Lambasting the Chihuahuas; Romney Making a Play for Veep?
By swamp_yankee Posted in Archived — Comments (184) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
A very interesting article about Romney with some interesting comments in Politico. Romney affirmly states that he would accept the Veep position, which some had doubted he would. Furthermore, Romney sharply attacks both Clinton and Obama. According to Jonathon Martin;
'Listening to Obama and Clinton discuss their national security credentials, Romney said, is akin to "listening to two Chihuahuas argue about which is the biggest dog." "When it comes to national security, John McCain is the big dog, and they are the chihuahuas ," he said.'
Ouch. One criticism of Romney is that he wouldn't be tough enough as a Veep. This looks like a blatant attempt to be a hound dog. Those are some strong words from Romney. He also went out of his way to praise McCain, talk of party unity and state how diligently he is working to support McCain.
Another interesting tidbit of information informs us that Romney's fundraisers have met with McCain's. Hmmmm.
File under: Potential Veep?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0308/Romney_says_hed_take_V...
"Get Romney's fund raisers together with Bush's and we can compete with Democratic money this year."
Re: financing 527s, who's richer:
multimillionaire Romney's friends,
or
leftist billionaire Soros?
/////////////////////////////////////////
Morain, Dan. 1 January 2008. "Huckabee foes open their wallets for attack ads" _LA Times_
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money1jan01,1,53501...
Huckabee has been the target of a $550,000 campaign waged by the conservative anti-tax Club for Growth.
==
Romney isn't paying for the independent spots, but they often appear during the same commercial breaks as Romney-funded ads. A handful of wealthy donors, including several backers of the former Massachusetts governor, have paid for the spots with checks of as much as $100,000 to the Club for Growth, an independent group that produced and placed the spots.
Though federal election laws restrict the amount donors can give directly to candidates, looser restrictions govern what contributors can give to independent efforts to influence the race.
Houston home-builder Bob J. Perry, for example, has donated $2,300 to Romney, the most he can give to the candidate in the primary. Two weeks ago, Perry gave $200,000 to the Club for Growth, allowing the group to jack up its television buy to pummel Huckabee on the airwaves.
==
Boston investor John Childs, who donated $2,100 to Romney in 2007, recently gave $100,000 to the Club for Growth.
==
Are they donating to the Club for Growth as a backdoor way of helping Romney?
"I suppose that is a possibility," said Club for Growth spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik. "It could also be that they are afraid of Huckabee's record."
Romney's aides have said the candidate has no connection to the spots.
/////////
Romney: abolish PACs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM0x8WnI4to&feature=related
"In Romney’s Bid, His Wallet Opens to the Right"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/us/politics/11romney.html?_r=1&adxnnl=...
"Romney has the ability to make biting comments that are not inappropriate."
Do you think Romney has the ability to get away with his lying?
//////////////////////////////////
One lie of a story from the serial liar Romney:
MLK marching lie in his 6 December 2007 prepared speech.
Mitt Romney: From Flip-Flop To See-Saw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up60e-ygalU
Tammy Bruce: Romney's fantasies become reality to him: 2:00+
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMlHy-2Er1I
Romney: McCain's bill gives, and doesn't give, amnesty to illegals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RtlC4g96ck
Bank, Justin and Lori Robertson, of factcheck.org. 19 December 2007. "Romney on Huckabee II
Romney attacks Huckabee again with false and misleading claims."
http://www.newsweek.com/id/80949
This item should have mentioned Romney's bogus 'I took only pro-life steps in office' claims:
Luo, Michael. 22 December 2007. "Romney Learns That 'Facts Are Stubborn Things'" _The New York Times_
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/22/us/politics/21cnd-romney.html?hp
Allott, Daniel. 20 December 2007. "Romney, get real about your abortion record"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7482.html
Quoted by Joe from
http://www.observer.com/2008/defense-mccains-attacks
In Massachusetts he brought audiences to tears with the story of a “close family member” who died from a back alley abortion, and how the experience had convinced him that abortion should be a matter of deeply personal choice, and not any business of the government’s. “You will not see me waver on that,” he declared.
Wallsten, Peter. 25 March 2007. "Activists Remember a Different
Romney
Advocates for gay and abortion rights and the environment say the GOP
candidate misled them on his positions." _Los Angeles Times_
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/03/25/78/
And in many cases, he said his commitment had been cemented by watching the suffering of someone dear to him: a grandchild whose asthma left him worried about air pollution; his wife’s multiple sclerosis, which had him placing hope in embryonic stem cell research; the death of a distant relative in an illegal abortion, convincing him that the procedure needed to remain legal.
In discussing the need to combat global warming, he said he worried about his family’s favorite vacation spot.
“He talked a lot about his kids and his family and the place they go to in New Hampshire on vacation,” said Cindy Luppi, an official from the group Clean Water Action, who was impressed by Romney’s concern about global warming in a 2003 meeting — and later disappointed when he unexpectedly pulled the state out of a regional compact on greenhouse gases.
“We really see these as promises that were made and broken, and an ethical breach for a person of faith who had worked really hard to create this public image as an upright kind of a family guy.”
Who has been at McCains side from the beginning? Hint he is from the NE and is a Senator. Was with him before and during NH primary! Really now can't you just imagine if Mac had his way! he is still angry with Mitt over the Olympics, come on Mitt, no way.
...own check-writing hand?
Romney out fundraised every single candidate. Jesus man, you don't cut the guy any slack. To answer your question, he outfundraised every single person, so yea he's got a good idea of how to do it.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.Let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."-Barry Goldwater
McCain/Rudy 08-kill the terrorists and punch the hippies.
[swamp_yankee in Couldn't be more wrong]"He [Romney] raised more than McCain. More than Rudy. More than Thompson. More than Huckabee. .... His fundraising blew away everyone elses."
Rudy raised more than Romney, once multimillionaire Romney's self-financing is taken out of the equation:
Rudy raised $63,958,802.
In contrast, Romney raised only $62,737,527 once his self-financing to the tune of $42,363,735 is subtracted from his fundraising total.
See the Rudy and Romney pages linked to from
http://opensecrets.org/pres08/index.asp?cycle=2008
In 2007, Romney outspent Huckabee 12 to 1.
How did Romney lose to Huckabee in Iowa?
After outspending Huckabee in 2007 by a factor of 12 to 1?
Romney spent in 2007 $86,068,239.
Huckabee spent in 2007 $7,090,087.
Source:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.asp?cycle=2008
...President, to spend $43 million of his own money, and to change his core beliefs just in time to campaign?
This is why I don't support Romney. He lies to my face about his "consistent beliefs" and expects me to be stupid enough to believe him, and he is so vainly, blindly ambitious that he spends $43 million from his own bank account -- and $62 mil of other people's money -- to stoke his own self-important ego.
Nice.
at least they're not desparate stretches of reality like your idea like the idea that Mitt definitely came in third.
"desperate stretches of reality like your idea... that Mitt definitely came in third"
Romney came in 3rd in delegate totals.
Data from
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#val=R
John McCain
Pledged: 1243
Unpledged RNC*: 82
Total: 1,325
Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Pledged: 264
Unpledged RNC*: 3
Total: 267
Romney
Mitt Romney
Pledged: 255
Unpledged RNC*: 0
Total: 255
After campaigning longer than Romney for one month. By any useful measurement Romney did better than Huckabee. The delagate count one month after the race has been over for all practical purposes, is not such a measure.
