carolina. Yet, his national numbers are still somewhat dismal, when compared to his success in certain states.
So, what does Mitt Romney need to do to solidify his support and win the nomination? Here's some ideas that I have:
1. Settle the religion issue once and for all. Romney needs to take a page out of the Kennedy playbook and make that speech concerning the way his religion affects him as as a candidate and potential officeholder. So far, he has done a decent job of handling himself in regard to his religion, but making a single defining speech like Kennedy did will likely put the matter to rest for good.
2. Keep picking up evangelical endorsements. If he can persuade people like James Dobson, Franklin Graham, or Rick Warren to support him, he can effectively sway the evangelical vote. A major part of Bush's victories in 2000 and 2004 were due to evangelicals. If Romney can demonstrate that he is significantly different from Giuliani on social issues because he shares evangelical values, he can win them over and carry their support in the general election.
3. Keep picking up political endorsements. The Judd Gregg endorsement should solidify Romney's victory in New Hampshire. More endorsements in South Carolina and Florida would be extremely helpful to his campaign at this point. Speaking of the South....
4. Campaign in the Southeast. I think the reason that Romney isn't doing too well in the South is because he generally hasn't been there. I only know of one stop to Alabama, very few stops in Georgia and Tennessee, none in Mississippi or Louisiana that I know of. So many people in this area just don't know who Romney is. He needs to make himself known in this territory (especially since Alabama is part of Super Tuesday... and it's my home state).
5. Tout the business experience. I've been reading Turnaround, Romney's account of the Salt Lake City Olympics, and it is amazing! The things he was able to do in such a difficult situation are virtually heroic. His experience at Bain Capital is also impressive. People need to know that he's not just some one-term governor from a blue state, he's a brilliant CEO and business mastermind.
6. Tout the political experience. This is one area where Romney has been fairly good. He balanced the budget four years straight without raising taxes in the bluest state in the union. That can't be said enough! Every success as governor of Massachusetts should be talked about. I'd even include personal accounts from Massachusetts citizens who have enjoyed the benefits of his administration in commercials.
7. Increase publicity. Sure, the occasional appearance on Hannity & Colmes will help. But it also wouldn't hurt to appear on shows like Regis & Kelly, Oprah, the Daily Show or even the Colbert Report in addition to H&C, the O'Reilly Factor, Meet the Press, Scarborough Country, and Hardball. Most Republicans take themselves a bit too seriously. I think appearing on the Colbert Report actually helped candidates like Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. I doubt more exposure would be a bad thing for Romney at this point.
8. Appeal to fiscal conservatives. Even though the evangelical vote is crucial, Romney has an excellent business record that can appeal to fiscal conservatives, the same ones that Giuliani is currently courting. If he can sway fiscons (new word?) along with evangelicons (if I'm the first to come up with that, I want a dollar everytime someone uses it), Romney will be unstoppable.
Romney is right in that the winner of this nomination will need the full support of the diverse conservative base. He will need evangelicals, fiscal conservatives, moderates, and everyone else that the Republican party appeals to in order to defeat Hillary Clinton in 2008. Personally, I think Romney has just as good a shot as Giuliani if he will follow these objectives.
Romney has been on the offensive. But frankly, most of his remarks are heard in early primary states. After he wins those, he will be heard more.
Do you think it matters to the evangelicals that Mitt was PRO-Abortion in the past?
"I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country... I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years, that we should sustain and support it"
Mitt Romney, 1994 Senatorial Debate vs. Ted Kennedy
That doesn't sound too Republican to me - brettrix
Did it matter than Reagan was pro-choice as governor of California?
Who would you rather have? A Republican who WAS pro-choice and converted to pro-life or a Republican who has always been pro-choice like Giuliani? If it was okay for Reagan and Bush Sr. to convert, I'd give Romney the benefit of the doubt too.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
...I might be more open to his candidacy. I did not vote for Ronald Reagan. A candidates stance on the issues over their lifetime matter since you can tell what they will do in the future.
The thing is that abortion is not that important of an issue to me. It is however, important to evangelicals.
What is important to me is GUNS. I can't support Romney who 3 years ago signed a law banning assault weapons in Massachusetts. "They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people" - Mitt Romney July 1st, 2004
What other purpose is there for owning a gun?
Are they good paintbrushes or something?
"
Perhaps hunting game, self defense, and target shooting?
Mitt Romney has always been for guns for hunting, self defense, and target shooting; and against assault weapons which are meant, as he said, to hunt down and kill people.
You may not agree with him. Hey, I'm not sure I agree with his stance. But to claim he has flip-flopped on this issue is either showing ignorance, a unwillingness to check things out for one's self, or a deliberate attempt to spin him in the worst possible light.
So would my AR-15 be considered an Assault weapon? I would hate to have a president who would want to take that away.
as far as being conservative - doesn't that imply not changing one's position? I vote for someone who not only says what i want to hear but does what he says - over the course of his political career.
I still say Mitt is a flip-flopper. You can call him what you want.
as far as being conservative - doesn't that imply not changing one's position?
Nope. It never has and it never will.
And furthermore if you actually think that any Republican President with any hope of remaining a viable political force in American politics would dare push for or sign gun control legislation then you probably know a lot less about politics than the little I believe you do.
As for political career, Mitt has only ever been elected once - for Governor of Massachussetts, and for what its worth he governed as conservatively as anyone could hope for facing a thoroughly Democratic veto-proof majority in both chambers of the State Legislature.
Oh ... but I know: "In 1994 ...!!!"
as far as being conservative - doesn't that imply not changing one's position?
If it were in my power, I'd forbid you to use the word 'conservative' ever again, because your use of it is so wrong that you are a danger to yourself and others.
