Finally . . .
By Erick Posted in 2008 — Comments (102) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
A negative ad on the right in Iowa. I agree with the consensus: whodathunkit that the first negative ad would be against Huckabee.
BTW, I use "negative ad" in the common parlance, but I actually think this is a very good contrast ad. It's only negative to the guy being contrasted against.
By the way, when Mitt punches Mike, John punches Mitt.
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See, I'm just not buying the alleged Huckabee strategy against Mitt. I think it is in the interests of a lot of people to claim that, but I'm not getting that vibe from the Huckabee campaign at all.
And, if you notice the RCP Average in Iowa, it's not that Huckabee is stealing votes from Romney, it's that he's stealing from others and pulling in people who were sitting on the sideline.
If the "anti-Mormon bigotry" meme makes some people comfortable explaining Huckabee's surge, I think Huckabee is rather in for a good successful run of it.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
I agree that Huckabee didn't set out to be the "non-Mormon" candidate, but he sure is taking advantage of the opening.
If Mitt Romney were Evangelical he would be polling close to 40% in Iowa and Huckabee would be at 20%.
Mitt hit a ceiling of supporters at around 30-35%, in part because of his religion. That left a big opening for a challenger to emerge and make a run at winning Iowa, and Huckabee filled the void.
Taking advantage of it and pushing it are not the same things. And I maintain the position that Huckabee was able first to take advantage of the trust issue to make his inroads -- the evangelicals did not trust Romney, not because of his religion, but because of his former positions in Massachusetts.
People need to get their heads out of their perverbial rears and stop seeing Huck as a single dimensional candidate.
Talking to different people around here I get the sense that there is a lot that people like about Huck's optimism and compassion for people.
Mort Kondrake said it best - people are tired of political war - among other things.
While I think some of these attacks will be succesful, I know that a lot of the huckabashing lately - especially by the Romney campaign has got me very upset. Upset to the point of putting every candidate - including RP - above Romney.
As to this advertisement, I think its effective to a point. It will be interesting to see huckabee's response.
Anyone watching Hannity Monday evening should have been amazed when asked why he recently changed his position on Cuba (i.e., was for ending Cuban embargo up until the last year). Huckabee's answer was that he changed his position merely because he's now running for president. Wow. Just because he's running for president. No core.
Previously that put Huckabee squarely into the Dick Durbin School of International Relations. I'm surprised nobody picked up on that until now.
It is very funny how quickly the rest of the GOP has united against "compassionate conservatism II".
I hope Thompson takes advantage of the moment and starts attacking Huckabee in Iowa.
I really believe that Thompson could pass Huckabee. Huckabee has a narrow window of support. I don't think there is anyway he drops below 20%, but I also don't think there is anyway he gets above 33%.
If things go well for Thompson he could surge to the low 20s, and potentially pass Huckabee. Thompson needs to play up the National Right to Life endorsement and the immigration angle.
I think Mitt's floor and ceiling are about the same as Huckabee's
has a memory problem:
Corner link Erick gave.
Later, I asked McCain about his relationship with Romney. "I don't know him well," McCain told me. "I don't know him at all." The two men have met on occasions – Romney visited McCain when Romney was rescuing the Olympics and McCain was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee – but McCain didn't seem to want to say anything about his rival from Massachusetts.
I like McCain a lot, but he was being a little disingenuous.
It's probably more of a "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" situation.
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Donate to the Rs in Close Senate Races through Slatecard
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
I do not believe it's going to work. Based on all recent polling data, Huckabee will likely win Iowa by double digits. Huck is already ahead by double digits among all registered republicians in Iowa, so he has a good foundation to win the caucus contest by very good margin. No matter how good Romney's organization and ground game are, he simply can not make up for it.
I believe CNN/Youtube debate was the turning point, and it hurt Romney tremedously in Iowa. Since then, there's simply no return.
Having said that, Romney has no choice but to go negative. They have to do something to slow down Huckabee's momentum, and they can not allow him to sweep IA, MI, SC, FL...
It's kind of interesting that Team Romney appears to be ready to write off Iowa completely, so the concern of backlash of going negative is just secondary. I think that's their current strategic thinking...
Romney already started to dismiss Iowans on Sunday during a campaign swing in MI...
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/09/romney_says_huckabee_wo...