"By any useful measurement Romney did better than Huckabee."
How much did Romney shell out per delegate he got?
How much did Huckabee spend per delegate he got?
How much advertising and ground game money did Romney dump in Iowa, NH, SC, and FL? Only to lose in all of those states?
How much $$$ have monied Romney friends spent on his behalf?
/////////////////////////
Morain, Dan. 1 January 2008. "Huckabee foes open their wallets for attack ads" _LA Times_
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money1jan01,1,53501...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/us/politics/07donate.html
“It’s clear that Mr. Romney’s money can’t buy him love,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that collects and analyzes campaign finance data. “He’s spent so much more than Huckabee, yet Huckabee got a lot more bang for his buck.”
per delegate, if it matters now. McCain has 1191+ so does it matter now. What does matter is that Hillary and Barack will have spent 300-400 million before the convention. Then comes the general. Can you say ONE BILLION for President-coming soon.
280 or 290 when he dropped out. Huck never caught up. Michigan stripped some after the fact but he earned them.
Although I know we all would find it just SHOCKING to find that Jeff Emmanuel would EVER be disingenuous about anything related to Mitt Romney. You know, considering how fair and rationale his analysis of Mitt Romney is. *super duper heavy sarcasm* LOL
It's all apples and oranges given Romney's correct foresight that McCain would be the nominee. If Romney played Huck's silly "I have nothing else to do" game, do you think Romney's total delegates would be 255?
Romney to this day still had over a million popular votes more than Huckabee. Huckabee's attempt to come in second was silly selfishness and a lack to appreciate the finer aspects of math. This race was over after super Tuesday.
"change his core beliefs just in time to campaign"
Jackson, Gregg. 4 February 2008. "Why I'm Voting for Mike Huckabee"
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/GreggJackson/2008/02/04/why_im_voting...
Mitt Romney is not only not a conservative on any issue, he's not even on the left-right spectrum. He has no beliefs. No principles. No backbone. No soul. He is a soulless creature who will do and say anything to get elected.
Romney Fairytale video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7y1HMZNJy0
and
http://artlaction.com/
"why I don't support Romney. He lies to my face about his 'consistent beliefs' and expects me to be stupid enough to believe him"
Allott, Daniel. 20 December 2007. "Romney, get real about your abortion record"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7482.html
Murdock, Deroy. 4 February 2008.
"Rhetoric vs. Record
Romney’s life problem."
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZGYyZWE4OGI5YzNlZTc1M2M2OTRiYmMzMjE...
Romney lying in 2002, or lying now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43TVmSoaQ7c
Talk about a horrible return on an investment. At least Romney stands a good chance of being the VP and later President
"Romney stands a good chance of being the VP"
How strongly does McCain dislike Romney?
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Luo, Michael. 24 January 2008. "Romney Leads in Ill Will Among G.O.P. Candidates" _The New York Times_
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/politics/24romney.html?_r=1&hp&oref...
TAMPA, Fla. — At the end of the Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire this month, when the Democrats joined the candidates on stage, Mitt Romney found himself momentarily alone as his counterparts mingled, looking around a bit stiffly for a companion.
The moment was emblematic of a broader reality that has helped shape the Republican contest and could take center stage again on Thursday at a debate in Florida. Within the small circle of contenders, Mr. Romney has become the most disliked.
that was about to end my 12 year campaign for President either. It took McCain AND Huckabee to take Mitt down in West Virginia and an 11th hour endorsement from Crist when Romeny started to overtake McCain in the polls in Florida. Look, it's all fair game, but no doubt the animosity stems primarily from the heated campaign and the fact that Romeny was fiercely competative. But more importantly Romeny has moved on. You should too.
"no doubt the animosity stems primarily from the heated campaign and the fact that Romney was fiercely competitive"
Do you think Romney's attack ads were accurate in describing McCain's and Huckabee's records?
////////////////////////////////////
Romney: McCain's bill gives, and doesn't give, amnesty to illegals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RtlC4g96ck
Kelly, Chris. 7 January 2008. "Mitticisms: 'Amnesty'"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/mitticisms-amnesty_b_80162.htm...
....Romney ....he's the one candidate who's ready to
mislead on Day One.
Imagine if Mitt Romney sold you something -- let's
say some land in Glengarry Glen Ross -- and you
were trying to get your money back, and he started
pulling this... on you.
Romney lacks credibility on *anything*
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=99a7821a-ebdb-4003-b0a4-5c849369e91...
Democrats For Romney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiCqxKLIVDY
Medved
http://michaelmedved.townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2008/01/08/wi...
Mitt Romney’s saturation attack ads (played every few minutes in Iowa and now in New Hampshire) have not only poisoned the campaign with mischaracterizations of the records of his opponents, but also set the agenda for horribly unenlightening and awkward debates that harmed all the candidates, very much including Romney himself.
Romney attacks Huckabee again with false and misleading claims
http://www.newsweek.com/id/80949
More Mitt Malarkey
Romney repeats misleading claims about McCain's stand on immigration
http://www.factcheck.org/more_mitt_malarkey.html
Fee-Fee Romney's Taxes & Fees
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=23a78e88-4d1a-47bd-8a7a-60aa8109e29...
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OWRmY2MxMzJhOTc4OTlmMjJjYWY3NWI2Yzl...
“Come on, Mitt, tighten up your chin strap,” Salter, standing just a few feet away from the Romney team, told reporters. “Of all the ludicrous suggestions – Mitt Romney whining about being attacked, when he has predicated an entire campaign plan on whoever serially looks like the biggest challenger gets, whatever, $20 million dropped on his head and gets his positions distorted. Give me a break. It’s nothing more than a guy who dishes it out from 30,000 feet altitude and then gets down in the arena and somebody says, O.K. Mitt, gives him a little pop back, and he starts whining. That’s unbecoming.”
Oh yes, that is why we are still engaged in trench warfare and won't have a candidate until a brokered convention. WTH?
Man, you are tiresome and obviously have too much time on your hands.
Ignore it, not worth the bandwidth.
I mean, quoting the HuffPo, and Medved, on Romney? Sheesh!
-------------
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
"I mean, quoting the HuffPo, and Medved, on Romney? Sheesh!"
What do you think of quoting Farah on Romney?
/////////////////////////
Farah, Joseph. 19 January 2008. "Not drinking Romney's Kool-aid"
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59764
I have a feeling there's been a secret meeting to which I have not been invited.
Many of my friends must have attended, because they're all thinking alike.
Suddenly, because Mitt Romney narrowly won one primary in his birth state – the state formerly presided over by his governor father and a primary he was expected to win all along – he has been crowned, by these friends of mine, as the heir apparent to the GOP presidential nomination.
I'm not buying it.
I'm not drinking that Kool-aid. Not now, not ever.
In fact, I truly hope Mitt Romney stumbles and bumbles as he did in Iowa and New Hampshire – two other states he was supposed to have won.
The reason I hope he loses again and again is because I can never vote for him – no matter whom he might run against as the Republican nominee.
==
Nevertheless, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and countless other friends of mine – people who are right far more often than they are wrong – have somehow fallen under the spell of Mitt Romney.
I look at the man, and I see the face of disingenuousness. They look at it and see the face of sincerity.
I swear I didn't drink the Kool-aid.
Can they make the same vow?
///////////////////////////////////////////
David Limbaugh's ignorance
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=8458206d-7aa4-4800-9a49-948df8f8035...
remember punditry's malpractice this primary season
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.republicans/msg/a49836376d61...
