The Candidates
- John McCain 35% (33%)
- Mitt Romney 31% (30%)
- Rudy Giuliani 13% (14%)
- Mike Huckabee 13% (11%)
- Ron Paul 2% (2%)
- Someone else 2% (3%)
- Not Sure 5% (8%)
Survey of 941 likely Republican voters was conducted January 27-28. The margin of error is +/-3.3 percentage points. Results from the poll conducted January 25-27 are in parentheses.
January 29th, 2008 at 2:44 am
McCain’s gonna win, and Huck will do better than Rudy.
January 29th, 2008 at 2:52 am
It’s 2:43. The poll will still be there in the morning…
Then again I’m awake to read this update so who am I to argue.
January 29th, 2008 at 2:55 am
McCain will do anything to win the election. Looks like it might have worked.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:10 am
who knows, really. either of the top two could survive a #2 finish. rudy should drop out. huck should REALLY drop out, but he’ll stick around so he can spend time with his two boyfriends.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:17 am
The latest polls seem to show a slight trend towards McCain. I tend to agree with what intrade has right now 55-44 for McCain. Can’t say I see anything too off about that.
The big question, is there anything these polls aren’t capturing? Will people when voting think about the economy again (which has been on the back-burner due to the attacks both ways) and go for Romney? Are the Martinez/Crist endorsements still ‘kicking in’? Will more Cubans show up for McCain then expected?
What about the state of the union and the respective candidates reactions? Being reminded of George W. Bush - who does that help? I guess McCain because it reminds people that the GOP is in trouble for 08′ and thus electability is a factor.
haha, ok i’m done speculating!
January 29th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Guys, it’s Zogby! It doesn’t mean anything. He had McCain winning Michigan the day of. He’s pathetic.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:36 am
On #6. Trends still matter. Zogby had McCain up by 7 and it shrunk to 1. Additionally, his turnout model was off since he predicted 50% non-republicans. If one adjusted his numbers to match the real turnout he’d have had romney winning by a few.
I agree Zogby is not as good as some of the other pollsters, but it’s also not ARG.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:56 am
Per the Survey USA poll report card, of the top 25 polling firms, Zogby ranks 7th this cycle, off by an average of 6.4 points.
The whole list is on the SUSA frontpage, scroll down:
http://www.surveyusa.com/
January 29th, 2008 at 5:34 am
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Say it aint so.
January 29th, 2008 at 5:34 am
UTICA, New York – Arizona Sen. John McCain’s lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is growing wider as the Republican campaign ends and Election Day dawns, the results of a new Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby telephone two-day tracking poll shows.
McCain now has 35% support in Florida and stands four points ahead of Romney. The poll, which surveyed 941 likely Republican voters in Florida on Jan. 27-28, 2008, carries a margin for error of +/-3.3 percentage points.
It is the second consecutive day of upward movement for McCain after his campaign won the endorsement from Republican Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. McCain and Romney were tied in the tracking poll released two days ago. The doubts over whether the maverick Arizona senator could succeed in winning over GOP voters in a state where independent voters are not allowed to vote in the GOP primary election appear on the way to being assuaged.
http://zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1440
January 29th, 2008 at 5:57 am
zogby=lame
January 29th, 2008 at 6:10 am
This poll has McCain + 7 among “conservatives” and +7 among women and tied among men - those first 2 things do not add up wih almost any other poll. McCain may be up by a point or so but this tells me Zogby may be way off with this poll.
Pollster John Zogby: “Senator McCain seems to have consolidated support among conservatives, where he now leads by 7 points, perhaps as a result of the strong endorsements he received over the weekend from conservative Gov. Charlie Crist and Republican Sen. Mel Martinez.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Mike,
That is true. I think a lot of that has to do with high margin of error in subgroups. Yesterday’s Survey USA said that Romney led among voters that considered the war most important. That is nonsensical too.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:26 am
You know the fall of Rudy is for me the major story of the whole race - even bigger than J/Mac’s rise and fall.
And it all boils down to him leaving NH.
There must be some secret reason for that decision (eg was he nearly broke) as it has to be the worse political decision in history.
He could well have won or gone close.
January 29th, 2008 at 6:33 am
McCain hired Juan Hernandez, the leading proponent of amnesty for illegal Mexicans living here in the U.S.
On “Meet The Press” on Sunday McCain dodged the question from Tim Russert about whether or not, as president, he would sign his own McCain-Kennedy Immigration bill (which is, in fact, virtual amnesty for illegals). (He will give amnesty when in the Oval Office — especially with a Democratic Congress.)