"(There has) not been much time to take a look at his policies and his record," Romney said in Sunday's Detroit News. "He's got good support in Iowa. My guess is by the time Michigan comes around, people will have taken a very close look at his policies and record, and I don't believe it's likely that he'll be the nominee."
"Something like the Fair Tax is considered to be of great interest in Iowa," Romney said. "It would obviously be seen very differently in a state like Michigan, where suddenly every new car would cost 30 percent more. Michiganders would obviously have a different perspective on that."
That's a loooooooooooong time in politics.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Goobernor Huckleberry just topped out and it's all downhill slopes from here...
huck just knocked it out of the park. This race is over. He doesnt need the pundits ..he has the folks.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
No. It's not over, but I do believe it will come down to Huckabee and Rudy. Both have a 50-50 chance... Huckabee's message may not resonate in more liberal coastal states. The danger for him is to be painted as a 'pastor-in-chief' one-dimensional candidate. If moderate republicans/fiscal conservatives are scared, they may have no choice to rally behind Rudy in those big states...
Huckabee has to do something to erase moderate republicans/fiscal conservatives' doubt. He can't let them believe he wants to be a 'Christian leader' only...
I haven't changed my prediction, my bet was a Rudy/Huckabee ticket.
It is funny/strange how this ad starts off praising Huckabee for being a pro-life conservative, when the ad is really about illegal immigration. Gee, I wonder why Mitt does that...
NOT
emphasizing that Mitt and Huck are both good family men.
Which is a fair shot, mind you. I actually think it's a pretty effective one.
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
there are in the US.
Also, crowing about denying benefits to illegal families conflicts with the nice family man image, and also has the potential of turning off Hispanic voters. Then, Mitt's "born again" conversion to immigrant-bashing makes him look like a cold, calculating, wealthy Anglo panderer. I think this will produce more votes for Huckabee.
In the Republican party we tend to differentiate between illegal immigrants and the legal kind, a Tancredo/Buchananite fringe excepted.
Like the GOP really needs that image. And it really PO's Hispanic voters, too.
The way to handle illegal immigration is to concentrate on border security and the fence. That's what the people want, including many, many Hispanic voters.
Maybe you need to hang around a better class of divorced people. The one's I know are pretty conflicted about their divorces and don't see them as positive things at all, even when they feel they were the lesser of two evils. They would be proud to have their first marriages still intact.
They that are with us are more than they that are against us.
"Gone to the White House, HA! HA! HA!"
The Family Values card has a long history in US politics, with unpredictable consequences, as these slogans from the 1884 presidential campaign show. (The GOP lost BTW.)
Sorry for the double riposte. Must be my inner Kowalski :>)
The question in my mind about this ad is "Was it truthful?" If so, and I think it is, it does show where Governor Huck was wrong on the issue of immigration. You can argue that Mitt was not a lot better, but he did not back a bill to give in-state tuition to children of illegal aliens.
So: Negative but truthful.
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Proud member of the Barry Goldwater wing of the party !
I'm sorry but I am watching Dick Morris on H&C right now thinking this man has done more to screw up America than anyone I can think of. First he brings us one AR Gov. and now brings us another.
The lapse in pressing "Post" was a Christmas MMS card that required forwarding... some are pretty funny this year.
Back to the ad, obviously since I am so anti-Huck I find it completely acceptable. However I don't really expect it to help at this point. IMO a Huck nomination will hurt the Republican Party more than some imagine.
All I can say is that I hope their is more, and that they are effective. But I must say that I am losing hope.
First he could hurt the party by losing.
Second he could finish the Bush era shift of socially moderate, fiscally conservative voters in big suburbs moving toward the Ds. It's turned the Chicago, NYC, Philly, and DC suburbs into lean D areas. If the trend continues, it could make the Rs into a regional, Southern, SoCon-only party.
I could see how that could hurt the Party.
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Donate to the Rs in Close Senate Races through Slatecard
Look, I dislike the guy. I would have a hard time voting for him. I don't want him to be the nominee.
That said, I think his effect on the party in purely electoral terms could be more positive than any other candidate.
As quite a few recent polls have shown, hispanics (the fastest growing demographic block in the country) are shifting massively back towards the dems. Huck could potentially replicate what Bush did in pulling them in. As a group, they tend to be socially conservative and in general line up republican on the issues, except for immigration.