Romney owes talk radio debt of gratitude
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.republicans/msg/f66e6dad0487...
(we ladies gotta stick together :D)
--------------------------------------
GOP McCain for President, 2008
that you don't like...
I find his research quite impressive. And any fair-minded person would likewise, instead of simply dismissing him.
That goes for you as well c17wife; I'm surprised you would do that. From your other comments, I thought you would at least have the character to admit he's got more facts that you do, even if you wouldn't debate the points.
BTW, his "research" is all standard, garden variety, Grade-A Huckabot Talking Point - available on several internet sites near you. And they're not facts, they're propaganda and opinion - but that's never stopped the AntiRomBots in the past so I doubt it will now.
But you have provided one useful service today - thanks for reminding me why I dropped out of RS sight about a month ago. I needed that.
-------------
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
"they're not facts, they're propaganda and opinion"
Do you approve of Romney's appointing open homosexuals to positions of authority?
Jacobs, Ethan. 3 March 2005. "Mitt Romney’s secret gay history!" _Bay Windows_
http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=columnists&sc=the_romney_files
Romney also continued Weld’s tradition of appointing openly gay people to key positions in his administration. One of his first cabinet appointments was Daniel Grabauskas, who Romney chose to serve in his cabinet as secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction.
The new governor’s transition team also included several openly gay people, including Grabauskas, former lieutenant governor candidate and current president of the national Log Cabin Republicans Patrick Guerriero, and former Mass. Log Cabin president Mark Goshko.
Other gay Romney appointees include John Wagner, commissioner of the state welfare department, Mitchell Adams, executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and Jonathan Spampinato, a member of Romney’s Diversity and Equal Opportunity Council. Two out lesbian appointees were fired by the governor shortly after getting legally married to their same-sex partners: Ardith Wieworka, former commissioner of Child Care Services, who was let go last summer, and Katherine Abbott, former commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, who was asked to resign last month after her department was blamed for not adequately clearing sidewalks
==
He [Romney] offered political and financial support to two openly gay Republican candidates for state representative in 2004, Richard Babson in the Eighth Suffolk District and Michael Motzkin of the Ninth Essex District, who both lost. Both candidates were promoted as part of the Romney Reform Team.
Romney judges
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=9380a1ac-650e-4e62-a8a8-cc86e06ca2a...
Yes, you can take that as me being fine with Romney hiring openly gay individuals. I politely suggest that you contemplate the fact that this site has a moderator who publicly supports same-sex marriage (on the Connecticut model) before you respond; you may not be in as friendly an arena as you might have supposed.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
"I believe we must adjourn this meeting to some other place." - The last recorded words of Adam Smith.
Even if Romney is picked for VP, the chances of becoming President are still small. If McCain wins, he'll have to wait at least 4 years, maybe 8 or have McCain die. Then, he'll still have win primaries and a general election.
If McCain loses, he hasn't gained all that much.
If McCain wins, Rudy will get his choice of cabinent positions. And there's still a chance, regardless of how remote, that Rudy would get it.
I'd rather be Rudy then Romney right now.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Mitt gains little politically. Mitt would still have the Morman problem, especially in the south, but at least Mitt and McCain are closer on several policy issues than Huck (no change he is VP).
Also Mitt can probably only deliver 1 state for certain (Utah) and McCain will need a broader appeal. This is going to be a fight for Electorial College votes and several previous RED states (3 large ones) are in play this year.
What large red state is in play other then Ohio?
Because Texas or Florida are not in play.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Remember our R-Governor got 39% of the vote in a 4 way race. I know the RNC says TX is not but they also said we would hold the House and Senate in 06-WRONG. We know Ohio is in play but Illinois is in play also. Farmers may vote McCain but not like a block as before they are mad(have relatives in Il that farm), Cook county will definately go for Obama and it is his home state. Again RNC Wrong. Also Florida could come into play if the war starts going bad and/or economy continues to struggle. Just some thoughts after talking to State Republican Leaders.
...and I highly doubt Texas is either. Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994, and I don't believe they have voted for a Democrat president since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
I'm in TX also. TX will go blue in a presidential race when cows fly over the moon.
Your example - the 06 Gov election featured 2 R's against 2 D's (in essence). Republicans won 57-42. You can't use that one as some argument that TX is in play.
Kill the terrorists
Protect the borders
Punch the hippies -- Frank J
Hope to see you at Texas Republican State Convention June 12-14 in Houston, if you can make it there.
little.
He's a McCain hater and is just trying to stir the pot.
Cows will not be flying in 2008. And I've got you several Starbucks on that. :>)
Who hates McCain, I certainly do not. What makes you think hate has anything to do with it. Sorry you are not tolerant of other ideas but I guess that is just the way you are. Thats ok, we can still call you friend.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00000286&cycle=2008
Its pretty clear to me this website shows that indeed Romney was the top fundraiser among individual contributors among the GOP presidential nominees.
Individual contributions
$62,158,248
59%
PAC contributions
$357,252
0%
Candidate self-financing
$42,363,735
40%
Federal Funds
$0
0%
Other
$222,027
0%
On top of that his campaign debts were:
Debts: $42,300,000
Looks to me like Romney's personal contributions paid off his campaign debts...unlike others that beg their supporters to help them level the debt...
Classy Romney...Classy...
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. " -James Madison
"Romney was the top fundraiser among individual contributors among the GOP presidential nominees.
Individual contributions
$62,158,248"
Just barely. Compare Giuliani's individual contributions: $61,097,511
Ref:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00009908&cycle=2008
"Looks to me like Romney's personal contributions paid off his campaign debts"
Romney loaned his campaign $42,363,735. His campaign is in debt to him by that amount. His campaign doesn't have to pay back his loan.
"Classy Romney...Classy..."
Do you think Romney's concession speech following his FL loss was "classy"?
Do you think Romney's cutting off a McCain concession speech just as it was about to start was "classy"?
/////////////////////////////////
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
McCain Calls Romney to Congratulate Him
Posted by: Mary Katharine Ham at 9:18 PM
http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/4744508d-d6f0-4183-accc-4cc276caf690
Update: Mitt Romney's stepping on McCain's concession speech with his victory speech. I guarantee you there are a couple dozen people at McCain camp looking at the TVs switching to Mitt right now, going "God, I hate those guys."
Update: E.M. tells me that was happening all weekend in Michigan. McCain had to schedule events with hours between his and Romney's planned appearances or he'd get his toes stepped on.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Mitt's Concession Speech
Posted by: Matt Lewis at 9:38 PM
http://townhall.com/blog/g/9088af39-b48d-4c6a-9c5f-18532ccd4f5b?comments...
Jon - I agree. Something's wrong with Mitt. He looks and sounds very angry and upset. He's not at all gracious. And his speech is basically a stump speech that seems to me, at least, to be preachy, out-of-place, and inappropriate.
Luo, Michael. 24 January 2008. "Romney Leads in Ill Will Among G.O.P. Candidates" _The New York Times_
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/politics/24romney.html?_r=1&hp&oref...
Aides to Mr. Huckabee say he did not get to know Mr. Romney very well as a governor, finding him distant at meetings. The aides said they were also irritated that Mr. Romney did not call after Mr. Huckabee’s victory in Iowa.
Good grief, let it rest already!
I didn't like Romney much either, but please, HE LOST THE FREAKING PRIMARY.