On Sunday in Florida, McCain promised there would be “more wars.†What a way to campaign! What a promise from a potential president! How about pledging to try to prevent more wars?
He has already said that if it were up to him we’d stay in Iraq for “10,000 years.â€
He is a bad guy who, for a number of reasons, has the media eating out of his hand.
He has a terrible anger problem. (See Ted Sampley’s excellent article at the US Veteran Dispatch.)
He wants to bomb all over the Middle East.
Don’t be fooled by polls in January predicting what may or may not happen in November. The general election is a long, long way off. Campaigns are run to change polls. Someone may look electable today but not be so in six months. Remember President Giuliani? The Democrats will have a field day with McCain: He’s a third term of Bush; he’s too old; he’s a mad bomber; he is unstable.
The Republican Party is about to compound the mistake they made in begging G.W. Bush back in 1999 to run for president. He has been a total disaster for the country.
McCain will be even worse.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:01 am
SCARY
January 29th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Sonya, I was thinking the same thing this morning coming into work. I was contemplating a McCain presidency and trying to envision it and all I see is weak economic policy and more war. I get the feeling that McCain will just lead us to war, for the sake of going to war. And while I am all for defending ourselves and have no problem using war to do it, we still need less war. When I try to look at the next Presidency as objectively as possible, I think I would prefer an Obama presidency over a McCain one, and that is with little personal disdain towards McCain, heis my second choice for the GOP. Further, I look at a Romney presidency and see great success and hope, I see confidence, experience, accomplishment, and success. I see strong and smart economic policy, a genius President surrounding himself with other geniuses, I see the government bureaucracy being gutted and made more efficient, and I see pragmatism and smart, forward looking leadership. It is amazing to me that more people have not bought into Mitt Romney.
Most of it is his own fault. He ran a piss poor campaign leading up to Iowa, he should have focused on being a washington outsider and an economic genius the entire time, instead of pandering to social conservative Iowans. It appears that now people are starting to awaken to Mitt but I fear that it is a moment too late, and we are going to be stuck with another mediocre candidate on par with Bob Dole. What a shame and joke. The democrats must be giggling themselves silly watching us about to ruin our chances for a victort in November.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:27 am
“Most of it is his own fault. He ran a piss poor campaign leading up to Iowa, he should have focused on being a washington outsider and an economic genius the entire time, instead of pandering to social conservative Iowans”
I’ve said this from the beginning - and this is what turned me off to Romney the most. I wouldn’t be so forlorn just yet. Romney has a fighting chance yet - and this is from a McCain supporter who hates Romney. We’ll see what happens when the votes are cast.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I agree with what most of Swint said. Today is going to be interesting. I think there’s a good chance for a Mitt victory but my gut says McCain has the slight upperhand.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:33 am
“Most of it is his own fault. He ran a piss poor campaign leading up to Iowa, he should have focused on being a washington outsider and an economic genius the entire time, instead of pandering to social conservative Iowansâ€
That’s what I’m referring to in #19
January 29th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I AM McLOVIN!
January 29th, 2008 at 7:47 am
“Campaigns are run to change polls.” This is the most succint way to put this idea that I’ve seen.
“Most of it is his own fault. He ran a piss poor campaign leading up to Iowa, he should have focused on being a washington outsider and an economic genius the entire time, instead of pandering to social conservative Iowans.” My instinct is to disagree with this, but I think there is a good point lurking in here. This isn’t why Romney lost Iowa. Huckabee won Iowa because he was able to turn out an enormous sector of the population that no one else could tap. But NH, on the other hand, probably would have responded to his Michigan/Nevada/Florida message a lot better than his Iowa message.
Of course, this is all speculation, and not the kind that will be resolved by tonight.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:49 am
This is so frustrating from a Romney supporter’s perspective. It’s the conservative against the moderate. The genius against the guy who graduated 5th from the bottom of his class. While Romney has proven business leadership, McCain only contribution is that he will listen to the troops. Is the Republican Party really going to divorce itself from conservative principles? If so, why even have a Republican Party?