The truth is that there is probably a solid majority for a party that followed Huck with a blend of strong social conservativism and soft fiscal liberalism. It's just not a party I would want to be a part of.
If Huck is the nominee, dems win WH. I have always pulled the (R) lever every chance I had hoping I was making the right choice. I cannot do that if BJ gets the nod, it will simply be a realization that my party has moved far enough away from me that I can no longer support it. I think people will eventually pull their heads out (fingers crossed), but like I said earlier, hope is fading.
Ridiculous claim. Huckabee will win swing states such as OH and FL in a landslide fashion, and he will win the white house.
His economic populism will attract lots of male rural 'Reagan democrats' who are turned off by both George W. Bush and incompetent Congress led by the rats party...
Here's the eviction notice. Several of us were on the case much of yesteday...
Sure I am a Huck supporter, but this isn't a good ad people1!?!?!? Do you really, really think so? To me it is your pretty typical run of the mill hit piece, and don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to a hit piece. To call it a comparison seems wrong to me. Would not a comparison be something like candidate A is for illegal aliend driver's licenses and candidate B is against them? Truth is, on immigration Huck agrees with Romney and Romney agrees with Huck with the exception of tuition.
And for the comment about Republicans uniting against compassionate conservatism II... there is a reason for that. Compassionate Conseratism II has jumped ahead in Michigan, South Carolina, and Iowa, and is closing in Florida and Nevada. They are united against it, because they are losing.
Furthermore, this is going to hurt Mitt, not help him. Huckabee is still going to win because he is capable of talking around Mitt's lame attempt at framing the issues, and Rudy or John are going to slide into a surprise third place finish because they will be able to stay above the fray. If Huckabee wins Iowa, Mitt is in trouble in New Hampshire. IMO, McCain made the right move. If he can pull off third because Fred voters see the writing on the wall and Rudy isn't campaigning in Iowa, and then win New Hampshire, all of a sudden Mitt's out and McCain is back in. Whoever is advising him earned their pay this week.
One last note, don't you think the fact that Mitt Romney is still convincing people that he is pro-life a year into this presents a huge problem for him?
"I believe in grace, because I have seen it. In peace, because I have felt it. In forgiveness, because I needed it."
-George W. Bush
aka big government, federalization of education, health care, etc. Do you like big government and seeking government as a solution to things?
I'm not trying to be combatative, I just really want to get a feel for what Huckabee supporters like.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
I don't believe that is what compassionate conservatism is. I believe that is how George W. Bush implemented it... incorrectly.
"I believe in grace, because I have seen it. In peace, because I have felt it. In forgiveness, because I needed it."
-George W. Bush
With which plank? Aboloshing the IRS, defending 2nd Amendment rights, or promoting preventative health and market based solutions over government run health care.
No, I do not believe that is what he is proposing. No, I do not believe that is what he will do.
"I believe in grace, because I have seen it. In peace, because I have felt it. In forgiveness, because I needed it."
-George W. Bush
This kind of reminds me of all the socialists who say, "If only socialism were ever given a chance to be implemented in its purist form in a state, THEN IT WOULD WORK."
If compassionate conservatism II means higher taxes and government spending growing three times as fast as inflation, I would bet my bank account that a majority of Republicans will not support it.
But how many Republicans nationwide or even in Iowa know that Huckabee is a tax and spender? So, this ad will inform more Iowans.
I saw a story recently that showed that Iowans rate Huckabee as the toughest candidate on illegal immigration, which means this ad will inform the voters of Iowa and change their views of Huckabee.
Granted, under Bush, it did.
Are you kidding me? The only thing on Huckabee out in the last two weeks has been his so called "tax and spending" record. You people need to face the fact that Republicans have heard that line... and they don't believe it. There is something about the man that inspires people and the gomer, religous nut, big government liberal, closet tax and spender mantra is failing. His leads in South Carolina and Iowa have gone double digits even during the pile on phase.
People are looking for a leader, they have found one, and half truths and desperate attempts to gain back leads lost in the polls aren't going to change that, especially in a state where half of the GOP caucus goers consider themselves to be conservative evangelicals first. Maybe Mitt ought to learn from Huckabee... quit running ads on Monday based on what polls say on Sunday, fire the consultants, wipe off some of the polish, and explain to us honestly why he should be the leader of the free world. This ad only hurts Republicans in the long run and it will be the death nail to Mitt's campaign.
