The Candidates
Conservatives should have no illusions about the likely eventual outcome of the GOP nominating process. Even if Governor Romney scores some unexpected wins tonight, the delegate math moving forward still makes him a decided underdog. So why not fall in line as our elected officials are cajoling us to do?
For one thing, I have always supported the most conservative viable candidate: Kemp in ‘88, Buchanan in ‘92, Gramm in ‘96, Forbes in ‘00. It goes without saying that my track record does not bode well for Governor Romney’s chances.
That said, there is significant strategic impetus for supporting Romney. The McCain campaign must be made to understand that there is remarkable dissatisfaction with their candidate. When the base pines for Bob Dole c.1996 our presumptive nominee’s problems cannot be exaggerated. They must be reminded that the bulk of the conservative movement is prepared to either grudgingly pull the lever for McCain (while offering no financial or ground support) or sit this election out entirely. I have articulated elsewhere why there is much to be said with taking the long view of history and withholding support from the GOP this cycle. But I am not yet irrevocably committed to this course of action.
By supporting the most conservative remaining candidate, we can exert the maximum pressure on McCain to choose a genuine conservative to balance the ticket, reaffirm his support for originalist judges, and campaign on a supply-side pro-growth agenda.
If conservatives want to be wooed, we have to play hard to get. As best I can discern, there seems little profit in affirming a McCain candidacy at this point but potentially much to gain by supporting his more conservative opponent. I will attempt to move the Senator a couple clicks to the right by supporting Governor Romney in this evening’s Minnesota caucus.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Fun video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAEnNpPXG-s
February 5th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Gary,
You have articulated a great argument for Mitt going forward. The question remains whether he IS going forward or not. Mitt needs to do well enough today to stay in the race, or McCain, a disaster in the making, will be what the party is stuck with. Mitt’s the one guy out there who knows how to fix Washington for the long term, and fix the economy in the short term. It’s up to us to give him the chance to make our lives better.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I hope your winning streak continues.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:44 am
This is as good a reason as any to support Romney. If McCain gets the Republican nomination without significant pressure from the conservative movement (i.e, if he essentially wraps things up tonight), he will lose in November. Guaranteed. Against Hillary. Against Obama. It’s lunacy to hand John McCain the keys to the kingdom without forcing him to move to the right; without making him aware of the deep fissures he’ll create if he continues to “go his own way”. As someone who intends to vote for McCain if he’s our nominee, this is a worrying prospect to say the least.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Or, to put it another way, John McCain needs to be taught a little humility. Because, this insufferably arrogant character of the past month will lose conservatives AND independents in a general election.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
That was a really neat video grandma. Thanks.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Just voted for Mitt in CA!!!
Finally.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I just voted for Romney in Massachusetts. The weather is awful, cold rain and sleet, but I had to wait in line for the first time since voting here. The line was only 3 people long, but I have never had to wait in line before. There were no signs or supporters for any candidate near the school.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:56 am
My wife just voted for Romney too in Mass. When a neighbor found out yesterday that my wife was voting Romney, she blurted “please don’t vote for him. I have a secret, I am an illegal alien, and Romney would complicate my life.” My wife felt bad for her friend but was even more resolved to vote for Romney based on that experience.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:57 am
NIce theory but I dont think you are understanding who McCAin is. The more resistance he gets the more he lashes out. He will not see resistance as a sign to come closer to us but rather further from us. If he get Lieberman as VP he doesnt need us.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:58 am
the funny thing is for McCain, the more he tries to make us conservatives happy the more he is going to alienate the “independent republicans/democrats” that are helping him in his general election numbers vs HRC. Any way you spin it, McCain is screwed in the general election….and I can t say that doesnt make me smile a little bit…
February 5th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Matthew, I just don’t know how we can trust him if he does indicate some willingness to change. I once thought this guy was a pretty decent candidate, had him #2 on my list for a while when everyone was in, but over the last couple months I have almost developed a hatred of this guy because of his dirty politics and his arrogancy. I’ve also gotten to know him on issues much more, and I’ve had some surprises. How is he allowed to claim being pro-life? I’ve seen video and read statements of this man saying he would not be supportive of the overturn of Roe vs Wade. This was surprising to me because no one calls him on this. How does he get by with that?
I want Mitt to take this all the way to the convention, fight for the nomination, but at the very least, get someone other than McCain.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:02 am
McCain is what he is. He’s not gonna move right if he gets the nomination. If he wins in spite of conservative opposition he will move the other way assuming he doesn’t need conservatives. The writing is on the wall for him. Influential people like Rush Limbaugh are saying they’ll support Hillary over him. And the independents giving McCain his victories now will desert him over his position to stay in Iraq for 100 years. There is a rout of historic proportions in the making here. That’s why the MSM is pushing him so hard.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:05 am
#9 Chris,
Your wife did the right thing.
I lived in MA for 15 yrs and moved to Rhode Island 8 months ago, I’ll be voting in March and I think the RI vote may actually mean something this cycle.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am
THIS JUST IN…
Comments regarding someone who served in the armed forces is now officially off limits… we all knew this to be the case in McCain’s mind already, but now the McCain camp makes certain to put it in writing
McCain PR
February 5th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Folks who are truly conservative are a minority in the Republican Party.
Oh, a majority of Republicans favor low taxes (as a low level concern), favor the military and are somewhat culturally conservative.
It’s just that very few Republicans care about any issue to make a principled stand.