I still have a sneaking suspicion that Romney will pull this out though.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:51 am
“The genius against the guy who graduated 5th from the bottom of his class”
McCain’s no dummy. Look I understand you’re upset because it doesn’t look great for Mitt at the moment (Who knows about later on?) but it doesn’t serve you well to mock McCain as some sort of idiot. The guy has a high IQ and clearly has been able to do remarkably well so far and with far fewer resources than Romney.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:51 am
My growing fear is that after winning FL and storming toward the nomination McCain will have a health scare. He just looks so old these days. Yes, he seems vigorous and his mother is a spark plug at 95, but who can say whether he got his mother’s longevity gene. He needs to release his medical records on his latest physical.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Go Mitt. Please Florida, do the right thing.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Adam. McCain did finish 5th from the bottom of his class. Its a fact.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:54 am
atl,
What does that say about his political instinct?
January 29th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Based on this poll alone, this would show momentum on Romney’s side. Zogby said yesterday that the polling on Sunday favored McCain 38 to 31. Given the reported base sizes, they probably interviewed 270-280 people. That means on Monday they most likely interviewed 660-670 people and the poll had McCain up ~34 to 31. Net McCain lost ~4% in one day (from 38% to 34%), although there is obviously some statistical wobble in the numbers. This on top of the fact that it appears that Zogby might be weighting the sample based on population (potentially over-weighting the Southern tip of Florida relative to the Jacksonville area where there are more Republicans), makes this race too close to call. I am guessing we will need to wait until late in the night to find out who really won.
January 29th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Adam,
It says that McCain is good at playing politics. Nothing more, nothing less.
I give him all credit for being a succesful campaigner, I disagree with the
way he does it. He will do anything to get elected.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Adam, you are being very pragmatic today. It is pleasant today.
It is going to be really close tonight, I hope the voters are smarter than I give them credit for.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:01 am
atl,
There is plenty of ammunition for opponents of Romney to make that charge against your guy. But it would behoove you to ask why it is that someone with tens of millions of more dollars available to spend, someone with the entire right-wing radio noise machine in the tank for him, and someone with supposedly such great intelligence can’t find away to beat a so-called “liberal Republican” that’s as old as a dinosaur, not pure on the issues and hated by the Loud Elites.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Adam - McCain himself uses his graduation position (5th from the bottom) in his stump speech about how inspiring it is (as in America is the land of opportunity) that someone such as him can run for POTUS. I actually laughed out loud when I heard him say this, but it is out there and McCain is spinning it as a positive, so I hardly think that it is something requiring an ardent defense, or folks crying ‘unfair’ because it’s not.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:02 am
If the exit polls are as close as these polls have been, it’s going to be a late night. Does anybody know what time the polls close?
January 29th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Jeffrey,
It’s disingenuous. That’s not why you don’t support McCain. Did you vote for Bush over McCain in 2000 because you thought he was smarter? Sounds like sour grapes to me.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Adam - how is it sour grapes? The guy uses it in his stump speech.
You’re wrong on the other point - Bush has never shown up on the top 20% IQ lists
January 29th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Mitchell has Romney up by 2%. Werent they the most accurate in Michigan?
January 29th, 2008 at 8:06 am
8PM eastern on the west side of FL the polls close.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Mike - yes Mitchell was fairly close and accurately captured Romney’s break upwards.
Contrary to ‘conventional wisdom’, this thing is going to break with the victor edging out a win by 4-6 points IMO.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Adam,
I find myself asking those very questions. To me Romney is the logical choice. Against him
are the liberal media and democrats. They both favor McCain. In addition McCains is deceptive and it has made
it hard for true conservative republicans to identify the real conservative. Like Swint I hope the voters are smart enough
to work this one out. You only have to put the two side by side to realise who would be the better President.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Jeffrey,
He still graduated. He did what was required. I hope every time I go to the doctor I get the guy that got all A’s in medical school but the law of averages says I didn’t most of the time. There is something to be said for experience.
Mike,
I saw that. I wish they had polled recently to see what kind of movement has occurred though. I think that’s key. We saw a slight shift in favor of McCain in the Survey USA and Zogby polls since late yesterday.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Do you have a link for the Mitchell poll?
January 29th, 2008 at 8:10 am
#41 - given a choice you would pick the doctor that was the most succesful. We do have a choice here.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Adam
my good friend, if Mac is so smart why did he have to marry money? You and Huck always crying about Romneys
money, trying the class warfare stunt. “Sounds like sour grapes to me”
January 29th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Jeff
I think it will be within 2% one way or the other and will be declared late.
FL is all touch screen voting now so maybe the results will be quicker than normal.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:10 am
“You only have to put the two side by side to realise who would be the better President.”