Half of me wants to vote for McCain for calling him out on this crap.
"I believe in grace, because I have seen it. In peace, because I have felt it. In forgiveness, because I needed it."
-George W. Bush
We will see if Jimmy Huckabee Carter wins the nomination despite his tax and spend, in-state tuition for illegals, one thousand pardons for criminals record.
I'd say he could win the nomination...... if it was the Democrat nomination he was seeking.
How much ya got in your piggy bank. I'd like to take you up on a little of it. Probably not all of it, but how about 100 bucks?
This ad is going to get him as far as those little fliers will.
Jim Tomasik
Huck starts with the bigoted remarks about how he is THE Christian candidate and you call this ad negative? Mitt did not have to compliment Huck. He made a very fair and truthful distinction between their respective records.
There is nothing with this ad, IMO. It merely contrasts the positions of the two candidates. I think of a "negative ad" is one that attacks the individual, the character of the individual, etc.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
It's nice to see that we have the only Principled Conservative in the race, Fred Dalton Thompson.
Of course, it would be nice if Fred actually had a campaign to go along with his Reaganesque platform, but there you have it. Here's hoping Fred is around by the time the Florida primary occurs.
Watching Mitt flip around like a dying fish on a bait and tackle box is funny enough, but Huck Finn's manifest ignorance on national security issues in the middle of a war recalls that towering figure of Nebraska Republican politics, the great Roman Hruska.
Indeed, Huckabee is to National Security as Victor Mature is to the Cinema.
My mother used to act at the Pasadena playhouse back in the late 1940's and Victor Mature was one of the generation of guys who came out of the War to "make their mark" in Hollywood. Everyone remembers him from those old Fifties Biblicals, especially when he was sober. Anyway, they were doing The Crucifixion in Technicolor out in the Valley one day and Victor Mature walks into a bar filled with locals in his Roman Centurion regalia, right out of the Props department. Everyone in the bar gives him a rather odd look, as if he's from San Francisco or something. Mature walks up to the bar, orders his Scotch, looks around and says to no one in particular, "Whats wrong? You've never seen a man in uniform before?"
That story sort of reminds me of how Huckabee is affecting Republican Activists. We know, deep down, that this guy is an Edsel. We just want to convince an ever-growing legion of voters that he's an Edsel, but they think he's a Camry, with the GPS system on board.
Meanwhile, in the "Damning with Faint Praise Dept.", the National Review's blog, the Corner, titles it's review of Fred's new Iowa "all-in" strategy, "The Sleeper Awakes".
Two words: "Jesus wept." He did, it's in the Bible. Ask Mike Huckabee.
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
See below...
The Unofficial RedState FAQ
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say. ” - Martin Luther
can be found HERE, evidently, but...
In the day, there was a system by which we rated comments from 1-5. That system no longer exists, but the "5" still exists as a way of saying: "Great comment."
"It's nice to see that we have the only Principled Conservative in the race, Fred Dalton Thompson."
The guy whored around DC for years, lied about his work for an abortion lobby, funneled campaign cash to his son, opposed the victims of asbestos poisoning, lobbied for a dictator whose favorite way to deal with dissenting voices was to put a burning tired around their neck, AND he gave legal advice that benefited the terrorists that blew up flight 103 over Lockerbie.
Principled?! You obviously are having trouble understanding what the definition of that word is.
Good contrast. If the cites are solid, and there's no reason to think they aren't, then I really don't see why anyone would complain about it. There's nothing special or catchy about the production, but as the first non positive ad of the cycle, I think it'll get enough attention on its own.
It'll be interesting to see how "negative" Mitt can go on Huckabee before his numbers take a hit. I wonder if we'll see a Dean v. Gephardt situation open up the door for a Kerry and Edwards (Fred? McCain?).
If I was McCain, I'd keep my mouth shut here. Let Mitt hit Huckabee. Be Mr. Nice Guy. Stay positive. Deliver your message. Stay above the fray and stay out of it.
For Romney this is a good step. They have to win Iowa, and since no one else is going to step up to nail Huckabee, they have to do it. It's a negative ad without being harsh enough to turn people off.