Take a breather.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
I'm thinking all this panic induced posting comes from the increased likelihood that Romeny will be VP. There's really no other explanation for it. No one bothers attacking Huckabee, Thompson or Rudy becasue their names are not being floated for VP. You only fight when you feel threatened.
synthesizer is responding to people who think he is wrong about Romney with well-researched arguments.
If you want him to stop, simply admit (or tell the people who continue to disagree with him that) he is right. Or else, let the discussion continue.
"well-researched arguments". thanks for the laugh, I needed that. Cutting and pasting anti-romney diatribes.
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. " -James Madison
"Romney out fundraised every single candidate." And he lost despite it. Why? Because he did not appeal to the party's base. I would guess that this is in large part due to his perceived fanciful storytelling.
What McCain needs in his veep choice is someone who will appeal to the faction of the party which feels most disenchanted with John McCain: conservatives. Ergo, McCain should find a running mate who will appeal to conservatives. Romney does not appeal, by and large, to conservatives. His pick as a running mate would be an unsatisfying disaster, and I suspect McCain's peeps know this. We'll see what comes of it, but I'd consider betting you dinner -- once my throat heals -- that McCain's running mate won't be Mitt Romney.
... that picks up on key words, and responds with a group recycled cut and paste, from a collection he uses over and over? The ratio of synthesizer's own content to the cut and paste is on the order of 1/100.
"Is synthesizer really a spam bot"
Yes, it is.
"recycled"
Romney: "that [coal-fired power] plant kills people"; global warming "quite alarming"
h ttp://groups.google.com/groups?selm=b315064c-1dd8-40a2-892b-ae09f30cce43%40l1g2000hsa.googlegroups.com
Romney on global warming:
videos:
I want a global cap and trade re: CO2 emissions;
let's push for global reductions in CO2 emissions
h ttp://www.heatison.org/pages/Governor_Mitt_Romney
Wallsten, Peter. 25 March 2007. "Activists Remember a Different
Romney
Advocates for gay and abortion rights and the environment say the GOP
candidate misled them on his positions." _Los Angeles Times_
h ttp://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/03/25/78/
Thanks for confessing that. And look! Your comments are now being unpublished, spambot.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Wrong. He raised more than McCain. More than Rudy. More than Thompson. More than Huckabee. In fact, he raised six miliion in one day. His fundraisinf blew away everyone elses.
You really do believe your own lies don't you.
Perhaps we differ on what exactly constitutes a "lie" -- and it would appear that you're the one with the rationality, anger, and composure problem when it comes to any discussion of Romney. Sorry his third-place finish in the primary is such a personal blow to you.
The talk about how long his campaign would last hinged directly on how long his family would continue to let him drain their bank accounts to keep his presidential hopes alive. That doesn't sound like a guy who was swimming in other people's money to me.
However, if his "fundraisinf[sic] blew away everybody elses[sic]," then he can give lessons on how to blow cash on a losing campaign -- and how not to campaign overall. Both of those are attributes I'd want to avoid were I the prospective nominee.
Blah, blah, blah, what are you talking about. You said his fundraing was his checkbook. Wrong. Your the one that gets all pissy like a little school girl every time his name is brought up. Here's a couple examples of his fundraising prowess.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/us/politics/03money.html?ref=politics
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/romneys_big_day.html
Oh good grief. He might be bad, but you're just going off in the other direction. The fact that he raised so much money and still got blown out of the water is NOT a good sign.
That said, I like what he said here, and perhaps if he stops doing an impression of an ever-changing T-1000 like he did in the primary, I won't be upset should McCain chose him for VP.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
McCain ran for President for 12 years. Romney went from a no name candidate to the conservative favorite in ten months. Second, McCain needs organization, cash, fundraising, and unity.
No one votes for a candidate based on their Veep, but if a Veep can bring a large base of donors, conservative talking heads, business leades, Wall Street big wigs, all the better.
It matters not who McCain puts up for VP, McCain is the top of the ticket and that is all that matters. His ideals are what will be pushed and we have a 20 year history on him. We know what he will put forth and I will not support him-period.
Until McCain goes to the floor of the Senate and Fights for Conservative ideals as hard as he has fought for Feingold/Kennedy/Gang of 14... I will not listen to his empty speeches. He has had 20 years to secure the borders of this nation and has not. He has 7 year since 9/11 to do the same and has not. He has had 16 months to get the fence built and has not. Now I am to follow him because he says he wants the secure the border, OH Yes I really Beleive him this time.
It takes ACTION Senator John Sidney McCain III, not words-otherwise you can save your money and breath.
WRITING A NAME IN in NOVEMBER!!
It takes ACTION LittleL1954, not words-otherwise you can save your money and breath.
Think about it.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Exactly; McCain needs to take Action, otherwise he is just talking to himself.
As for money, I have already given more, this year, to the RNC than has McCain's RNC Victory Chairman (Carly Forina) has in the past 8 years. I sent them $1.00 this year, she has sent -0-in the past 8 years.
Action is what McCain needs to get us back to him, his hollow words will not.
WRITING A NAME IN in NOVEMBER!!!
Or, you know, perhaps it takes action for anybody to give a rat crap what you think about McCain. Nobody really cares if you pout in a corner. If you want your opinion to count, you help him. If you don't, you can sit in a corner and pout. But You'll be there for quite a while.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Romney was hardly a "no name" candidate. He came from a wealthy, politically connected family and was a prominent Governor of a medium sized state, after being CEO of one of the biggest investment firms in the nation.
He also wasn't ever a "conservative favorite", he was merely what anti-McCain supporters were willing to settle for.
I also doubt that raising money is McCain's biggest problem.
That said, I agree his fundraising connections wouldn't hurt, and if Romney would be willing to be an attack dog like here, he might be a decent VP pick, although his high negatives worry me.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
McCain was written off when his campaign went nearly broke. He is facing a large fundraising deficit to either of the Democratic candidates. What is a bigger problem to McCain than finances?
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
He's the nominee of a major party for President. World of difference between raising money in a primary and raising money once you are the big dog in the general election. No major party candidate for President has ever had a particularly difficult time raising money. Some might to slightly better then others, but ultimately he won't win or lose based on a few million bucks.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Tell that to grass roots donors who are generally more informed and engaged in the political process.
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
"if he stops doing an impression of an ever-changing T-1000 like he did in the primary"
Jan 26, 2008
A Mormon 'Terminator'
jim shea
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/OPINIO...
The Hartford Courant
Mitt Romney is kind of like those cyborgs from the Terminator movies who can alter their appearance at will.
Seriously, if it were suddenly revealed that Romney is actually a "terminator" from the future sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor so her son would not be born, I wouldn't bat an eyelash.
==
If Hillary Clinton continues to gain among women voters because women want a woman in the White House, I swear, Romney will transgender.
Romney a shape-shifting political opportunist e.g. on homosexuality
ht tp://groups.google.com/groups?selm=38cebb6b-6493-49b3-8574-9120f8a068c0%40s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com
Romney an abortion chameleon on videotapes
ht tp://groups.google.com/groups?selm=54f3c9a0-e082-44f8-94d6-21110c3c25c5%40s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com
February 2005 Romney discusses his views on abortion ht tp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2007/02/20/AU2007022000914.html
Transcript: February 2005 Romney Interview Excerpts
ht tp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022000813.html
I think he missed the chance to opine during the primary and this has been building for the last six weeks.