I get where you’re coming from but for me I find it difficult to put them side by side. I’ve seen Romney completely shift emphasis just over the past few months. When was the last time he talked about social conservatism? If I wasn’t paying attention I wouldn’t have known just how much he pandered to the so-con Iowans (even Romney supporters admit as much today). Now he’s Mr. Moderate Business Executive. I think Romney has the same problem now that Al Gore had in 2000. Remember all those stories of “Who is the real Al Gore”? You have to admit if questions of Romney’s authenticity didn’t exist, he’d probably be doing better than in a statistical tie with a moderate in a closed GOP Primary in a state that went to Bush by 5 points in 2004.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:11 am
#33 Since you asked, I would attribute McCain’s success in this race to 7 major reasons
1) He’s the only viable military man
2) He’s been around for a long time, and he’s run for President before
3) He’s a famous POW
4) He’s made a career out of making himself look good at the expense of the Republican Party. That’s what the “straight talk express†is really about-criticizing Republican stances from inside the Republican Party.
5) He’s loved by the main stream media. After all he’s their “go to†guy for undermining the Republican Party (see: “jobs that Americans won’t do).
6) Since 1999 he’s been building support in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
7) He’s McLovin.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Truth,
Actually that’s not true at all. I say things like “Independents and Democrats might not vote for someone who comes from privelege” and you always try to twist and distort that as if to suggest I have a problem with Romney’s money.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Mitchell poll
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/docs/florida-Jan-29-08.html
January 29th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Mitchell was the best in SC and Michigan they claim for Republicans
in accuracy. Good News.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Mitchell poll - Jan 28 has McCain up 2, not Mitt up 2 as stated previously
http://www.mitchellinteractive.com/pr/MINT-Florida%20%20GOP%20Primary%20Results%20Press%20Release%201-29-2008%5B1%5D.pdf
January 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Jeff,
Whoa! Then RCP is wrong.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I agree. Romney has toned down on the so con issues. Its not that he does not still hold those
values. Im sure he does. Its quiet simply that it is his economic conservative creditentials which
are best setting him apart at the moment. He is touting the credentials which are most likely to help
him win. That does not mean that his views have changed, if thats what your suggesting.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
51 is old now I see - thank you 49. looks like things are breaking Mitts way at the end
January 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am
“That does not mean that his views have changed, if thats what your suggesting”
What it suggests to me is that Romney just says things he needs to say. McCain is the war candidate. Huckabee is the Christian Leader candidate. Giuliani was the tax-cutter extraordinare. It seems to me that Romney is always just what Romney thinks he needs to be.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am
If you don’t have a problem with his money why is it always brought up? I have a problem with McCain being a liberal, I don’t care how broke he personally is.
I think the people of Fl will do the right thing today - Romney by 6%
January 29th, 2008 at 8:18 am
I don’t know Truth. Why is it brought up? Good question! YOU brought it up.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:18 am
I trust Mitchell a lot and this is great news for Romney but it’s still within the MOE…really close race tonight…
January 29th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Adam is exactly right, except I would add that Romney’s message changed from IA to NH and from NH to MI and now from MI to FL. Its astounding how blatantly disingenuous Romney is. The GOP must be concerned that while the voters may give him a pass, the MSM never will. Just last night on CNN Romney was asked “have you ever changed positions when it wasn’t politically advantageous?” In that one question Romney is pegged as both a flip-flopper and an opportunist, a fair but harsh description.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Zogby is really showing a downward trend for McCain (based on the reported numbers from Sunday’s alone 38 to 31 polling to the numbers released today). Survey USA is showing an upward trend for McCain, but if you look at the internals of the poll on Sunday they were very strange as they had Romney up 2x among Latinos, which “fixed†itself on Monday via a larger base size.
Net, Crist gave McCain momentum Sunday, but it has appeared now that they numbers stabilized and it is way too close to call…
January 29th, 2008 at 8:20 am
If Mac is so smart, why did he finish 5th from the bottom of a class of 899 at the academy?
Are you saying he wasn’t paying attention when he was supposed to be learning how to protect his country, or do you admit he was not so smart as you claim??
January 29th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Adam,
The reality is that Romney is just right on the many issues. Econ/Soc/Foreign Policy/ Immigration.
It does not matter what he talks about. You are right about the other candidates. Romney is diversely qualifed.
Thats what makes him so good.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:22 am
“You have to admit if questions of Romney’s authenticity didn’t exist, he’d probably be doing better than in a statistical tie with a moderate in a closed GOP Primary in a state that went to Bush by 5 points in 2004.”