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Let's nominate the Nash Equilibrium for President.
So let's throw out Reagan, Giuliani, Romney, and Bush Sr. since they've all changed positions at one time. I guess they aren't conservatives...
People change positions. Ever had a change of heart in your life? Politicians aren't as inhuman as we like to make them out to be.
Look, guns matter to me too. My father is a gun dealer, so let's just say I know a thing or two about firearms. But would I necessarily place their ownership above abortion when it comes to important issues? Certainly not! I think you have your priorities a bit out of whack if you're going to say that ownership of firearms above the murder of innocent human beings.
Even though I fully support the 2nd amendment, there are some people that I wouldn't trust with a firearm, especially an assault rifle. So while I support every American's right to own firearms (even assault rifles), I don't think it'd be a bad thing to make sure they don't wind up in the wrong hands.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
Romney hasn't fooled me. I don't believe him at all. He's the type of person that says whatever he has to say to be elected.
I thought it was shameful how he switched to being a Baptist when he found out how tough the Mormon issue was going to be for him.
They that are with us are more than they that are against us.
James Bopp, Bob Jones, Dr. Wilke (one of the founders of National Right to Life), Jim DeMint, Pete Hoekstra, Jim Talent, and others.
This is such old news, everyone knows he was pro-choice in the past.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
Someone writes about Romney on education, some anti-Romneybot sidles up, clears his throat and starts shrieking; "But in 1994 ... !!"
Someone writes about Romney on defense, anti-Romneybot puts feet together, squares shoulders and starts the same refrain; "But in 1994 ... !!"
Romney on taxes - "But in 1994 ... !!"
Romney on Iraq - "But in 1994 ... !!"
Romney sleeping in his bed - "But in 1994 ... !!"
At some point in time, y'all need to come forward to 2007 and try to remember that it's not 1994 and that for even trying to take Ted Kennedy out of the Senate and giving him something of a scare, Mitt cannot be all bad.
Besides, I think practically every Republican running for Governor in a Blue state in 2002 learnt a lesson from Bret Schundler's 2001 campaign for Governor of New Jersey.
The theme of that campaign basically became "What about abortion?" Schundler would give a speech about school funding and 60% of the questions from journalists afterwards would focus exclusively on abortion. Every second question during the debates and interviews was about abortion and every fourth about gun control.
Mitt ran as an expressly fiscal conservative in 2002 and from what I remember he was pretty anxious to avoid getting entangled in social issues (he was running for Governor of Massachusetts, after all). I remember that, usually, when he was faced with a question on social issues, he tried to finesse his way out of it.
In fact, on abortion, he did exactly what Giuliani is doing today, except in reverse - trying to convince a largely abortion-friendly electorate that it would be safe for them to vote for him. Rudy is trying to convince pro-lifers GOP voters of the same thing today.
Besides, last time I checked, Republicans were happy he won back then.
You are exactly right. It's about time somebody called out all these "Back in '94" people. Back in 1994, we had a Democratic president with a Republican majority in Congress. Times change! We've moved on and so has Mitt Romney.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
The only thing I might add would be to emphasize more his role as an outsider. Poll after poll shows the public is fed up with Congress and the federal government. I think Romney (and Giuliani) are best positioned of all the candidates, both Republican and Democrat, to take up the mantle as a true agent of change - someone who will bring real reform to Washington as only an outsider can.
Back this up with some truly bold and innovative ideas (so far most Republican proposals merely tinker around the edges) combined with a barrage of ads demonstrating Romney's track record of bringing about change and I think you've got the winning formula to become the next President.
I would never vote for a Mormon. I think there are a lot of others like me, but they won't admit it. I've known lots of Mormons and I think they are great people. I even have a few Mormons who are good friends of mine. I grew up around a bunch of Mormons when I was a kid. They were great. But there is still one problem...
I firmly believe 100% that their religion is a weird cult that is deemed acceptable because the followers are relatively normal. I believe that it is based on a false doctrine, which is obviously a farce, even if it may be relatively harmless.
I can not overcome the feeling that the followers are a by and large a bunch of comely dupes. I think, if you can believe the founding story of the Mormon religion, then you can be duped into believing anything. In the words of South Park "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb." Anyone who believes this Mormon stuff is fit to be a fine American citizen but not fit to be a US President.
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Considering where the good doctor's head was, when practicing medicine, is it any wonder that the man has issues?
The account you have created... Trolling. 4. Paul. has been disconnected, or is no longer in service.
We're just not, you know, in a place where this relationship can work out. We just need to have a little "us" time to work on us, you know? And we can't do that with you being around all the time. It's just such a distraction. We'll always remember you, but it just can't be right now, okay? Please say you understand.
Look, this doesn't have to be goodbye forever, you know? Maybe later on down the line, we'll run in to each other, you'll use the contact form, and we can give this another shot. But in the meantime, we need you not to call or write for a while, okay? Please don't make this awkward.
What's really important here is that you realize that it's not us, it's you. Okay? Please remember that as you go.
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The Red Sox Republican: Burkeanism, Baseball, and Sundries.
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Considering where the good doctor's head was, when practicing medicine, is it any wonder that the man has issues?
I write a blog about how it doesn't matter that Romney is Mormon even though I personally believe it to be a cult and the post gets closed. This guy calls it a "weird cult," and gets off scot-free? Come on...
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
The post remains up because we judged it sufficiently embarrassing to be worth leaving up.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Romney needs to be a lot more aggressive. One reason Rudy has endeared himself to so many conservatives and Republicans is that he is constantly on the offensive and constantly on the attack with regard to Hillary and the Democrats. Romney should be a lot more aggressive in detailing exactly what these Democrats will do to our country, and attack the Dems over and over.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”