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
was he a "no-name candidate" or was he the Master Destroyer of a Billionaire Conservative Juggernaut who was endorsed or supported by Limbaugh, Ingraham, NR, Bork, etc.? You can't have it both ways, and every time you defend him you make his loss look worse.
His defeat can't some Nefarious Plot masterminded by "the establishment" if -- as you constantly point out -- the entire "establishment" supported him.
Pretty much everybody did but the voters. Sad that elections are decided in such an .... unclean ... way as that -- by having hoi polloi choose from among their betters at the ballot box -- isn't it? After all, the richest guy just might not win that way.
Who said his defeat was some some Nefarious Plot masterminded by "the establishment". Never said that. you consistently put words in peoples mouth and change the debate. Nobody really knew him at first. He polled in the single digits. He rose in every region and demographic. Beat Brownback, Thompson, Rudy and yes Huckabee. He ended up losing to man who had spent 12 years running for the office, who was considered more electable and had the support of indpendents and moderates.
to do what Huckabee's ego could not.
You're full of villifying words for Romney...you defend Huckabee relentlessly...
I'm assuming you're an evangelical christian that does not respect Mormonism...
That's fine by me if that's where you stand...just say so...
The issue I have is that you clearly ignore facts and play the role of a spin doctor...
I'm not even arguing against your points on Romney...I'm just saying that you clearly have bias regardless of your intent to conceal it.
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. " -James Madison
"I'm assuming you're an evangelical christian that does not respect Mormonism..."
Congratulations on making it onto my mental list of people never to read.
no really...I'd like you to explain how that comment was bigoted...
assumptive...sure but that was admitted...
bigoted...hardly as it was a common theme during the primaries that Romney's Mormonism did not favor well with some evangelical christians...enough to argue he's not electable...
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. " -James Madison
It's a fact of life.
The reality of this nomination however, regardless of why is that McCain won. Huck was second. Mitt third. I don't think that's spinning just reporting it like it is.
like I said...
i'm not arguing that Romney did not take third...
nor am I saying that people don't have bias naturally...
I'm just saying don't attempt to conceal the bias.
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. " -James Madison
Romney didn't beat Huckabee. Romney dropped out and released his delegates to McCain in order to support the launch of a national campaign so McCain could stand a chance at winning. He said success in the GWOT was more important than his campagin. Huckabee didn't agree. Beating Romeny in delegates was. Romeny taking a thrid of McCain's vote in the upcoming primaries would only serve to weaken McCain and since Romeny could not mathmatically catch up to McCain in delegates, his staying in would be merely an ego trip so decided to step aside. So yes. Let's hear it for Huckabee. He is obviously more deserving of the party's respect. And I gues with that logic.....Ron Paul 21012!
Nah, he'll still be considered crazy in 19004 years.
Fighting for conservatism one day at a time.
He was only twelve points behind Huckabee 1 month after he dropped out. At best he tied for second, but I would say he probably got second. If he stayed in he probably would have kept Huck from passing him. Mitt Romney came in second in a five man race and you make it sound like he's the worst campaigner of the century. You seriously need to get over your animosity towards Romney, so that you can at least be reasoned. The most amazing colapses of the primary was the colapse of Rudy and the colapse of Thompson, now those were huge. Romney did about as well as expected and ended up losing to a candidate that did much better than expected. I think its grossly unfair to make out his campaign to be some kind of disaster, he lost - it happens more often than winning in politics.
(1) It's not negotiable. How many people were still in the race before Romney dropped out? Three. How many were left when he was gone? Two. Ergo, he came in third. There's nothing to argue here.
(2) FDT was an "amazing colapse[sic]"? Uh....no. He started with nothing, ended with nothing, with no peak in between. All in all, that's a pretty ordinary go-nowhere campaign.
then he came in fourth as Ron Paul was still in the race, actually there's probably other candidates as well such as John Cox. However, when you say came in third, I think of being the campaign to have done the third best, clearly Huckabee did better than Ron Paul, even though I think RP might have dropped out a minute later than him, and there's probably some crazies still running. The only thing Huck did better than Romney as far as I can tell is not drop out when he had no real chance of winning, therefore I don't think you can say Huck did better.
2. He once second in national polls, and he colapsed from first in SC to second with about an eight point drop, he also had about a 10 point drop in New Hampshire, and I think about a 10 point drop in MI.
that you have a really big personal problem with Romney. He did raise the most money in terms of fundraising and that was counted Separate from his own money, remember the constant media drumbeat of "well we don't know exactly how much Mitt Romney has put into his own campaign", remember Tim Russert grilling him over it at the debate in Florida and he refused to answer it?
Your remark about him draining his family's bank account is also ridiculous. Romney is a smart businessman if he dropped $43 million on his campaign he will have earned all of it back Plus more in 2-3 years, thats how smart businessman like him work. He didn't get that way overnight and he did it on his own he didn't marry it or inherit it. You can comeback with "oh well he didn't get a good return on his investment" blah blah, but that has jumped the shark in my view.
For some reason Jeff can't resist throwing punches a month after Romney left the ring.
Jeff, you would be miles ahead if you would stay out of the Romney discusions.
Trust me on this one bro.
Jeff, you would be miles ahead if you would stay out of the Romney discusions.
Trust me on this one bro.
Jeff,
Whose bank accounts was Mitt Romney draining? Because, perhaps I'm wrong, but I believe Mitt Romney was the brilliant business guru who went into the office every day and built a net-worth of close to $250 million.
If this country - nay the Republican Party - were just a little bit more the meritocracy that we should be, Mitt Romney would not only have won the GOP presidential nomination but would be trouncing Hillary and Barry in match-ups 80-20.
It's unfortunate that you, too, are so hostile to moving the U.S. away from systems that reward superfluous criteria and towards a system that rewards real demonstrable merit.
This is the one area where I can't stand to read your work - your complete and utter bias against Romney. I make no bones in saying that I was for Romney, but I can at least be honest with myself; it's sad that you cannot appear to do so as well. And, FWIW, your continued slams on the fact that he has money is well beneath you. He self-financed. So? He actually was willing to put his own money on the line. At least he isn't asking for public financing when he's in trouble.
If you want to say he finished in third, it's because of two things:
1.) He actually had the common sense to bow out when he realized he wouldn't win.
2.) Michigan stripped the delegates once he bowed out.
Even giving you point #1, if Michigan hadn't done what they did, he would have still finished second, with only half the time in the race that Huck had.
On other points, I would think that McCain's campaign could stand to learn something from Romney's fundraising ability-after all, McCain has raised substantially less in the primaries and afterward than Romney did.
It's over. Grow up.
In politics, you have your word and your friends; go back on either and you're dead. (Rule #11 of the public policy process)
I make no bones in saying that I was for Romney, but I can at least be honest with myself; it's sad that you cannot appear to do so as well.
You're kidding, right? I explain the entire reasoning behind my refusal to support Romney's ego-driven, overly-ambitious, core value-less self right here.
Yes, third. Sorry, but even ignoring delegate counts (which I never brought up in the first place), there were -- as I said above -- three real candidates in the race the day before he dropped out, and two remaining afterward. Ergo, he finished third. Several of you seem to be sudden supporters of "fuzzy math" in this thread, but there's no way to argue around his third-place finish.
And, FWIW, your continued slams on the fact that he has money is well beneath you. He self-financed. So? He actually was willing to put his own money on the line
I have no problem whatsoever with his having money. I have a problem with the sentiment here that people who can buy public office should be encouraged to do so. I also think it shows a repugnant sense of self-importance and ambition, that someone would spend $47 million of their own money in an attempt to snow voters and gain power.