Adam, you are largely right, although I do think there is some underlying Mormon issue also, but that is minimal.
Mitt should have stuck to his CEO guns and touted what he did as governor. He governed as a conservative despite running as a moderate in MA. If Mitt did not have these authenticity problems I think he would be running away with the nomination. Fortunately, we are seeing the real Mitt now. I know plenty of people who know him personally, and how he is running since Michigan is how he really is. I think this is the kind of candidate that most of the GOP can rally around. He just needs to convince them
I wonder Adam, what do you think your opinion of Mitt would be if he ran the entire campaign like he is running it now? and on the issues he is running now? It appears that most Mitt haters are bitter at his pandering. ( but may I point out that McCain has pandered and flipped just as much, he just isn’t called out for it.)
January 29th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Adam 57
McCain is rubbing off on you, you said:
“I don’t know Truth. Why is it brought up? Good question! YOU brought it up”
That is a McCain like misspeak (lie). You brought it up back at post #32.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:23 am
“Are you saying he wasn’t paying attention when he was supposed to be learning how to protect his country, or do you admit he was not so smart as you claim??”
How about I’m saying that he certainly did well enough to pass. How is Mitt qualified to protect the country? See now I’ve been nice all morning and I’m starting to get pissed off. Going to Europe to convert people to Mormonism doesn’t count as national security experience.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Truth,
I was talking about Mitt advantages in a broad context. Its a fact that he can spend more on advertising. But the idea is that he has plenty of opportunity to advertise. That is requires money isn’t the point. I have no idea why you have such a fetish about money.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Axel, you are wrong, Mitt has not changed between IA, NH the NH to MI, then MI to FL. Sure, he tailored his message to the state, but every candidate does and should do that. Voters in IA are concerned about different issues than voters in NH. Mitt changed only between NH and MI, and it was driven by the (seemingly) collapsing economy. It was a wise change, and it was only a change BACK to what he originally was supposed to base his whole campaign on. You will see that if you go back and look at Mitt’s announcment that he was running for Pres.
The Mitt you are seeing now is the REAL Mitt, and I think we should all be pleased about that.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Axel you’re just seeing what you want to see
January 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
“The Mitt you are seeing now is the REAL Mitt”
But HOW do you know? How do you know the “I am going to ban porn and move In God We Trust To The Front Of The Coin” Mitt won’t come back? Because I’ve got to tell you, THAT Mitt makes my stomach turn.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Adam
Now your getting ridiculous
being in the military doesn’t qualify you to run it any more than working at burger king qualifies you to manage it.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Adam,
McCains resume on national security may be better then Romneys. Although I personally would trust
Romney over McCain on national security. If you want one instance of Romneys experience consider what
was done at the Winter olympics just months after 911. At one stage it was questioned if the games would
go on. Mitt Romney led a safe and succesful olympics. National security was at the top of the agenda.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Adam
Why on earth are you a Republican? You don’t fit the platform
January 29th, 2008 at 8:29 am
“being in the military doesn’t qualify you to run it any more than working at burger king qualifies you to manage it”
Of course not. But then again managing a business doesn’t qualify you to lead a federal government as some of the Romney supporters claim.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Adam,
Actually watch Romney’s stump speeches. I have. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvWfqtmYrhk&feature=related
Towards the beginning he talks about how we’re a “God-fearing” people, and speaks about family values. This is after his so-called transformation to an economic wizard. Romney still talks about social issues, and still talks about them passionately, despite what the MSM will say.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Do you guys remember the terrorist bomb plot they busted up in the UK back in ‘06? I was on a transatlantic flight when all that went down - once we landed in the UK and got settled in we started to pick up that something wasn’t ‘normal’ that day and so we flicked on the TV. Who was on there talking about the terrorism threat? None other than Mitt Romney.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:31 am
#69 - That is the real Romney. Although the business Romney that appeals to you is the same Romney with social conservative principles.
Remember the whole time Romney has been pushing the three legged stool.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Adam
and being a Senator does????????????????????
Managing a few dozen people?????????????????????
Come on
January 29th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I know because I know a lot of people that know him personally. I also know because he is a business man and a ceo, I also think a lot like he does. Mitt is a very practical and pragmatic man, he is more concerned about primary issues like Security and economy than he is about many of the satellite social issues that concern many of you.