We’ve got a few principled economic conservatives (~15% of the GOP) and we’ve got a few principled social conservatives (~20% of the GOP).
The other 60% of Republicans will gladly vote for a candidate as long as they throw out a little conservative rhetoric.
Only a minority of Republicans care enough about the issues to look behind a politician’s lies and see what they stand for.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am
EGS, there is some truth to what you say. The good news is that the 1/3 of the party you mention is much more likely to show up at todays primaries and caucuses.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Should be an interesting day.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Then how do you explain all of us who oppose Romney?—enough of us to ensure that
(a) the hapless candidate never got above 31% despite outspending his rivals by orders of magnitude
-and-
(b) the poor man won no state where his father had not served as governor.
There are more of us who care about issues and who probe beneath a candidate’s rhetoric than you think.
Whateverz.
Hey, why are you Mittwits being so quiet today? According to Wonkosphere Sen. McCain owns about 27% of the buzzshare (as much as Obama!) while poor, poor misunderstood Romney captures only about 15% (up from 12%!), and most of that traffic is coming from dedicated Romney blogs and astroturf sites. Get with it, Mittwits! Support your candidate! See:
http://wonkosphere.com/buzzbulletins/20080203-19.htm
February 5th, 2008 at 11:21 am
If you heard what Romney said about Bob Dole, it was praiseworthy, not as this PR would insinuate. This is just more dirty politics by the McCain camp.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:25 am
#19 - mitt has won wyoming and maine and nevada. i dont think george romney was governor of those states.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:26 am
“I have articulated elsewhere why there is much to be said with taking the long view of history and withholding support from the GOP this cycle. ”
I agree actually, I think a Hillary presidency for 4 years would actually help the GOP, whereas a McCain presidency would hurt the GOP. I like long-term strategy, rather than short-term gain. However, a Barack presidency probably hurts the GOP more.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Civic, Romney was never popular. The lemmings who comprise the GOP electorate have given first place in the polls to four candidates this year.
1) Giuliani
2) Thompson
3) Huckabee
4) McCain
What’s noticeable is that none of the first three candidates were sunk on the issues.
Each of them were sunk by personal attributes and their gaffes.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Civic,
Wow! So you’re saying George Romney governed Wyoming, Nevada, and Maine?!? That’s amazing!
February 5th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Quite right. Please forgive me. I forgot to add the qualifier “key”, as in “key states,” as in “the poor man won no key state where his father had not served as governor. He has, as you have pointed out, won a few otherwise uncontested states.
But it gets worse for the hapless candidate. According to an emotional factors analysis by APCO worldwide, most voters regard Romney as a bloodless zombie—regard:
http://www.apcoworldwide.com/content/services/files/key_findings.cfm
February 5th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Lemmings? What? Because we failed to support Romney?
February 5th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Another interesting feature of Romney’s victories is that he excels in undemocratic, fungible straw-polls. It’s the simple one-man-one-vote stuff that escapes His Romness. Guess that’s what happens when you grow up to privilege expecting commoners to fall to their knees in your presence.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Mr. civic, come visit Maine some time. You would be surprised to find that they also participate in politics, you know: they vote and think their vote counts. Getting away from T.V. once and awhile would be eye-opening for you. The world is not quite the way that CNN tells you it is.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:39 am
“Quite right. Please forgive me. I forgot to add the qualifier “keyâ€, as in “key states,—
Now that is what I calls “civic virtue” Distorting the truth to smear a good man.
..what a schmuck..
February 5th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Civic, I’ve not been a Romney supporter in the year I’ve been commenting.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am
February 5th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Please forgive me. I obviously misunderstood you. If someone implied that I was a Romney supporter I would be deeply offended, so, I’m really sorry.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Civic virtue:
You been too anti-Romney in all your posts for me give you any benefit of the doubt. Your post #31 only goes to prove how you distort truth. Corporate Raider? Please.. Romney himself has created tens of thousands of tax paying jobs unlike the other candidates. With comments such as “corporate raider” you must be a liberal hack hellbent on destroying the only viable conservative Republican.
I smell a rat. Not true Republican would ever use rhetoric like corporate raider like this “civic virtue” just has.
By the way, I counted 11 questions in the your #31 post. That has to be a record with so few words. Stop poisoning the well. You are full of logical fallacies, half truths, and distortions.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Civic…I like how some states are not key states to you, but you do respect those states where Indies and Dems can choose the GOP candidate. Nice call.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am
McCain loses against obama because the indies will go to him and even some republicans. the base will not be motivated enough to get out an vote for mccain with obama running.
against hillary, mccain will do better because of the high negatives of hillary and because the base will be more motivated by simply stopping her.
either way, i think he loses. the one reason that i might vote for a mccain instead of just sitting it out would be judges. but i am convinced that mccain won’t appoint judges to my liking anyway, so there really is no reason for me to go vote if he is the nominee. hillary is a ‘hawkish’ liberal. that is how i see mccain or at least the mccain of the past seven years.
he won’t be vetoing much coming out of a democratic congress. why not let hillary screw things up and ride of wave of discontent to victory in 2012 with a real conservative.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
“McCain loses against obama because the indies will go to him and even some republicans. ”
Right, many of the McCain’s Independent and liberal crossover voters will not be there for him in the general election as they were in the primaries.. This will mean less non-Republican vote to compensate for the Republican vote McCain has already alienated.
Conservatives are not good at smoking peace pipes. Liberals are.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
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