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." - Bill Shankly
If I was McCain, I'd keep my mouth shut here. Let Mitt hit Huckabee. Be Mr. Nice Guy. Stay positive. Deliver your message. Stay above the fray and stay out of it.
There's a method to McCain's madness here. He, like Giuliani, desparately needs Romney to not come in first place in Iowa. If Romney wins Iowa, there is likely to be zero drop-off in Romney's New Hampshire support. Perhaps Romney even gets a little increase in NH support.
Which means McCain doesn't win New Hampshire in addition to probably coming in 5th in Iowa. That means his campaign might be all over but the shouting.
Romney won't win Iowa. He is now behind by double digits among all registered Republicans in Iowa. There is simply no way to make it up.
Romney knows it, and his team is probably ready to write off Iowa. This ad is used to slow down Huck's momentum, they can't let him have a strong showing in NH and MI.
There's no way to make up double digits in Iowa. No one we know has done that recently...right...?
Oh, that's right, Huckabee just did it.
The race is still in flux. Huckabee hasn't had his time in the spotlight like Romney, McCain, and Rudy have. And this time in the spotlight isn't good to candidates. Just ask Howard Dean.
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." - Bill Shankly
Time is running out. Romney's record on illegal immigrants in MA was as 'liberal' as Huckabee... He also has santurary mansion to deal with... This is why he is the wrong messenger to deliver this 'tough on illegals' message.
Romney is certainly at fault for not noticing that the employees of his landscaping company were illegals. Its every American's responsibility to ask for papers. Next time you're at McDonalds, make sure the burger man in back has papers. Please, no racial profiling! And remember, failing to do so makes you a liberal and soft on illegal immigration.
Attacking Romney on this issue is ignorant and irrational. I live in Arizona where it is estimated that 1 in 5 males is illegal. I'm certain (no, I'm positive) that the company providing my landscaping is using illegal immigrants. I'm also certain that everytime I go by a big box retailer or fast food restaurant, that there's an illegal immigrant working somewhere within. Should I call Sheriff Joe? What should I do? Am I at fault? Never mind running a santuary city. Never mind giving illegals scholarships. Attack the candidate who contracts with a U.S. company to provide you with landscaping who uses illegals. Nevermind the fact that you previously warned the company not to use illegals on your property.
Gosh, I guess I can't talk on this issue now that I've indirectly benefited from illegal immigrant labor.
Anyone who brings up the "sanctuary mansion" non-issue immediately loses credibility. If you disagree, please explain how people are supposed to handle a similar situation.
Where did you learn to analyze political trends? Double digits? sanctuary mansion?
Mitt has a three legged approach to strengthening this country. The military, the family, and the economy. And Huck has what? Oh yeah, he's the Jesus candidate.
If you think it helps Mitt Romney to go around making ridiculous attacks on other candidates, you are a fool.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Wise people understand that pointing out the immoral behavior of a candidate that someone claimed was "principled" is not an attack. It is a response to a misguided opinion.
Are you another one of those types who judge a candidate by his supporters? If that's the case, I suggest you start looking to the candidate for his worthiness to hold the office instead of holding what OTHERS say against him. You do realize how shallow that makes you look right? I mean really.....do you expect ANYONE to trust what you say when you cannot separate the two?
Tell you what, since you think so little of what I said, I am going to become "Joliphant's" greatest supporter. I am going to run around here being your best friend. I guess then we'll see just how fast you want to be judged on your own words and not byh those who support you.
Hucks bigotry doesn't help Romney, it hurts Huck. If you can't see the difference between a guy who promotes himself as the Jesus candidate and a candidate that has an actual plan for America, then it is YOU who is the fool.
Who said Mitt was my candidate? This is more assumption on your part. Perhaps in the future you should ASK questions before sticking your foot in your mouth.
Jim Geraghty was damning in the Campaign Spot today. Well, he was really passing on analysis from a competitive campaign that's pulled out of Iowa (read: Rudy), but what's really going on, apparently, is that Mitt's spent all this money and now he's trying to move the goalposts around by puffing up Huck Finn's expectations.
As if "Gee, we'll be satisfied with third place" after Huck and FDT after several million dollars have been poured into Iowa's media markets.
No wonder Rudy got out. Mitt has the virtue of money and organization, but Huck has passion and Fred has, apparently, some on the ground Mojo going on.