I completely understand your concerns and they are quite valid. However, I am 100% convinced that Mitt’s pandering to the religious right that disappoints many of us and makes you sick was done at the behest of supposed;y “experienced ” campaign advisors. Even after NH, Mitt said he was taking more overall control of the message (which brings up its own concrens in its own right). I can’t blame many of you for not trusting Mitt, but I am confident that the Mitt you are getting now is the real Mitt. Not very convincing I am sure, but that’s what I’ve got.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Matt,
I’m sure he says those things in his speeches. But I wouldn’t go to a Romney speech unless I was a Romney supporter. His so-con messages were conspicuously absent (or at least notably tempered)in his campaign commercials after Iowa.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:32 am
He also uses his the “most important work going on is the work going on within the 4 walls of the American home” line at around 3.43 in that video.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Truth,
McCain has been involved in just about every national security issue for two decades. That counts a lot more than anything Mitt has done.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:33 am
If Mac is so smart, why did he finish 5th from the bottom of a class of 899 at the academy?
Give it a rest all ready. I’m as anti-McCain as the next guy, but this is a dumb reason to vote against someone. If we had to elect presidents straight out of college, class ranks matter. Otherwise we have a record to go on.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Romney’s focus has changed in getting out his message, but there’s a thing called a stump speech. He’s been consistent on the issues; I don’t think McCain has though. I think he’s changed on some of the issues during the race.
Of course Romney’s not going to run the same ads week after week. You’d have to be crazy to think he would do so.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Truth,
THe reason Republicans are losing is because you are losing people like me.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Adam, Mitt has done more than run a business. SUre that alone does not qualify one to be pres, but that with the the fact he was a successful governor and his international experience with the olympics more than qualifiess him.
I think McCain is as qualified as anyone for the presidency. But Military experience is not a prerequisite. I am in the military and I am not (yet:) ) qualified to be President.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Adam
I am sorry your right - I especially remember McCain holding back that Mexican invasion all by himself.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:36 am
#82 Amen
January 29th, 2008 at 8:36 am
He also uses his the “most important work going on is the work going on within the 4 walls of the American home†line at around 3.43 in that video.
Which is standard, boilerplate rhetoric for Mormons. Don’t expect that to go away without a real, conscious effort to avoid it.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Mitt’s privileged background would not have helped him had he attended one of our great military academies.
Rombots should get to know a little bit about how tough those academies are. One of my best friends went to the USAFA in Colorado Springs, and — lemme tell ya — that mix of tough academics and serious military training would have stomped the tar out of a pampered kid like Mitt was. He was, after all, the normally favored baby of his family.
Making it through a military academy takes more than the ability to pander, lie, flip-flop, and name-drop as the son of a successful businessman turned governor turned elder in his church could get by with.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:37 am
#84 Nah, for every person like you the Republicans lose, they gain two people like me.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Romney = Economic Conservative + Social Conservative + Foreign Policy Conservative.
A true conservative in all areas. He can emphasises one above the other at any time because
he is firm in all three areas. He is not one with out the other. He is all of them. The 3 legged stool.
If he needs to trump economic conservatives to gain more support he can!
That is why Romney is the true conservative choice. The other candidates have there nieche, Romney is
strong in all 3.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:38 am
MarkG - thanks for your analysis - I’ll change my support now that you’ve exposed the issues so well.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:38 am
“Of course Romney’s not going to run the same ads week after week. You’d have to be crazy to think he would do so.”
And therein lies the rub. Huckabee’s ads had similar themese regardless of which state he happened to be campaigning in. Same with McCain. And same with Giuliani (although we only have NH and FL to go on). Mitt of Iowa is different than Mitt of Michigan.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:38 am
#65 - Yes, he passed enough to allow him to go forward and be an officer in military. Good for him. My cousin passed near the top of his class, was shot down, POW, then died as prisoner. I love my cousin very much, but that doesn’t mean he would have qualified for President of the United States. The standard we should have for intelligence to be the President of the USA should be a very high standard indeed, and Mitt certainly meets that standard.