Before Super Tuesday, it was a three-man race between McCain, Romney, and Huckabee. They were all separated by just a few delegates here and there.
After Super Tuesday, there was no way anyone could have caught up to McCain, unless he was caught with the proverbial dead girl or live boy (and even then, it would have been pretty difficult to pull off). He had around 600-700 delegates. Mitt had about 300, and Huck had 200. Each of them would have had to have gotten 60-70% of the remaining delegates, which is darn near impossible.
Romney realized this and bowed out. Huck stayed in to try and get people to say the same thing you are-that he was second. Saying that it was still a serious contest for Huckabee is basically to say that Huck was insisting that it was only a flesh wound.
And, I don't believe that his self-financing showed "a repugnant sense of self-importance and ambition." If that was the only way he brought in money, that's one thing. But much of that money was put into the campaign in the early months-when nobody really knew who he was and he was trying to get the campaign off the ground.
If he had raised Huckabee-like numbers, then maybe you would have a point. But he raised the most in the campaign by any way of reason. That makes it seem to me like he saw the money more as a start-up cost than the main revenue stream.
In politics, you have your word and your friends; go back on either and you're dead. (Rule #11 of the public policy process)
Romney has also suspended his campign, released his delegates to McCain, continues to encourage his supporters to get on board with McCain, is traveling around the country to fundraise for McCain and has set up a meeting between McCain and his biggest donors and last night vowed to do anything in his power to see that McCain gets elected. What a jerk.
If I could recommend your comment, I would.
In politics, you have your word and your friends; go back on either and you're dead. (Rule #11 of the public policy process)
Keep it up. In fact, if he can spend the next four years acting like the conservative he claims to be, then I won't have as much opposition to his trying to make a comeback down the road.
to put aside your issues with Romney and recognize that he is trying (almost exclusively) to bring this party together. I would have jumped on the McCain bandwagon after Mitt's call for unity in his CPAC speech, but to my suprise some very vocal McCain supporters were not quite done insulting him and his supporters. Romney has (and continues to) lay out the best case for supporting McCain so calling Romney a Liar & a Phony only hurts your cause.
(1)
calling Romney a Liar & a Phony only hurts your cause
I believe he is. Sorry that's tough to take; I just weigh the available evidence.
I would have jumped on the McCain bandwagon after Mitt's call for unity in his CPAC speech, but to my suprise some very vocal McCain supporters were not quite done insulting him and his supporters
Hm. Who's the petty one here?
Whether you like it or not, Romney is going to support McCain. There is nothing you can do about it. You can scream and shout, but he will not rest until skeptics like me come to our senses and vote for your guy McCain. It will be hard work for Romney but I think he is up to the challenge. I am closer to voting for McCain than I ever have been thanks to Romney's persuasive message of unity. While I realize this is tough to hear, a McCain victory may be due in some part to the dedication and tireles efforts of the Biggest Liar and self promoting Phony in the history of the world.
...the word? Hardly. You do far too much inferring, and far too little reading my words.
"[My] guy McCain"? Do you know that I've been accused, during the last 10 months of this primary, of being a closet or overt supporter of every single candidate, mostly by undiscerning individuals like yourself who assume that nobody could ever oppose their guy unless he had a secret agenda to support one of that guy's nefarious opponents.
Engage the brain cells. That isn't doing it.
Can you provide the link? You have one to support this statement, right?
Do you know that I've been accused, during the last 10 months of this primary, of being a closet or overt supporter of every single candidate...
The link I would love to see is the one where you've been accused of being a closet or overt supporter of Mitt Romney. Yeah, like that's happened.
It looked to me like you hated every candidate, though the Republican ones slightly less than the Democrats.
______________________________________
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For what it's worth, that man has more class and dignity than you have Ever shown in your attacks on him. Funny how it's okay to bash Romney All day long but we mustn't Dare utter a nasty word about our presumptive nominee, we're just told to Shutup and fall in line.
for veep?
I will provide clarity. He began as the nominal frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. He raised more money than anyone else by far. He had the largest potential resource pool to draw from and he still fell well short of the mark. This says to me that he has been vetted by Republicans already and found wanting. Thus in my mind making him a poor choice for veep.
Clear enough?
raising competence and success and how that was a qualification or postitive reason to consider him as a vp candidate.
He was third place in National polls and in the early states behind Rudy and McCain. Rudy or McCain were the first front runners.
Because he was a one-term Mormon governor from the bluest of blue hells states who was formerly pro-choice and had a spotty record (pre-governorship) in a few areas? Yeah, that sounds like a person who starts off as a frontrunner to me.
Dolt.
In politics, you have your word and your friends; go back on either and you're dead. (Rule #11 of the public policy process)
I'm okay if Romney's not VP, he came in second in a five man race. He got second place or first place or second in the vast majority of pre-super tuesday states, and tied with Huck for second on super tuesday. I was no Romney fan, but I don't see where the idea that he lost badly comes from.
since you keep insisting he finished third, because Huckleberry was too dumb to drop out, and lasted longer, technically RonPaul™ stayed in the bitter end. I guess HE finished second.
Sounds like a bad Nascar race to me...only one other car still running at the checkered flag
And I remember seeing some guy on the internet who was serving time in prison and called himself "Michael the Archangel", who was running for for the Republican nomination, so I would say he's got more like 6th place.
after staying in the race a whole month longer. Even Huck had that lead and they dropped out at the same time I would say they basically tied. The fact that Huck got it by sticking in the race as basically a no chance candidate means that Romney did better. Sure Huck lasted longer, but how is that useful information? Ron Paul also outlasted Huckabee, that's a useless measurement of sucess. The only meaningful point is that when there was still a race going on Romney was the closest to winning besides McCain.
Mike Huckabee had to stay in the presidential race a political eternity longer than Mitt Romney in order to get close to Mitt's delegate count. There is absolutely no doubt that if Mitt had stayed in the contest as long as Mike Huckabee had, he would have continued to crush Mike Huckabee in delegate math.
Romney, however, displayed one of his key attributes however - that he is infinitely more brilliant than Mike Huckabee - by getting out of the race when it was clear that John McCain had won.
Huckabee looked a little bit like a fool hanging around as long as he did. I'd say that Romney probably elevated himself by actually not hanging around after the show was clearly over.
If McCain puts Romney on as VP, that is the only way he can tap into the $50-100 million that Romney could potentially donate to the McCain ticket.
If Barack Obama takes Michael Bloomberg as his VP - who will be able to pour a billion dollars into the campaign without blinking, John McCain may very desperately need an uber-wealthy "check-writing hand" with Mitt Romney's shrewd political skills on the ticket.
Not a spambot board. Please start demonstrating that you are actually communicating in your posts, rather than using them as an excuse to post various and sundry links to whatever.
This is only phrased in the form of a request, and I recommend that you don't ignore it.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
That's a good quip by Romney.
I still don't trust him. And I still am not sure I even like him anymore, but I admit, a few more things like this and I at least wouldn't object to him being the VP.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
I'm the big dog.
Woof!!
Franz' 11th Commandment: If anybody messes with you, kill them and eat them invite them to a State Dinner at the White House...
if he chose Romney as VP.
McCain's VP choice will not change McCain's "intolerance" for conservatives. He despises us, except he now wants our votes so he can gain his personal goal.