Or as we say in Fredland: The Sleeper Awakes!
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
I think the Romney campaign has always said that they wanted to come in first, second or third in both Iowa and New Hampshire.
Is this "spin?" You bet. But consider that some campaigns (i.e. McCain, Giuliani) are not even predicting first, second or third. They are just saying, "On to New Hampshire." And given the small number of voters who participate in the Iowa caucuses, I understand this completely.
But to say that a 2nd place showing would eliminate Romney but a 5th place showing would keep McCain alive to fight on in New Hampshire just can't be right, no matter how many expectations have been built into the Romney Iowa campaign.
This is like the French saying its okay if they come in second after von Paulus' Sixth Army is marching down the Champs Elysee.
Mitt has spent the equivalent of the GNP of Zambia trying to win Iowa and he's going to blow it. A "poor mountaineer who could barely have kept his family fed" is going to beat him, having spent a few hundred grand before Iowa.
Sorry, I'm not buying. Mitt is beginning to look like the Miami Dolphins secondary. As in "toast".
However, in politics, nothing is certain, save one thing: Fred's principled conservatism. Hope he's around for awhile longer.
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
Or as we say in Fredland: The Sleeper Awakes!
So, will he win with his Bene Gesserit mojo or with his mad mentat skills?
Don't mess with Fred.
He knows the secret to the Spice. Besides, Fred's an Atreides Man through and through.
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
It'll be interesting to see how "negative" Mitt can go on Huckabee before his numbers take a hit. I wonder if we'll see a Dean v. Gephardt situation open up the door for a Kerry and Edwards (Fred? McCain?).
Fred will be the surprise of the night on January 3rd. He'll come in 2nd. Mitt flips around on the bait room floor like the dying mullet he is, constantly reinventing himself when confronted by a new opponent he needs to get to the right of.
Like Hillary, only with much better hair.
Nobody here has given Fred the credit he deserves for his principled conservatism, as well as his downright upright smackdown of Charlie Rose. A Fred/Obama contest is one that conservatives should want. My God, but that would be a principled campaign of contrasts.
A Choice, not an Echo.
Instead, we're on the verge of nominating Elmer Gantry. In the middle of a freaking war.
Are we a party, or a parody?
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
This is starting to be laughable.
Is Mitt Romney off his rocker or something? I thought for sure he would have learned a lesson in the CNN debate.
In this commercial, Mitt starts talking all good about Mike and himself. He talked about things that were the same for both of them.
When he started talking about the contrasts in the illegal immigration topic, he points out that he (Mitt) opposed drivers licenses for illegals and declined to say the same thing about Huckabee.
The tuition thing is correct, the vailed implication that he had something on Huckabee concerning drivers licenses is wrong because Huckabee would not allow it either. People who are studying the immigration enough to change their votes most likely see that Romney is "fudging" the facts.
Mitt pretty much made an absolute fool of himself in the youtube debate attacking Rudy and then Mike on this issue. Huckabee's numbers really started jumping the next day after that. Romney's harping on the tuition thing is great for Huckabee. Mike Huckabee should thank him and hope like he*l he does it again on Wednesday.
Rudy, at least has the common sense not to harp on this subject when he knows he's not lilly white himself.
Good night folks!
Jim Tomasik
I couldn't disagree with you more. Huckabee's position on illegal immigration is a democratic, sympathetic, we're all God's children, soft, soft, soft, position.
So tell me how Mitt should have showed the stark differences in their positions in their records in a way that would have been acceptable and not an "attack ad."
He's a national security expert: "Say what? NIE? What in tarnation is that?"
He's an economic mastermind: He'll punish those evil CEO's for their colossal greed by passing his "Mine! Mine! It's all mine!" tax.
He's hilarious and a laugh a minute: Especially when discussing such lighthearted topics as nuclear war.
He's compassionate and forgiving: He's never met a felon he didn't want to release.
He celebrates marriage: Not by renewing his wedding vows, but by renewing his wedding registry after 30 years.
He cleans up after himself: That's why he took $70,000 worth of furniture when he left the Governor's Mansion.
He knows how to keep secrets: Hence his destruction of computer hard drives when he left office.
He wants to improve the future of our kids: As long as they're illegal aliens.