I was in the Marine Corps. I knew a lot about how to fight, as did John McCain know how to fly and how to head his Squadron, but those skills have little, if anything, to do with the strategies, logistical expertise, and tactics required to deal with the many complex and dangerous situations in this world.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:39 am
And if Mitt of Iowa ISN’T different than Mitt of Michigan than Mitt of Iowa is selling himself as different than Mitt of Michigan.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Mitt is so full of stool his eyes are brown.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
81- It’s not true that it counts for more than what Mitt has done. McCain has had very little impact in those secuirty incidents. He was simply 1 out of 100. McCain has solid creds on NatSec issues, but he has zero leadership or execuitve experience and Mitt has had at least 30 years of it, that says qualifies him more for the Presidency in my mind. But I am not a NatSec voter, I vote based on competence, leadership, and fiscal policy primarily. I am confident that any of the GOP candidates (except Huck) would protect our country extremely well and make wise decisions in that regard. I am not confident that all of them can/will implement sound economic policy (McCain), gut the beauracracy (MCCain), or avoid being embroiled in scandal their entire term (Rudy). Mitt is the obvious choice.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
MarkG,
You’re absurd. Romney’s a harder worker then anyone in the field. He’s worth over 200 million dollars, and they don’t even have freaking servants. To call him pampered reeks of class warfare. But, then I don’t expect anything better from you.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
#89 You seem to love making statements that can’t be backed up by facts at all as if they are facts themselves, but here’s the irony of your statement. McCain probably got into that academy because his daddy was a high ranking military man. Romney on the other hand was valedictorian of his undergraduate school, that’s why he got into Harvard.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
MarkG
I understand your idiotic post
because you are frustrated and scared that your beloved McCain is going down today.
Take a couple of valium and post again in the morning
January 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
96- funny guy.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
By the way, if anyone was pampered, and if anyone glided by on their name, it was John McCain, the son of one of the most famous admirals in American history. This guy would not have been any sort of success if his daddy’s name hadn’t kept in the show when he was flunking classes.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:43 am
#95 Heaven forbid you tell people why THEY should vote for you.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Mitt - The obvious choice.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Matthew E. Miller:
Glad I could live up to your expectations. I aim to please.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:45 am
MarkG, I am no idiot when it comes to the Military or the Military acadamies. I was active in the AF until last year (enlisted), now work in Government space as a contractor with Military, Gov Civies, and other contractors working on some of the toughest issues in the country, and am about to become an officer in the Navy Reserves, so military and national security issues are extremely important to me and I am well versed in all of them. I am also a huge Romney supporter. The Acadamies are tough and demanding, personally it is only minimally bothersome that McCain finished 5th from the bottom of his class, but it still does not reflect well. I don’t think it should be an issue however. But to act like we Mittbots are ignorant regarding the military and international affairs is asinine. I acm convinced that I have as much if not more experience in those fields than anyone on this site. Try using a little bit of intelectual honesty when you write your posts.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Mark G- funny guy, uninformed poster.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
atl
Don’t be to hard on MarkG, he will be smarter when he gets out of the 3rd grade
January 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Matthew again:
That’s no way to denigrate the hard work his Guatemalan gardeners performed for minimal pay. I’m sure they would have a lot to tell Mitt about what it means to work out of the need to survive and support a family.
Call it class warfare if you will. But reality has been a consistent stumbling block for Mitt and the Choir Rombotic.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Swint: Respect for your service to our nation.
We’ll all get together and have tea after the primaries (after the general if I have to continue fighting Mitt through the general).
January 29th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Alright, Mr. Foxworthy, I have a television and have tested out as smarter than a fifth grader, mkay?
January 29th, 2008 at 8:52 am
“I’m sure they would have a lot to tell Mitt about what it means to work out of the need to survive and support a family.”
Basically, Mitt’s not poor (like McCain who married into money) so he doesn’t know what an honest day’s work is and can’t connect with poor voters (who would do better under his policies than McCains).
January 29th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Mitt is only one generation away from being dirt poor, living in a house with dirt floors for several years. That’s how his dad started out, and yet he rose to Governor of a State, head of an auto company, and a candidate for President of the United States. I’m sure Mitt had a lot of his father’s experiences pounded into his head when he grew up.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Thanks MarkG. Thanks for being so good humored.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Gov. Romney is an untrustworthy candidate who governed as a liberal republican in Massachusetts. The liberal positions he took awarded him the disreputable “honor” of being named the #8 most liberal republican holding office out of ALL US representatives, US senators, and state governors in 2005 by Human Events magazine (See link).
Before trusting a word Romney says please take into consideration the following:
-Right-to-Life Issues: As late as 2005, Gov. Romney pledged to support and uphold pro-abortion policies and passed taxpayer funding abortions in Massachusetts. His wife contributed money to Planned Parenthood. Most damning, Gov. Romney told the National Abortion Rights Actions league that “you need someone like me in Washington.” As far as Gov. Romney changing his position on abortion after visiting an embryonic stem cell lab, this is a bogus claim. The scientists at the lab Romney claims to have visited say that Romney NEVER met with them. Moreover, this supposed “meeting” took place in 2004. In 2005, Gov. Romney is on record stating that he is “committed to maintaining the status quo with laws relating to abortion and choice” (Watch video).