There is no VP he can pick that will get me to vote for him. What I need to see is him on the floor of the Senate Fighting Liberal Dems to get Conservative Legislation passed.
We both know that will not happen, hence I will not vote for him.
WRITING A NAME IN in NOVEMBER!!!
Do you plan on posting to every single person on Redstate saying you won't vote for McCain?
: Yawn : Good. It'll keep you busy and demonstrate your idiocy.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Can we get a blam?
This guy is obviously on some kind of nutty vendetta.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
...fought the Democrats when they tried to defund the military in Iraq. And perhaps you missed when McCain defied his president and many in his own party when he opposed the Medicare Part D entitlement.
I'm not going to oppose a man who I agree with 80% of the time when he is running against left-wing Democrats with whom I agree with 0% of the time.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
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Donate to the Rs in Close Senate Races through Slatecard
Because I believe in the long-term vision and strategy of US foreign policy, I must vote for McCain, regardless of who signs on as running mate.
I just want to express my appreciation to all the posters so far who have shown more intelligence than the posters at politico.com who say this is a good thing seeing as how McCain won't go for a second term.
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
I love Romney and his speech at CPAC was one of the best speeches I've ever heard. I am voting for McCain with no great joy, but if he picks Romney, I am in with guns ablazing. And more importantly, i'll back it up with a tidy donation to the McCain/Romney campaign.
"To believe in nothing is to believe in everything. To believe in everything is to believe in nothing"
McCain is the nominee and I am not happy about it (we know, Doc) but I could be pulled back in if Romney were the VP.
Romney has the private sector experience this country needs now more than ever.
-- Go Mitt!
"Hey vasquez,you ever been mistaken for a man? -- No, have you?" - Aliens
"Romney has the private sector experience this country needs now more than ever."
Flaherty, Michael. 24 January 2008. "Private equity past may cloud Romney's jobs pitch"
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2314895320080124?pageNumber=...
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Recalling his days as a businessman, Republican U.S. presidential contender Mitt Romney often cites the 25 years he spent in the private sector creating jobs.
But as the leader of private equity firm Bain Capital from 1984 to 1999, Romney's record shows that while some of the firm's investments helped companies grow, others ended in thousands of layoffs, and in some cases, bankruptcy.
Layoffs are a common result of private equity takeovers, with Bain Capital no exception. Although Romney is credited with helping make Bain the private equity powerhouse it is today, buyout firms are known more for cutting jobs -- not creating them.
SCM employees on Romney's job-cutting
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/05/30/these-ads-kept-mitt-romne_n_499...
Good grief, you're just getting comical now and chanting liberal talking points. OF COURSE IT LEAD TO MASSIVE LAYOFFS, DUH! That's how you make money sometimes. Short them pain for long term gain.
And when you are doing consulting, sometimes you fail no matter what. That's like blaming the Titanic's welder for not patching up the hole.
Please, can we blam this guy? This is getting really, really silly. I don't know what is deal is or why he's doing this, but it's getting really stupid.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
but knock it off right now.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling
He does absolutely nothing for the ticket outside maybe donating some of his personal funds.
I agree with Scott Rasmussen here. Romney is weak in the south and it's really a pipedream to think that McCain could pick off Massachusetts somehow.
I would love to see McCain pick a conservative governor. Mark Sanford is probably my favorite. I also think Bob Ehrlich would be good.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
1. Karl Rove wouldn't be promoting Mitt Romney if he didn't think that he would do a lot for a McCain ticket. Rove has his downfalls, but he knows a thing or two about winning elections. Especially presidential elections.
2. John McCain will win the south over Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. There's just no ifs, ands or buts about it. What John McCain needs to hold down is the west and try to pick off some states in the upper midwest. It's too bad that there aren't really any spectacular prospects from Ohio. Ken Blackwell would have to be a front-runner if he'd won the governorship. Tim Pawlenty couldn't even deliver Minnesota to McCain in the GOP primary, so who's to say he could deliver the state in the general? Mitt Romney, on the other hand, showed an ability to win in the west (Colorado with 60%) and upper midwest (Michigan and Minnesota).
3. So, in short, I think that Mitt Romney would be a strategically brilliant choice because he is
a. the best loved candidate of conservative intellectuals;
b. has tremendous fundraising abilities (including his own checkbook);
c. has compelling political skills and enhances the ticket's electability in the west and upper midwest;
d. can reassure the electorate on some of McCain's greatest weaknesses (the economy, executive experience); and
e. there is no doubt that Mitt Romney could step in a moment of crisis, be commander-in-chief, and steer the country through a storm and into safe waters.
------------
I also love Mark Sanford and Mike Pence, but I think that Mitt Romney should be the leading contender to be McCain's VP.
McCain will have a slate from which to pick, some better than others. I tend to like the conservative governor approach, however (as has been posted) the election will come down to McCain v. whichever democrat survives. Given that choice, McCain would have to pick someone like Ted Kennedy to not get my vote - & he is much too intelligent to do something like that.
And we need the grassroots.
Despite all the money he spent, despite the overwhelming support of the conservative establishment, he couldn't get people to vote for him. What little success he had in the primary season was limited to caucus states, and he got destroyed in states where he had to persuade people to actually vote for him (except his "home" states, of course).
The reason is because he is a chameleon, a political opportunist, and his predictable eagerness to get the VP slot is indicative of the problem he's got in the eyes of the grassroots workers and voters who see him for who he is, rather than for who elites really want him to be.
Remember them? The people who actually do the grunt work in an election?
Not that McCain will actually select this guy as his VP, but why wouldn't we want a conservative VP who has been tested and found true in the leadership ranks?
Gov. "I like mandates" Romney is the wrong guy for VP, despite his ability to win over elites--which admittedly he is quite good at. But we already knew that from his business success where he did precisely that to make the deals and earn his fortune, right?
Romney's speeches are great--he can certainly talk the talk--he appears presidential, he's extremely intelligent, and he can skillfully persuade certain types of people especially in a vacuum of viable alternative options.
Romney should support McCain, raise funds, and campaign among elites who actually like him. He should not get the VP slot.
All I'm asking for is a tried and true conservative for a leader.
Romney and Huckabee can be great surrogates, but neither should be on the ticket. Romney can raise cash, and perhaps help campaign in the northeast, Michigan, and help win over interest groups. Huckabee can help shore up the Christian conservatives and make sure they volunteer and GOTV in the fall.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
"Huckabee can help shore up the Christian conservatives and make sure they volunteer and GOTV in the fall"
Huckabee---The Long March Continues IV
by BelisariusVII
http://redstate.com/blogs/belisariusvii/2008/mar/06/huckabee_the_long_ma...
But the most important element selling Gov. Huckabee's bona fides as the strongest VP selection is the ability to mobilize a large evangelical vote in the South and rural states--a regional, even a societal, rather than merely a little-known governor/senator from a single state that McCain would carry anyway (or not). Take nothing away from the likes of Gov. Sanford (he would be my third choice, behind Mike and Gov. Jindal), and there are a lot of them, Gov. Huckabee comes with not only a committed and excited voter base, but one in states where Sen. McCain will need to be able to win handily WITHOUT having to spend money defending them against the Dems. He will need to devote every dime he can beg, borrow, or steal to fight over Ohio, PA, MI, MN, NM, WI, OR, WA,, IA, CO, FL, NH, even compete for CA and NJ. Mike can make that possible.