He's a fine role model as a father: After his 18-year-old son was fired from his job as a Boy Scout camp counselor for torturing and killing a stray dog, Huck claimed the accusation was politically motivated.
He attracts powerful endorsers: He was able to lure Chuck Norris away from his demanding schedule of infomercials and Botox injections. Next up: a cellblock endorsement filmed by Michael Vick in prison? (See dog story above)
...that Obambi will take Huck Finn to school on foreign policy.
Again, Huck is the Victor Mature of the Republican Party.
Looks like we'll have to assign Condi to tutor this guy.
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
I'm so glad that Mitt rolled out the attack ads. Now Huck (or McCain) has the license to start airing the Romney YouTube moments. But I don't think he will do it -- Mike is not out to mudsling. That's Rudy's job...
Mike just spoke at a Baptist convention in Salt Lake City where they were handing out anti LDS literature.
He doesn't mud sling? No just pats those on the back that deal in bigotry. Erick thinks that Romney was behind the anti Mormon push polling. After this stunt someone else may be more likely.
Since he's depending his entire campaign on New Hampshirire, and Romney is currently leading there, McCain realizes Romney is the larger threat to his campaign than Huckabee, and therefore defends Huckabee so Romney doesn't get a Iowa victory boom going into New Hampshire.
This race is going to just get better and better.
I guess it takes guys like Huckabee and Paul to make Romney look conservative.
Look...unless we want a good BS'er in the White House or a complete joke; keep exposing these bums Romney, Huckabee! Heck, when they bash each other it is a daily double.
This ad really is sad. Romney is the only candidate who has repeatedly been caught using illegal aliens to work for him as Giuliani noted in the youtube debate.
I am an undecided Republican voter. I'm still not sure who I'm going to vote for, but Romney is off the list.
First, it was the ridiculous attack on Huckabee's HIV/AIDS position 15 years ago. The slimy way that was leaked, as reported here, was the worst of politics.
Now it's this misleading ad.
It's too bad my early choice (Thompson) has run such a poor campaign.
But I think Republicans should stand up and tell Mitt this kind of nonsense is unacceptable. This is a Clinton-like attack.
The wussiest "attack" ever. If you get bent out of shape over this, jeez, I don't know what to say. It's a contrast spot. It's hardly negative at all.
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." - Bill Shankly
The reaction of the Huckafans in this thread is, well, delicious. This ad is nothing, folks. It's a contrast ad, plain and simple - and a pretty darn mild one at that.
Sheesh - y'all better grow some scar tissue on that thin skin if you get the nomination or The Witch will have your guy wimpering in a puddle of his own body fluids before Labor Day.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Complimenting your opponent and then making a contrast between your respective records is unacceptable?
What is acceptable? Staring contests?
I think it's funny that I posted a comment against the Romney ad and immediately become a Huckabee supporter. Not true. But the ad is problematic for several reasons.
First, it distorts Romney's own weak record on illegal immigration. I think Giuliani phrased it best.
Second, I think the Reagan rule of attacking another Republican should be followed.
Third, a contrast ad is a way of going negative and denying it. If you think this "contrast" was a real reflection on their immigration stands, you are wrong. They both have mediocre records on the issue. It's step one in the attacks.
Fourth, the only reason Romney complimented his opponent was that he wanted to see how a negative ad would work in Iowa with a high percentage of evangelical Christians. The attacks are going to get much worse.
I think Romney is making a big mistake with the ad. But we'll see.
I think it's funny that I posted a comment against the Romney ad and immediately become a Huckabee supporter. Not true. But the ad is problematic for several reasons.
First, it distorts Romney's own weak record on illegal immigration. I think Giuliani phrased it best.
Second, I think the Reagan rule of attacking another Republican should be followed.
Third, a contrast ad is a way of going negative and denying it. If you think this "contrast" was a real reflection on their immigration stands, you are wrong. They both have mediocre records on the issue. It's step one in the attacks.
Fourth, the only reason Romney complimented his opponent was that he wanted to see how a negative ad would work in Iowa with a high percentage of evangelical Christians. The attacks are going to get much worse.
I think Romney is making a big mistake with the ad. But we'll see.
Its a solid outline of part of the choice between the two candidates. Huckabee's strategy against Mitt, now that's negative and really not where I thought the party was in the 21st century.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777