January 29th, 2008 at 9:07 am
I wonder if Rasmussen is going to release another poll today. Anyone know?
January 29th, 2008 at 9:09 am
115
That “pledge” was after he stated that he had taken a right to life view but promised that he would uphold what the people of MA had expected when he took up his 4 year term. He knew his conversion to life would tick off a lot of people so he 1) promised to stick to his word regarding changing laws during his term and 2) he put the world on notice that he was moving to the life position. It was an act of political courage. Why else would he do it? Basically he lost the support of most of the MA electorate with that move who up until that time had given him high approval ratings? He did it because it was the right thing to do.
His wife’s contribution was 1994. You are wrong about the scientist meeting…that did occur and it is well documented. Melton, the scientist, is very pro embryonic stem cell research and the accounts from Romney’s side are believable.
You haven’t research the record accurately at all. I’m from MA and I know this stuff from first hand accounts at the time.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:12 am
There is that imposter “truth” spreading more lies.
Hey “truth” where was McCain on that list for 2006???????
What a joke
January 29th, 2008 at 9:21 am
#115 You are a liar, my friend, (wink).
Romney wrote an op ed in the Boston globe when he changed his view. He was very up front about this.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/26/why_i_vetoed_contraception_bill/
January 29th, 2008 at 9:24 am
118: who says I support McCain??? More than anything, I do not want Romney to be our nominee. He’s the democrats “dream opponent.” He’s John Kerry with dyed hair and a different name with an -R. Even John Edwards would be able to defeat Romney in the general.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:27 am
#120 Yeah, that’s why the Dems are urging us to nominate McCain, while constantly attacking Mitt.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:29 am
How will McCain differentiate himself from the Democrats in a positive way? Being a POW?
January 29th, 2008 at 9:33 am
#121 & #122
have it right
Truth, Adam and a few others just hate Romney, they can’t defend theor candidate so they just try to tear down Romney. I don’t know if it is a religion thing or what but the hate is incredible
January 29th, 2008 at 9:35 am
” I don’t know if it is a religion thing or what but the hate is incredible”
Careful on that. Some might argue that the reason some people LIKE Romney is because he shares their religion. Especially when, you know, 94 percent of the population that voted three times with respective said population’s size came out to vote for Mormon Mitt.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:36 am
#123 I don’t know, maybe there’s some latent reason why those guys are angry toward such an attractive candidate, but I can’t figure it out.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:39 am
The REAL Truth is that they are liberal at heart.
Republicans can NOT win trying to out liberal the Dems
January 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am
#124 Among the REPUBLICAN frontrunners, who is an attractive candidate for LDS people besides Romney. In other wards, which campaign didn’t have negative rhetoric about “Mormons” coming out of it?
I have a theory that criticizing somebody’s religion, has a negative impact on their willingness to vote for you.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Insider Advantage Poll just released
McCain 31 (28)
Romney 30 (27)
Giuliani 15 (16)
Huckabee 13 (13)
Paul 2 (4)
It’s on RCP.
McCain leads RCP average by 0.6
January 29th, 2008 at 9:59 am
huck will not beat rudy. mark my words.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:59 am
rcp have been right on every gop race so far. have any of the others been this close though going into it from the rcp averages standpoint?
January 29th, 2008 at 9:59 am
McCain was leading RCP by a slightly bigger margin last night, so things might be shifting back to Romney.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Two polls released today show movement to McCain, one shows movement to Romney and one maintains the spread. McCain leads in three of the four polls released today and Romney leads in one. The average of polls released just since late last evening shows McCain +1. So it’s basically a tossup with perhaps the narrowest edge going to McCain.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Some of you are making way to much out of these polls. In MI they were off by more than 10% and in NV they were off more than 25%
January 29th, 2008 at 11:33 am
You’re absurd. Romney’s a harder worker then anyone in the field. He’s worth over 200 million dollars, and they don’t even have freaking servants. To call him pampered reeks of class warfare. But, then I don’t expect anything better from you. - Matthew E. Miller
Now, stop it. This is so stupid. Of course Romney’s pampered. He grew up in a rich family that gave him the keys to all of the connections he could want. That’s pampered. Now, granted, he did work hard and utilize what he was given well. I’m not holding it against him and it doesn’t factor into my support for a candidate. But…to say he’s not pampered is just silly.