He would make a poor choice for VP next to McCain. For the sake of the country, we don't need to have someone who (accurately or not) has a reputation among many for being liberal.
We need a tried and true conservative who is articulate, energetic and ready to play second-fiddle to McCain.
He does have a very commited core of supporters. This is part of the reason he does so well in Caucuses I think, in primaries candidates with broad and shallow support do well
(See Clinton and McCain), and those with deep and narrow support do better in Caucuses (see Romney, also Paul and Thompson show this to an extent.)
I think the thing to look at in a VP pick is the people who will really like the pick and those who will really really dislike the pick. Because its going to take really really disliking the pick in order to move someone from a supporter to a non-supporter ( I doubt even Jeff would not vote for McCain) and the people who really like the candidate will be influenced to give more money and work for that candidate. Those who don't care much either way don't matter because they won't be into the VP pick.
I mean, huge swaths of them supported Mike Huckabee who wasn't conservative on anything outside of social policy. He was a big spending liberal governor whose economic prescriptions would destroy this nation's economy.
Mitt Romney is a candidate for the smart blades in the grassroots. Romney, Pence, and Sanford would all be great choices and hopefully the grassroots will be fertilized with some good education so that they will see what the right thing to do is.
"Huckabee who wasn't conservative on anything outside of social policy"
Has Huckabee ever been a fiscal conservative?
12/3/01
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) today awards Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas "Friend of the Taxpayer" for the month of December.
http://www.atr.org/content/html/statepre2004/120301pr-2.html
"Governor Huckabee clearly possesses the courage to act upon his convictions," said Grover Norquist, President of ATR. "I commend Governor Huckabee for the choice he has given the taxpayers of Arkansas: contribute additional income to the Tax Me More Fund, or don't. In the meantime, state government will cut spending. State government officials across the nation should take note of Governor Huckabee's example of how to handle a spending shortfall."
Do you consider Huckabee a hawk?
//////////////////////////////////
Jackson, Gregg. 4 February 2008. "Why I'm Voting for Mike Huckabee"
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/GreggJackson/2008/02/04/why_im_voting...
I have made the decision to vote for Governor Mike Huckabee on the basis of research into actual records -- rather than empty campaign double-talk. Alone among the frontrunners, his record is conservative on the most fundamental issues. I will go even further: examining _records_ proves that when $100 million dollars of GOP campaign propaganda is set aside, Mike Huckabee is the only real across-the-board (social and fiscal) conservative among the three front runners.
Medved: AR tax growth w/ Huckabee tad better than Romney MA taxes
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=2d1d6b5f-7d2a-4ba4-af38-ce935abe2d7...
video of Huckabee: the radical Islamic fascists can't be negotiated with;
our civilization's existence is at stake;
we must win this war http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=871
Blankley, Tony. 19 December 2007. "None of the Above: GOP Heading to a Brokered Convention"
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/TonyBlankley/2007/12/19/none_of_the_a...
In short, it sounds in places a little squishy and
insufficiently "nuanced."
On the other hand, he [Huckabee] is for a rapid
major increase in the size of the military. He is in
favor of military action, if necessary, to deny Iran a
nuclear bomb. He demands that we stay and fight
and win in Iraq. And his discussion of the risk from
radical Islam is as tough and realistic as I have
heard. In fact, as the author of a book that was
judged alarmist by some on the topic of radical
Islam ("The West's Last Chance: Will We Win the
Clash of Civilizations?"), I could find little to
complain about in his long discussion of the topic.
==
In a dangerous world such as ours, I would like to
hear more (and more careful) words from
Huckabee. But basically he seems to be a hawk--
and thus not beyond the Republican pale (although
his hawkish ways come with a perhaps-rhetorical
bow to the current nervousness of needed
independent and suburban Republican voters).
You are right on target with everything you write. Mitt Romney is a terrible campaigner.
Despite all his millions -- whether donated or self-financed, in this context it makes no difference -- and the overwhelming and very vocal support of the conservative talk radio, Mitt Romney could only when primaries that he had a personal connection to:
- Massachusetts, where he was governor
- Michigan, where his father was governor and he grew up
- Utah, where the Republican electorate is something like 70% Mormon
Outside of those three states, Romney did not win a single primary.
For what it's worth, there is an interesting piece by Fred Barnes in the current Weekly Standard basically pitching Romney as Veep.
Here at RS we've already talked about the issues he raises in depth. I didn't see much that added to the discussion.
Why not pick a Charlie Crist or a Mark Sanford instead of Romney?
Read the article.
According to Barnes, "Romney has run a vigorous national campaign and been vetted by the press and his opponents for the Republican nomination. These are very strong pluses. A pick who produces unhelpful surprises, as Geraldine Ferraro did in 1984 (her husband's business deals) and Dan Quayle did in 1988 (his National Guard duty), is exactly what McCain doesn't need. Romney is a known quantity."
"Romney has three other add-ons. He's acceptable to conservatives and especially to social conservatives, who disproportionately volunteer as ground troops in Republican presidential campaigns. He's unflappable in debates. With the downturn worsening, the economy may surpass national security as the top issue of the campaign. And after years of success as a big time player in the global economy, Romney understands how markets work. He could shore up McCain's admitted weakness on economic issues."
"Romney has allies in the Bush wing of the Republican party. President Bush favors him as McCain's veep. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, preferred Romney over McCain in the primaries, but never endorsed him publicly. Karl Rove, the president's political strategist, has hinted that he considers Romney to be McCain's best running mate."
"He's acceptable to conservatives and especially to social conservatives, who disproportionately volunteer as ground troops in Republican presidential campaigns."
He is as (or less) acceptable to conservatives as Sanford, Pawlenty, Cox, Crist, etc. And social conservatives especially know that he is a "recent convert." Why wouldn't they prefer Huckabee, Sanford or Pawlenty?
Romney was the choice of some conservative elites in a field without a down-the-line conservative. If McCain could pick a down-the-line conservative like Cox, Pawlenty or Sanford would that be better?
______________________________________
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You're assuming that most so-cons even know who those guys are. Most don't. Geeks like us do, but most don't.
Anyhow, the more I think about Romney for VP...the more I'm...not against the idea...I don't think.
I still worry about certain things, the Mormon problem, the T-1000 shapeshifting ability, the complete and utter to realize he's throwing stones in glass houses, etc.
But it would be a good display of unity while the D's are ripping themselves apart, his business experience would make him a very credible salesman on the economy, and certain sections of the base would like him.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
What a useless debate, who finished second in the delegate count? I think Romney should have stayed in a little longer, and I don't begrudge Huckabee for staying as long as he did. What's being lost here is that Romney again repeated that McCain is better than the Dems on foreign policy. He said he'd be honored to take that call. He's offering support to the McCain campaign. He's more a team player than many on this site, (including myself).
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney
weeping and gnashing of teeth begin from the people who will never, EVER be satisfied with anything.
Gabriel was just a Messenger!
-------------
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
But if such pesky things such as age, appearance, and personality(perceived at least) did not have to be considered, I would have to add Tommy Thompson to the list of possibles.
The naive forgive and forget.
The foolish forget but do not forgive.
The wise forgive but do not forget.
Also the article mentions that the Bush inner circle is talking Romney up. Get Romney's fund raisers together with Bush's and we can compete with Democratic money this year.
What I wonder is, who would Romney go up against in the VP debates? Those could be entertaining. Romney has the ability to make biting comments that are not inappropriate.
Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone. --Mitt Romney